| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07650547B2 |
Apparatus for locating a defect in a scan chain while testing digital logic
An apparatus for locating a defect in a scan chain by recording the last bit position in a serial data stream at which a certain data state is observed during a test comprising a plurality of patterns. |
| US07650542B2 |
Method and system of using a single EJTAG interface for multiple tap controllers
Aspects of a method and system of using a single EJTAG interface for multiple TAP controllers may comprise communicating information to a plurality of debugging interfaces, the method comprising simultaneously broadcasting a single debug message to a plurality of TAP controllers where the debug message is received via a single debug interface. The method may further comprise simultaneously broadcasting the single debug message to selected ones of a plurality of TAP controllers. An input enable register control signal may be generated that selects which, of a plurality of TAP controllers, is to receive the debug message. The single debug interface may be a JTAG interface which is capable of receiving and sending JTAG messages, or EJTAG messages. |
| US07650540B2 |
Detecting and differentiating SATA loopback modes
A method according to one embodiment may include communicating, by a far end device with a near end device, using a Serial ATA (SATA) communications protocol; receiving, by the far end device, a SATA signal sequence having two bits, the state of which define at least one loopback mode; defining, by the far end device, a reserved and/or error state if both of the bits are set; and processing, by the far end device, the two bits together to determine if the two bits are in a state that defines at least one loopback mode or if the two bits are set. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment. |
| US07650538B2 |
Identifying temporal ambiguity in an aggregated log stream
A method and system for ordering and aggregating log streams. Log streams for events from different sources are received. If different sources have different recording cycles, or time epochs, that lead to different temporal granularities, then all of the log streams are combined into a single time epoch that is equal to the longest time epoch. Log streams from sources having shorter time epochs continue to retain information about their original time epochs, in order to retain information about the order of the events in those log streams. The log streams are reordered, both before and after being integrated into the aggregate log, by acquiring additional data from the different sources, thus permitting the likely cause/effect relationship between events. |
| US07650537B2 |
Inspection support apparatus and inspection support method
To enable measurement of a suspension position and a suspension period of the reference clock of a microcomputer to be inspected, based on the information stored into a clock information register section, by acquiring output data output from the microcomputer; preserving the acquired output data into a data bank section by use of the reference clock being output from the microcomputer together with the output data; discriminating the suspension of the reference clock by a clock operation discrimination section at sampling intervals of the output data; and writing and preserving the discrimination result into the clock information register section by a register control section. |
| US07650536B2 |
Forced termination condition monitoring device, forced termination condition monitoring method and storage medium embodying forced termination condition monitoring program
To terminate startup of an application on an ASP side irrespective of checking on a user side whether or not the application is in the middle of processing. A monitoring device includes means monitoring an operating status of an information processing device for providing a service by starting up an information processing program to a user terminal specified by user identifying information, means judging whether or not the operating status of the information processing device meets a predetermined condition, means terminating the startup of the information processing program if the operating status meets the predetermined condition, and means notifying the user terminal of the termination of the startup of the information processing program. |
| US07650535B2 |
Array delete mechanisms for shipping a microprocessor with defective arrays
Detecting and correcting errors in arrays after ABIST testing, after ABIST testing, detected errors are faults are isolated by blowing a fuse. |
| US07650533B1 |
Method and system for performing a restoration in a continuous data protection system
A method for restoring a volume in a continuous data protection system begins by selecting a volume to restore. The selected volume is loaded into a workspace. The selected volume is copied from the workspace to a restore location. Operations are simultaneously performed on the selected volume while the selected volume is being copied. The selected volume is accessed on the restore location once the copying is complete. |
| US07650530B2 |
Initializing a processing system to ensure fail-safe boot when faulty PCI adapters are present
EEH methods are used during the boot process to actively disable a defective PCI adapter, thereby allowing the system boot to continue without disruption. This allows faulty adapters to be present in the machine without interrupting the boot process. The slots appear to be empty and the devices/adapters residing therein can be actively “hot swapped” out without altering the rest of the machine state. |
| US07650526B2 |
Transmitter with skew reduction
An integrated circuit device is described. The circuit device may include a group of signal nodes, including a first signal node and a second signal node, a transmitter coupled to the group of signal nodes, and a first clock circuit coupled to the transmitter. The transmitter may transmit a first signal on the first signal node and a second signal on the second signal node. The first signal and the second signal may correspond to a first sequence of data bits during a sequence of bit times. The first clock circuit may control a transmit time of at least one of the first signal and the second signal. The first clock circuit may include a first phase adjustment element that provides compensation for a first timing offset between the first signal and the second signal. The first timing offset may be less than a bit time in the sequence of bit times. |
| US07650524B2 |
Circuit and modes for storing data in operational and sleep modes
The application relates to a circuit for storing a signal during sleep mode, said embodiments of the circuit comprising: a sleep signal input operable to receive a sleep signal; a clock signal input operable to receive a clock signal; a plurality of latches clocked by said clock signal, at least one tristateable device clocked by said clock signal, said at least one tristateable device being arranged at an input of at least one of said plurality of latches, said at least one tristateable device being operable to selectively isolate said input of said at least one latch in response to a predetermined clock signal value; clock signal distribution means operable to distribute said clock signal to said plurality of latches and said at least one tristateable device; wherein in response to a sleep signal said circuit is operable to: reduce a voltage difference across at least a portion of said circuit such that said portion of said circuit is powered down; and maintain a voltage difference across at least one storage latch, said at least one storage latch being said at least one of said plurality of latches; said clock signal distribution means being operable to hold said clock signal at said predetermined value such that said input of said storage latch is isolated. |
| US07650523B2 |
Interface apparatus and method for synchronization of data
An interface apparatus is provided having a first register device and a second register device, which is connected in parallel with it. The register devices are configured to receive a data word. The interface apparatus includes a synchronization circuit, to which a first and a second clock signal is supplied and which is configured to emit a selection signal, which is derived from the first clock signal, for selection of the first or second register device for storage of a data word. The synchronization circuit is also configured to emit a control signal derived from the selection signal and the second clock signal, at a control output. The control output is coupled to a selection circuit, by means of which the output of one of the two register devices can be connected to the data output of the interface apparatus. Comparison of the selection signal with the second clock signal means that there is no need for an additional registration device. |
| US07650515B2 |
Secure processing device, method and program
A secure processing device having a power saving mode, which is used for built-in apparatuses, calculates a hash value of secure data that needs to be saved when switching to the power saving mode, stores the calculated hash value in a protection storage unit whose data is not lost even in the power saving mode, encrypts the secure data and stores the encrypted data in an external memory when switching to the power saving mode. When switching back to the normal power mode, the secure processing device decrypts the encrypted data, calculates a hash value of the decrypted data and compares the hash value with the hash value stored in the protection storage unit. The decrypted data is restored to the protection storage unit when the hash values are identical, but discarded together with the encrypted data stored in the external memory when the hash values are not identical. |
| US07650514B2 |
Scalable leases
Scalable leases reduce latency and reduce the burden on a server in managing data leases. Instead of processing individual lease requests for clients seeking access to the same data, scalable leases provide for blanket leases that all of the clients can use to access the selected data. Leases may be encrypted or selectively distributed to restrict access to the data. Moreover, distributed data structures may be used to cache leases at identifiable nodes in a network to offload work from the server without all clients in the network having to cache all blanket leases issued. Thresholds for issuing blanket leases may be determined or adjusted by considerations such as demand for the selected data and server workload. Similarly, leases may be renewed on the basis of demand for selected data, conflicting lease requests, and other factors. Scalable leases may be issued for read leases and controlled write leases. |
| US07650510B2 |
Method and apparatus for in-line serial data encryption
A method and apparatus for real-time in-line encryption of data transmitted over a serial channel from a source device to a target device. An encryption unit includes logic configured to receive data packets including headers with control information and data on the channel, which may be a fiber channel bus, serial ATA, serial SCSI, USB or the like. The encryption unit encrypts the data and passes the control information to the target device along with the encrypted data. The encryption unit may filter, convert or reject predetermined commands or types of information in the header to prevent covert channel transmissions. There may be one or multiple source devices, e.g. host computers, and one or multiple target devices, e.g. storage systems, configured in a variety of network topologies. The encryption unit also decrypts data and remaps control information transmitted from the target device(s) to the source device(s). |
| US07650508B2 |
Time stamping system
A secure time stamping device uses multiple virtual clocks, each of which may be individually accessed and calibrated. A digital key is associated with each of the clocks. All of the virtual clocks use a common timer (130), with the actual clock output being generated by applying calibration information (124) for that clock to the timer (130) output. A user wishing to have a message time stamped presents that message along with information as to which virtual clock to be used at a device input (92). The appropriate calibration information (124) is then selected and the timer (130) output is compensated accordingly. The incoming message plus the resultant time are concatenated and automatically signed using the key (126) applicable to that particular virtual clock. |
| US07650507B2 |
Small memory footprint fast elliptic encryption
A method of generating a digital signature includes generating a first random number from a finite field of numbers, and generating field elements defining a first point on an elliptic curve defined over the finite field of numbers by performing elliptic curve arithmetic on the first random number and an initial public point on the elliptic curve. The method continues by generating a product from a field element, a private key, and a second random number received from a challenger seeking verification of a digital signature, and generating a signature component by summing the product and the first random number. The signature component is reduced using one or more modular reduction operations, using a modulus equal to an order of the elliptic curve, and then the reduced signature component and the field elements are sent to the challenger as a digital signature for verification by the challenger. |
| US07650504B2 |
System and method of verifying the authenticity of dynamically connectable executable images
System and method for verifying the authenticity of executable images. The system includes a validator that determines a reference digital signature for an executable image using the contents of the executable image excluding those portions of the executable that are fixed-up by a program loader. The validator then subsequent to the loading of the executable image determines an authenticity digital signature to verify that the executable image has not been improperly modified. In addition, the validator ensures that each of the pointers in the executable image have not been improperly redirected. |
| US07650494B2 |
Method and apparatus for use in relation to verifying an association between two parties
A first party has a first and a second cryptographic key. A second party has a third and a fourth cryptographic key, the fourth cryptographic key being derived from the first and third cryptographic keys thereby providing an association between the parties. To enable a third party to verify the existence of an association between the first and second parties, the second party generates a number that in association with the second cryptographic key, the third cryptographic key and the fourth cryptographic key define a first cryptographic parameter, a second cryptographic parameter and a third cryptographic parameter respectively. By using these parameters and the second and third cryptographic keys, the third party can verify if the first and second parties are associated. |
| US07650486B2 |
Dynamic recalculation of resource vector at issue queue for steering of dependent instructions
A method and apparatus for steering instructions dynamically, at issue time, so as to maximize the efficiency of use of execution units being shared by multiple threads being processed by an SMT processor. Resource vectors are used at issue time to redirect instructions, from threads being processed simultaneously, to shared resources for which the multiple threads are competing. The existing resource vectors for instructions that are queued for issuance are analyzed and, where appropriate, dynamically recalculated and modified for maximum efficiency. |
| US07650484B2 |
Array—type computer processor with reduced instruction storage
An array-type computer processor including a data path unit communicating with a state control unit obtains data of a predetermined number of cooperative partial instruction codes, and operates with temporarily holding only a predetermined number of data-obtained instruction codes comprising cooperative partial instruction codes corresponding to contexts and operation states for the data path unit and the state control unit, respectively, from an external program memory which stores data of a computer program. Every time the operations with the temporarily-held instruction codes, including the corresponding cooperative partial instruction codes, are complete, in accordance with event data entered in the state control unit, the subsequent instruction codes are data obtained as cooperative partial instruction codes respectively corresponding to contexts and operating states, so that the operation according to a computer program can be performed even if the data volume of the computer program is over the storage capacity of the data path unit and the state control unit. |
| US07650483B2 |
Execution of instructions within a data processing apparatus having a plurality of processing units
A data processing apparatus and method are provided for handling execution of instructions within a data processing apparatus having a plurality of processing units. Each processing unit is operable to execute a sequence of instructions so as to perform associated operations, and at least a subset of the processing units form a cluster. Instruction forwarding logic is provided which for at least one instruction executed by at least one of the processing units in the cluster causes that instruction to be executed by each of the other processing units in the cluster, for example by causing that instruction to be inserted into the sequences of instructions executed by each of the other processing units in the cluster. Such a mechanism provides a particularly efficient technique to cause each of the processing units in the cluster to perform an identical operation which can be useful in a variety of situations, for example in an SMP system where coherency of data is required and accordingly maintenance operations need to be performed periodically within each processing unit to ensure such coherency. |
| US07650482B2 |
Enhanced shadow page table algorithms
Enhanced shadow page table algorithms are presented for enhancing typical page table algorithms. In a virtual machine environment, where an operating system may be running within a partition, the operating system maintains it's own guest page tables. These page tables are not the real page tables that map to the real physical memory. Instead, the memory is mapped by shadow page tables maintained by a virtualing program, such as a hypervisor, that virtualizes the partition containing the operating system. Enhanced shadow page table algorithms provide efficient ways to harmonize the shadow page tables and the guest page tables. Specifically, by using tagged translation lookaside buffers, batched shadow page table population, lazy flags, and cross-processor shoot downs, the algorithms make sure that changes in the guest pages tables are reflected in the shadow page tables. |
| US07650481B2 |
Dynamic control of memory access speed
A memory system is disclosed in which the access speed may be adjusted. The memory system may include memory and a memory controller. The memory controller may be configured to generate a plurality of control signals to access the memory, and adjust the timing between the control signals to change the memory access speed as a function of a parameter related to the operation of the memory system. |
| US07650480B2 |
Storage system and write distribution method
A storage system includes: a flash disk having a plurality of flash memory units; a management table for hierarchically managing the write life of each flash memory unit on a specified storage area basis; and a controller for hierarchically distributing write-processing to the flash memory according to the management table. |
| US07650477B2 |
Method for changing a remote copy pair
During an asynchronous remote copy process for a plurality of asynchronous remote copy pairs, a copy of data in a migration source primary storage area is stored in a migration destination primary storage area, and the copy of data in the migration source primary storage area is also stored in a migration destination secondary storage area through a migration destination primary storage area or a migration source secondary storage area. Then, for an asynchronous remote copy pair established between the migration destination primary storage area and the migration destination secondary storage area together with the above-described asynchronous remote copy pairs, the asynchronous remote copy process is executed in such a method that a copy of writing data is stored in a plurality of secondary storage areas in accordance with the write request sequence issued by a computer. As such, an asynchronous remote copy pair between any two specific storage systems is migrated to be an asynchronous remote copy pair among any other two storage systems. |
| US07650471B2 |
Head of queue cache for communication interfaces
A technique includes identifying an address of a head end of a queue and monitoring a coherent interconnect to identify a data transfer that is communicated by a producer, which targets the address. The technique includes storing the data of the data transfer in the queue and selectively storing at least a portion of the data in a head-of-queue cache memory based at least in part on whether the monitoring identifies the address. At least a portion of the data is selectively retrieved from the head-of-queue cache memory instead of from the queue for transmission to a consumer. |
| US07650468B2 |
Device for processing access concurrence to shared memory
A data processor that allows a CPU to access an external memory in an interval between data accesses from a DSP having a variable data length. In a case where a 24-bit mode is set, when a determination section determines that the DSP is accessing the external memory, a control section commands to place an access from the CPU to the external memory in a wait state. In a case where a 16-bit mode is set, the control section commands an address-data switching section, allowing the CPU to access the external memory by utilizing a third bus cycle, which is free. |
| US07650458B2 |
Flash memory driver
Various flash management techniques may be described. An apparatus may comprise a processor, a flash memory coupled to the processor, and a flash management module. The flash management module may be executed by the processor to receive a write transaction request to write data to a flash memory, and write the data to a set of multiple discontiguous logical sectors corresponding to a set of physical sectors of the flash memory in a single atomic operation. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07650457B2 |
Memory module comprising a plurality of memory devices
A memory module stores data in the form of code words, each code word comprising useful bits and check bits for error correction. The memory module contains a first group of the memory devices including check bits and a second group of the memory devices including useful bits, the second group memory devices forming ranks, each rank being addressed as a whole, the ranks forming rank groups, each rank group including at least two ranks and a first group memory device. The memory module further contains a connecting device transferring bit packets each containing useful bits and check bits in the parallel format between an interface of the memory module and the memory devices of a selected rank group. |
| US07650454B2 |
Arbiter module providing low metastability failure probability
An arbiter module receives two or more closely occurring asynchronous requests and provides an output with a low metastability failure probability. The arbiter module includes a request resolving module that receives multiple asynchronous requests for providing a final output. The request resolving module includes one or more arbiter stages cascaded with each other and operatively coupled with logic units. |
| US07650451B2 |
Arbiter circuit
An arbiter circuit includes a priority coefficient calculating unit, a priority coefficient comparator an acceptance determining unit, and a priority determining unit. The priority coefficient calculating unit calculates for each request an arbitration priority coefficient based on a priority level set for each request by requesters. The priority coefficient comparator compares arbitration priority coefficients calculated for the requesters by the priority coefficient calculating unit. The acceptance determining unit determines whether to accept the requests based on the comparison result by the priority coefficient comparator. When the arbitration priority coefficient calculated by the priority coefficient calculating unit is equal between two or more requests, the priority determining unit determines a priority order for accepting the requests. |
| US07650440B2 |
Peripheral supplied addressing in a simple DMA module
A method of performing a direct memory access has the steps of selecting a peripheral device for performing a direct memory access through a direct memory access controller; providing a partial address by the peripheral device to the direct memory access controller; and forming the source or destination address by combining the partial address with selected bits from a source register within the direct memory access controller. |
| US07650435B2 |
Apparatus and method to install a component in an information storage and retrieval system
A method is disclosed to install a component in an information storage and retrieval system. The method provides an information storage and retrieval system comprising a system processor and system data, and a component comprising persistent component data. The method attaches the component to the information storage and retrieval system while the information storage and retrieval system remains in normal operation, and determines, while the information storage and retrieval system remains in normal operation, if the component is compatible with the information storage and retrieval system. If the component is compatible with the information storage and retrieval system, the method then places the component into service while the information storage and retrieval system remains in normal operation. |
| US07650432B2 |
Occasionally-connected application server
Providing a framework for developing, deploying and managing sophisticated mobile solutions, with a simple Web-like programming model that integrates with existing enterprise components. Mobile applications may consist of a data model definition, user interface templates, a client side controller, which includes scripts that define actions, and, on the server side, a collection of conduits, which describe how to mediate between the data model and the enterprise. In one embodiment, the occasionally-connected application server assumes that data used by mobile applications is persistently stored and managed by external systems. The occasionally-connected data model can be a metadata description of the mobile application's anticipated usage of this data, and be optimized to enable the efficient traversal and synchronization of this data between occasionally connected devices and external systems. |
| US07650427B1 |
Load balancing using IPv6 mobility features
Techniques are provided for using the mobility support features of IPv6 to allow client and server nodes to communicate without the continuing intervention of a load-balancing node that selected the server node. A load-balancing node intercepts a TCP SYN packet addressed to a virtual IP address. The load-balancing node selects a server node from among multiple server nodes, and sends the packet toward the server node. The server node sends an IPv6 packet toward the client node. The packet contains a Binding Update option that specifies the virtual IP address as a Home Address. This information causes the client node to replace destination addresses in outgoing IP packets so that packets that the client node would have sent toward the virtual IP address are sent toward the selected server node's IP address instead. Consequently, the IP packets are routed toward the selected server node instead of the load-balancing node. |
| US07650425B2 |
System and method for controlling communication between a host computer and communication devices associated with remote devices in an automated monitoring system
A site controller adapted to be used in an automated monitoring system for monitoring and controlling a plurality of remote devices via a host computer connected to a first communication network is provided. The site controller is configured for controlling communication with the host computer and a plurality of communication devices that define a second communication network associated with the plurality of remote devices. Briefly described, in one embodiment, the site controller comprises a transceiver configured to communicate with the plurality of communication devices via the second communication network; a network interface device configured to communicate with the host computer via the first communication network; and logic configured to: manage communication with each of the plurality of communication devices, via a first communication protocol, based on one or more communication paths for each of the plurality of communication devices, each communication path comprising one or more communication devices involved in the communication link between the transceiver and each of the plurality of communication devices; and manage communication with the host computer via a second communication protocol. |
| US07650418B2 |
System and method for controlling the usage of digital objects
A system and method for managing the use and access of digital data objects are provided. Control rights associated with a digital data object activate an external control object and an intercept application to intercept and monitor communications between a hosting application and a document server application associated with the creation of the digital data object. These intercepting and monitoring functions are performed without affecting or changing the hosting application or the document server application. The external control object activates an intercept application which mimics the functions of the document server application and performs user actions on the digital data object as authorized by the external control object according to the control rights associated with the digital object. By intercepting and monitoring user actions on a digital data object, the invention can control access and use of the digital data object. |
| US07650417B2 |
Method for setting up a communication between a device and a host application over an IP network
A method is described for setting up a communication between a device (R1;R2) and a host application (A11; A12; A21; A22) over an IP network, where this device has no externally known IP address. The method includes the steps of: a. sending out a multicast discovery request by the host application to a specific multicast address and a specific port known by the device; b. the device responding to the discovery message with a multicast discovery response to the specific multicast address and specific port number, the discovery response including a unique identification parameter proper to the device and the host IP address and application port number; c. the host application accepting this identification message based on the host IP address and application port number and sending subsequent multicast messages to the specific multicast address and specific port and including the identification parameter; d. the device accepting the subsequent multicast messages based on the identification parameter and sending subsequent multicast messages to the specific multicast address and specific port and including the identification parameter and the host IP address and application port number. |
| US07650416B2 |
Content delivery for client-server protocols with user affinities using connection end-point proxies
In a network supporting transactions between clients and servers over a network path having operating characteristics to overcome, data is transported to overcome the operating characteristics using user affinities and dynamic user location information to selectively preload data, or representations, signatures, segments, etc. of data, in order to overcome the one or more operating characteristic. Examples of operating characteristics to overcome include bandwidth limitations, errors and latency. The dynamic location information can be stored in data structures accessible by agents of a data server and the data structures are populated based on user activities with respect to proxies associated with user locations, or the dynamic location information can be obtained implicitly as proxies maintain connections after termination by clients and the use of those maintained connections for preloading of data for the users associated with those clients. The data being preloaded can be protocol-specific data or protocol-independent data. |
| US07650415B1 |
Gateway for conversion of messages between multiple protocols using separate sessions
A method for providing messaging between a first communication device and a second communication device using a gateway is provided. The method comprises: receiving a first message from the first communication device addressed to the gateway; initiating a first session with the first communication device; initiating a second session with the second communication device; and sending a second message corresponding to the first message to the second communication device in the second session. |
| US07650410B2 |
Method and system for managing programs for Web service system
The Web service-providing device receives a request message demanding the Web service through a communication device. When the Web service-providing device transfers the processing of the Web service demanded by the request message to another Web service-providing device and demands the return of a response message containing the request result, it sends a request message with a destination-of-return information header appointing itself as the receiver of the response message through the communication device and executes the transfer. If the Web service-providing device itself has executed the processing transferred through a request message containing the destination-of-return information header, it sends a response message containing the request result to the destination designated in the destination-of-return information header through the communication device. |
| US07650408B2 |
Internet strawman and user interface therefor
A system and method for implementing an intermediary to preserve user privacy and anonymity in electronic transactions. In one embodiment, a computer implemented method for facilitating a transaction between a subscriber and a vendor through an intermediary is provided. In this embodiment, the method comprises the step of receiving at the intermediary personal information from the subscriber to establish a user account. The method also comprises the step of storing the personal information for subsequent access. The method further comprises the step of receiving a request from the subscriber to access the user account, upon which the subscriber's identity is verified by the intermediary against the personal information. The method also comprises the step of the intermediary entering into a transaction with the vendor on behalf of the subscriber based on the subscriber's instruction once the subscriber's identity is successfully verified. The method further comprises the step of notifying the subscriber upon completion of the transaction. Importantly, the transaction is completed without disclosing the subscriber's personal information to the vendor. As such, the consumer remains anonymous with respect to the vendor. |
| US07650405B2 |
Tracking and tracing across process boundaries in an industrial automation environment
A system that facilitates tracking and tracing products in an industrial environment comprises a reception component that receives data indicative of location of entities within an industrial environment, wherein the data conforms to a hierarchically structured data model. A monitoring component facilitates tracking and tracing the entities across process boundaries. Tracking refers to a process of uniformly building a track of objects that are forwarded to, processed for, applied in, or disposed of usage. Similarly, tracing is the process of uniformly generating a sample of traces of objects that are forwarded to, processed for, applied in, or disposed of usage. |
| US07650402B1 |
System and method for tracking end users in a loadbalancing environment
A method for tracking information in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a packet included within a request that is associated with an end user and communicating the packet to a selected one of a plurality of gateways. An object may be built that correlates an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the end user to the selected gateway such that the object may be used to direct subsequently received packets associated with the end user to the selected gateway. Subsequently received packets may be directed based on end-user IP address information included in the subsequently received packets. |
| US07650397B2 |
Plug-in configuration manager
In an embodiment, plug-in information can be synchronized on each node in a cluster by utilizing a migratable plug-in configuration manager and a migratable global MBean. The configuration manager can change the configuration on a master server, such as loading or unloading a plug-in. The configuration manager stores the configuration as an MBean attribute, which is accessible across the cluster. The configuration manager can direct the global MBean to notify a plug-in manager on each node in the cluster, whereby each plug-in manager can execute the change locally. |
| US07650390B2 |
System and method for playing rich internet applications in remote computing devices
A system and a method of playing rich internet applications on remote computing devices by using a certifying player to invoke server-side web services through a single, secure, certifying intermediary server. The application player resides in the remote computing device and is configured to be executed by the remote computing device. The intermediary server is configured to communicate with the remote computing device via a network connection and to receive message requests from the application player and to send message responses to the application player. The intermediary server provides access of the RIA to the remote computing device by accessing an application server, where the RIA resides, via a single, secure and access-controlled network connection. The application player requests functionality of the RIA from the intermediary server via message requests and interprets the message responses received from the intermediary server. The message requests and responses may be Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) messages. |
| US07650388B2 |
Wireless identification protocol with confirmation of successful transmission
Systems and methods provide an acknowledgement protocol on completion of data transmission. A coupler board of a wireless identification system interfaces between a host processor of the wireless identification system and a replaceable unit monitor. The coupler board transmits data to the replaceable unit monitor. The replaceable unit monitor transmits an acknowledgement signal to the coupler board to indicate successful completion of the data transmission. |
| US07650387B2 |
Method and system for managing storage on a shared storage space
A method, a system, a machine-readable medium, and an apparatus for managing storage on a shared storage space, for example, on an email server, are provided. A plurality of emails is compared. If the content of each of the plurality of emails is the same, then a single copy is stored on the email server. Further, each recipient of the plurality of emails is enabled access to the stored email via a link to the single copy. Additionally, one or more attachments of the plurality of emails are compared. If an attachment is the same in each of the plurality of emails, then it is stored as a single copy. Further, a link is inserted in each of the plurality of emails, enabling access to the attachment from the single copy. |
| US07650386B2 |
Communication among partitioned devices
A computing device having partitions, and a method of communicating between partitions, are disclosed wherein each partition comprises at least one address area readable but not writable from the other of the at least two partitions. In one embodiment one partition sends to the other partition a request for information, which information is in the other partition in an address area not accessible to the one partition, the other partition copies the information to an address area accessible to the one partition, and the one partition reads the information from the accessible address area. In another embodiment the at least one accessible address area of each partition includes a data area and a consumer pointer indicating the position to which that partition has read the data area in another partition. |
| US07650384B2 |
Maintaining real-time conversations over unreliable connections
A method and system for maintaining real-time conversations over unreliable connections is provided. The reliable messaging system initiates a conversation from a sending participant to a receiving participant by sending an invitation to join the conversation to the receiving participant. Once a connection is established, the reliable messaging system associates the conversation with the connection. If the connection is lost, then the reliable messaging system attempts to restore the connection by sending an invitation to the participant that was disconnected. If the reliable messaging system is able to restore the connection, then the new connection is associated with the previous conversation, and the conversation can continue. |
| US07650382B1 |
Detecting spam e-mail with backup e-mail server traps
A domain (101) has a primary e-mail server (103) with an e-mail delivery address (109), and at least one backup e-mail server (105) with an e-mail delivery address (111). A trap manager (115) adds at least one trap e-mail delivery address (113) to an e-mail delivery address list (107) associated with the domain (101), the trap e-mail delivery address (113) resembling a backup e-mail server delivery address (111) and pointing to the trap manager (115). The trap manager (115) receives (201) e-mail sent to the trap address (113), and determines whether received e-mail comprises spam (119). |
| US07650381B2 |
Network based system design of custom products with live agent support
A network based computer implemented system for designing products is disclosed. The system comprises a network server, such as an Internet web server (30) operable to manage interaction of the system with external computers, and a product design module (204) communicating with the network server. The product design module (204) is operable to generate product designs. The system further comprises a live agent support system (44) communicating with the network server. The live agent support system (44) is operable to provide live assistance to a customer of the system. An agent (312) of the live agent support system (44) and a customer of the system simultaneously view a same page of the design tool. The customer and agent (312) also mutually communicate while collaboratively manipulating the page. |
| US07650379B2 |
Method for channel congestion management
A method for managing data traffic in a multi-user multiple-simultaneous-access (MUMSA) environment, for example in a code reuse multiple access (CRMA) environment or other physical environment having true random access with more than one transmission present at the same time, the method including estimating channel load for multiple users, then using the estimate of channel load to calculate a congestion threshold on an ongoing basis, at each terminal performing an experiment using that congestion threshold value and a random number generator to determine if a packet is eligible to be transmitted, transferring downstream virtual channel traffic and redistributing user terminals to affiliate with the proper downstream virtual channel. |
| US07650378B2 |
Method and system for enabling a script on a first computer to exchange data with a script on a second computer over a network
A method and system for enabling a script on a first computer to communicate and exchange data with a script on a second computer so as to provide access by the script to data typically inaccessible by a script. The method and system enable a first computer to control the Internet navigation of a second computer, and also enable instant messaging between a first computer and a member of a synchronization group. The computers may be connectable with each other over any type of network (e.g., LAN, WAN, intranet, Internet, cellular, etc.). |
| US07650377B2 |
System and method for maintaining on a handheld electronic device information that is substantially current and is readily available to a user
An improved system and method for managing data on a handheld electronic device includes a server that periodically pushes data to a particular handheld electronic device, with the data being stored on the handheld electronic device by way of a routine running in the background whereby such reception and storage is generally transparent to a user. The data can be any type of data and may be data that is desired by the user or that fits a profile or preference of the user. The profile can, for instance, be predetermined and/or can be customized by the user and/or can reflect a preference of the user. The data pushed to the handheld electronic device can also be related in some fashion to a geographic disposition of the handheld electronic device. Such pushing of data and storage is managed by a routine running in the background of the handheld electronic device. The routine enables current data to be maintained on the handheld electronic device for ready access by a user. |
| US07650373B2 |
Source driver with multi-channel shift register
A source driver for use in a display device having a shift register unit for sequentially activating output signals. The shift register unit includes a plurality of shift registers connected in series, wherein Nth shift register among the plurality of shift registers selects one of an output of a (N−1)th shift register and an output of a (N−A)th shift register according to a channel selection signal to thereby receive the selected signal, where A is a natural number which is greater than or equal to 2. |
| US07650368B2 |
Methods, systems, and products for restoring electronic media
Methods, devices, and products are disclosed for restoring media. A media catalog is received and stored. When restoration is desired, an identity of a media file is retrieved, a peer contact list is accessed, and a preferred ranking of the peers is retrieved. A query is sent to a preferred address. When a free copy of the media is unobtainable from a peer, then a fee-based restoration service is queried. |
| US07650365B2 |
System and method for delivering updated data information
A data delivery system is provided for delivering updated data information from a sending database system to a receiving database system. The sending database system periodically obtains, from a database updating system, a new data set having both updated data objects and unchanged data objects relative to a loaded data set stored, for example, at a receiving database system. The sending database system performs individual validity checks on the updated data objects and the unchanged data objects. A master validity check is also performed by the sending database system on the individual validity checks for the updated data objects and the unchanged data objects. The individual validity checks and the master validity check may, for example, be cyclic redundancy checks. The receiving database system, such as a flight information system associated with an aircraft, receives the individual validity checks, the master validity check and the updated data objects delivered from the sending database system. |
| US07650360B2 |
System and methods for database lock with reference counting
Systems and methodologies are provided in a lock hierarchy arrangement wherein upon release of all child locks associated with a parent lock, then such parent lock is also released. The present invention supplies each lock with sufficient information to determine its own life time. Such framework enables a higher degree of transaction concurrency in a database, and mitigates an over locking thereof, thus conserving system resources. |
| US07650358B2 |
AUTO COMMIT n option in a relational database
Methods and systems are provided for executing a statement to make changes to data in a relational database while preventing the statement from failing due to the transaction log file becoming filled up. An AUTO COMMIT n option is provided for statements such as SQL statements in order to execute n data elements at a time. Each group of n data elements is committed after having been successfully executed in order to avoid filling up the transaction log file and causing the statement to fail. |
| US07650356B2 |
Generating an optimized restore plan
A restore advisor may generate and apply a recovery plan to restore a database to a specified point in time. A restore/recovery scenario may be specified; resources, and backups available may be specified and one or more optimized restore plans may be generated. One or more alternate plans may be requested. The plans may be applied, verified or saved. |
| US07650354B2 |
System, method, and program for checking index consistency in database
The present invention provides a system, a method, and a program for checking index consistency online in a database that includes a main database storing a plurality of data segments and an index database storing a plurality of index segments. A system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a record creating unit for sequentially reading out the index segments from the index database and creating a pointer record that contains a pointer value and a key value and for sequentially reading out the data segments from the main database and create a segment record that contains a storage address and an indexed field value of an index target segment to be indexed among the read out segments, a scan point setting unit for setting scan points that indicate progress of creation of the pointer record and the segment record. |
| US07650352B2 |
System and method for increasing availability of an index
A partial index availability system places, in a restricted state, all pages in the index associated with a structure modification, when an error occurs in processing a log of the said structure modification. This maintains traversability of the rest of the index that is not in restricted state. The system locates and marks a left sentinel and a right sentinel associated with a non-leaf page that is in a restricted state preventing an undo of a transaction. The sentinels prevent a transaction from accessing an uncommitted change associated with the non-leaf page. After a recovery procedure is run the entire index is made available. During the period between the placement of the index pages in LPL or rebuild pending to the time of final removal of these pages from their restrictive states as a result of a recovery procedure being run, the users are given access to the non-restricted portion of the index. |
| US07650349B2 |
Prescribed navigation using topology metadata and navigation path
The subject invention provides a system and/or method that facilitates prescribing a navigation within an application utilizing a topology and a navigation path. The topology is created based upon received metadata and is a network of node objects and link objects. The navigation path is a sequential list over the topology that represents a sub-graph thereof. A prescribing component can create the topology and navigation path such that a prescribed navigation can be utilized by an application during navigation (e.g., exploration) during runtime. |
| US07650347B2 |
System and method for job scheduling and distributing job scheduling
The invention relates to a system and a method for tracking and executing a job comprising a series of tasks. Each task is executable on a separate computing device. The method comprises: utilizing a workload manager to identify an initial schedule of implementation for the job; utilizing agents to selectively control execution of the tasks; and for each agent, utilizing a publish/subscription interface to isolate communications of the workload manager from each agent and to communicate with other publish/subscription interfaces of other agents to determine when to activate its task. The interface utilizes a broker adapted to communicate with other brokers to disseminate communications amongst the agents. |
| US07650343B2 |
Data warehousing, annotation and statistical analysis system
The present invention relates to a database storage structure for the storage of a plurality of results from an experiment on a sample. The database storage structure includes a result storage table for storing the results from the experiment, one or more first annotation storage tables for storing a first set of variables, and one or more second annotation storage tables for storing a second limited set of variables. The one or more second annotation storage tables are further coupled to one or more concordance tables for storing a concordance between the second limited set of variables and a second list of annotations. |
| US07650339B2 |
Techniques for facilitating information acquisition and storage
A method, system, and computer program product are provided for extracting information from a plurality of articles in a distributed manner and for storing the extracted information in an information store. The invention identifies a plurality of articles from which information is to be extracted and a plurality of information extractors for extracting the information from the articles. Each article is assigned a priority score and ranking the articles from highest to lowest priority, thereby generating a queue; wherein the priority score for each article is calculated using a user-configurable priority calculation algorithm. The plurality of articles is assigned to the plurality of information extractors based on order in the queue, wherein an article with a higher rank is presented for information extraction before an article with a lower rank. Information extracted by information extractors from the articles is stored in the information store. |
| US07650334B2 |
Content enhancement for analyzing data in a database
An electronic commerce system includes a content enhancement module that analyzes the product data stored in a seller database using one or more rules and that identifies one or more potential errors in the product data according to the rules. The rules include one or more generic rules that apply to substantially all seller databases including product data. These generic rules include one or more of the following rules: a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database have identical product identifiers but have otherwise different product data, a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database have different product identifiers but have otherwise identical product data, and rules indicating that a potential error exists if the values associated with particular generic product attributes have a non-numerical format. |
| US07650330B1 |
Information extraction from a database
Techniques for extracting information from a database are provided. A database such as the Web is searched for occurrences of tuples of information. The occurrences of the tuples of information that were found in the database are analyzed to identify a pattern in which the tuples of information were stored. Additional tuples of information can then be extracted from the database utilizing the pattern. This process can be repeated with the additional tuples of information, if desired. |
| US07650326B2 |
Fast aggregation of compressed data using full table scans
Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, relating to an information management system and aggregating data by performing table scans. In general, in one aspect, the technique includes receiving a query for a response to a search on a database, loading data from the database into memory, filtering the data based on the query to generate a list of results, buffering at least one key figure corresponding to a result, buffering at least one dimension value corresponding to each key figure, aggregating the dimension values to generate an aggregate key, aggregating key figures corresponding to the sane aggregate key to generate one or more aggregate key figures, and displaying the response to the search on a display device. Loading the data may include compressing the data. Filtering the data may be performed blockwise. |
| US07650325B2 |
Dynamic interface adapter for integration of source and target applications
A method of supporting interaction of a source application running in an enterprise and multiple target applications performing semantically similar operations but having different interfaces. An application profile is associated with the source application. The application profile includes specifications for a connection element defining parameters for establishing a connection between the source application and a selected one of the target operations, a collection of database commands to be performed in the course of interactions and a collection of elements defining computer operations to be performed. Each of the computer operation elements can include a user input template, at least one parameter element and a result element. |
| US07650322B2 |
Method and apparatus for mapping the primary operational sequences of an algorithm in a compute unit having an internal random access memory
A method and apparatus for direct mapping in a compute unit having an internal random access memory the primary operational sequences of an algorithm to related function including storing in an internal random access memory at least one predetermined direct mapped function value for each primary operational sequence of an algorithm; holding in an input data register the address in the random access memory of at least one mapped function value for a selected primary operational sequence of the algorithm and holding in an output register the at least one mapped function value for the selected primary operational sequence of the algorithm read out of the random access memory. |
| US07650316B2 |
Automatic generation of help information for specified systems
System and method for generating information regarding the functionality of a system. Input specifying at least a portion of functionality of a system may be received, e.g., from a user via a graphical user interface (GUI), and may specify one or more components of the system at a component level. The input may specify one or more components of the system, e.g., software component(s), hardware device(s), function(s) of the system, etc. Information, e.g., help information and/or documentation, describing one or more aspects of the functionality of the system may be automatically generated based on the input. The descriptions of the aspects may include information regarding the synergistic/combinatorial interactions of the components at a system level, e.g., via calculation or derivation from data retrieved from various sources regarding the components of the system. The information may be automatically stored and/or automatically displayed in the GUI substantially in real-time. |
| US07650307B2 |
Method and system to enable a fixed price purchase within a multi-unit online auction environment
A method of allowing a seller in a multi-unit auction facility to offer buyers the option of buying an offering at a pre-auction seller determined price or using a regular auction process. In one embodiment, the option to buy at the pre-auction seller determined price remains throughout the auction as long as there are units of an item remaining that have not yet been bid on. In another embodiment, the duration of an option of purchasing an item at a pre-auction seller determined prices depends on a configurable threshold, the current auction price in relation to the threshold, and whether the unit has been bid on. In another embodiment, a participant in an auction is allowed to re-bid, but is not allowed to reduce the price in that re-bid, or the quantity in that re-bid, unless that participant is currently not winning any units. In yet another embodiment, purchases during an auction at the pre-auction determined price reduces the quantity of that bidder's previous bid (if there is one), and reduces the quantity available for bid for any later bidders (but does not reduce the quantity of any other bidders who bid before the fixed-price purchase). |
| US07650303B2 |
Method and system for financial advising
A method of providing financial advice to a client that provides sufficient confidence that their goals will be achieved or exceeded but that avoids excessive sacrifice to the client's current or future lifestyle and avoids investment risk that is not needed to provide sufficient confidence of the goals a client personally values. The method comprises obtaining typical client background information, as well as a list of investment goals, and ideal and acceptable values in dollar amounts and timing for each goal. The client is then asked to provide their preferences for each goal on the list compared to each other goal in the list, wherein the client's preference is expressed in terms of the price, in money or time, that the client is willing to pay in one goal to achieve another goal or a greater amount or sooner timing of other goals on the list. A matrix can be used to express these value contrasts. A recommendation is then created using the portfolio value, and the client goal preferences and the ideal and acceptable values of goals, by simulating models of the relevant capital markets and investing exclusively in passive investment alternatives to avoid the risk of potential material underperformance of active investments under the premise of avoiding investment risk that is not needed to confidently buy the client the goals they personally value. The recommendation may include a range of portfolio values over their life or time horizon within which the client's portfolio should remain in order to ensure the recommendation remains within a “comfort zone”, which represents sufficient confidence that the client's goals will be achieved while avoiding excessive current sacrifice. Periodic monitoring of the recommendation is also performed to capture changes to the client's goals and actual portfolio values based on the results of the capital markets. Appropriate changes to the recommendation can then be made to ensure that the recommendation remains within the “comfort zone”. |
| US07650299B2 |
Method of marketing and advertising component products used in the production of composite products
A method of marketing component products to producers engaged in the production of composite products utilizing such component products, and the sale of such composite products to end users, generally consisting of distributing software to such producers, functional to design the composite products and including advertisements soliciting the sale of component products; receiving electronically over the internet from the producers, orders for the purchase of selected ones of the component products; transmitting electronically over the internet to selected ones of a set of vendors, orders for the purchase of component products corresponding to the selected ones of the component products ordered by the producers with instructions to ship the ordered component products to the producers; receiving invoices from the vendors of component products shipped to the producers responsive to purchase orders received by the vendors, and remitting payment thereof to the vendors; and invoicing the producers upon confirmation of the shipment of the component products by the vendors to the producers. |
| US07650296B1 |
Configurator using structure and rules to provide a user interface
A configurator using structure and rules to provide a user interface. According to one embodiment of the invention, a customizable product class is created. The customizable product class includes a set of one or more attributes to define the customizable product class. A component product class is added to the customizable product class, where the component product class is a subclass of the customizable product. A customizable class rule is associated to the customizable product class, the customizable class rule including expressions which provide conditions on component products added to the customizable product. A customizable UI is mapped to the customizable product class, where the customizable UI provides access structure to the configurator. |
| US07650294B1 |
Knowledge base system for an equipment market
A system and method for managing and processing supply and demand information in an equipment market comprises a business logic engine, a database and interface engine and communications engine on a web host server. The communications engine is configured to enable the community of participants in the market to send market inquiries from the demand side of the market, and the business logic engine is configured to process market inquiries and responses to include them in the database of supply and demand information. The database is configured to enable the search engine to retrieve all types of data relevant to business planning and executing of equipment contracts and activities from community data and published data. The business logic engine comprises tools for collaboration, calculation, optimization and forecasting in the equipment market. In the exemplary embodiment the equipment is offshore drilling rigs. |
| US07650285B2 |
Method and system for adjusting digital audio playback sampling rate
In a packet communication network, to compensate for rate mismatches between transmitting and receiving devices, an apparatus and method provides for adjusting the playback sampling rate and for monitoring the buffer. The receiving device will monitor its buffer; relevant buffer data can comprise whether the buffer is approaching capacity or approaching depletion and the speed in which the buffer is approaching capacity of approaching depletion. The receiving device will then trigger an adjustment to the playback sampling rate to attune the rates of the transmitting and receiving devices or to compensate for jitters from any number of network complications. The receiving device may also store the buffer data for later action, for example, to formulate specific adjustment procedures or to compile specific conference profiles. The present invention may function alone or function in conjunction with other known methods in the art. |
| US07650284B2 |
Enabling voice click in a multimodal page
A method, system and apparatus for enabling voice clicks in a multimodal page. In accordance with the present invention, a method for enabling voice clicks in a multimodal page can include toggling a display of indicia binding selected user interface elements in the multimodal page to corresponding voice logic; and, processing a selection of the selected user interface elements in the multimodal page through different selection modalities. In particular, the toggling step can include toggling a display of both indexing indicia for the selected user interface elements, and also a text display indicating that a voice selection of the selected user interface elements is supported. |
| US07650282B1 |
Word spotting score normalization
An approach to scoring acoustically-based events, such as hypothesized instances of keywords, in a speech processing system make use of scores of individual components of the event. Data characterizing an instance of an event are first accepted. This data includes a score for the event. The event is associated with a number of component events from a set of component events, such as a set of phonemes. Probability models are also accepted for component scores associated with each of the set of component events in each of two of more possible classes of the event, such as a class of true occurrences of the event and a class of false detections of the event. The event is then scored. This scoring includes computing a probability of one of the two or more possible classes for the event using the accepted probability models. |
| US07650280B2 |
Voice packet loss concealment device, voice packet loss concealment method, receiving terminal, and voice communication system
In a voice packet communication system, a voice packet loss concealment device compensates for the deterioration of voice quality due to voice packet loss. In the device, a detecting section detects a loss of a voice packet and outputting information; an estimating section estimates the voice characteristics of the lost segment using a pre-loss voice packet received before the lost segment or a post-loss voice packet received after the lost segment; a pitch signal generating section generates a pitch signal having the voice characteristics; and a lost packet generating section outputs the pitch signal generated by the pitch signal generating section, with the voice characteristics estimated by the estimating section, which allows abnormal noise and feeling of mute, subjective deterioration of naturalness and continuity to be improved, and the voice packet loss concealment to be further improved. |
| US07650279B2 |
Sound source separation apparatus and sound source separation method
To shorten an output delay while a high sound source separation performance is ensured when a sound separation process based on an ICA method is performed. A second Fourier transform process execution cycle t2 for obtaining a second frequency-domain signal S1 used as an input signal of a filter process is set shorter than a first Fourier transform process execution cycle t1 for obtaining a first frequency-domain signal used for a learning computation of a separating matrix. When the time length of a second time-domain signal S1 is set shorter than a time length of a first time-domain signal S0, a second separating matrix used for a filter process is set by aggregating matrix components of a first separating matrix obtained through a learning calculation for every a plurality of groups. |
| US07650278B2 |
Digital signal encoding method and apparatus using plural lookup tables
A digital signal encoding method and apparatus using a plurality of lookup tables. The method includes: preparing a plurality of lookup tables storing numbers of allocated bits for encoding frequency bands of an input signal according to a characteristic of the input signal in a predetermined number of addresses; dividing an input signal in the time domain into signals in predetermined frequency bands; calculating address values of the frequency bands; selecting one of the plurality of lookup tables according to the characteristic of the input signal; extracting numbers of allocated bits of addresses having the calculated address values from the selected lookup table with respect to the frequency bands and allocating the numbers of bits to the frequency bands; and generating a bitstream by quantizing the input signal according to the numbers of allocated bits. Bit amount control suitable for a characteristic of an input signal can be performed by extracting numbers of allocated bits of frequency bands from an optimal lookup table selected according to the characteristic of the input signal. Also, an additional computational time can be reduced by using each occupancy rate per frequency band equal to each address of the lookup table as the characteristic of the input signal. |
| US07650277B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for fast quantization in perceptual audio coders
A technique to encode an audio signal based on a perceptual model. In one example embodiment, this is accomplished by shaping quantization noise in the spectral lines on a band-by-band basis using their local gains. The noise shaped spectral lines are then fitted within a predetermined bit rate to form an encoded bit stream. |
| US07650276B2 |
System and method for dynamic data binding in distributed applications
A system and method for dynamically binding a user interface to information, comprising specifying with a first language a first action; specifying with a second language a first data source associated with the first action; rendering output with a third language based at least partially on the first action; wherein the second language is embedded in the first language; and wherein the first action can set or get the first data source. |
| US07650275B2 |
Virtualization of a parition based on addresses of an I/O adapter within an external emulation unit
Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with external virtualization are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes an emulation logic located external to an integrated circuit to which it may be operably connected. The example emulation logic may include a virtualization logic that is configured to virtualize a portion of a function performed by the integrated circuit. The portion may be identifiable by an address associated with the portion. The example emulation logic may also include a data store that is operably connected to the virtualization logic and that is configured to store a state data associated with virtualizing the portion of the function. |
| US07650274B2 |
Microcomputer logic development system
A system for developing the preceding logic to be implemented in a built-in microcomputer that is used while being incorporated in an electronic control unit. The system includes: a motherboard having a first CPU, a first memory, and a first interface via which the motherboard communicates with the outside, interconnected over a first internal bus; a core board having a second CPU, a second memory, quasi microcomputer peripheral devices, which simulate by software the peripheral devices of a microcomputer, and a second interface via which the core board communicates with the outside, interconnected over a second internal bus; and a PCI bus that links the motherboard and the core board. The development system is substituted for the built-in microcomputer in order to implement the preceding logic. |
| US07650273B2 |
Performance simulation of multiprocessor systems
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to simulate performance of a multi-core system. A micro-architecture effect is estimated from each core in the multi-core system. A model of a memory hierarchy associated with each core is simulated. The simulated model of the memory hierarchy is superpositioned on the estimated micro-architecture effect to produce a performance figure for the multi-core system. |
| US07650272B2 |
Evaluation of Bayesian network models for decision support
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are presented for automatically evaluating Bayesian network models. Operations performed comprise receiving a Bayesian Network (BN) model including evidence nodes and conclusion nodes that are linked with the evidence nodes by causal dependency links, and where the evidence nodes have evidence states and the conclusion nodes have conclusion states. The states of conclusion nodes are set to desired conclusion states and corresponding probabilities of occurrence of evidence states are determined by propagating these states down the causal dependency links. Thus, samples of most likely states of the evidence nodes are generated. Then, states of the evidence nodes are set corresponding to the samples of the evidence states. These states are propagated back up the causal dependency links to obtain probabilities of the resulting states of the conclusion nodes. Finally, a representation is outputted for the probabilities of the states of the conclusion nodes. |
| US07650269B2 |
Method and apparatus for surveying a borehole with a rotating sensor package
A method and apparatus for surveying a borehole using a rotating sensor package. A sensor tool preferably including a magnetometer sensor array is disposed in the bottom hole assembly of a drillstring. Conditioning circuitry in the sensor tool processes the sensor readings from the sensor array taken while the drillstring is rotating. In one embodiment, the conditioning circuitry includes processing circuitry adapted to adjust the sensor readings to account for an analytically predicted level of axial current induced in the drillstring as a result of its rotation in the Earth's magnetic field. In another embodiment, a current generator is provided to generate a counter-current intended to cancel the analytically predicted level of axial current induced in the drillstring as a result of rotation in the Earth's magnetic field. In another embodiment, insulating members are disposed above and/or below the sensor tool to prevent conduction of rotation-induced current therein. In still another embodiment, the sensor tool is disposed in a drill collar that is composed of a non-conducting material, such that no rotation-induced current is conducted through the sensor tool. |
| US07650261B2 |
Multi-path generating apparatus, a multi-path fading simulator, and a multi-path generating method
A time-varying multi-path generating apparatus that generates time-varying characteristics of propagation path parameters, a multi-path fading simulator, and a multi-path generating method are disclosed. The generating apparatus for simulating multi-path fluctuations in radio communications consists of a parameter control unit for controlling generation conditions of propagation paths, a data storage unit for storing propagation path generation parameters and data files, and a propagation path generating unit for generating time-varying propagation paths. Multiple time-varying amplitude functions and multiple time-varying phase functions are generated based on the data files, the propagation path generation parameters, and random numbers generated by a random number generating unit. The time-varying amplitude functions are aligned serially in the time domain such that a time-varying shadow amplitude function is obtained, which is repeated N times where N represents the number of propagation paths. The time-varying phase functions are aligned serially such that a time-varying shadow phase function is obtained, which is repeated N times, resulting in N time-varying shadow phase functions. An initial amplitude, an initial phase, an initial time delay, and an initial arrival direction are generated as the propagation path parameters of a propagation path using random numbers based on the initial value generation parameters. The time-varying shadow amplitude functions and the time-varying shadow phase functions are superimposed on the initial amplitude and the initial phase, respectively, for generating time-varying propagation paths. |
| US07650259B2 |
Method for tuning chipset parameters to achieve optimal performance under varying workload types
A method, system, and computer program product for tuning a set of chipset parameters to achieve optimal chipset performance under varying workload characteristics. A set of workload characteristics of a current workload type is determined. An instruction stream is generated using weighted parameters derived from the set of workload characteristics of the current workload type. A set of chipset parameters is generated and integrated within the instruction stream. The instruction stream is loaded to one or more processors and executed to collect and analyze performance data relating to the chipset's performance. The analysis includes comparing the set of performance data of a plurality of different instruction streams having the same set of workload characteristics. Each executed instruction stream is executed with at least one different combination of chipset parameters. A determination is made regarding which combination of chipset parameters provides the best performance data for the current workload. |
| US07650258B2 |
Anthropogenic event risk assessment
A computer implemented method and system for assessing the risk of an anthropogenic event are disclosed. An anthropogenic event is defined and recursively decomposed into causal conditions with ascertainable probabilities. The causal conditions and probabilities are transformed into a comprehensive probability of the event. The risk related to the occurrence of the event, such as a monetary loss, is computed based on its derived probability. |
| US07650256B2 |
Method and apparatus for locating the trajectory of an object in motion
An object locating system detects the presence of an object as it passes through a planar fields of view. A pair of optical sensor arrays with multiple, directed, pixel detectors observe the object from two angles as the object passes through the field of view. The location of penetration of the field of view is calculated by triangulation. Using this data, the known location of the take-off point and/or the delay between the departure of an object from the known take-off point and the penetration of the field of view, the trajectory of the object in time and space is calculated. In an alternate embodiment, the take-off point is not known and a plurality of pairs of optical sensor arrays may measure the trajectory of an object as it travels between a launch location and a target location. Applications include projecting the range of a driven golf ball, measuring the respective arriving and departing velocities of a hit baseball, determining the trajectory of a baseball, and determining the trajectory and origin of an arriving projectile, as in the case of the threat to a military vehicle. |
| US07650255B2 |
Automatic selective retest for multi-site testers
A method of multi-site testing a batch of semiconductor units using a multi-site automated tester (100). The tester (300) includes a handler (320) coupled to a contactor (330) including a first plurality of contact sites. The method includes the step of loading the first plurality of units into the first plurality of contact sites (201). The first plurality of units are simultaneously tested (202) using a test program to determine bin information for each of the first plurality of units, wherein the bin information defines each of the first plurality units as being a passed unit or a reject unit. The passed units are offloaded from respective contact sites of the first plurality of contact sites to create vacant contact sites (203), while keeping the reject unit(s) at respective contact sites of the first plurality of contact sites. Untested units from the batch are then loaded to fill the vacant contact sites (204). Simultaneously, the reject units retested and untested units are tested using the test program (205). |
| US07650254B2 |
Method for the detection and quantitative evaluation of a balance error in a shaft-bearing system
A method for detection and quantitative evaluation of a balance error occurring in a component-bearing system. Static and dynamic forces acting upon the bearing are determined by sensors of a measuring bridge, which are disposed on a rolling bearing and which change the inherent electrical resistance according to the applied pressure, and are made available for analysis in a computer in the form of a periodic test signal that is common to both forces. In order to analyze the test signal, the weighted average of the modulation frequency generated by a balance error and the weighted mean variance thereof are determined from the test signal. The variance is then compared with a given variance threshold value. A variance lying below the variance threshold value is considered to be an indication of a significant balance error in the bearing. |
| US07650250B2 |
Methods for testing ophthalmic lenses
What has been developed is a method for testing ophthalmic plastic lenses and ophthalmic plastic lens-making processes for compliance with federal safety performance requirements. The method of the invention provides an easier, less costly, and more effective means for complying with these safety performance requirements than what current methods provide. |
| US07650248B1 |
Integrated circuit for in-system signal monitoring
In-system signal monitoring using an integrated circuit such as a programmable logic device is described. An analog-to-digital converter is disposed in the programmable logic device. A sampling bridge is coupled to provide an analog input to the analog-to-digital converter and to receive first signaling of a first frequency. A signal generator is configured to provide second signaling at a second frequency which is a fraction of the first frequency. Sample window circuitry is coupled to receive the second signaling and configured to provide third signaling to the sampling bridge at least partially responsive to the second signaling and at least partially responsive to an adjustable impedance setting of the sample window circuitry. The sample window circuitry is configured to provide an adjustable sample window within a pulse-width range. |
| US07650244B2 |
Method and device for monitoring analyte concentration by determining its progression in the living body of a human or animal
The present invention generally relates to a method and a device for monitoring an analyte concentration in the living body of a human or animal. In particular to a method and device for determining analyte values y(tn) correlating with the concentration to be determined are determined for consecutive points in time tn. The analyte values y(tn) is used to predict a prediction value for an analyte y(tn0+Δt) over a prediction period Δt. |
| US07650239B2 |
Object recognition apparatus for motor vehicle
An object recognition apparatus in a subject vehicle includes a radar unit for transmitting a plurality of laser beams in a scan range spread in horizontal and vertical directions of the subject vehicle and receiving a reflection, a recognition unit for recognizing the object in front of the subject vehicle based on the reflection, a determination sub-unit in the radar unit, a calculation sub-unit in the radar unit; and an adjustment sub-unit in the radar unit. The radar unit is so disposed in the subject vehicle with a center axis of one of the plurality of the laser beams aligned with a target angle that the determination sub-unit uses coverage in the vertical direction of the laser beam being sufficient for variation of heights of the reflector on the object at a first distance detected by the radar unit as the predetermined condition for selecting of the object. |
| US07650237B2 |
Navigation apparatus and navigation method
There are provided a navigation apparatus and a navigation method capable of performing a character display reflecting the operation result of a user. The navigation apparatus includes a facility search section that searches for a facility fulfilling a set search condition; a display flag changing section that sets a character string, which is displayed at a position corresponding to the facility searched by the facility search section, as a character string indicating the facility; a map drawing section that draws a map image including the location of the facility searched by the facility search section and the character string set by the display flag changing section; and a display processing section and a display device, which display the map image drawn by the map drawing section. |
| US07650236B2 |
Means, methods, and apparatus to reduce the possibility of a motor vehicle entering a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel—towards oncoming traffic
A system used to reduce the possibly of a vehicle entering a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel, towards oncoming traffic, is disclosed. The preferred system is comprised of equipment used in conjunction with orbiting satellite transceivers with receivers, such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) or OnStar™ by General Motors, housed in a vehicle and having the ability in real time to compute the receiver's, and consequently the vehicle's, longitude, latitude, and direction of travel. These devices in collaboration with a controller and freeway mounted mirrors constitute a timely, cost-effective, realizable, and simple means to reduce the possibility of entering a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel. |
| US07650234B2 |
Technique for effective navigation based on user preferences
A navigation device utilizes stored user profiles to navigate a user who may be driving in a vehicle, on foot, or in other mode of transportation. Each user profile corresponds to one of the user's personae. For example the user business profile corresponding to the user's business persona may be different from the user personal profile corresponding to the user's personal persona. The navigation device provides the user with a navigated route, together with information concerning the favorite facilities and events surrounding the navigated route, which satisfy the preferences in a selected user profile. Blockages may also be established using the device to avoid selected areas, or to block transmission of selected information. |
| US07650232B1 |
Trajectory specification for high capacity air traffic control
Method and system for analyzing and processing information on one or more aircraft flight paths, using a four-dimensional coordinate system including three Cartesian or equivalent coordinates (x, y, z) and a fourth coordinate δ that corresponds to a distance estimated along a reference flight path to a nearest reference path location corresponding to a present location of the aircraft. Use of the coordinate δ, rather than elapsed time t, avoids coupling of along-track error into aircraft altitude and reduces effects of errors on an aircraft landing site. Along-track, cross-track and/or altitude errors are estimated and compared with a permitted error bounding space surrounding the reference flight path. |
| US07650231B2 |
AGTM airborne surveillance
Systems, methods and apparatuses for managing ground transportation in a geographical area are disclosed. A system for managing ground transportation in a geographical area in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one airborne surveillance platform, a graphical information systems (GIS) database, receiving information from the airborne surveillance platform, the GIS database storing data that represents the geographical area, the GIS database including at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, and a routing tool, coupled to the GIS database, wherein the dynamic routing tool accepts data from the GIS database and determines a transportation route for at least one vehicle within the geographical area using at least the data from the GIS database and the information from the airborne surveillance platform. |
| US07650229B2 |
Automatic communication of subscription-specific messages to a telematics equipped vehicle
A method of automatically communicating subscription-specific messages to a telematics-equipped vehicle includes the following steps: a) establishing a trigger and a message associated with the trigger; b) setting the trigger; c) monitoring for the occurrence of one or more conditions that satisfy the trigger; and d) determining that the one or more conditions have occurred and, if so, then; e) accessing the message associated with the trigger; and f) playing the message. |
| US07650226B2 |
Fuel injection system with learning control to compensate for actual-to-target injection quantity
A fuel injection system designed to execute a learning operation to spray fuel through fuel injectors at each of given pressures of the fuel to determine the quantity of fuel sprayed actually from each of the fuel injectors (i.e., an actual injection quantity) into an internal combustion engine. The system calculates a deviation of each of the actual injection quantities from a target quantity to determine an injection correction value required to eliminate such a deviation. The system determines whether each of the injection correction values has an error or not and analyzes the mode in which the errors appear at the injection correction values to specify types of malfunction occurring in the system. The system relearns ones of the injection correction values as determined to have the errors. |
| US07650225B2 |
Engine controller
An engine controller comprises a combustion state detection or estimation means for detecting or estimating a combustion state in the combustion chamber, a combustion air-fuel ratio estimation means for estimating a combustion air-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber according to an exhaust air-fuel ratio and the detected or estimated combustion state, and a means for calculating engine control parameters according to the estimated combustion air-fuel ratio. |
| US07650218B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for preventing turbocharger overspeed in a combustion engine
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for preventing turbocharger overspeed in a combustion engine. The method includes determining a turbocharger error term as a difference between a nominal turbocharger maximum speed and a current turbocharger speed. The method further includes determining a turbocharger speed derivative with respect to time. The method includes calculating a turbocharger control response based on the turbocharger error term and the turbocharger speed derivative with respect to time. The turbocharger control response may be a modified turbocharger maximum speed calculated by determining a reference speed multiplier based on the turbocharger error term and the turbocharger speed derivative with respect to time, and multiplying the reference speed multiplier by the nominal turbocharger maximum speed. The method thereby smoothly anticipates turbocharger transient events, and prevents an overspeed condition of the turbocharger. |
| US07650216B2 |
Vehicle driving system with adaptive skid control
A differentiator calculates the acceleration of the rear wheels. An acceleration threshold calculation means enable the skid-detection acceleration threshold to be adjusted corresponding to the conditions of the vehicle. An acceleration skid-detection means make a comparison between the acceleration of the wheels obtained by the differentiator and the skid-detection acceleration threshold adjusted by the acceleration threshold calculation means, and determine whether or not a skid of the wheels has occurred, based upon the comparison result. Such an arrangement provides a vehicle driving force system having a function of detecting a skid even in a case that a skid of the wheels has occurred at a low acceleration of the vehicle. |
| US07650214B2 |
Avoiding drift engagement of a hydraulic clutch
A method for controlling speed of an input shaft to a hydraulically actuated clutch that includes a hydraulic balance dam volume includes determining a limit speed of the input shaft that varies as a function of time during a predetermined period after the clutch starts rotation and that causes a servo piston for actuating the clutch to move toward an engaged position, rotating the input shaft during the period, limiting a speed of the input shaft during said period to a determined limit speed corresponding to a current time after beginning the period, and allowing the speed of the input shaft to increase to a speed greater than the determined limit speed after expiration of the period. |
| US07650211B2 |
Method and apparatus to monitor ambient sensing devices
A method is provided to monitor operation of a sensing system for a motor vehicle equipped with inter-vehicle communications capability. The method comprises comparing analogous signals communicated from a plurality of vehicles in close proximity thereto. |
| US07650208B2 |
Navigational aid for diver
A diver unit computes the direction and distance to a specified target. When the target is obstructed, the diver unit receives navigation assistance data from another diver unit. The navigation assistance data includes direction information that is referenced to a common reference line extending between the two diver units. |
| US07650207B2 |
Locomotive/train navigation system and method
In a rail track system having transition points, a locomotive having a navigation system (such as a combined inertial/GPS location system) moves along an initially known track and enters the “halo” surrounding a track transition to begin data collection/logging to accumulate successive position information data points as the locomotive moves into, progresses through, and exits the “halo.” The collected data for movement within the “halo” is then subject to a best fit assessment relative to the data pre-stored in the track database. |
| US07650204B2 |
Active control of an ankle-foot orthosis
Techniques are provided for controlling a human-exoskeleton system including an ankle-foot orthosis by receiving system parameters for the human-exoskeleton system, receiving generalized coordinates such as an orientation of the foot, and determining a joint torque for controlling the ankle-foot orthosis to compensate for one or more components of forces acting on the foot. Forces selected for compensation include gravitational forces as well as external forces such as ground reaction forces. Techniques are provided for determining an ankle joint torque for partial or complete compensation of forces acting on the foot about an axis of rotation. The provided techniques mitigate the amount of interference between voluntary control and assist control, thereby allowing humans to quickly humans adapt to an exoskeleton system. |
| US07650202B2 |
Method for producing a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a motor vehicle or a motor vehicle part, wherein the motor vehicle or the motor vehicle part is assembled from components, wherein at least two components are each connected to at least one transponder in order to transmit an identification information item, wherein an identification information item transmitted by a transponder is received by means of a first antenna, wherein an identification information item transmitted by a transponder is received by means of a second antenna and wherein it is checked whether a component can be installed or is correctly installed, wherein the component is installed or is classified as correctly installed only if at least one identification information item received by means of the first antenna corresponds both to an identification information item received by means of the second antenna and to a predefined identification information item. |
| US07650200B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating a site-dependent evaluation library
The present invention includes a method of creating a Site-Dependent (S-D) evaluation library including receiving a plurality of S-D wafers by one or more S-D transfer subsystems in a processing system, establishing wafer state data for each S-D wafer, establishing a library-creation processing sequence for creating a library of S-D evaluation data, determining a first number of S-D process wafers to be processed, establishing first operational states for a plurality of S-D processing elements in one or more processing subsystems, determining a first number of available processing elements, establishing a first S-D transfer sequence, transferring the first number of S-D process wafers to the first number of available processing elements therein and applying a first corrective action. |
| US07650193B2 |
Lead assembly with porous polyethylene cover
This document discusses, among other things, a lead assembly including a porous polyethylene cover. In an example, the cover includes sections that have differing pore sizes. In an example, a section of the cover near a distal end portion of a lead assembly includes pores that are large enough to allow tissue ingrowth. In another example, a lead assembly includes two or more polyethylene covers having different porosities. |
| US07650192B2 |
Passive charge of implantable medical device utilizing external power source and method
External power source for an implantable medical device implanted in a patient, the implantable medical device having a secondary coil operatively coupled to therapeutic componentry and method therefore. A modulation circuit is operatively coupled to a power source. A plurality of primary coils are operatively coupled to the modulation circuitry and physically associated with an article into which the patient may come into proximity. The modulation circuit drives at least one of the plurality of primary coils. A sensor is coupled to modulation circuit and is adapted to sense proximity of a component related to the implantable medical device. The modulation circuit commences operation to drive at least one of the plurality of primary coils when the sensor senses proximity with the component related to the implantable medical device. |
| US07650191B1 |
Implantable medical device having a header with an integrated telemetry coil
An implantable medical device comprises a hermetically sealed casing enclosing electrical stimulation and/or sensing circuitry. A header on the casing comprises a longitudinal receptacle for receiving the electrical connector assembly of an electrical medical lead that senses cardiac blood pressure. The receptacle has electrical contacts engageable by corresponding electrical terminals on the connector assembly. A telemetry circuit assembly, mounted vertically within the confines of the header adjacent to the receptacle, comprises a winding having ends connected across the electrical contacts of the receptacle. |
| US07650189B1 |
Techniques to maintain or alter upper airway patency
An exemplary method includes calling for delivery of energy to one or more electrodes positionable proximate to an autonomic pathway to alter tone of the geniglossus muscle. Such a method may maintain or alter upper airway patency and, in turn, prevent or alleviate obstructive apnea. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US07650182B2 |
Dual sensing for brady-tachy pacemaker/ICD
A system detects events related to cardiac activity. The system comprises a primary cardiac signal sensing circuit, at least one secondary cardiac signal sensing circuit having a higher sensitivity than the primary sensing circuit, and a controller circuit coupled to the primary and secondary cardiac signal sensing circuits. The controller circuit determines a rate of depolarization using the primary sensing circuit and detects tachyarrhythmia using the rate. The controller circuit also detects tachyarrhythmia using the secondary sensing circuit and also deems the tachyarrhythmia valid if the controller circuit detects the tachyarrhythmia using both the primary and secondary sensing circuit. |
| US07650180B2 |
Imaging sensor array and device and method for use therefor
A system and method for receiving an in vivo signal, using for example a receiver, a recorder and an antenna array. The receiver may include for example a switching unit and an amplifier, and may be in proximity to the antenna array. |
| US07650179B2 |
Computerized workflow method for stent planning and stenting procedure
In a computerized workflow method for stent planning and conducting a stenting procedure, characteristics of a lesion to be stented are determined from a 3D planning image of the region and selection of an actual stent for stenting the lesion is made with computer-assisted analysis of the lesion based on the characteristics. A virtual stent is electronically generated based on the actual stent, and, using the virtual stent, a best position for the actual stent, for effectively stenting the lesion, is determined. A real time 2D image of the lesion-containing region is displayed during the stenting procedure, with the virtual stent included therein at the aforementioned best position. A physician manually guides the actual stent relative to the lesion during the stenting procedure until the position of the actual stent, as seen in the displayed real time 2D image, coincides with the virtual stent in that image. |
| US07650176B2 |
Physiological stress detector device and system
A non-invasive device and a system for monitoring and measuring blood saturation and heart pulse rate of a baby or infant is provided. The device includes a housing unit configured to be integrated within apparatus, which is attachable proximate to a limb being measured. The housing unit includes at least one light source, providing light directed toward the surface of the limb, a light detector spaced apart from the light source and sensitive to intensity levels of the light reflected from the limb and a processing unit for processing the intensity signals received from the light detector for producing output signals. The device may determine the level of the blood constituent and may also use this level for monitoring and/or to activate an alarm when the level falls outside a predetermined range. |
| US07650172B2 |
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. |
| US07650170B2 |
Communications system providing automatic text-to-speech conversion features and related methods
A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device, and a wireless communications network for sending text messages thereto. More particularly, the at least one mobile wireless communications device may include a wireless transceiver and a controller for cooperating therewith for receiving text messages from the wireless communications network. It may further include a headset output connected to the controller. The controller may be for switching between a normal message mode and an audio message mode based upon a connection between the headset output and a headset. Moreover, when in the audio message mode, the controller may output at least one audio message including speech generated from at least one of the received text messages via the headset output. |
| US07650169B2 |
Method of raising schedule alarm with avatars in wireless telephone
Disclosed is a method of processing a schedule alarm message in a portable terminal comprising analyzing a message when the message is received in the portable terminal in order to check whether the message includes schedule information, extracting the schedule information from the message and storing the schedule information if the message includes the schedule information, and registering the schedule alarm message in a receive message list. The method of processing a schedule alarm message in a portable terminal further comprises displaying a display window including items used for displaying the stored schedule information and an alarm time when the user confirms the schedule alarm message, allowing the user to correct the schedule information and to set the alarm time by using the items displayed in the display window, and registering the corrected schedule alarm message to a schedule alarm message list in response to a schedule alarm message registration request. |
| US07650167B2 |
Mobile communication apparatus and method including base station and mobile station having multi-antenna
A mobile communication apparatus that utilizes multiple base station/mobile station antennas and a mobile communication method performed therein are provided. The mobile communication apparatus includes a base station having at least two antennas and at least two mobile stations having at least one antenna, respectively. The base station restores weight information and channel status information from feedback signals received from the mobile stations, determines downlink investigation information that results in maximum transmission channel capacity based on the restored weight information and channel status information, selects mobile stations for simultaneous transmission based on the downlink investigation information, and processes data to be transmitted to the selected mobile stations based on the downlink investigation information. |
| US07650166B2 |
Shapable antenna beams for cellular networks
Systems and methods are disclosed which provide aggressively sculpted or shaped antenna beams, such as sector antenna beams, for use in communication networks. Preferred embodiments use passive antenna feed networks, preferably configured as personality modules, which are adapted for corresponding topological and morphological features. Preferred embodiment feed networks may be coupled to linear or curvilinear antenna arrays to provide antenna beams having a desired contour. Using the disclosed systems and methods path loss variance is minimized for improved system capacity and/or signal quality. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods provide for reduced average transmission power levels further allowing increased capacity and/or signal quality. |
| US07650164B2 |
Method and system for exchanging data between a mobile phone and a PC
User information such as address books, calendars, images, ring tones, and the like may be exchanged between a mobile device such as, for example, a mobile phone and a personal computer, using an enhanced or extended version of an AT command set. Client code in the mobile device and application software on the personal computer permit a user to preserve and transfer copies of personal information via a short wired or wireless communication link, permitting the user to make use of such personal information when migrating to a new mobile device, thus avoiding manual re-entry of information, loss of stored images, and re-purchase of previously purchased and downloaded materials. |
| US07650160B2 |
Determining latency associated with push-to-talk communications
A method of determining at least an estimate of media latency for push-to-talk communications includes determining a first time associated with transmitting a first packet from a push-to-talk transceiver device. In a disclosed example, the same device receives a second packet that corresponds to the first packet and includes an indication of the first time, a second time associated with receipt of the first packet by another device such as a push-to-talk server and a third time associated with transmission of the second packet to the push-to-talk transceiver device. That same device determines a fourth time associated with receipt of the second packet. In a disclosed example, the push-to-talk transceiver device uses a relationship between the first time, second time, third time and fourth time for determining at least an estimate of media latency associated with the push-to-talk communication corresponding to the first and second packets. A plurality of latency test procedures are disclosed. |
| US07650156B2 |
Method and apparatus for signal processing in a satellite positioning system
A method and apparatus for processing satellite positioning system (SPS) signals which are weak in level. In one embodiment, a SPS receiver receives at least two signal samples representing, at least in part, common information, wherein the two signal samples are associated with one or more satellite messages. By combining the two signal samples, navigation information (e.g., time, position, velocity, etc.) may be determined based on the combination of the two signal samples. According to another embodiment, the two signal samples are differentially demodulated and summed together to form the combination. |
| US07650154B2 |
Adaptive reservation of channelization codes and allowed power
The invention provides a method, system, and network entity for adaptive setting or reservation of channelization codes and/or power for downlink channel in a communication network, in particular for DSCH and HS-DSCH, using parameters (PtxDSCHallowed, SFmin) for minimum allowed Spreading Factor, SF, and/or allowed power level, the parameters being set depending on the traffic load, the total cell load and/or the availability of channelization codes. |
| US07650152B2 |
Multi-carrier communications with adaptive cluster configuration and switching
A method and apparatus for allocating subcarriers in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises allocating at least one diversity cluster of subcarriers to a first subscriber and allocating at least one coherence cluster to a second subscriber. |
| US07650148B2 |
Method of processing call to unregistered user in WLAN-GPRS network using SIP
A method of processing a call to an unregistered user in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)-General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) using a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is provided. The method of connecting a call to a mobile node present in a GPRS area includes registering location information of the mobile node to be invited in a Home Subscriber Server (HSS); when the mobile node uses a Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP), allocating an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the mobile node and authenticating the mobile node through MIP registration and setting a SIP session; and when the mobile node uses a simple IP, allocating an IP address to the mobile node and authenticating the mobile node through a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) procedure and setting a SIP session. |
| US07650145B2 |
Telephone set, communication adaptor, home appliance control method, and program recording medium
The invention relates to a telephone set comprises a connection apparatus to execute a connecting process for enabling transmission and reception of an information signal to and from a home appliance such as a general audio device remote-controllable by radio communication; a control apparatus for generating, upon arrival of an incoming call, a remote control signal such as a pause command to the home appliance; and a radio communication apparatus for sending the remote control signal to the home appliance by radio communication. Thus, upon arrival of an incoming call at the telephone set, the remote control signal is sent to the audio device or the like either directly from the telephone set or via a communication adaptor installed therein, hence pausing or muting the output of the audio device under remote control. Such control action enables a user to perceive the incoming call with facility. |
| US07650143B2 |
System and method for offering seamless connectivity across multiple devices in a communications environment
An apparatus for providing connectivity is provided that includes a mobility server operable to coordinate a communication session between a first and a second end-user device. The first end-user device is associated with a first call leg and the second end-user device is associated with a second call leg. A handoff is executed in transferring the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device. In more particular embodiments, the mobility server is operable to receive signal strength information from the first end-user device and to execute the handoff based on the signal strength information. In addition, the handoff is executed based on an end-user preference that is provided in a subscription that is accessed by the mobility server. |
| US07650140B2 |
System and method of maintaining communications policy settings in a wireless network
The present invention provides a system and method of modifying policy settings in a network having a plurality of subscriber devices. An embodiment includes a plurality of base stations, each capable of wirelessly transmitting across a geographic region and a server. A cell-phone, capable of roaming between regions, is operable to establish a wireless link with the base stations and through the base stations, with the server. The network contains a communication policy determining from which other communication devices a subscriber device can receive voice calls. The communication policy is updated, by the server, based on requests from the subscriber devices. Once a request is received from a subscriber device, the determination whether to update the communication policy can be based on a record of rejections respective to the caller requested to be blocked. Alternatively, the communication policy can be updated according to a trust policy maintained on the server respective to the subscriber device making the request; the trust policy represents the procedure to follow when a request is received from that subscriber device. |
| US07650137B2 |
Account information display for portable communication device
A portable communication device includes a display and a processor coupled to the display. The processor is configured to automatically and repeatedly present an updated account usage metric for an account associated with usage of the portable communication device. In some embodiments, the presented account usage metric is an account balance associated with usage of the portable communication device, and the processor automatically and repeatedly presents an updated account balance on the display. |
| US07650128B2 |
Radio wave reception device, radio wave clock, and repeater
A received low-frequency standard radio wave, which is an amplitude modulation signal, is converted to an intermediate frequency signal Sa, and is output to a detection circuit and an AGC circuit. The detection circuit and AGC circuit generates an RF control signal Sf1 and IF control signal Sf2 from the input intermediate frequency signal Sa, and controls an RF control circuit and IF control circuit by outputting the generated RF control signal Sf1 and IF control signal Sf2 to the RF control circuit and IF control circuit. By this a radio wave reception device can speed up AGC operation. |
| US07650127B2 |
Gain controlled external low noise amplifier
A receiver for receiving radio frequency signals from a remote keyless entry system and another system includes a low noise amplifier for amplifying and increasing the range and sensitivity of the receiver, such that the receiver may receive signals at increased distances. A gain of the low noise amplifier is selectively controlled to cycle from a first gain level that provides for increased sensitivity and a second gain level that provides a lower sensitivity and a greater dynamic range or larger signal capacity. |
| US07650125B2 |
System and method for SAP FM demodulation
Certain embodiments of the present invention provides a system and method for SAP FM demodulation. The system includes a bandpass filter for isolating the SAP signal, a Hilbert filter to produce a copy of the SAP signal phase shifted by 90 degrees, an FM demodulator for demodulating the SAP signal using the phase shifted SAP signal and a delayed SAP signal, and a lowpass filter to eliminate noise from the FM demodulated SAP signal. The system may also include an automatic gain control for normalizing amplitude of FM demodulator input signals. The digital FM demodulator uses a simplified approximation using non-unity delay for simplified demodulation of frequency modulated signals. |
| US07650118B2 |
Wireless transmission system and method
A wireless transmission system is provided. The system includes a wireless transmission apparatus for sending radio signals in a selected frequency and a wireless reception apparatus for receiving the radio signals in the selected frequency and playing audio signals corresponding to the radio signals. The wireless transmission apparatus includes a scan unit for periodically scanning interference frequencies of candidate frequencies, and recording characteristics of each interference frequency; an evaluation value calculating module for calculating an evaluation value of each candidate frequency according to the characteristics of the corresponding interference frequencies; a frequency selection module for choosing one of the candidate frequencies as a current transmission frequency according to the evaluation values; and a transmission unit for sending radio signals in the current transmission frequency. A wireless transmission method is also provided. |
| US07650116B2 |
Multiple access interference cancellation
Method and device for interference cancellation. A radio access unit comprises a plurality of directionally separated antenna elements (41k, K=1, 2, . . . , L) for receiving signals transmitted by a plurality of remote units. From signals received by each of the antenna elements (41k) first weighing factors (g(1)k) are determined (49), for optimally selecting signal of a first remote unit (521). A first radio signal (s1) of the first communication unit (521) is provided by weighing (44) the received signals using the first weighing factors (g(1)k). For a further radio communication unit (52i) further weighing factors (g(i)k) are determined. A corrected further radio signal (s′i) is provided each time by subtracting (46) from the further radio signal (si), previously obtained corrected radio signal (S′i-1, S′i-1, . . . ) weighed by the further weighing factors (g(i)k), till a stop criterium has been satisfied. |
| US07650114B2 |
Spatially selective UHF near field microstrip coupler device and RFID systems using device
A system having a UHF RFID transceiver is adapted to communicate exclusively with a single electro-magnetically coupled transponder located in a predetermined confined transponder operating region. The system includes a near field coupling device comprising a plurality of lines connected in parallel with an unmatched load. The near field coupling device may be formed, for example on a printed circuit board with a plurality of electrically interconnected traces and a ground plane. The system establishes, at predetermined transceiver power levels, a mutual electro-magnetic coupling which is selective exclusively for a single transponder located in a defined transponder operating region. Also included are methods for selective communication with the transponder in an apparatus such as a printer-encoder. |
| US07650111B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for transmitting streaming media to a mobile terminal using the bandwidth associated with a wireless network
A communication network is operated by providing a wireless communication network that has bandwidth associated therewith to facilitate communication between one or more mobile terminals and another communication device. Streaming media is transmitted to the one or more mobile terminals using the bandwidth associated with the wireless network. |
| US07650107B2 |
Developing apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same
A developing apparatus and develops a developer with respect to a photosensitive medium, the and includes a developing cartridge which accommodates the developer therein; a cleaning blade which contacts the photosensitive medium by an end part thereof to clean the photosensitive medium, a guide member which guides the cleaning blade to linearly reciprocate, and an elastic member which elastically biases the cleaning blade toward the photosensitive medium. |
| US07650103B2 |
Developer supply container
A developer supply container detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, and includes a container body having a developer containing portion; a discharging opening, provided in the container body; a gas container storing a compressed gas; a plate-like member, disposed at a position between the container body and the gas container, and configured to move toward the discharge opening to discharge the developer in the developer containing portion through the discharge opening; a switch portion, operable from the image forming apparatus, configured and positioned to release the compressed gas from the gas container so that the plate-like member moves toward the discharge opening; and an urging portion configured and positioned to urge the switch portion to stop the release of the compressed gas from the gas container. |
| US07650102B2 |
Method, device and computer program for producing a developer mixture in an electrographic developer station
In a method for generating a developer mixture in a developer station of an electrographic printing device, magnetizable carrier particles and toner are simultaneously filled into the developer station, and in case of an error or an aborting of the filling a continuation takes place at a later time of the method. |
| US07650101B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of effectively developing images
An image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and a developing unit includes a developer carrying member to carry developer, first and second rotary members arranged in parallel to each other and configured to rotate to agitate and convey the developer, and an enclosure having an inside space to contain the developer, the inside space being divided by a partition with communication openings formed therein at opposite ends thereof into a first chamber configured to maintain the developer above a first level and to hold the first rotary member therein which supplies the developer to the developer carrying member while agitating and conveying the developer, and a second chamber configured to communicate with the first chamber through the communication openings, to maintain the developer at a second level lower than the first level, and to hold the second rotary member therein which circulates the developer with the first chamber through the communication openings. |
| US07650099B2 |
Image forming apparatus having tension-providing mechanism for belt
To enable not only releasing pressurization by a pressurization mechanism for pressurizing a belt thereby preventing a deformation therein but also easily and securely releasing the pressurization mechanism held in the pressure release state, thereby facilitating the installation operation of an apparatus. A pressurization mechanism for pressurizing a belt is in a released state prior to the use of the main body of the apparatus. Prior to the initial use of the main body, the pressurization of the pressurizing mechanism for the belt is exerted in linkage with a user operation of placing a recording material in a feed tray. |
| US07650095B2 |
Tracking usage of a functional unit
An image forming system for receiving an identification signal from a first identification tag, identifying a user associated with the first identification signal, and storing information that tracks usage of a functional unit by the user are disclosed. |
| US07650094B2 |
Image forming apparatus and controlling method
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; toner image formation means for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; removing means for removing deposited matter deposited on the image bearing member; detecting means for detecting a toner image to be detected, formed on the toner image formation means; control means for controlling a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming means in accordance with a result of detection of the toner image to be detected by the detecting means; the apparatus being operable in a mode in which the removing means operates to remove the deposition, and the detecting means operates to detect the toner image to be detected, executing means for executing an operation in the mode; and an operating portion for manually starting execution of the operation in the mode by the executing means. |
| US07650093B2 |
Image forming device, calibration method and storage medium storing program
An image forming device includes an image forming unit that forms an image including at least one of a user-requested image and a test image onto a recording medium, a controller that controls the image forming unit to form a test image including a mixed color on the recording medium, a transporting path that transports the recording medium on which the test image is formed by the image forming unit, an image detecting unit disposed at the transporting path that detects the test image formed on the recording medium, and a calibration unit that performs a color calibration process based upon the test image detected by the image detecting unit. |
| US07650092B2 |
Image forming apparatus that utilizes converted data based on temperature detection
In an image forming apparatus of the present invention, an allowable temperature range of a fixing unit is divided into a plurality of fixing temperature ranges, and image data conversion γ tables respectively suitable for the divided fixing temperature ranges are prepared. A fixing temperature of the fixing unit is measured during image forming. A γ table suitable for the measured fixing temperature can be selected and used. Consequently, even when a reduction in fixing temperature within the allowable temperature range is caused in the fixing unit in the case of continuously outputting color images at a high speed, the resulting change in tint of output images can be reduced. |
| US07650086B2 |
Image forming apparatus, and toner recycle method
There is provided a technique in which when an image forming processing with toners of plural colors is performed, a residual toner on a transfer-receiving member to which toner images are transferred by plural image forming units is not discarded, but is reused as a black toner, and a deterioration in picture quality due to a change in color tone of the black toner is prevented. An image forming apparatus is for performing an image forming processing by plural image forming units to form toner images of colors different from each other on a transfer-receiving member moved in a specified direction, and includes a toner collecting unit to collect toners remaining on the transfer-receiving member, a ratio judgment unit to judge a mixing ratio of toners of plural colors included in the toners collected by the toner collecting unit, and a toner replenishing unit to replenish an insufficient color toner to the toners collected by the toner collecting unit based on the mixing ratio judged by the ratio judgment unit so that the mixing ratio becomes a specified ratio. |
| US07650085B2 |
Automated detection and notification of the need for service and/or supplies replenishment in a machine
A system for automatically detecting the need to service a machine. The system includes a processor and at least one of a device component and a supply component. The processor determines a time at which the device component will require repair or replacement and when the supply component will need replenishment and sends an electronic message addressed to a communication device accessible by the user or supplier. The electronic message includes data which facilitates ordering services and sending the supplies to the user of the machine. |
| US07650083B2 |
Demodulating a signal by performing consecutive beam splitting
A demodulator includes one or more modules operable to receive an input signal comprising symbols. A module receives a main signal comprising at least a portion of the input signal and splits the main signal to yield a branching signal and a remaining main signal. The branching signal travels along a first path, and the remaining main signal travels along a second path. The second path introduces a delay with respect to the first path. If there is a next module, the module sends a first portion of the remaining main signal to a next module as a main signal for the next module. The module combines the branching signal and at least a second portion of the remaining main signal to generate interference. The interference indicates a phase shift between a phase corresponding to a symbol and a successive phase corresponding to a successive symbol. |
| US07650078B2 |
Frequency extracting apparatus and signal extracting system employing the same
Provided are a frequency extracting apparatus and a signal extracting system employing the same. The signal extracting system can reduce the effect of an input signal pattern by extracting two frequency components and beating them to extract a desired clock signal, and improve a signal-to-noise ratio of an extracted clock signal. The frequency extracting apparatus includes: a circulator for changing an output direction of an input signal; a reflective filter for extracting a desired frequency component among frequency components of the input signal; a wavelength and amplitude controlling unit; and the frequency amplitude controller. |
| US07650065B2 |
Image stabilizer, lens apparatus and imager apparatus
An image stabilizer can steady blurry images. The image stabilizer includes first and second Hall elements and a yoke with a magnet fixed thereto, the yoke including a projected portion to escape magnetic flux from the edge portion of the magnet. In the state in which one of magnets and a coil supporting holder are fixed to a moving frame and in which the optical axis of the correcting lens is matched with the optical axis of the lens system, the first and second Hall elements are moved to the first and second directions so that the first and second Hall elements are properly positioned at the positions in which magnetic force received by the two Hall elements from the magnet becomes a reference value, whereafter the other of the magnets and the coil supporting member are fixed to a supporting frame. |
| US07650063B2 |
Method and apparatus for reproducing AV data in interactive mode, and information storage medium thereof
A method and apparatus for reproducing audio/visual data in an Enhanced Navigation mode, and an information storage medium thereof. The information storage medium stores audio/visual data, and at least one Enhanced Navigation application including at least one Enhanced Navigation file, the Enhanced Navigation file being reproduced together with the audio/visual data, wherein the Enhanced Navigation application includes a loading information file, which includes preload information specifying the location of the Enhanced Navigation file to be buffered before reproduction of the Enhanced Navigation application, as the Enhanced Navigation file. Accordingly, it is possible to guarantee seamless reproduction of audio/visual data for an Enhanced Navigation application. |
| US07650061B2 |
Information recording apparatus, information reproducing apparatus, and related computer programs
Pictures are successively captured, and thereby moving-picture data representing a stream of moving pictures is generated. At least one picture is captured, and thereby still-picture data representing at least one still picture is generated. The still picture corresponds in picture capture timing to first one of the moving pictures. Link information is generated which represents the correspondence in picture capture timing between the still picture and the first one of the moving pictures. Offset information is generated. The offset information designates a second one of the moving pictures which precedes the first one of the moving pictures by a prescribed time interval. Correspondence information is generated which includes a pair of the link information and the offset information. The moving-picture data, the still-picture data, and the correspondence information are recorded on a recording medium. |
| US07650058B1 |
Object selective video recording
An object selective video analysis and recordation system in which one or more video cameras provide video output to be recorded in a useful form on recording media with reduction of the amount of the recording media, with preservation of intelligence content of the output. Video output is both background video and object video, as images of objects appearing against a background scene. Preset knowledge of symbolic categories of objects in the scene and analysis of object attributes is provided by the system. Spatial resolution and temporal resolution of objects in the scene are automatically varied in accordance with preset criteria based on predetermined interest in the object attributes while recording the background video and object video. A user of the system may query recorded video images by content, enabling the user to recall recorded data according to symbolic content, by requesting data with specified symbolic content. |
| US07650056B2 |
Method for manufacturing a light-guiding plate and key module having the light-guiding plate
For manufacturing a light-guiding plate and a key module having the light-guiding plate, a mold is prepared first. Then, a material having high light transmittance is injected into the mold. After the plastic material is formed, the mold is released, so that the plastic material is formed into a sheet-like light-guiding plate, and one surface of the light-guiding plate is formed with a plurality of light-guiding portions thereon. The light-guiding plate is disposed in the key module of an electronic device. The light generated by light-emitting elements within the electronic device is introduced from the front end of a substrate of the light-guiding plate, and the light is refracted by the light-guiding portion to a corresponding key, thereby to display the numeral or pattern of the surface of a key cap of the key. |
| US07650052B2 |
Method and apparatus for coupling optical signals onto a semiconductor chip
A first optical coupler is configured to direct optical signals from an optical fiber onto one or more first optical channels located on a semiconductor chip, wherein the one or more first optical channels have dimensions that are within a specified tolerance of the dimensions of the optical fiber. One or more second optical couplers are configured to direct the optical signals from the one or more first optical channels to one or more second optical channels located on the semiconductor chip, wherein the one or more second optical channels have a specified sub-micron size. |
| US07650051B2 |
Distributed optical fiber sensor with controlled response
Distributed fiber optic chemical and physical sensors can provide a relatively highly uniform response over the length of the fiber by, for example, varying such properties as the core/cladding index of refraction ratio to compensate for the non-linearity in sensitivity. The phenomenon of spatial transient over a length of a fiber introduces such a nonlinearity that can be compensated for by varying at least one parameter of the optical fiber. |
| US07650048B2 |
Image processor and image processing method
An image processor includes an image processing section, an enlargement processing section, and a controller. When image data including a second predetermined number of pixels to be output from an image output section, is generated on the basis of image data including a first predetermined number of pixels smaller than the second predetermined number input to an image data input unit, the controller controls the enlargement processing section to generate image data including a third predetermined number of pixels larger than the first predetermined number and smaller than the second predetermined number. The controller controls the image processing section to apply image processing to the image data including the third predetermined number of pixels. The controller also controls the enlargement processing section to generate the image data including the second predetermined number of pixels on the basis of the image data including the third predetermined number of pixels. |
| US07650046B2 |
Method of correcting artifacts in an image signal
An artifact profile signal is generated representing an estimation of the contribution of artifacts to a reference signal G comprising these artifacts, in regions defined around the position of artifact generating element(s). Signal portions in these regions are extracted from the image signal. The artifact profile signal is deformed so as to generate a new artifact profile signal which is used for correction of the image signal that has been subjected to the above extraction. |
| US07650044B2 |
Methods and systems for intensity matching of a plurality of radiographic images
Methods and systems for intensity/brightness matching of a plurality of radiographic images. Software can be used to provide various stitching and blending methods to join first and second images into a composite, larger image before or after the intensity/brightness of the radiographic images are modified. |
| US07650042B2 |
Sign coring for contour reduction
A method for contour reduction in a digital picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) buffering a plurality of luma samples in a current line of the digital picture, each of the luma samples having a respective input value, (B) calculating a plurality of horizontal sum-of-signs along the current line, wherein each of the horizontal sum-of-signs comprises a sum of a plurality of amplitude differences between pairs the luma samples from the current line and (C) generating a plurality of output value based on the horizontal sum-of-signs, one of the output values for each one of the luma samples. |
| US07650040B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for data block rearrangement for LZ data compression
A technique for rearranging an input data stream for LZ data compression system to achieve a higher data compression. In one example embodiment, this is achieved by receiving an input data stream of a sequence of data blocks. Each of the received data blocks is then compared with each of a predetermined number of previously processed data blocks. One or more match locations and their associated match lengths for each of the data blocks are determined as a function of the comparison. An affinity array is then formed, such that each element in the affinity array comprises an affinity number based on the one or more match locations and their associated match lengths. The sequence of data blocks in the input data stream is then rearranged using the affinity array to form a new data stream. The new data stream is then encoded to achieve the higher data compression. |
| US07650039B2 |
Image encoding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, control method therefor, computer program, and computer-readable storage medium
An image having few colors can be losslessly encoded at a higher compression ratio. For this purpose, pixel data are input in raster order and temporarily stored in a buffer. A neighborhood matching determination unit generates first information representing whether a pixel having the same color as that of the pixel of interest exists in neighboring pixels and second information specifying whether a pixel having the same color as that of the pixel of interest exists, and if the pixel having the same color exists, specifying the neighboring pixel. A pixel matching detection unit counts the number of colors contained in the neighboring pixels and generates information representing whether the number of colors is two or less, or three or less. On the basis of the information, a code generation unit outputs one or both of encoded data from a matched-pixel position encoding unit and a prediction error encoding unit. |
| US07650038B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
An image processing method includes inputting image data for one block line having pixels of N times of a minimum unit (MCU) of image compression in the direction of column, and the length in the direction of row equivalent to one length of a scanning line, and outputting sequentially the image data of each block by dividing the image data into a plurality of block, which consists of N units block arranged in the direction of column, each of the unit blocks consisting of M MCUs arranged in the direction of row. The output image data of each block is compressed from the upper side unit block of each block, and compressed image data for each block of one block line is obtained. The obtained compressed image data is written in the frame memory. The written compressed image data is changed in sequence. |
| US07650037B2 |
Selection of the decoding size of a multiresolution image
This method of displaying a digital image for creating a multimedia content, the image being coded in multiple resolutions, comprises steps consisting of: determining the number of resolutions present in the coded image, obtaining (E230) the data of the sub-images associated with each of the previously determined resolutions, and displaying (E300) all the sub-images. |
| US07650031B2 |
Method and system for detecting black frames in a sequence of frames
Methods and systems for identifying black frames within a sequence of frames are provided. In one embodiment, the detection system detects black frames within a sequence of frames by fully decoding base frames and then partially decoding non-black, non-base frames in a way that ensures the blackness of each frame can be determined. The detection system decodes base frames before decoding dependent frames, which is referred to as processing frames in reverse order of dependency since a frame is processed before the frames that depend on it are processed. In another embodiment, the detection system determines the blackness of frames within a sequence of frames by processing the frames in order of their dependency and following chains of block dependency to decode and determine the blackness of blocks. |
| US07650029B2 |
Multiple layer alignment sensing
Using an imaging system in relation to a plurality of material layers is described, the material layers being separated by a distance greater than a depth of field of the imaging system. A focal plane of the imaging system and a first of the plurality of material layers are brought into correspondence. A first image including at least a portion of the first material layer having a first feature of interest thereon is stored. The focal plane of the imaging system and a second of the plurality of material layers are brought into correspondence. A second image including at least a portion of the second material layer having a second feature of interest thereon is acquired. The first and second images are processed for automatic computation of an alignment measurement between the first and second features of interest. |
| US07650025B2 |
System and method for body extraction in medical image volumes
A method for identifying non-body structures in digitized medical images including the steps of providing a digitized image comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a domain of points on an N-dimensional grid, wherein said image includes a representation of a body and of non-body structures separate from said body, initializing a surface in said image on a side of said non-body structures opposite from said body, defining a plurality of forces acting on said surface, and displacing said surface through said non-body structures using said forces until said body is encountered. |
| US07650017B2 |
Gesture detecting method, gesture detecting apparatus, and recording medium
A gesture detecting apparatus prepares time series data of coordinates of specific part of object gesturing, calculates velocity vector of the specific part from the time series data of coordinates, to obtain time-series velocity vectors, detects dynamic periods when displacement per unit time of the specific part is larger than predetermined value, based on the time-series velocity vectors, acquires each representative velocity vector from velocity vectors in each dynamic period, stores the each representative velocity vector corresponding to the each dynamic period in memory, calculates first intersection angle of two representative velocity vectors stored in the memory, the two representative velocity vectors corresponding to two successive dynamic periods, and detects that the motion of the specific part is reciprocating motion when the first intersection angle is larger than first threshold value. |
| US07650011B2 |
Visual tracking using incremental fisher discriminant analysis
Visual tracking over a sequence of images is formulated by defining an object class and one or more background classes. The most discriminant features available in the images are then used to select a portion of each image as belonging to the object class. Fisher's linear discriminant method is used to project high-dimensional image data onto a lower-dimensional space, e.g., a line, and perform classification in the lower-dimensional space. The projection function is incrementally updated. |
| US07650007B2 |
Lanyard for handheld electronic device
A lanyard for carrying or wearing portable electronic devices is disclosed. The lanyard includes a neck cord having data carrying capabilities. The lanyard also includes a harness that physically holds and operatively couples the portable electronic device to the neck cord. When a portable electronic device is coupled to the harness, the portable electronic device can be worn around a neck and communicate with an input and/or output (I/O) device (e.g., earphones) operatively coupled to the data carrying cord. That is, the I/O device can send data through the neck cord to the portable electronic device and/or receive data being carried by the neck cord from the portable electronic device. The lanyard facilitates greater ease in wearing portable electronic devices and enables better approaches for managing wires between portable electronic devices and peripheral I/O devices. |
| US07650006B2 |
Method to generate a plane acoustic wave front, a plane wave channel, a loudspeaker construction and a linear loudspeaker array
A method and a loudspeaker construction (10), in which loudspeaker construction spherical acoustic wave fronts emitted by the diaphragms (12) of speaker elements (11) are transformed into a uniform, planar acoustic wave front. The loudspeaker construction (10) comprises a plane wave channel (20), in the surface (26) of which plane wave channel directed towards the diaphragm (12) there are adjacent sound inlet apertures (24) for transmitting acoustic waves into ducts (23) and, on the opposite side (22) of the plane wave channel, there are outlet apertures (25) for transmitting acoustic waves from the ducts into a horn portion (30). The ducts (23) taper so that the width (B) of the outlet apertures located in a row on the side of the horn portion is less than half the diameter (D) of the diaphragm. |
| US07650004B2 |
Hearing aids and methods and apparatus for audio fitting thereof
A field ready, unsupervised-use ready, method and apparatus for audio fitting a hearing aid is described in a hand held configuration having paired comparisons (hearing selections) stored in and derivable from a memory therein. The paired comparisons are presented one at a time to a user and a preferred selection for each paired comparison is made by a select indicator after the user toggles back and forth between the selections for as many times necessary in determining their preferences. A genetic algorithm converges all the preferences upon a single solution. Crossover and mutation genetic algorithm operators operate on a linear range of indexes representative of parametric values of the pairs. A fully integrated hearing aid having all the above described features incorporated therein is also presented. |
| US07650003B1 |
Flat panel speaker and components therefor
A flat panel speaker. The speaker includes a drive unit made up of a signal oscillation radiator the winding of which promotes oscillating rather than translational movement of the radiator. Such a configuration allows the speaker to operate at a broad range of frequencies. In one form, the radiator includes a magnet, a coil former and a coil winding formed around the coil former in such a way that a magnetic field produced in the magnet can cooperate with a magnetic field induced by a current that corresponds to an audio signal flowing in the winding to produce an oscillating force in the radiator that can be converted into the oscillating movement imparted to the panel. |
| US07650002B2 |
Digital compressor for multi-channel audio system
A level adjustment method is applicable to an audio processing apparatus having a plurality of amplifiers corresponding to three or more of input channels of an audio signal for amplifying signal levels of the respective input channels. The level adjustment method is carried out by a group arrangement process of arranging the plurality of the input channels into one or more group, and a group control process of controlling each group such as to decrease an amplification rate of all the amplifiers corresponding to the input channels belonging to the same group as a maximal one of the signal levels of the input channels belonging to the same group increases. Typically, the group arrangement process is applied to an audio signal of a surround system having at least six input channels including a left channel, a right channel, a left surround channel, a right surround channel, a center channel and an LFE channel. |
| US07650001B2 |
Dummy sound generating apparatus and dummy sound generating method and computer product
A dummy sound generating apparatus includes a dummy sound information storage unit that stores one or more dummy sounds, and an outer generating unit that generates one of the one or more dummy sounds outside of the vehicle upon reception of a dummy sound generation instruction signal. The dummy sound generating apparatus also includes a generation place information storage unit that stores information on a place where a dummy sound is to be generated a current position information acquiring unit that acquires information on a current position of the vehicle, and a control unit that outputs a dummy sound generation instruction signal to the outer generating unit when the current position acquired by the current position information acquiring unit matches with information on a place stored in the generation place information storage unit. |
| US07649998B2 |
Facilitating secure data communications that use key-based encryption
There is disclosed a method, apparatus, computer program and computer program product for facilitating secure data communications. The secure data communications is carried out using a secret key for encrypting data flowing between first and second entities over a communications link. First it is determined that the communications link has been idle. Once it is determined that there is now data to flow over the previously idle communications link, the generation of a new secret key is initiated. This new secret key is then used for encrypting data sent between the first and the second entities over the communications link. |
| US07649996B2 |
Cryptographic communication apparatus
A qubit generating unit generates a qubit having a predetermined quantum state. A qubit encoding unit performs quantum encoding of the generated qubit. A first pseudo-random number generating unit generates a first pseudo-random number from secretly shared information, which has been secretly shared with the quantum receiving device in advance. A quantum modulator performs quantum modulation of the qubit on which quantum encoding has been performed based on the first pseudo-random number and sends the modulated qubit to the quantum receiving device. A second pseudo-random number generating unit generates a second pseudo-random number from secretly shared information which has been secretly shared with the above quantum sending device in advance synchronously with generation of the above first pseudo-random number. A qubit demodulator performs quantum demodulation of the qubit, which has been received from the quantum demodulator based on the second pseudo-random number, |
| US07649994B1 |
System and method for decoding CDMA quality channel
A method of decoding symbols in which a first codeword has been spread by a second codeword to recover first information and second information is provided. The decoding occurs jointly, with an overall output determining both the first and second information. A first parallel code multiplying operation for each codeword of the second code is followed by a second parallel code multiplying operation for the first code. An overall maximum output of the second parallel code multiplying operations determines the output information. |
| US07649993B2 |
Video-signal processing system, video-signal processing apparatus and method, recording medium, and program
The present invention relates to a video-signal processing system, a video-signal processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program for immediately recovering from loss of synchronization while encrypting/decrypting a video signal. An encryption processing unit 22 encrypts a frame number Tx, which has been obtained by counting vertical control pulses of a video signal, and transmits the frame number Tx together with an unencrypted frame number Tx and an H/V control pulse. A decryption processing unit 32 decrypts the encrypted frame number Tx so as to generate a frame number Rx and supplies the frame number Rx together with the frame number Tx and the vertical control pulses to a correcting unit 33. The correcting unit 33 generates a pseudo load pulse when the frame numbers Tx and Rx do not match with each other 16 consecutive times, and supplies the pseudo load pulse to the encryption processing unit 22 and the decryption processing unit 32. The present invention can be applied to a display device compatible with digital television. |
| US07649991B2 |
Method of a public key encryption and a cypher communication both secure against a chosen-ciphertext attack
The public-key encryption method uses the sender-side apparatus by the creator of a ciphertest and creates the ciphertext of a plaintext x (ε{0, 1}n), in y1=f(x0k1G(r)), y2=H(x0k1G(r))r with respect to the published trapdoor-equipped unidirectional function f and the random functions G, H. Meanwhile, the receiver of the ciphertext, who has received the ciphertext by the receiver-side apparatus via the communications line, performs the decryption processing with the use of f−1, i.e., the secret key, in accordance with the steps inverse to those of the encryption processing. |
| US07649987B1 |
System and method for forwarding selective calls
A forwarding telephone number in a programmable telephone number list associated with a called number is dialed in response to a busy or no answer signal at the called number. The programmable telephone number table may include preferred caller telephone numbers. The system and method may be may be implemented on an AIN based wire line system. |
| US07649984B2 |
Communication device
There is provided a communication device, which is provided with a target time setting system that sets a determination target time to a time at which a predetermined setting operation is performed, and a determining system that determines whether the determination target time is within a certain transmittable time period. The communication device is further provided with a transmission time setting system that sets a transmission start time to the determination target time when the determination target time is within the certain transmittable time period, and shifts the determination target time so that the determination target time is within the certain transmittable time period when the determination target time is not within the certain transmittable time period, and a transmitting system that starts to communicate with a external device through a network at the transmission start time. |
| US07649979B2 |
Artifact reduction system and method for radiological imaging system
The effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) on X-ray image data is corrected by characterizing the EMI and processing the image data to subtract the EMI effects from the image data. The X-ray image data, along with offset data, are collected in a conventional manner, affected by EMI if present, and EMI-characterizing data is immediately collected thereafter by disabling rows of a digital detector (FET off). The EMI-characterizing data, then, is not affected by the presence of image data, and can be used to characterize the amplitude and frequency of the EMI. The EMI-characterizing data is assured of being in phase with the collected image and offset data due to its collection in the same image acquisition sequence immediately following the collection of image and offset data. Artifacts due to the presence of EMI are thus eliminated from reconstructed images based upon the corrected data. |
| US07649978B2 |
Automated selection of X-ray reflectometry measurement locations
The computer-implemented method for inspection of a sample includes defining a plurality of locations on a surface of the sample, irradiating the surface at each of the locations with a beam of X-rays, and measuring an angular distribution of the X-rays that are emitted from the surface responsively to the beam, so as to produce a respective plurality of X-ray spectra. The X-ray spectra are analyzed to produce respective figures-of-merit indicative of a measurement quality of the X-ray spectra at the respective location. One or more locations are selected out of the plurality of locations responsively to the figures-of-merit, and a property of the sample is estimated using the X-ray spectra measured at the selected location. |
| US07649975B2 |
X-ray fluorescence visualizing, imaging, or information providing of chemicals, compounds, or biological materials
One aspect can relate to detecting a presence of an at least one chemical, compound, or biological material contained in an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual based at least partially on addition of an at least one chemical identifying additive to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual based at least partially on a generation of an at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within the at least one chemical identifying additive responsive to a single input energy event in which an at least some input energy is being applied proximal to the at least one chemical, compound, or biological material contained in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual. |
| US07649973B1 |
Apparatus and method for z-location dependent x-ray beam filtration for imaging system
An imaging system includes at least two x-ray sources, an x-ray detector assembly and an attenuation filter. The at least two x-ray sources are displaced along a z-axis and configured to alternately emit x-ray beams. The x-ray detector assembly is configured to detect the x-ray beams. The attenuation filter is mounted proximate the at least two x-ray sources and is configured to provide different amounts of x-ray attenuation to the x-ray beams along the z-axis. |
| US07649971B2 |
Shift register
A shift register includes a first node controller disposed at one side of the non-display region, the first node controller controlling a signal state of a first node, at least one pull-up switching device disposed at the one side of the display region, the pull-up switching device outputting an output pulse according to the signal state of the corresponding first node and supplying it to a corresponding gate line, a second node controller disposed at the other side of the display region, the second node controller controlling a signal state of a second node, and a first pull-down switching device disposed at the other side of the display region, the first pull-down switching device outputting a discharging voltage according to the signal state of the second node and supplying it to the other side of the corresponding gate line. |
| US07649969B2 |
Timing device with coarse-duration and fine-phase measurement
A high-precision measurement of a duration is calculated from a coarse duration measurement and at least one trigger-phase measurement. |
| US07649968B2 |
Timing system and method for a wireless transceiver system
A timing system is disclosed for use in a wireless communication system that includes wireless transceiver and a digital baseband processing system. The timing system includes a primary clock generation system that provides a low frequency clock that is used as the reference clock for a digital signal processing system, which generates low frequency timing signals, and a secondary clock generation system that provides a high frequency clock that is used by the wireless transceiver to produce high resolution timing signals to control the timing of the wireless transceiver. The high resolution timing signals are commenced responsive to a low resolution timing signal. |
| US07649965B2 |
Maximum likelihood channel estimator
A system and method are provided for maximum likelihood estimation in a channel receiving data with inter-symbol interference (ISI). The method receives a serial stream of digital information bits. Decisions are made concerning the received information bit values, which the method accepts as processed information, with soft decisions (SDs) and corresponding initial hard decisions (HDs). The method then identifies a sequence of processed information in a correction matrix, and uses the correction matrix to cross-reference the sequence to a HD look-up value. In response to accessing the HD look-up value, a modified HD is created. The modified HD is decoded, for example, by using forward error correction (FEC), creating a decoded HD. The method compares the decoded HD to the initial HD, and updates the correction matrix HD look-up value in response to the comparison. |
| US07649964B2 |
Radio receiver and noise estimated value correction method
A radio receiver includes a channel estimation unit, phase difference vector generation unit, correction coefficient setting unit, and noise estimation unit. The channel estimation unit obtains a channel estimated value from a received signal at a predetermined period by using a known pilot signal. The phase difference vector generation unit obtains a phase difference vector between the preceding channel estimated value and the current channel estimated value. The correction coefficient setting unit sets a correction coefficient corresponding to the phase difference vector. The noise estimation unit obtains a corrected noise estimated value by correcting a noise estimated value on the basis of the received signal and the correction coefficient. A noise estimated value correction method is also disclosed. |
| US07649963B2 |
Apparatus for estimating and compensating carrier frequency offset and data receiving method in receiver of wireless communication system
The present invention relates to an apparatus for estimating and compensating a carrier frequency offset, and a data receiving method in a receiver of a wireless communication system. The apparatus correlates a received signal with a signal delayed by a predetermined period of the received signal in a correlation window, wherein the correlation window is set based on a Cycle Prefix (CP) and a preamble repetition length from a predetermined position, converts the correlated value into a phase value, compensates a phase of the converted result according to preamble segment numbers, and estimates an initial carrier frequency offset value. |
| US07649961B2 |
Suppressed carrier quadrature pulse modulator
A digital amplifier and method are provided to convert digital base-band signals to a pair of digital switching waveforms switching at a carrier frequency to create a modulated RF signal. The digital amplifier contains variable frequency suppressed carrier PWM generators that produce in-phase and quadrature-phase differential signals, a mixer that combines the differential signals, a decoder that decodes the combined signals, and a power stage that receives signals from the decoder and provides an amplified signal at the carrier frequency using switches. The mixer combines the differential signals such that only one of the differential signals is output in a period. The carrier generators have integral noise shaping and use a random period signal to re-distribute quantization noise to a band outside an RF band of interest and reduce EMI of the RF signal. |
| US07649955B2 |
MIMO receiver and method for beamforming using CORDIC operations
Embodiments of a MIMO receiver and method for beamforming using CORDIC operations are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, complex singular value decomposition (SVD) operations are performed on a channel matrix using CORDIC operations to generate vector elements of a beamforming matrix. An inner product of a first of the vector elements and each of a plurality of stored codewords is computed using CORDIC operations. A recursive dimensional reduction on the beamforming matrix is performed based on the quantized first vector element is performed using CORDIC operations. In some embodiments, the MIMO receiver includes reprogrammable CORDIC circuitry. |
| US07649954B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing data for transmission in a multi-channel communication system using selective channel inversion
Techniques to process data for transmission over multiple transmission channels. The available transmission channels are segregated into one or more groups, and the channels in each group are selected for use for data transmission. Data for each group is coded and modulated based on a particular coding and modulation scheme to provide modulation symbols, and the modulation symbols for each selected channel are weighted based on an assigned weight. The weighting “inverts” the selected channels such that they achieve similar received SNRs. With selective channel inversion, only “good” channels in each group having SNRs at or above a particular threshold are selected, “bad” channels are not used, and the total available transmit power for the group is distributed across the good channels in the group. Improved performance is achieved by using only good channels in each group and matching each selected channel's received SNR to the required SNR. |
| US07649951B2 |
System and method for communicating data using symbol-based randomized orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with applied frequency domain spreading
A device and system communicates data and includes a modulation and mapping circuit that modulates and maps data symbols into a plurality of multiple subcarrier frequencies that are orthogonal to each other to form an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) communications signal based on a fixed or variable OFDM symbol rate. A pseudo-random signal generator operative with the modulation and mapping circuit generates pseudo-random signals to the modulation and mapping circuit based on an encryption algorithm for frequency hopping each subcarrier at an OFDM symbol rate to lower any probability of interception and detection, reduce power per frequency (dB/Hz/sec), and lower any required transmission power while maintaining an instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio A frequency domain spreader circuit is operatively connected to the modulation and mapping circuit for spreading the multiple subcarriers over the frequency domain. |
| US07649948B2 |
xDSL multistandard driver circuit
An electric circuit for amplifying an xDSL signal comprises an operational amplifier and a signal monitoring circuit. The operational amplifier is configured to amplify the xDSL signal, is powered by a variable voltage supply and has a gain which is adjustable by an operating mode control signal. The signal monitoring circuit is activated by the operating mode control signal and is configured, when activated by the operating mode control signal, to generate a control signal to adjust the voltage of the variable voltage supply in order to adjust the maximal signal swing of the output signal of said operational amplifier. The control signal is generated by comparing the amplitude of the xDSL signal applied to the electric circuit with an amplitude threshold value. |
| US07649947B2 |
Selective chrominance decimation for digital images
A method of decimation of a digital image, the digital image represented by a plurality of pixels, is claimed. In the pixel domain, the digital image is divided into a plurality of blocks. Certain ones of the blocks are selectively decimated base upon predetermined criteria. In an embodiment, the chrominance portions of a give pixel block are determined. |
| US07649943B2 |
Interface and related methods facilitating motion compensation in media processing
A method facilitating media processing is presented comprising generating a prediction of a region of encoded media content, receiving an indication of a quantity of remaining residual samples, on a per-region basis, and adding a first of such samples to the prediction to generate a modified prediction, and subtracting a second of such samples from the modified prediction, if so indicated. |
| US07649942B2 |
Video encoding/decoding method and apparatus
A video encoding method comprises selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations each including a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture, generating a prediction picture signal in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination, generating a predictive error signal representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal, and encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination. |
| US07649940B2 |
Image encoding apparatus and method
The invention relates to an image coding apparatus which can improve the picture quality of an image. A quantization scale arithmetic operation section 43 calculates a coefficient of a quantization index based on a variance of values of a motion vector residual outputted from a motion vector residual variable buffer section 72 and an activity outputted from an activity buffer section 73. The quantization scale arithmetic operation section 43 calculates a quantization scale based on the coefficient of the quantization index calculated thereby and the quantization index outputted from the quantization index arithmetic operation section 42. The present invention can be applied to an image coding apparatus of the MPEG system. |
| US07649938B2 |
Method and apparatus of controlling a plurality of video surveillance cameras
An apparatus, a method, and a software product to control a plurality of surveillance video camera/encoder combinations. The method includes receiving a plurality of encoded video streams from a respective surveillance camera/encoder combination, and accepting a measure of the level of activity for each encoded video stream. Each measure is obtained from the output of the camera of the corresponding camera/encoder combination. The method further includes assigning output bit rates for each encoded stream according to the accepted level of activity such that a maximum overall bit rate is not exceeded. One version is for controlling camera/encoder combinations that accept remote bit rate control, and a second is for controlling camera/encoder combinations that send at a pre-set bit rate. One version includes a network connection between the camera/encoder combinations, and the method or apparatus for central control. |
| US07649937B2 |
Real-time and bandwidth efficient capture and delivery of live video to multiple destinations
Disclosed is a method and system to deliver real-time video data over the Internet in a bandwidth efficient manner. A streaming processor receives raw video data from a video source and communicates a compressed version of the video data to a reflector network. The video data is compress by grouping pixels into blocks and comparing blocks of adjacent frames of video data to identify any changes. Only blocks that have been changed are transmitted to the reflector network. In addition, if a block has been changed in a manner to create a previously transmitted block, then only an identification index for the block is transmitted. The actual content of the block can then be recreated by comparing the index to a list of previously received blocks. The reflector network provides the compressed video stream to multiple clients through a series of reflectors. Each client can customize the quality of the video stream received by requesting a full-stream of a sub-stream from the reflector network. |
| US07649936B2 |
Device and method for determining a correlation maximum
A device for detecting a correlation maximum value from a sequence of correlation magnitude values includes a means for determining a reference value from correlation magnitude values within an interval of the sequence of correlation magnitude values, the correlation magnitude value to be assessed lying external to interval. A means for determining a threshold value provides the threshold value in dependence on the reference value. A means for comparing the correlation magnitude value to be assessed with the threshold value ascertained for the correlation magnitude value to be assessed is configured to provide, depending on the comparison result, a trigger signal which indicates whether a correlation magnitude value to be assessed is a correlation maximum value. |
| US07649934B2 |
Apparatus and method for adaptively correcting I/Q imbalance
An apparatus and method for adaptively correcting I/Q imbalance, which is used in a receiver for correcting a received I/Q imbalanced signal to thus eliminate the I/Q imbalance. First, an interference amount caused by interference from an imbalanced in-phase signal to an imbalanced quadrature-phase signal is computed and accordingly subtracted from the quadrature-phase signal, so that a corrected quadrature-phase signal without phase imbalance is obtained. Next, a power of output in-phase signal, a power of output quadrature-phase signal, and a target are compared to thus determine an in-phase scaling factor and a quadrature-phase scaling factor. Finally, the imbalanced in-phase signal is multiplied by the in-phase scaling factor to thus obtain the output in-phase signal, and the corrected quadrature-phase signal is multiplied by the quadrature-phase scaling factor to thus obtain the output quadrature-phase signal. |
| US07649933B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a position of an offset latch employed for decision-feedback equalization
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a position of an offset latch employed for decision-feedback equalization. The position of an offset latch is determined by obtaining a plurality of samples of a data eye associated with a signal, the data eye comprised of a plurality of trajectories for transitions out of a given binary state; determining an amplitude of at least two of the trajectories based on the samples; and determining a position of an offset latch based on the determined amplitudes. The initial position of the offset latch can be placed, for example, approximately in the middle of the determined amplitudes for at least two of the trajectories. The initial position of the offset latch can be optionally skewed by a predefined amount to improve the noise margin. |
| US07649932B2 |
Segmented equalizer
In one embodiment of the present invention, a segmented equalizer includes a plurality of feedforward equalizer segments, each feedforward equalizer segment responsive to delayed samples of an input signal {vn}, wherein n is the index of samples, and including a filter block for filtering the delayed samples by using coefficients which are updated based on a step size generated for each equalizer segment. |
| US07649926B2 |
Rake receiver for DS-CDMA UWB system and DS-CDMA receiver having the same
A rake receiver for DS-CDMA UWB system and a DS-CDMA receiver having the same are provided. The rake receiver includes: a channel estimator for estimating a channel having a predetermined chip duration by using a synchronization acquisition sequence; a tracking module for detecting a channel variation and adjusting a synchronization position value when the channel variation is detected; a first switch for selecting one of an output value of an analog-to-digital converter and an output value of a correlator and outputting the selected value; a second switch for selecting one of the output value of the analog-to-digital converter and the output value of the correlator; and a plurality of demodulators having a parallel processing structure to demodulate received signals by using the channel estimation value inputted from the channel estimator, the synchronization position value stored by the tracking module, and an output value of the second switch. |
| US07649924B2 |
First-pulse suppression in a regenerative amplifier
A regenerative amplifier includes a gain-medium that is optically pumped by CW radiation. The amplifier has primary resonator for amplifying pulses. The primary resonator has an optical switch for opening and closing the primary resonator. The amplifier has a secondary resonator that includes the gain-medium but not the optical switch. When the primary resonator is closed by the optical switch, and pulses are not being amplified, CW radiation is generated in the secondary resonator and prevents the gain-medium from being saturated. When the optical switch is operated to cause the primary resonator to amplify pulses, generation of CW radiation in the secondary resonator ceases. |
| US07649922B2 |
Semiconductor laser with reduced heat loss
Disclosed is a semiconductor laser. The semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor chip that includes an active layer and emits radiation in a main radiating direction. The active layer is structured in a direction perpendicular to the main radiating direction to reduce heating of the semiconductor chip by spontaneously emitted radiation, and the active layer has the form of a mesa that comprises side walls that form a resonator in such a way as to reduce the spontaneous emission in the active layer in a direction perpendicular to the main radiating direction. |
| US07649911B2 |
Method of data handling in a WLAN
A method of handling data in a wireless LAN comprises contending for control of the medium using a CSMA/CA mechanism or the like. Once control has been established data is sent from the node which has established that control, to a second node. The acknowledgement of receipt issued by that second node in consequence is combined with a payload at that second node and which is intended to be sent to the first node anyway, and a single frame, with the payload piggybacked onto the acknowledgement is returned to the first node. Bidirectional transmission of combined data and acknowledgement continues in a frame bursting manner until a time limit is reached or all data has been transmitted, whereafter contention commences again. |
| US07649910B1 |
Clock synchronization and distribution over a legacy optical Ethernet network
A novel clock method and synchronization mechanism for recovering and distributing a centralized clock source synchronously over legacy asynchronous network devices such as legacy optical Ethernet devices that do not support synchronous Ethernet. An external device functions transparently to provide legacy optical Ethernet devices a clock synchronization and distribution mechanism. The external devices implement a clock conversion scheme whereby multiple clocks having diverse rates are converted to clock signals all having a common rate. One of the converted clocks is selected and all downstream clock signals are then derived from this clock. A high quality clock source located anywhere on the network is distributed throughout the network thus turning an asynchronous Ethernet network into a synchronous Ethernet network. Synchronous TDM data streams can then be easily transported over the Ethernet network. |
| US07649906B2 |
Method of reducing buffer usage by detecting missing fragments and idle links for multilink protocols and devices incorporating same
A method of detecting missing fragments and idle links in a link bundle for a multilink protocol, and devices provisioned with program instructions for performing the method, employs a plurality of masks to track the links in the bundle that are active. Idle links are excluded from a determination about whether buffer cleanup should be run in order to reduce unnecessary buffer usage caused by orphaned fragments. |
| US07649901B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing selection of available contexts for packet processing in multi-stream packet processing
A context-selection mechanism is provided for selecting a best context from a pool of contexts for processing a data packet. The context selection mechanism comprises, an interface for communicating with a multi-streaming processor; circuitry for computing input data into a result value according to logic rule and for selecting a context based on the computed value and a loading mechanism for preloading the packet information into the selected context for subsequent processing. The computation of the input data functions to enable identification and selection of a best context for processing a data packet according to the logic rule at the instant time such that a multitude of subsequent context selections over a period of time acts to balance load pressure on functional units housed within the multi-streaming processor and required for packet processing. In preferred aspects, programmable singular or multiple predictive rules of logic are utilized in the selection process. |
| US07649897B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting data in a system using network address translation
There are provided an apparatus and method for transmitting data in a network system using network address translation. The method for transmitting data includes the steps of receiving a global network address corresponding to a local network address from a router using network address translation; encoding data using the global network address; and transmitting the encoded data to an external host on the global network via the router. Since the network address to be translated through the network address translation can be anticipated and substituted in real time during the transmission of the data, a variety of security services can be provided without significant modifications to the existing system, and accordingly, it is anticipated that the Internet protocol version 6 can be increasingly used. |
| US07649893B2 |
Group calls in a mobile radio system
A method of arbitrating group calls in a digital mobile radio system without need of a central component. In general terms the base station that are serving mobile units in a call each announce the nature of the signals that they are receiving. The stations then each compare the signals and decide which signal will be broadcast to the mobile units. The signals are preferably transmitted between base stations via a packet network using IP multicast. |
| US07649889B2 |
Server arbitrated reliable multicast system and process for accessing the same
A system and a process for a session layer protocol allows a large number of client machines to receive a reliable data stream over inherently unreliable multicast connections in a highly efficient and scalable manner. More specifically, streaming of high-quality video, audio, stock and news tickers, or any other application specific data that requires a reliable data stream is described. The streaming allows for the source to instruct individuals to drop their connection to the stream to prevent noisy individuals from disrupting the operating efficiency of the stream. |
| US07649887B2 |
Bridging device and method and computer readable medium for controlling the same
A bridging device, and a method and computer readable medium for controlling the bridging device, wherein the bridging device stores router identifying information and network prefix information contained in a router advertisement (RA) that is regularly sent from a router. When the stored router identifying information and network prefix information become invalid, the bridging device generates an RA packet containing new valid router identifying information and network prefix information, whose lifetime is set infinite, and sends the RA packet to a communication terminal. This arrangement can reduce the frequency of the transmission of the RA packet from the router to the communication terminal, thereby decreasing the RA-packet processing load of the communication terminal. |
| US07649882B2 |
Multicast scheduling and replication in switches
A communications switch or router employs a replication server to perform batch processing of multicast connections. The replication server performs three distinct forms of processing using staging queues: packet arrival processing, packet replication processing, and per-interface transmission processing. Packet arrival processing queues arriving packets in session queues, adds new multicast sessions to a replication set, and assigns a counter equivalent to the fan-out of the multicast session. Packet replication processing assigns a descriptor to packets of each session in the replication set, and copies the descriptor to each per-interface queue. Per-interface transmission processing examines each descriptor in the per-interface queue, copies the corresponding packets for transmission by the interface, adjusts the counter as each packet is copied, and clears the packet in the switch based on the adjusted counter. |
| US07649876B2 |
Method and system for communicating an information packet through multiple router devices
According to one embodiment, a first computing device receives a first information packet from a second computing device. The second computing device receives the first information packet from a global computer network through a first router device. The first computing device outputs a second information packet to the global computer network through a second router device, such that the second information packet bypasses the first router device. |
| US07649875B2 |
Networking layer extension
A device, for example a ZigBee device, includes an 802.15.4 MAC layer 4 and a ZigBee networking layer 2. A switch layer 10 is provided, having an interface 12 imitating a MAC layer interface and a database 18. The switch layer 10 is able to parse commands from the ZigBee networking layer 2 and route them if appropriate to an alternative lower layer 14. |
| US07649874B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing power efficient time management for mobile media
Methods and apparatus for providing power efficient time management for mobile media. In an aspect, a method is provided that operates to provide time management for mobile media that is distributed over a network. The method includes receiving the mobile media comprising source video frames that are associated with a source time reference, and capturing a portion of the source video frames. The method also includes re-labeling the portion of the source video frames based on a system time reference to produce synchronized video frames, wherein the network provides communications based on the system time reference, and assembling a transmission frame that comprises the synchronized video frames. |
| US07649873B2 |
Method and apparatus for merging independently synchronized networks
During operation, nodes that receive beacons from a different network will synchronize to the different network when a predetermined condition is met. Synchronization to the differing network will only take place if the node receiving the beacon from a different network does not have access to a fixed network coordinator and the predetermined condition is met. The predetermined condition may comprise such things as a Network ID for the different network being larger than the Network ID for the current network, or alternatively, the size of the different network being larger than a size of the current network. |
| US07649869B2 |
Efficient cell measurements during transmission gaps in a compressed mode
A terminal obtains a monitored set containing GSM neighbor cells and/or UMTS neighbor cells. The terminal operates in a compressed mode and obtains from a UMTS network at least two transmission gap pattern sequences for different measurement purposes, e.g., for “GSM carrier RSSI measurements” (GAP1), “GSM initial BSIC identification” (GAP2), and “GSM BSIC re-confirmation” (GAP3). The terminal makes RSSI measurements for the GSM cells using multiple transmission gap pattern sequences, e.g., using GAP1, GAP2 and GAP3. The terminal identifies the BSIC for at least one GSM cell by (1) detecting the tone on the FCCH using multiple transmission gap pattern sequences, e.g., using GAP2 and GAP3, and (2) decoding the SCH using multiple transmission gap pattern sequences, e.g., using GAP2 and GAP3. The use of multiple transmission gap pattern sequences for RSSI measurement and BSIC identification allows the terminal to complete the cell measurements and send a report sooner, which may improve performance. |
| US07649868B2 |
Method and system for evaluating a wireless link
A wireless link between a first transmitter and a first receiver in a multiple access communications system is evaluated by receiving, at the first transmitter, information that is intended for a second receiver and that is transmitted in a second transmission mode that is different from the current transmission mode and obtaining an error measure for the information that is received at the first receiver and intended for the second receiver. The obtained error measure is then used to determine if the second transmission mode is an acceptable transmission mode. In an embodiment, if the second transmission mode is determined to be acceptable, then the current transmission mode of the first receiver can be replaced by the second transmission mode. In an embodiment, the current transmission mode is replaced by the second transmission mode only if the second transmission mode is a “higher” transmission mode than the current transmission. |
| US07649863B2 |
Method for allocating radio resources, base station for carrying out such method, and system incorporating same
Method for allocating radio resources for the establishment of an outgoing call originating from a mobile terminal of a first system for radiocommunications with mobiles having a given radio interface and a mutual help channel, via a base station of a second system for radiocommunications with mobiles having a given radio interface which is incompatible with the radio interface of the first system. The base station monitores the mutual help channel of the first system. In case of detection, by the base station, of a given pattern transmitted by the mobile terminal on the mutual help channel, by the base station allocates a traffic channel emulating the radio interface of the first system, for communication with the mobile terminal. |
| US07649859B2 |
Channel identifier assigning method and mobile communications system
A CDMA apparatus including a propagation path variation estimator for estimating propagation path variations between respective prior transmit power control sections and a current transmit power control section to obtain propagation path variation estimation values, wherein each of the propagation path variation estimation values is obtained by estimating a propagation path variation between a different corresponding prior transmit power control section and the current transmit power control section; propagation path variation correction part for generating a plurality of corrected products, each corrected product obtained by multiplying at least one of vector, amplitude and/or power of a received signal of the different corresponding prior transmit power control section by said propagation path variation estimation value obtained by estimating the propagation path variation between the different corresponding prior transmit power control section and the current transmit power control section; and averaging part for averaging the plurality of corrected products. |
| US07649858B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing radio bearer multiplexing within segmentation protocol
A method is disclosed for multiplexing a plurality of data flows onto a radio channel, as is a wireless communication system that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes steps of (a) segmenting data packets of a first data flow into radio blocks; b) in response to a required transmission of data packets of a second data flow, signaling in a first field a change in data flows; (c) signaling in a second field an identity of the second data flow; and (d) segmenting data packets of the second data flow into radio blocks and transmitting the radio blocks of the second data flow. The method further includes steps of (e) changing back to transmitting the first data flow; and (f) continuing the transmission of an incompletely transmitted packet of the first data flow. |
| US07649856B2 |
System and method for transmitting and receiving wideband speech signals
The system for transmitting and receiving a wideband speech signal includes an A/D converter for receiving an analog speech signal to convert it into a digital speech signal, a transmitter analysis filter for receiving the digital speech signal and dividing it into a baseband signal and an enhancement residual band signal, a standard baseband encoder for accepting the baseband signal and coding it using an ITU-T encoder, an additional baseband encoder for reducing standard coding distortion in the baseband signal, an enhancement residual band encoder for coding a signal obtained by removing the coded baseband signal from the original digital speech signal, and an IP network interface for multiplexing the coded standard and additional baseband signals and enhancement residual band signal. |
| US07649854B2 |
System and method for providing channels in application servers and transaction-based systems
A system and method for providing channels within application servers, messaging systems, and transaction-based systems. Network traffic internal to the server is carried over these channels. This allows the administrator to segregate internal network traffic, usually for security or performance reasons. In addition administrators have finer, dynamic, control over external network channels. |
| US07649852B2 |
Arrangement for router attachements between roaming mobile routers in a clustered network
A mobile router is configured for attaching to a selected router in a clustered network (e.g., a mobile ad hoc network) based on identifying a network topology model of the clustered network from received router advertisement messages that include tree information option fields specifying attributes of the network topology model. The mobile router selects which router advertisement originator to attach to based on correlating the attributes of the router advertisement originators relative to identified priorities, and orders the router advertisement originators within a default router list based on the identified priorities. If the mobile router detects a router from a second clustered network, the mobile router advertises to the attachment router that the second clustered network is reachable, enabling the two clustered networks to communicate using a point-to-point link between the respective attachment routers. |
| US07649850B2 |
Method for obtaining the convergence ratio and apparatus thereof
A method for obtaining a convergence ratio. Uplink ports of an access/convergence device in the access network are classified into different trunks according to their types. The method includes: determining whether the network is a narrowband access network, and if so, obtaining the service convergence ratio of a trunk according to the number of available slots provided by the trunk for instant services and the number of instant service subscribers supported by the trunk, and if not, determining whether the trunk includes a sub-trunk, and if it does not include a sub-trunk, obtaining the bandwidth convergence ratio of the trunk according to the trunk bandwidth of the trunk and the service bandwidth; if so, obtaining the bandwidth convergence ratio of the trunk according to the trunk bandwidth of the trunk, the service bandwidth and the sub-trunk service bandwidth. |
| US07649843B2 |
Methods and apparatus for controlling the flow of multiple signal sources over a single full duplex ethernet link
Methods for providing flow control of signal streams over a single full duplex ETHERNET link include receiving multiple data streams over a single ETHERNET link, associating a buffer with each data stream, putting received data into the appropriate buffer, monitoring the fullness of the buffers, and transmitting a PAUSE frame to the source of the data streams where the PAUSE frame indicates the fullness of each buffer. The PAUSE frame is read and where indicated, the transmission of data destined for a congested buffer(s) is halted until a subsequent PAUSE frame is received which indicates that the congested buffer(s) has become decongested. Apparatus for performing the methods are also provided. |
| US07649842B2 |
Method of selective dormant data session reactivation
A method of selective dormant data session reactivation in a radio access network includes calculating an activation rate threshold as a function of a first plurality of packets received over a first time interval, where the first plurality of packets are coupled to reactivate at least one dormant mobile station. The second plurality of packets received in a second time interval are buffered, where each of the second plurality of packets has a destination IP address to reactivate the at least one dormant mobile station. An arrival rate of the second plurality of packets in the second time interval is compared to the activation rate threshold. If the arrival rate exceeds the activation rate threshold, the second plurality of packets may be separated into a plurality of source IP groups according to their respective source IP addresses, and progressively discarding in descending order one of the plurality of source IP groups having a highest number of the second plurality of packets until the arrival rate is below the activation rate threshold. |
| US07649837B1 |
Control of gateway support node selection
The invention relates to controlling selection of a gateway support node of a packet-switched network. The invention includes defining at least one condition for the gateway support node. When the condition is fulfilled, another gateway support node is more suitable for transmitting packets. When fulfillment of the condition is detected, a first message indicating the other gateway support node is transmitted to the serving support node. |
| US07649828B2 |
Method and system for split-pair reception in twisted-pair communication systems
A method and system are disclosed for improving the performance of a multiline transmission system by using one or more split-pair receivers in a multiline communications system to identify crosstalk on a pair of transceivers coupled to the split pair receivers, wherein each split pair receiver receives a signal including the crosstalk from each transceiver and provides a corresponding signal vector to a post processing unit, and performing MIMO post-processing on signal vectors received at a receiver from each transceiver and each split-pair receiver while minimizing crosstalk on pairs of lines in the multiline communications system with a frequency equalizer. |
| US07649827B2 |
High capacity digital data storage by transmission of radiant energy through arrays of small diameter holes
A method is provided for making the storage media having data stored thereon. In one aspect of the making of storage media, a first layer is formed, where the first layer is substantially transparent to a predetermined first radiant energy used for reading the data. Next, a second layer is formed on the first layer, which is substantially opaque to the first radiant energy. Finally, a pattern is formed that comprises a plurality of holes in the second layer, where each of the holes have a largest dimension which is greater than a wavelength of the first radiant energy, and the data is stored as the presence or absence of a hole in the pattern. |
| US07649821B2 |
Disk discriminating method and optical disk apparatus
The number of the layers of a disk is determined based on focus search to be performed after at least two kinds of spherical aberration correction quantities are set. |
| US07649816B2 |
Optical disk recording system for recording visible images capable of handling “buffer under run” errors
When “buffer under run” (BUR) occurs during recording of a visible image on an optical disk, recording operation is interrupted. As in the case of type A, when BUR1 occurs after data have been transferred through an integral multiple of one revolution, data are recorded continuously from a reference angle position without host device discarding data. As in the case of type B, when BUR2 occurs after data have been transferred in a value which is other than the integral multiple of one revolution, data corresponding to a duration from the position where BUR occurs to the start of the next revolution are discarded, data are continuously recorded from the reference angle position. Thereby, rendering can be spliced in a visually-smooth manner. Further, as in the case of type C, when the volume of data remaining in a buffer has become equal to or less than a “buffer under run” threshold value, subsequent transfer of data from the host device may be interrupted, and rendering may be resumed without the host device discarding data. |
| US07649802B2 |
Method for controlling time point for data output in synchronous memory device
Disclosed is a method for controlling a time point for data output in a synchronous memory device, which varies a time point of an internal read command of the synchronous memory device, which is generated in response to an external read command according to the CAS latency of the synchronous memory device. In other words, the time point to generate the internal read command when CAS latency corresponds to 2N+2 (N=0, 1, 2, . . . ) is delayed by 1tCK as compared with the time point to generate the internal read command when CAS latency corresponds to 2N+1, and the 1tCK is a period of an external clock applied to the synchronous memory device. |
| US07649796B2 |
Semiconductor memory and operating method of same
A semiconductor memory has a memory cell array having dynamic memory cells. An access control circuit accesses the memory cells in response to an access command which is supplied externally. A refresh control circuit generates, during a test mode, a test refresh request signal in synchronization with the access command so as to execute a refresh operation of the memory cells when a refresh mask signal is at an invalid level. Also, the refresh control circuit prohibits generation of the test refresh request signal when the refresh mask signal is at a valid level. The test refresh request signal is generated or prohibited from being generated according to the level of the refresh mask signal. Thus, only a refresh operation needed for a test can be executed, and hence test efficiency can be improved. |
| US07649795B2 |
Memory with flexible serial interfaces and method for accessing memory thereof
A memory system with a flexible serial interface and a memory accessing method thereof are provided. The memory system includes at least one of memories and a memory controller. The memory controller flexibly sets up serial link connection with each of the memories through serial ports regardless of a physical location and an order of the serial ports. The memory controller also transmits and receives memory data in a serial mode through the serial link connection. |
| US07649792B2 |
Sense amplifier
A sense amplifier according to an example of the present invention has first, second, third and fourth FETs with a flip-flop connection. A drain of a fifth FET is connected to a first input node, and its source is connected to a power source node. A drain of a sixth FET is connected to a second input node, and its source is connected to the power source node. A sense operation is started by charging a first output node from the first input node with a first current and by charging a second output node from the second input node with a second current. The fifth and sixth FET are turned on after starting the sense operation. |
| US07649791B2 |
Non volatile memory device architecture and corresponding programming method
A non volatile memory device architecture, suitable for speeding up and synchronize the programming steps of the cells in particular of the Flash-Nor type, of the type comprising a matrix of memory cells organized into rows and columns, at least one group of these columns being selected by at least one first enable signal by a second enable signal generated by a first decoder; the group of columns being associated with at least one Program Load PL controlled by a logic circuit comprising a first centralized portion and plural second portions associated with a respective program load sequentially updated and driven in a synchronous way to the first centralized portion. |
| US07649788B2 |
Buffering systems for accessing multiple layers of memory in integrated circuits
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to data storage and computer memory, and more particularly, to systems, integrated circuits and methods for accessing memory in multiple layers of memory implementing, for example, third dimension memory technology. In a specific embodiment, an integrated circuit is configured to implement write buffers to access multiple layers of memory. For example, the integrated circuit can include memory cells disposed in multiple layers of memory. In one embodiment, the memory cells can be third dimension memory cells. The integrated circuit can also include read buffers that can be sized differently than the write buffers. In at least one embodiment, write buffers can be sized as a function of a write cycle. Each layer of memory can include a plurality of two-terminal memory elements that retain stored data in the absence of power and store data as a plurality of conductivity profiles. |
| US07649785B2 |
Flash memory device and related high voltage generating circuit
A flash memory device is disclosed and includes; a memory cell array, a high voltage generating circuit generating a high voltage applied to a selected word line to select one or more memory cells in the memory cell array, and a controller. The controller cuts off a discharge path between the high voltage generating circuit and ground during a first period wherein the high voltage is not applied to a word line. The controller also deactivates the high voltage generating circuit during this first period. |
| US07649771B2 |
Method for decreasing program disturb in memory cells
The present invention provides a method for decreasing program disturb in memory cells, comprising: finding an initial programming condition that ensures programming memory cell normally; selecting two parameters from the initial programming condition as variables for a program disturb test; performing the program disturb test to the memory cell for at least two combined values of the variables; obtaining a programming condition with minimum program disturb based on the result of the program disturb test; and applying the programming condition with minimum program disturb as the programming condition for memory cell. The method according to the present invention can minimize the program disturb in memory cells and can be performed easily. |
| US07649766B2 |
Magnetic storage device
A magnetic storage device with a significant reduction in power consumption. The magnetic storage device includes: a yoke which is arranged to cover part of a line extending in an arbitrary direction; and a magneto-resistive element which is arranged in contact with the yoke, thereby forming a closed magnetic circuit. The magneto-resistive element is capable of writing information with a field emanating from the yoke. The magnetic storage device satisfies Iw≦a·R, where R is the magnetoresistance of the yoke, Iw is the write current necessary for the line, and a (mA·H)=6E−11. |
| US07649757B2 |
Leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit and flyback converter with leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit
A flyback converter with a leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit includes a transformer and a leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit. The leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit includes a clamping circuit, an energy storage circuit, and a switch connected between the clamping circuit and the energy storage circuit. A power transistor is electrically connected to a primary winding of the transformer. The clamping circuit clamps the voltage of the power transistor at a predetermined voltage. The energy storage circuit stores the leakage-inductance energy of the primary winding. When the switch is turned off, the clamping circuit receives and stores the leakage-inductance energy of the primary winding, so as to clamp the voltage of the power transistor to a predetermined voltage; when the switch is turned on, the energy stored in the clamping circuit is stored in the energy storage circuit through the switch. |
| US07649755B2 |
Switched mode power supply with soft start operation
The switched mode power supply contains a transformer, which has a primary winding and at least one secondary winding, a switching transistor in series with the primary winding and a control circuit for controlling an output voltage of the switched mode power supply. The control circuit contains an oscillator, whose oscillation frequency can be set via a terminal, and which is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer. The wiring for the terminal is connected such that the switched mode power supply starts up at a relatively low oscillation frequency once it has been connected, and, during operation when an additional voltage is supplied to the input via the secondary winding, the oscillation frequency of the switched mode power supply is increased. The terminal is connected in particular via a bandpass filter to a voltage generated by the secondary winding. |
| US07649750B2 |
Latch for interface card
A structure of a latch for an interface card is disclosed. The latch includes a positioning set and a board. The positioning set has a pillar formed at a bottom portion thereof, a protruded frontage with a protruded jointing portion and a connecting portion connected to a limiter, wherein the pillar has a pin positioned at a bottom portion thereof. A first interface card is adapted into the first connector by pressing down the first interface card to be secured by the positioning structure; and a second interface card is adapted into the second connector by pressing down the second interface card to fit the two holes with the jointing portion, and the limiter is covered onto the jointing portion to let the buckling portion of the hole of the limiter support in the hole of the jointing portion to prevent the limiter from coming loose. |
| US07649747B2 |
IC device having compact design
An IC device has a compact design. Capacitors, resistances and inductances are directly integrated in the IC device without packaging in advance. Thus, the IC device obtained has a slim size and an electric apparatus using the IC device has a big space for use. |
| US07649744B2 |
Handheld computing device
A handheld computing device and handheld music player are disclosed. The handheld computing device includes a seamless enclosure formed from an extruded tube. The extruded tube includes open ends and internal rails which serve as a guide for slidably assembling an operational assembly through the open ends of the extruded tube, a reference surface for positioning the operational assembly relative to an access opening in the seamless enclosure, and a support structure for supporting the operational assembly during use. The handheld music player includes an elongated extruded tube extending along a longitudinal axis. The elongated extruded tube has a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, and defines an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of operational components of the handheld music player. The lumen includes rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen. |
| US07649743B2 |
Open-frame solid-state drive housing with intrinsic grounding to protect exposed chips
An open-frame flash-memory drive has a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) with flash-memory chips, a controller chip, and a Serial AT-Attachment (SATA) connector soldered to it. The PCBA is only partially encased by left and right frames or by a U-shaped bracket frame. The frames have PCBA supports and guide posts that fit near edges of the PCBA. The frames do not cover the top and bottom of the PCBA, allowing chips on the PCBA to be ventilated by unblocked air flow. Screws that attach the PCBA to the frame have metal collars that ground the frame to the PCBA's ground plane. The screws form a current path to draw any electro-static-discharge (ESD) current off the frame and onto a PCBA ground. When the SATA connector is inserted into a host, the host ground sinks ESD currents collected by the open frame. |
| US07649741B2 |
Case structure for card-type electronic product
A case structure for card-type electronic product includes an intermediate frame having insertion slots spaced thereon; a lower cover connected to a lower side of the intermediate frame by lower hooking members upward inserted into the insertion slots, and each of the lower hooking members including two spaced latch legs; and an upper cover connected to an upper side of the intermediate frame by upper hooking members downward inserted into the insertion slots corresponding to the lower hooking members, and each of the upper hooking members including two laterally outward extended latch hooks. When the upper and lower covers are assembled to the upper and lower sides of the intermediate frame, the latch hooks of the upper hooking members are abutted on lower edges of the latch legs of the lower hooking members to firmly hold the lower cover to the upper cover in three directions. |
| US07649739B2 |
Circuit device
A circuit device having superior mechanical strength at the interface between a circuit board and heat sink and superior efficiency for radiating heat from a circuit element to the heat sink through the circuit board. The circuit device includes the metal-based insulation board for installing the circuit element, and the heat sink, over which the insulation board is installed with a paste arranged therebetween. The insulation board has a projection arranged on the surface facing the heat sink along a peripheral portion. At least part of the projection contacts the heat sink through the paste layer. |
| US07649736B2 |
Electronic device
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a housing including an opening, a partition wall which partitions an interior part of the housing into a first chamber and a second chamber which is opened to the outside through the opening, first and second heat generating parts mounted in the first chamber, a first heat radiation member located in the second chamber, a heat transfer member which transfers heat generated by the first heat generating part, a cooling fan which draws outside air and exhausts the air against the first heat radiation member, a second heat radiation member which is exposed to the outside of the housing and is thermally connected to the second heat generating part, and a cover covering the opening and the second heat radiation member. The cover forms a gap between the cover and the housing. The gap communicates with the second chamber. |
| US07649735B2 |
Information processing apparatus and video signal output control method
A video signal output control method in an information processing apparatus which being to be locked to an external unit by a lock mechanism, the video signal output control method includes detecting the state of the lock mechanism, and stopping the output of the video signal to the external unit, when the lock mechanism is in the unlocked state. |
| US07649734B2 |
Portable storage device
A portable storage device which is used by being connected to terminals of an external apparatus, comprises a main body of a rectangular cover case, in which an opening is formed at a front and a fit opening is formed in a wall; a rectangular terminal enclosure supported inside said main body of the cover case, and having a terminal portion at a front for connection with the external terminals, and having a fit portion which is formed in a wall so as to be opposed to said fit opening when inserted into said main body of the cover case; a circuit board which is supported in said terminal enclosure and provided with connector terminals at a front; a semiconductor memory device which is mounted on said circuit board, sealed with resin and connected to said connector terminals; and a fitting member which is inserted into said fit opening of said main body of the cover case so as to be fitted to said fit opening, and to be fitted to said fit portion of said terminal enclosure to thereby fix said main body of the cover case and said terminal enclosure. |
| US07649731B2 |
Power distribution module using buss bar
A power distribution module includes a housing having multiple channels, and a plurality of buss bars received within the housing for distributing power between multiple electrical components. The buss bars have terminals that are selectively positionable within respective ones of the channels based on a predetermined arrangement of the electrical components. |
| US07649730B2 |
Wet electrolytic capacitor containing a plurality of thin powder-formed anodes
A wet electrolytic capacitor that includes a plurality of anodes, cathode, and working electrolyte that is disposed in electrical contact with the anodes and current collector is provided. Any number of anodes may generally be employed, such as from 2 to 40, in some embodiments from 3 to 30, and in some embodiments, from 4 to 20. The anodes are thin and typically have a thickness of about 1500 micrometers or less, in some embodiments about 1000 micrometers or less, and in some embodiments, from about 50 to about 500 micrometers. By employing a plurality of anodes that are relatively thin in nature, the resulting wet electrolytic capacitor is able to achieve excellent electrical properties. For example, the equivalent series resistance (“ESR”)—the extent that the capacitor acts like a resistor when charging and discharging in an electronic circuit—may be less than about 1500 milliohms, in some embodiments less than about 1000 milliohms, and in some embodiments, less than about 500 milliohms, measured with a 2-volt bias and 1-volt signal at a frequency of 1000 Hz. |
| US07649723B2 |
ESD protection substrate and integrated circuit utilizing the same
An ESD protection substrate is disclosed. The ESD protection substrate includes a first conductor, a second conductor, a pointed structure, and an ESD protection material. The pointed structure is electrically connected to the first or the second conductor. The ESD protection material is disposed between the first and the second conductors. |
| US07649722B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protected circuits
A method for designing an ESD protected analog circuit is described. The method includes creating an analog circuit design comprising a plurality of interconnected functional components and circuit-level ESD protection components with predetermined electric properties for achieving a predetermined analog performance during normal operation of the circuit as well as a predetermined ESD robustness during an ESD event on the circuit. At least one ESD event is simulated on the analog circuit design to identify at least one weak spot in the circuit. Component-level ESD protection components are added into the analog circuit design around each identified weak spot to reduce failure of the weak spot during an ESD event. |
| US07649718B1 |
Flex circuit dampener for reduction of seek induced vibrations in a disk drive
The present invention is a dampening device for a flex circuit of a disk drive. The dampening device engages the flex circuit to alter is vibrational effect generated by the moment of the flex circuit that adversely affects post seek oscillations performance of the drive. The dampening device lowers the first resonant frequency of the flex circuit and reduces the magnitude of the post seek off track oscillations. |
| US07649714B2 |
High reliability heater for flying height control
Embodiments of the invention improve the power consumption and response speed of a heater for the gap flying height (hg) adjustment, to minimize an influence that the heater has on a life of a read element, and to provide a heater having resistance lines reduced in breaking and ensuring higher reliability. In one embodiment, a read/write element is formed near an air bearing surface (ABS) on a slider, and the circumference of the read/write element is filled with alumina. The read/write element includes an upper magnetic pole piece, a lower magnetic pole piece, a coil, and a resist filling around the coil, and a read element (MR) for performing reading, and an upper shield and lower shield for protecting the read element from an external magnetic field. A heater for adjusting the flying height is provided between the slider and the read/write element but near the read/write element. A temperature gradient relaxing material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the heater and that of a material (alumina) filling around the heater is formed near the heater. |
| US07649710B2 |
Moving magnet actuation of tape head
In one embodiment, a tape read/write head supported by a lever is biased in a first position, using magnetic attraction between a magnet supported by the lever, and a return path structure of magnetically permeable material. In the illustrated embodiment, the magnet centers itself, in the absence of a coil generated magnetic field, in the middle of a gap of the magnetic return path structure. In one aspect, the mass of the read/write head and one side of the lever may be balanced by the mass of the magnet and the other side of the lever. The lever and hence the tape read/write head carried by the lever, may be pivoted by conducting current through a coil to generate a magnetic field which is conducted by the return path structure to interact with the magnetic field of the magnet. As a consequence, the lever pivots on a pivot axis as a function of the magnitude and direction of the current through the coil. The face of the magnet may be divided into portions of opposite magnetic polarity to facilitate a relatively pure torque to be developed substantially without a net force. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07649709B2 |
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. |
| US07649701B2 |
Magnetically activated switch assembly
A magnetically activated switch assembly is provided. The magnetically activated switch assembly includes a magnet and a magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit includes a magnetically activated switch, a first set of flux conductors, and a second set of flux conductors. The first set of flux conductors has first flux conductor flanges adapted to conduct flux from ends of the magnet. The second set of flux conductors is slidingly positioned relative to the first set of flux conductors and is adapted to conduct flux from the first set of flux conductors to the magnetically activated switch. The first set of flux conductors are adapted to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise and to tilt up or down. The first magnetic circuit is adapted to conduct flux to activate the magnetically activated switch only when the first flux conductor flanges are rotationally aligned with ends of the magnet and tilted to an operational position. |
| US07649700B1 |
Peripheral vision helmet
An apparatus for providing enhanced peripheral vision to a wearer of a helmet in accordance with the present invention includes at least one lens member adapted to be received at a predetermined location in the helmet. The lens member is operable to direct light from a side portion of the helmet to a location adjacent the eyes of a wearer of the helmet. |
| US07649699B2 |
Cemented lens and optical system having the same
A cemented lens comprises first, second and third optical elements respectively formed by different solid materials, the third and first optical elements being cemented to each other, and the first and the second optical elements being cemented to each other, wherein both an incident surface and an exit surface of the first and second optical elements are refracting surfaces, and the following conditional expressions are satisfied: |ΔθgF1|>0.0272 |ΔθgF2|>0.0272 ΔθgF1×ΔθgF2<0 φ1×φ<0 where ΔθgF1 and ΔθgF2 are respectively anomalous dispersion characteristics of the materials for the first and the second optical elements with respect to a g line and an F line, and φ1 and φ2 are respectively refracting powers of the first and second optical elements when both the incident surface and the exit surface of the first and the second optical element are surfaces in contact with air. |
| US07649698B2 |
Laser light irradiation apparatus and laser light irradiation method
Laser light is emitted from a laser oscillator, and the laser light is made to enter a beam expander optical system including a concave lens through a correction lens. The laser oscillator, the correction lens and the concave lens are disposed so that, when an emission point of the laser oscillator is a first conjugate point, a point at which an image at the first conjugate point is formed through the correction lens is a second conjugate point, a distance between the correction lens and the second conjugate point is b, a focal length of the concave lens is f, and a distance between the correction lens and the concave lens is X, the X satisfies b−3|f|≦X≦b+|f|. |
| US07649694B2 |
Zoom lens
A zoom lens suitable for imaging an object on a photosensitive device is provided. The zoom lens includes a first lens group, a second lens group, a third lens group and a fourth lens group, which are arranged in series. The fourth lens group is disposed near the photosensitive device. The second lens group and the third lens group are suitable for moving between the first lens group and the fourth lens group. The first lens group, the second lens group, the third lens group and the fourth lens group include at least a glass lens and a plurality of plastic lenses. The number of the plastic lenses is more than the number of glass lenses. Thus, overall cost of producing the zoom lens is lower. |
| US07649690B2 |
Integrated panoramic and forward optical device, system and method for omnidirectional signal processing
A device, system and method integrating forward and panoramic fields is disclosed, comprising: a primary reflector, comprising a convex surface in relation to the forward field, reflective on at least part of the convex surface; a secondary reflector, forward of the primary reflector relative to the forward field, reflective on at least part a surface thereof facing rearward toward the primary reflector; a primary reflector hole in the primary reflector, substantially centered about an optical axis of the apparatus; and a secondary reflector hole in the secondary reflector, substantially centered about the optical axis. |
| US07649689B2 |
Apparatus and method for viewing multiple underlying indicia
A promotional or novelty piece wherein a printed planar surface is provided with a translucent lenticular surface, placed in registration with a second planar surface with predetermined indicia applied so as to underlie and register with said translucent surface. The angle of the viewer's eye with said translucent surface allows said underlying indicia and secondary interlaced indicia having been applied to the underside of said lenticular lens, to be selectively and individually observed. |
| US07649686B2 |
Box-type microscope apparatus
A box-type microscope apparatus includes a stage, a microscope, and a housing, which has a fixed housing and a moving housing provided to be openable, closable, and movable with respect to the fixed housing. The box-type microscope apparatus further includes a specimen vessel positioning device for fixing the specimen vessel placed on the stage at a constant position. of the stage and a positioning release device for actuating the specimen vessel positioning means when the moving housing is moved toward a position of a closed state to release a positioning of the specimen vessel performed by the specimen vessel positioning device with respect to the stage when the moving housing is opened. |
| US07649684B2 |
Optical apparatus
An optical apparatus minimizes autofluorescence and stray light as well as leakage of excitation light and efficiently utilizes illuminating light from a fluorescence illumination optical system to allow observation of a bright fluorescence image. An observation apparatus has an objective, an observation optical system unit including a variable magnification optical system, and an imaging optical system unit including an imaging lens and an eyepiece. A fluorescence illumination apparatus, which is provided separately, is removably attached to the observation apparatus. The fluorescence illumination apparatus has a light source, a collector lens unit, and a reflecting member placed between the objective and the observation optical system unit at a position displaced from the optical axis of the objective to make light from the light source incident on the objective. An excitation filter is provided between the light source and the reflecting member. An optical member for selectively transmitting fluorescent light emitted from a sample is placed between the objective and the observation optical system unit. |
| US07649682B2 |
Method for self-monitoring a microscope system, microscope system, and software for self-monitoring a microscope system
This invention comprises a method, a software, and a microscope system for monitoring and controlling information loss. The observation of information that is not present and the comparison of ideal loss to actual loss generates an explanatory component by means of a rule set. The user is instructed by the microscope system in an appropriate manner, for example by means of a display, to undertake actions that remove the defects. |
| US07649680B2 |
Wavelength converting apparatus
A wavelength converting apparatus that improves output performance of laser light subjected to wavelength conversion while improving the efficiency of laser light wavelength conversion. Wavelength converting apparatus (100) has: nonlinear optical crystal (110) converting wavelength of laser light propagating inside wavelength converting apparatus (100); right angle prism (130) deflecting laser light emanating from nonlinear optical crystal (110) and causing the laser light to be incident on nonlinear optical crystal (110) again, and to propagate in parallel and in opposite directions at a predetermined distance with respect to laser light before emanation from nonlinear optical crystal (110); and first dichroic mirror (120) separating laser light subjected to wavelength conversion inside nonlinear optical crystal (110) from the laser light before incidence on nonlinear optical crystal (110) for a second time. |
| US07649678B2 |
Delay-line demodulator
A delay-line demodulator for demodulating a differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) signal is provided. The demodulator includes two Mach-Zehnder interferometers individually comprising two waveguides having different lengths therebetween and through which a light signal branched from the DQPSK signal propagates, respectively. A phase of the light signal propagating at one of the waveguides is delayed as compared to a phase of the light signal propagating at another one of the waveguides, wherein a divergence amount of polarization is adjusted by driving sets of heaters that are facing each other and sandwiching a half wavelength plate therebetween. |
| US07649677B2 |
Multi-ridged subwavelength aperture for optical transmission and thermally assisted magnetic recording
A subwavelength aperture includes a plurality of ridges that project from an aperture sidewall into the aperture opening. The ridges may be closely spaced such that the hot spots associated with the ridges are likewise closely spaced and create an elongated hot spot. The subwavelength aperture of the present invention may be adapted for use in a magnetic head of a hard disk drive for improved thermally assisted recording (TAR) of magnetic data bits. Such a magnetic head may include an optical resonant cavity that is fabricated within the magnetic head structure. |
| US07649675B2 |
Toner compositions for dry-powder electrophoretic displays
Toner particles and a dry-powder electrophoretic display employing such particles are disclosed herein. The toner particles adapted for a dry-powder electrophoretic display comprise emulsion/aggregation particles having a negative charge. At least a portion of the toner particles include a surface coating, comprising a methacrylate polymer, disposed on the surface of the toner particles to impart a positive charge to a set of toner particles. The emulsion/aggregation toner particles have a particle size generally less than about 10 micrometers that allows for improved image quality as compared to conventional toners utilized in dry-powder electrophoretic displays. |
| US07649672B2 |
MEMS structure and method of fabricating the same
A MEMS structure includes an element substrate, an electrode pad formed on the element substrate, a MEMS activated element formed on the element substrate, and having an electrode-connecting layer, and a connecting line to electrically connect the electrode pad and the electrode-connecting layer. |
| US07649671B2 |
Analog interferometric modulator device with electrostatic actuation and release
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device includes a first electrode, a second electrode electrically insulated from the first electrode, and a third electrode electrically insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode. The MEMS device also includes a support structure which separates the first electrode from the second electrode and a reflective element located and movable between a first position and a second position. The reflective element is in contact with a portion of the device when in the first position and is not in contact with the portion of the device when in the second position. An adhesive force is generated between the reflective element and the portion when the reflective element is in the first position. Voltages applied to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode at least partially reduce or counteract the adhesive force. |
| US07649669B2 |
Display device
A display device including a color filter having a multiple types of electrochromic dyes disposed on a pixel by pixel basis, the electrochromic dyes allowing reversible coloring or decoloring, and a light quantity control element for controlling an amount of light emitted to the electrochromatic dyes of the color filter. |
| US07649660B2 |
High throughput holographic spectrometer using the multiplexed hologram
A sophisticated volume hologram for dispersing an incident optical signal with uniform spectrum over an input plane to an output pattern with non-uniform spatial-spectral information, where the sophisticated volume hologram includes a plurality of holograms that map different input wavelengths into different locations on an output plane. The system further includes a detector for receiving and detecting light dispersed by the sophisticated volume hologram. |
| US07649657B2 |
Adaptive method and apparatus for adjustment of pixels in a color gamut based on a reference target color
A method and apparatus for an image adaptive color adjustment of pixels in a color gamut is disclosed. The method includes calculating a representative value that shows color characteristics of pixels included in a color gamut, calculating a final target color required to convert the representative value to approach a reference target point existing in the color gamut, and converting the pixels included in the color gamut to approach the final target color. The apparatus includes a color gamut boundary storage module; a reference target point storage module; a target color determination module which calculates a representative value that shows color characteristics of pixels included in a color gamut and calculates a final target color required to convert the representative value to approach the reference target point; and a color conversion module which converts the pixels included in the color gamut to approach the final target color. |
| US07649655B2 |
Carriage system
An ID tag describing control data on a stopped position for each station 10, movement required for a transfer, and the like is installed in front of the station 10. An overhead vehicle 8 reads the control data and uses it for stoppage and transfer. The overhead vehicle 8 need not store the stoppage or transfer control data for each station 10. Further, the control data can be changed without updating the storage in the overhead vehicle 8. |
| US07649652B2 |
Method and apparatus for expanding bit resolution using local information of image
A method and apparatus for expanding bit resolution using local information of an image receives an input image. First, second and third threshold value used to enhance bit resolution, to detect a texture and to detect a pattern, respectively, are determined considering global information of the input image. A texture existing in a mask region composed of surrounding pixels within a predetermined range around a current pixel is determined using the second threshold value. A regularly repeated pattern existing in the mask region is determined using the third threshold value if no texture exists in the mask region. The first threshold value is decreased if a texture or pattern exists in the mask region. Values of mask region pixels are adjusted depending on the first threshold value, and bit resolution of the current pixel value is enhanced using a resultant value obtained by filtering the adjusted pixel values. |
| US07649651B2 |
Print data editing apparatus and print data editing program stored in computer readable medium
A print data editing apparatus includes a display that displays a print object in order to edit the print object; a cutoff area specifying device that specifies a cutoff area that is an area to be cut off in order to cut off a print result in which the print object that is displayed on the display is printed; and a print data creating device that creates print data to be printed with a print unit by providing cutoff line data to the print object, wherein the cutoff line data is for printing a cutoff line for cutting the cutoff area specified by the cutoff area specifying device from the print result outside a boundary of the cutoff area. |
| US07649645B2 |
Method of ordering job queue of marking systems
A method of ordering a job queue includes providing a marking system that includes a first marking engine and a storage device storing first and second print jobs in queue. The first marking engine includes first and second metrics. The method includes determining a present state value of the first and second metrics for the first marking engine, and estimating an incremental depletion value of the first and second metrics of the first and second print jobs. The method further includes comparing the incremental depletion value of the first and second metrics, respectively, with the present state value of the first and second metrics for the first marking engine. The method also includes ordering the first and second print jobs in the storage device based at least partially on the comparison. A system is also discussed. |
| US07649642B2 |
Customizable print media definition
A method and system for printing documents on a network printer, are provided. The method includes defining a print job at a user's source station for printing in the printer. The print job includes print data and print process parameters. The print process parameters include a specification of a print media for printing images according to the print data, each media having print media properties. The defining step includes a generic print media specifying process, in which a print media for printing images according to the print data is selected by the user within constraints of a general set of media available for any user of the printer. The defining step also includes an alternative, specific, print media specifying process, in which a job-proprietary print media not included in the general set is specified by entering a free-form definition character string, as an identifying property of the job-proprietary media. |
| US07649636B2 |
Optical metrology system and metrology mark characterization device
An optical metrology system is disclosed that has a measuring system configured to irradiate a metrology mark and record a portion of a reflected, a transmitted, or both, electromagnetic field and a characterization device configured to determine from the recorded field a mark shape parameter indicative of the structure of the metrology mark, the characterization device comprising: a field calculation unit configured to calculate an expected field for reflection, transmission, or both, from a theoretical reference mark based on an algebraic eigenvalue-eigenvector representation of the expected field, a field derivative calculation unit configured to calculate a first order derivative, a higher order derivative, or both, of the expected field with respect to the mark shape parameter by first deriving analytical forms for corresponding derivatives of eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the eigenvalue-eigenvector representation, and an optimization unit configured to use the outputs from the field and field derivative calculation units to determine an optimized mark shape parameter for which the expected field substantially matches the recorded field. |
| US07649629B2 |
Optical imaging apparatus with spectral detector
Apparatus for obtaining depth profile information from a transparent object, includes a confocal scanner for producing an en-face image of the object in an x-y plane, a spectral optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus for producing an OCT scan along at least one line in the z direction passing through a point in the x-y plane, and a display device. A processing unit displays on the display device the en-face image and an indication of the position of the point so as to permit the location of the OCT scan to be determined on the en-face image. The position point can be adjusted by the user when viewing the image. In other embodiments, SLO and OCT images are produced from a common aperture, and spectral OCT images are produced simultaneously with fluorescence images. |
| US07649627B2 |
Wavelength calibration method and wavelength calibration apparatus
In a wavelength calibration method, an observed spectrum of a light that has a wavelength band is obtained, wherein the light has at least an attenuated wavelength component that corresponds to at least a predetermined absorption wavelength that is included in the wavelength band. A corrected spectrum is then obtained from the observed spectrum, wherein the corrected spectrum has reduced dependencies upon the full width at half maximum of an emission band of the light and upon an intensity ripple period of the light. |
| US07649624B1 |
Systems and methods for detecting scratches on non-semiconductor wafer surfaces
A method of detecting one or more scratches on a surface of a wafer made of a non-semiconductor material is provided. A UV beam is produced from a UV illumination source. The UV beam is incident on a front surface of the wafer. The UV beam being characterized that for scratches of a given material having a UV cutoff wavelength λcutoff, over 90% of the spectral system response SSR is at wavelengths below μcutoff−5 nm and expressed as: ∫ 0 λ cutoff - 5 nm SSR ( λ ) > 0.90 · ∫ 0 ∞ SSR ( λ ) A reflected beam of scattering of the UV beam is detected in response to scratches on a surface of the wafer. The scattering is captured. |
| US07649620B2 |
Method and system for synchronising angles
A method and a system for synchronising angles of at least two displaceable working means (2, 2′) at a predetermined point of action (4) is disclosed. The working means are, in particular, a robot-controlled tool or a robot-controlled radiation emitter and/or radiation receiver. In order to synchronise angles in a precise manner, the directions of the action (1, 1′) of the working means (2, 2′) are, in particular represented in a continuous manner, detected and united at a predetermined point of action (4). The angle (a) between the directions of the action (1, 1′) of the working means (2, 2′) is determined by, in particular, an optical angle measurement and is adjusted to a predetermined value. |
| US07649618B2 |
System and method to perform raman imaging without luminescence
A system and method for collecting Raman data sets without the “contaminating” effect of luminescence emitted photons. Using a frame transfer CCD for time resolved data collection, Raman imaging may be performed without photobleaching the sample. The system may include a light source, a frame transfer CCD, an optical lens and at least one controller. The light source illuminates the sample with a plurality of photons to generate scattered photons from the sample. The frame transfer CCD has an image array and a storage array. The optical lens collects scattered photons and directs the scattered photons to the image array. The controller transfers a Raman data set representative of the scattered photons from the image array to the storage array. The frame transfer CCD may be configured so as the image array integrates the scattered photons during a Raman integration time and the controller transfers the Raman data set from the image array to storage array during a parallel transfer time. The sum of the Raman integration time and the parallel transfer time is less than the minimum time it takes to trigger luminescence from the sample. |
| US07649613B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, method of controlling a component of a lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A method of controlling a component within a lithographic apparatus is presented. The component is moved relative to a reference within the lithographic apparatus by a first actuator. A second actuator that exerts a force between the component and a reaction mass is used to adjust at least one of a position, velocity and acceleration of the component relative to the reference within the lithographic apparatus. |
| US07649610B1 |
Method and device for reducing speckle formation on a projection screen
A method and a device for reducing speckle formation on a projection display when working with a coherent light source. In this context, the light coming from the light source, before the projection, may strike an electrically controllable optical element having a spatially inhomogeneous refractive index, passing through the same, the refractive index being varied over time within the projection period. This may lead to an averaging out of the speckle pattern on the projection screen. For purposes of illumination, a multimode light source may be used, and/or the light coming from the light source is separated into a plurality of spatial modes, thereby reinforcing the effect. As an optical element, one may employ a liquid crystal element composed of at least two liquid crystal layers, to which a spatially dependent voltage is applied to generate a spatially dependent refractive index. Its birefringence may be compensated by orientating the layers to one another in appropriate fashion. |
| US07649609B2 |
Method of fabricating and repairing a short defect in LCD device having a residue pattern of a predetermined line width removed after forming photo-resist pattern through rear exposure
A method for repairing a short defect according to the present invention includes forming a first conductive pattern on a substrate, forming a photo-resist pattern on the first conductive pattern using a rear exposure for the first conductive pattern being shorted by a residue pattern, and removing the residue pattern exposed through the photo-resist pattern. |
| US07649599B2 |
Liquid crystal display provided with compensation film
An LCD according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel assembly including two panels facing each other and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the two panels and having positive dielectric anisotropy. A pair of polarization films are attached to the outer surfaces of the liquid crystal panel assembly, respectively. A positive or negative a-plate compensation film having reverse wavelength dispersion that ¥Än increases as the light wavelength increases and a negative hybrid c-plate compensation film are inserted between the liquid crystal panel assembly and each of the polarization films. |
| US07649593B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display having the same
A backlight unit comprises an arrangement surface and a plurality of point light sources arranged on the arrangement surface, wherein the arrangement surface is divided into an array of hexagonal cells, a plurality of the cells comprising a white light providing unit. An LCD comprising a backlight unit on which a point light source is efficiently disposed and an efficient arrangement method of a point light source are provided. |
| US07649589B2 |
Liquid crystal display module
A liquid crystal display module device includes a light-guide plate, a lamp disposed along one side of the light-guide plate, and a plurality of lamp holders enclosing opposing end portions of the lamps, wherein the lamp holders include transparent material. |
| US07649582B2 |
Array substrate for a liquid crystal display device having multi-layered metal line and fabricating method thereof
An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes: a substrate; a gate electrode and a gate line on the substrate; a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode and the gate line; an active layer on the gate insulating layer; an ohmic contact layer on the active layer; source and drain electrodes and a data line on the ohmic contact layer, the source and drain electrodes and the data line having a multiple metal layer; a passivation layer on the source and drain electrodes and the data line; and a pixel electrode on the passivation layer. |
| US07649581B2 |
Array substrate of an LCD comprising first and second gate insulating layers and method of fabricating the same
Disclosed is an array substrate of an LCD, and a method for fabricating it, which simplifies the fabrication process, thereby reducing fabrication costs. The process is simplified because the array substrate does not have a passivation film. The thin film transistors on the array substrate each have an active layer that is protected from contamination by forming a channel insulation layer on the active layer through a dry-etching process. Further, the gate line, gate pad, and gate electrode may have a two-layer structure having a low-resistance metal layer and a barrier metal layer, or a three-layer structure having a low-resistance metal layer and two barrier metal layers. |
| US07649580B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and repairing method thereof
A method of repairing a defect in a liquid crystal display panel is provided. The method comprises: providing an array substrate, a plurality of pixel regions over the array substrate, and at least one of the pixel regions comprising a transistor, a pixel electrode, a storage capacitor having an upper electrode and a bottom electrode, a defect positioned in the storage capacitor; performing a cutting process to divide the pixel electrode into a first portion and a second portion not connecting to each other, wherein said first portion of said pixel electrode is corresponding to the storage capacitor having said defect; and electrically connecting the second portion of the pixel electrode to one of the scan lines. |
| US07649578B2 |
Array substrate and display panel having the same with particular sensor electrodes
An array substrate includes a gate line, a data line, a thin-film transistor (TFT), a pixel electrode, a first sensor line, a second sensor line and a sensor electrode part. The TFT is electrically connected to the gate and data lines. The pixel electrode is formed in a unit area defined by the gate and data lines. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the TFT. The first sensor line is substantially parallel with the gate line. The second sensor line is substantially parallel with the data line. The sensor electrode part is formed in the unit area and electrically connected to the first and second sensor lines. The sensor electrode part is adjacent to the pixel electrode in a large axis direction of the unit area. |
| US07649577B2 |
Super bright low reflectance liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display (LCD) exhibiting enhanced optical viewing performance. In a preferred embodiment, the LCD comprises a liquid crystal display panel, the liquid crystal display panel comprising a pair of transparent substrates, liquid crystal material sandwiched between the transparent substrates and transparent electrodes positioned between the liquid crystal material and the transparent substrates. The LCD also comprises a rear polarizer assembly comprising a compensation film, a polarizer mounted on the rear surface of the compensation film, and a first index-matched, pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) mounted on the front surface of the compensation film, the PSA being adhered to the rear surface of the LCD panel. The LCD also comprises a front polarizer assembly, the front polarizer assembly comprising a front polarizer, a compensation film mounted on the rear surface of the front polarizer and an index-matched PSA mounted on the front surface of the front polarizer. The front polarizer is crossed relative to the rear polarizer. The front polarizer assembly may be adhered to the front of the LCD panel with a second index-matched, optical bonding material or may be spaced therefrom by an air gap. A transparent cover is mounted on the second index-matched PSA. The transparent cover is preferably a plastic plate. The plastic plate may be textured to reduce glare or may have an anti-reflection coating or an anti-reflection film applied to the front surface thereof. Instead of a plastic plate, the transparent cover may be a glass plate or a touch panel. |
| US07649574B2 |
Image display method and device, and projector
An image display method of splitting a frame into a plurality of sub frames by multiplying a frame frequency of an incoming image signal by an integer, and dividing an image that is originally for the frame into pieces for display on the sub frames. In the image display method, the luminance component included in the image is given a priority for display on a first sub frame that is at least one of the sub frames, and a color-difference component included in the image is given a priority for display on a second sub frame that is also one of the sub frames but not the first sub frame. |
| US07649572B2 |
VSB reception system with enhanced signal detection for processing supplemental data
A VSB reception system includes a sequence generator for decoding a symbol corresponding to the supplemental data and generating a predefined sequence included in the supplemental data at VSB transmission system. The reception system also includes a modified legacy VSB receiver for processing the data received from the VSB transmission system in a reverse order of the VSB transmission system by using the sequence, and a demultiplexer for demultiplexing the data from the modified legacy VSB receiver into the MPEG data and the supplemental data. The VSB reception system also includes a supplemental data processor for processing the supplemental data segment from the demultiplexer in a reverse order of the transmission system, to obtain the supplemental data, thereby carrying out the slicer prediction, decoding, and symbol decision more accurately by using the predefined sequence, to improve a performance. |
| US07649571B2 |
Methods for interactive video compositing
An interactive video compositing device includes a chroma-key mixer, video switcher and control circuitry. The chroma-key mixer generates a composite image by combining a real-time image, such as one captured by a video recorder, with a prerecorded video image, such as a movie. The composite image includes the modified real-time image superimposed, or overlaid, onto the prerecorded image. The video switcher automatically selects either the composite image or the prerecorded image to be output to a display. The control circuitry controls the video switcher and other outputted signals based on data file information that corresponds to content of the prerecorded image or media. For example, the data files may contain information relating to the presence (or absence) of a particular character in a movie scene, thus allowing for the output and display, at appropriate times, of the real-time composite image instead of the prerecorded image. |
| US07649570B2 |
Broadcast receiver and method for displaying channel information
A broadcast receiver and a method for displaying channel information are disclosed, in which video signals of each channel are displayed in a multi-PIP mode when a channel list is displayed, so that a user can identify the channel list through video. Therefore, since broadcasting channel program information is displayed in real time in the multi-PIP mode of a video type, the user can share the broadcasting information with a broadcasting station in real time. Also, since the user can readily identify information on various broadcasting channels on a channel edition screen, it is possible to facilitate channel edition. |
| US07649569B2 |
Time base correction in video systems
System and method for digitally correcting time base errors in video display systems. A preferred embodiment comprises 1) correcting time base errors in a first portion of a horizontal line of video information, wherein the first correcting makes use of an error estimate for the horizontal line of video information and a preceding horizontal line of video information, 2) correcting time base errors in a second portion of a horizontal line of video information, wherein the second correcting makes use of an error estimate for the horizontal line of video information, and 3) repeating the first correcting and the second correcting for remaining horizontal lines of video information in the digitized video signal. |
| US07649567B2 |
Format conversion apparatus, format conversion method, and image display apparatus and image display method using the format conversion apparatus
A format conversion apparatus for subjecting data having a predetermined resolution to conversion of the resolution according to a resolution of a display screen, comprises: a timing generation unit for generating a timing for thinning out inputted signal data, using a resolution conversion coefficient that is calculated on the basis of a conversion ratio of the resolution; and a selection unit for selecting, from two pieces of input signal data existing before and after the timing generated by the timing generation unit, the signal data that is timewise closer to the timing; wherein resolution conversions in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction are carried out while maintaining the combination of the inputted signals. |
| US07649565B2 |
Power supply circuit for digital camera
A power supply circuit for a digital camera, including a DC power supply device for supplying direct current power; an image inputting device driven by the DC power supply device; a light emitting diode device driven by the DC power supply device and which auxiliary illuminates a subject to be imaged by the image inputting device; and a backup device connected to an output side of the DC power supply device and adapted for preliminarily charging the direct current power. |
| US07649562B2 |
Portable electronic device having an operation input section
A digital camera according to the invention comprises a power switch, lenses, an optical finder, a shutter button, an auxiliary light emitting section, a recording media slot, an image monitor, and touch pads. The touch pads form part of the touch input section for selecting and inputting the items and selections displayed on the image monitor, part the touch input section for operating the display contents of an image displayed on the image monitor, and part of the touch input section for controlling the shooting magnification used in shooting an image. Such input operations are performed by way of a contact position signal of the touch pads as well as a movement in the touch state. |
| US07649560B2 |
Solid state image sensors
A pinned-photodiode image sensor using shared output amplifiers, for example output amplifiers in the 2.5T arrangement has transfer gate control lines alternating or cross-coupled between successive columns or adjacent rows. This assists in removing row-row mismatches. In preferred embodiments, the approach is applied to Bayer pattern RGB sensors, and allows the gain and/or the exposure of green pixels to be controlled separately from those of red and blue pixels. |
| US07649556B2 |
Selection of image data for output
At least either of image data and image generation record information is analyzed to determine an image quality parameter relating to image quality, and an output target decision regarding selection of image data as an output target is performed on the basis of the image quality parameter. |
| US07649554B2 |
Method, imaging device and camera for producing composite image from merged image signals
An image composition method comprises: subjecting a first high-sensitivity image signal generated based on high-sensitivity image outputs from corresponding ones of a plurality of pixel positions in a solid-state imaging element that has imaged a subject, to a first nonlinear conversion, so as to prepare a second high-sensitivity image signal; subjecting a first low-sensitivity image signal generated based on low-sensitivity image outputs from corresponding ones of the plurality of pixel positions, to a second nonlinear conversion, so as to prepare a second low-sensitivity image signal; and subjecting the second high-sensitivity image signal and the second low-sensitivity image signal to weight adding at every common pixel position, over the entire range of an incident light exposure level exhibited by each incident light that entered to each of the plurality of pixel positions, so as to produce a composed image signal of the subject. |
| US07649552B2 |
Video signal processing apparatus
A video signal processing apparatus able to obtain a suitable still image from a squeezed video signal, including a converting unit configured to judge whether or not a video signal has been squeezed based on an input video signal and aspect information indicating the aspect ratio of the video signal and to inverse-squeeze it to the designated video signal when judging that it was squeezed as a result of the judgment to convert it to a video signal of a still image of a prescribed image size and a still image recording and/or reproduction unit configured to record the video signal of the still image converted by the converting unit. |
| US07649549B2 |
Motion stabilization in video frames using motion vectors and reliability blocks
Stabilization for devices such as hand-held camcorders segments a low-resolution frame into a region of reliable estimation, finds a global motion vector for the region at high resolution, and uses the global motion vector to compensate for jitter. |
| US07649544B2 |
Method and system for improved raster output scan control in an electrophotographic system
An improved ROS driver circuit for an electrophotographic printing system includes a sub-pixel clock generator, a parallel to serial converter, and a raster output scanner (ROS) light source. The sub-pixel clock generator generates a sub-pixel clock signal that has a period less than a period of a video data clock and this clock signal is used by the parallel to serial converter to convert a parallel video data stream into a serial video data bit stream. The serial video data bit stream modulates the ROS light source to provide sub-pixel control of the light signal generated by the ROS light source. |
| US07649539B2 |
Image formats for video capture, processing and display
Techniques and tools for representing pixel data in a video processing or capture system are described. Described techniques and tools provide efficient color representation for video processing and capture, and provide flexibility for representing colors using different bit precisions and memory layouts. Described techniques and tools include video formats that can be used, for example, in hardware or software for capture, processing, and display purposes. In one aspect, chroma and luma information for a pixel in a video image is represented in a 16-bit fixed-point block of data having an integer and fractional components. Data can be easily converted from one representation to another (e.g., between 16-bit and 10-bit representations). In other aspects, formats for representing 8-, 10- and 16-bit video image data (e.g., packed and hybrid planar formats), and codes for indicating the formats, are described. |
| US07649536B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for utilizing natural motions of a user to display intuitively correlated reactions
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for utilizing natural motions of a user to display intuitively correlated reactions. In use, an application-independent command is received from an input device utilizing at least one natural motion of a user with an associated degree. In response to the application-independent command, a reaction is displayed on a display in a manner that is intuitively correlated with the at least one natural motion. Further, a degree of the reaction is a function of the degree of the at least one natural motion. |
| US07649532B2 |
Computer generated hologram display system
A system includes a computer generated hologram (CGH) design plane and a processor capable of representing a three dimensional object. The processor is configured to represent a surface of the three dimensional object by a facet, impose a grid defining a set of nodes upon the facet, and associate object points with each node of the grid. The processor is further configured to orient the facet to include a common global origin in the CGH design plane and displace the object points away from their associated node in a random or pseudo random direction parallel to the CGH design plane. |
| US07649529B2 |
Light emitting apparatus and method of driving same
In a light emitting apparatus, all pixels are fabricated using monochrome light-emitting materials. Since the light transmittances of color filters or color conversion layers are not uniform among red (R), green (G), and blue (B), exact white color cannot be displayed. In the present invention, dots for producing these colors of light, i.e., red (R), green (G), and blue (B), are arranged parallel to writing scan lines and to erasing scan lines. The brightnesses are made uniform by controlling the emission times of the emitted colors of light. According to the brightnesses obtained after passage through the colored layer with the lowest light transmittance, the emission times of colors of light passed through the other colored layers are shortened. Thus, as the brightness differences after passage can be reduced, the light emitting apparatus can display exact white color. |
| US07649527B2 |
Image display system with light pen
An image display system includes a light pen to generate light to input data, and a display panel to display images in response to the light provided from the light pen. The display panel includes a first substrate on which pixel electrodes are formed, a second substrate on which a common electrode are formed, and a photo-sensor formed on the first substrate. The photo-sensor detects the light provided from the light pen to generate a light detect signal. The image display system also includes a driving module to provide new image data to the display panel to display new images in response to the light detect signal from the photo-sensor. |
| US07649526B2 |
Soft key interaction indicator
An indication of interaction with a touch-sensitive display is provided. A soft key is displayed on the touch-sensitive display. Contact with the touch-sensitive display corresponding to interaction with the soft key is detected. The periphery of the soft key smoothly changes in optical intensity in response to detecting the contact. |
| US07649525B2 |
Display systems with multifunctional digitizer module board
Display systems with multifunctional digitizer module board. A shield film is integrated on a digitizer sensor board to form a multifunctional digitizer module board with lower thickness and weight. In the multifunctional digitizer module, a digitizer sensor board senses position of a position pointer or finger contact on a surface and a shield film is integrated on one surface of the digitizer sensor board by semiconductor process to screen out external noise. A display panel is disposed above the multifunctional digitizer module board and coupled thereto, displaying images. |
| US07649522B2 |
Human interface input acceleration system
A method and system for transmitting data to and from a hand-held host device are disclosed. An accessory device for interfacing with a host device includes a communication channel designed to establish a bidirectional data link between the accessory device and the host device. The accessory device also includes a storage unit communicatively coupled to the communication channel. The storage unit is designed to store various data. In addition, at least a first data is selectively transmitted from the stored data of the accessory device to the host device through the established bidirectional data link. |
| US07649521B2 |
Image display apparatus
A plurality of scanning signal lines GLn divided into groups, and each group is made up of three scanning signal lines GLnR, GLnG and GLnB, and a plurality of pixels are divided into pixel blocks, and each pixel block is made up of three pixels PR (n, m), PG (n, m) and PB (n, m) respectively connected to the scanning signal lines GLnR, GLnG and GLnB. These pixels PR (n, m), PG (n, m) and PB (n, m) are connected to a common data signal line SLm. To the scanning signal lines GLnR, GLnG, GLnB, scanning pulses are sequentially outputted to the scanning signal lines GLnR, GLnG and GLnB from shift registers SRnR, SRnG and SRnB, and video signals for R, G and B are outputted to the data signal line SLm from a driver IC by time division. |
| US07649518B2 |
Liquid crystal display driving circuit
A liquid crystal display driving circuit is provided. The liquid crystal display driving circuit includes a front driving stage and a plurality of serially connected subsequent driving stages. The front driving stage receives a first trigger pulse and a second trigger pulse consecutively in a testing operation. The serially connected subsequent driving stages coupled to the front driving stage such that the output terminal of each driving stage is electrically connected to the input terminal of the following driving stage as well as the input terminal of the one after. The output terminal of the front driving stage is electrically connected to the input terminal of first subsequent driving stage and the one immediately thereafter. |
| US07649517B2 |
Display
A liquid crystal display and a liquid crystal display panel thereof. Gates on thin film transistors serving as switches in the same row of pixels are coupled with a gate line. A scan signal is substantially inputted to a middle of the gate line and transmitted to two extremities of the gate line, so that the two thin film transistors, which are coupled with the two extremities of the gate line have substantially the same time for turning on/off. Namely, the pulse waveforms of scan signals received by the two pixels, which are spaced apart by a longest distance, are substantially the same. |
| US07649512B2 |
Organic EL display device, and method for driving the organic EL display device
Scanning switch means 21 to 2m can connect scanning lines S1 to Sm freely to a first potential or a second potential. Drive switch means 71 to 7n can connect drive lines D1 to Dn freely to a drive current source 70 or an off potential. Control means 8 connects the scanning switch means 21 to 2m sequentially with the first potential to select the scanning lines S1 to Sm sequentially and to control the connected states of the drive switch means 71 to 7n. In accordance with the number of the drive lines D1 to Dn to be connected to the drive current source 70, the control means 8 changes the resistances of the scanning switch means 21 to 2m corresponding to the scanning lines S1 to Sm connected to the second potential to become the unselected state, into at least two stages. |
| US07649508B2 |
Plasma display apparatus and driving method thereof
A plasma display apparatus may be provided that reduces a noise generating in a waveform applied to a scan electrode or a sustain electrode and that stabilizes address discharge by improving applying time point of a waveform applied in an address period, so that driving stability of a panel may increase. The plasma display apparatus may include a plasma display panel in which a plurality of scan electrodes and a plurality of address electrodes intersecting the scan electrodes are formed, and a data driver dividing the address electrode into a plurality of electrode groups, corresponding to a scan waveform applied to the scan electrode, and the data driver applying an address waveform to one address electrode group, and the address waveform having an applying time point that is different from an applying time point of the scan waveform. |
| US07649507B2 |
Plasma display panel device, white linearity control device and control method thereof
A plasma display panel, a white linearity control device and a control method thereof. The white linearity control method includes calculating a load ratio of an image signal, determining an automatic power control level corresponding to the load ratio, and calculating first correction data corresponding to the automatic power control level. In addition, the method includes discriminating vertical and horizontal positions of the image signal, and obtaining a white linearity value for a corresponding region from two white linearity values defining a period in which the discriminated positions are included through interpolation, and producing second correction data by multiplying the first correction data by the obtained white linearity value. |
| US07649502B2 |
Multi-band antenna
A multi-band antenna used in a portable electrical device can work in WWAN and GPS at the same time. The multi-band antenna includes a PCB having a through hole, a first antenna body comprising a first radiating element and a first grounding element formed on a first surface of the PCB, a second antenna body formed on a second surface of the PCB, and a feeding line having an inner conductor electrically connecting to the first radiating element and an outer conductor electrically connecting to the first grounding element. The second antenna body comprises a second radiating element, a second grounding element, and a connecting element connecting the second radiating element and the second grounding element. The first radiating element and the second radiating element electrically connect with each other via the through hole of the PCB. |
| US07649500B2 |
Film antenna assembly and fabrication method
The present invention provides a film antenna assembly and a fabrication method thereof. The assembly includes an antenna body, which is a conducting body placed onto the substrate. The antenna body is provided with a signal connector, a feeder, and a conducting medium. One side of the conducting medium is coupled with the feeder, and the other side is located on the signal connector of antenna body. With this combined structure of the feeder, the film antenna assembly could be protected against damage, and the stable electrical connection resolves the coupling issue of the film antenna and feeder for improved applicability and economic efficiency. |
| US07649495B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexing methods and apparatus for constructing photonic beamforming networks
Methods and apparatus for constructing phased array antenna beamforming networks are provided, that allow to scan multiple beams and select appropriate sets of delay lines simultaneously. The beamforming networks disclosed herein generate less losses than conventional ones and in some cases, do not require active switching, making them completely passive. Three main methods are comprised in the invention: (1) laser wavelength hierarchies, (2) arrangements of Wavelengths Division Multiplexing (WDM) components, (3) re-use of laser wavelengths. Multiple laser wavelengths are arranged in groups and subgroups (wavelength hierarchies) in the wavelength domain. By switching between these wavelength groupings, the arrangements of WDM components disclosed herein enable the beamforming network to direct the beam signals to the proper time delay lines, and to differentiate multiple beams. The method of laser wavelength re-use permits to significantly reduce the number of wavelengths utilized, and thus to limit them to the standard wavelengths specified by the ITU. |
| US07649494B2 |
GPS receiver
A GPS receiver which performs correlation processing by using replicas of C/A codes generated in the GPS receiver after a GPS signal received from a GPS satellite is subjected to accumulating processing, wherein in the accumulating processing, a plurality of signals for integrating generated in the GPS receiver by predicting modulation of the GPS signal by a navigation message are integrated with the received GPS signal, and results of the integration are accumulatively added. |
| US07649491B2 |
Distance measuring apparatus, distance measuring method, reflector and communication system
A transmission controller 7B is configured to transmit an R/W request signal for requesting transmission of a tag response signal to a RFID tag 1 twice. At this time, a frequency controller 7A controls a PLL section 5A to transmit the R/W request signal via different carrier frequencies. A phase information acquirer 8A detects a phase change amount of the tag response signal that is transmitted via different carrier frequencies. A distance calculator 8B calculates the distance between the reader/writer 2 and the RFID tag 1 on the basis of the phase change amount. |
| US07649488B1 |
Low-power column parallel cyclic analog-to-digital converter
A low-power column parallel cyclic analog-to-digital converter and an imaging device using the same. The analog-to-digital converter comprises one stage and is optimized to reduce power, noise and capacitor settling time. The one stage analog-to-digital converter comprises a multiplying circuit for performing a multiplication operation during conversion phases and a sub-analog-to-digital converter connected to receive analog output signals from the multiplying circuit. The sub-analog-to-digital converter converts, during the conversion phases, the analog output signals into portions of an N-bit digital code. The multiplying circuit switches configurations between conversion phases and uses the portions of the digital code during the conversion phases to generate new analog output signals for subsequent conversion by the sub-analog-to-digital converter. |
| US07649485B1 |
Multi-rate analog to digital converter with proportional filter bank
A system for converting a continuous-time analog signal having a signal bandwidth to a discrete-time digital signal, the system includes a plurality of proportional filters configured to receive the continuous-time analog signal, each proportional filter having a different center frequency from all other proportional filters and each proportional filter having an operational bandwidth directly proportional to its center frequency, and a plurality of sample and hold circuits, each sample and hold circuit coupled to a respective one of the proportional filters. |
| US07649484B1 |
Enhanced data converters using compression and decompression on a single integrated circuit
An enhancement that reduces the digital interface rate of analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) converters through the use of compression and decompression is described for implementation as a single integrated circuit. Improved A/D converters compressing a sampled version of an A/D converter's analog input signal in real time, thereby significantly decreasing the required bit rate of the A/D converter's digital interface. Similarly, improved D/A converters decrease the required bit rate of the D/A converter's digital interface. D/A converters include a decompressor that decompresses the D/A converter's compressed digital input in real time, prior to conversion to an analog output signal. |
| US07649479B2 |
Data encoding and decoding using Slepian-Wolf coded nested quantization to achieve Wyner-Ziv coding
A system and method for realizing a Wyner-Ziv encoder may involve the following steps: (a) apply nested quantization to input data from an information source in order to generate intermediate data; and (b) encode the intermediate data using an asymmetric Slepian-Wolf encoder in order to generate compressed output data representing the input data. Similarly, a Wyner-Ziv decoder may be realized by: (1) applying an asymmetric Slepian-Wolf decoder to compressed input data using side information to generate intermediate values, and (b) jointly decoding the intermediate values using the side information to generate decompressed output data. |
| US07649474B1 |
System for wireless communication along a drill string
A wireless communication and drill string telemetry system. The communication system is used for communicating information along a drill string between a boring tool and a boring machine. An insulator assembly provides an electrically insulated gap between the drill string communication path and a soil engaging electrode for the electrical return path. A transmitter assembly includes a data transmitter for encoding and transmitting a data signal. A signal coupler couples the data signal to the drill string and provides a controlled electrical connection between the drill string communication path and the soil engaging electrode. The signal coupler comprises a transformer and a current regulating circuit to adjust a voltage across the transformer's primary winding. A receiver assembly is disposed proximate the drilling machine and includes a toroidal pickup coil and a signal processing assembly. The pickup coil has an annulus and is positioned such that the drill string communication path passes through the annulus. The pickup coil produces a signal voltage in response to a signal current on the drill string that the signal processing assembly processes to extract the data signal. |
| US07649472B1 |
Integrated lighting and detector units
A multi-module facility safety or security notification system containing (a) a central control unit, (b) at least one sub-module containing a light source and a sensor for detecting the level of ambient light, (c) at least one sub-module containing at least one additional sensor that is not an ambient light sensor, and (d) a at least two user selectable illumination options capable of being selected from at least the central control unit. The minimum illumination options are first an option where the light sources will respond to the ambient light sensor and the other sensor (i.e. a night-light mode) and second, an option where the light sources do not respond to the ambient light sensor but does respond to a different sensor. |
| US07649471B2 |
Logic circuit and method for controlling display lights of hard disk
A logic circuit, for controlling display lights of a hard disk, includes a flip-flop, a logic gate and a buffer. The flip-flop receives a clock signal, a reset signal and a data signal and generates an output signal, in which the clock signal and the reset signal are obtained by a timing process of the data signal. The logic gate generates a logic signal according to the data signal and the output signal. The buffer receives the logic signal and an action signal. The logic signal enables the buffer such that the action signal passes through the buffer to drive a normal light during the normal operation of the hard disk, and the data signal drives a failure light during the failure or rebuilding operation of the hard disk. A method for controlling the display lights of the hard disk is also disclosed. |
| US07649469B2 |
Pressure sensitive work indicator
Systems and methods for indicating applied manipulation pressure are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for indicating applied manipulation pressure includes affixing a pressure sensitive material to a coupling component. The pressure sensitive material is capable of displaying visual indications that correspond to different levels of applied manipulation force. A manipulation force is applied to the component. Subsequently, the pressure sensitive material displays the visual indications. In a specific implementation, the method also includes stopping the application of manipulation force when one of the visual indications is displayed. |
| US07649467B2 |
System and method for localizing sports equipment
When playing a sport it is generally difficult to localize (exactly) an accessory requirement for that sport at a determined point in time. The localizing of sports equipment may however be desired in particular situations, for instance to track down lost articles of sports equipment, or to be able to apply the rules of a sport in efficient manner. The invention therefore relates to a system for localizing sports equipment. The invention also relates to a method for localizing sports equipment using such a system. |
| US07649464B2 |
Wireless asset monitoring and security system using user identification tags
An asset monitoring and security system includes at least one asset and at least one user identification device assigned a unique identifier and operable to transmit an identification signal embodying the identifier over a wireless communications link. A data store maintains lists of the assets, users authorized to use the assets, and privileges associated with the assets for each of the authorized users. A control unit is adapted to receive identification signals from the assets and user identification devices and monitor positions of the assets and user identification devices within a defined area based on the identification signals. The control unit communicates with the data store and is further operable to initiate an alarm event when privileges associated with a given authorized user for a given asset are exceeded. Each of the assets includes a lock-out mechanism that impedes use of the asset when the lock-out mechanism is activated. |
| US07649463B2 |
Radio frequency identification device and method
The present invention teaches a method of manufacturing an enclosed transceiver, such as a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) tag. Structurally, in one embodiment, the tag comprises an integrated circuit (IC) chip, and an RF antenna mounted on a thin film substrate powered by a thin film battery. A variety of antenna geometries are compatible with the above tag construction. These include monopole antennas, dipole antennas, dual dipole antennas, a combination of dipole and loop antennas. Further, in another embodiment, the antennas are positioned either within the plane of the thin film battery or superjacent to the thin film battery. |
| US07649462B2 |
Tracking system
An improved tracking system for garments provided to a customer by a garment provider. |
| US07649460B2 |
Clip chip
A solution to RFID privacy concerns as these concerns relate to consumer goods. The inventive system of this application is known as Clip Chip. It surrenders control of the administration of privacy of personal information from the retailer to the consumer of retail goods. This is accomplished by splitting the RFID transponder into two pieces. On one piece, which is always attached to the consumer item, known as the retained piece, is a unique alpha numeric identifier. On the other piece, which can be detached from the consumer item, known as the detached piece, are the standard EPC data. The two pieces are connected by conductive ink. The consumer is empowered to disable the chip at the point of purchase by tearing the two pieces of the chip in two severing the conductive ink and thereby rendering both pieces of the chip moribund. Furthermore, the Clip Chip system contemplates a method to reconnect the circuit using a secure back end system upon the circumstance of a return of the consumer item for exchange or refund. |
| US07649455B2 |
System and method for providing container security
A system for monitoring the contents of a closed container is provided. The system includes a sensing system for monitoring the contents of the container; a signal receiving element for receiving sensor data from the sensing system; a control element for analyzing received sensor data; a first transceiver element for receiving signals containing sensor data from within the container and for transmitting those signals outside of the container; and a satellite transceiver element for receiving signals from the first transceiver element and for forwarding the received signals via satellite uplink to a remote location. |
| US07649452B2 |
Protection of control networks using a one-way link
A method for monitoring a process includes receiving a signal from a sensor that is indicative of a physical attribute associated with the process and transmitting data indicative of the received signal over a one-way link. The transmitted data received from the one way link are used in monitoring the process. |
| US07649449B2 |
System and method for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system
A system and method for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system is presented. An alert condition is classified along a continuum that includes adverse outcome potential versus medical intervention impact potential. The alert condition is managed by assigning a disposition based on relative placement of the alert condition along the continuum. An alert notification is communicated over a selectable mode of communications and is conditioned upon the assigned disposition being actionable. |
| US07649446B2 |
Multipurpose engine controller
A multipurpose engine controller comprises a control unit for switching between supplying and stopping power supplied from an ignition circuit to a spark plug on the basis of two states, i.e., the operating state of the multipurpose engine determined based on a detection signal from the engine speed sensor, and the state of the level of the oil inside the crankcase determined based on a detection signal from the float-type oil level sensor. |
| US07649444B1 |
Positional audio cues for an vehicle indicator system
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for providing positional audio cues for an vehicle warning system. In one embodiment, a sensor disposed in a vehicle detects a warning event and generates a corresponding signal. In response to receiving the signal, a controller uses a positional audio algorithm to generate an audible warning via an audio system associated with the vehicle. The audible warning uniquely identifies the warning event and provides a location cue indicating the location of the warning event. In embodiments of the present invention, a sensor coupled with the controller may detect the proximity of and external object with reference to the vehicle and generate a corresponding signal. In embodiments of the present invention, the audible warnings may comprise steering cues indicating a desired direction, or a wrong direction, to a destination in response to input from a vehicle navigation system. |
| US07649443B2 |
Antitheft apparatus
An antitheft apparatus includes a control section. When a status change from a closed state to an open state of a luggage door caused by regular means is detected in an arming state being ready to output an alarm, the control section shifts a status from the arming state to a disarmed state being not ready to output an alarm; when a status change from the open state to the closed state of the luggage door is detected in the disarmed state, the control section shifts the status from the disarmed state to the arming state after a predetermined length of preparatory period; and when an arming command to shift the status from the disarmed state to the arming state is given within the length of preparatory period, the control section shifts the status from the disarmed state to the arming state. |
| US07649442B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting vehicles by identifying light spots from captured images
A vehicle detection apparatus detects vehicles traveling on a road with their lights turned on. The apparatus captures images of a road, detects a light spot from captured images, and detects a first vertical coordinate of the light spot in the images. The apparatus further calculates a distance to the light spot based on a horizontal length of the light spot in the images and detects a second vertical coordinate corresponding to the calculated distance, based on correlated data in which vertical coordinates and distances in an image are correlated in advance. The apparatus further calculates a pitching amount that indicates a difference between the first and second coordinates and determines whether or not the light spot originates from a vehicle, based on the pitching amount. |
| US07649440B2 |
Apparatus and method for unifying multiple radio frequency identifications
An apparatus and method for unifying multiple radio frequency identifications (RFIDs) are provided. The apparatus includes: a data arithmetic operator collecting RFIDs, storing the collected RFIDs, and repeatedly performing the collection and storage when a time out event occurs; a hash arithmetic operator concatenating the RFIDs, hashing the concatenated RFIDs, and outputting a hashed single value; a random number generator generating a random number used as an encryption factor to public-key-encrypt the single value; an RFID tag processor controlling locking/unlocking of the RFID tags; a public key arithmetic operator public-key-encrypting the single value using a predetermined public key and the random number as encryption factors and outputting a cipher text; and a radio frequency communicator converting the cipher text into a radio signal and sending the radio signal to a radio section. Information transmitted to a radio section is a cipher text obtained by public-key-encrypting the single value. Therefore, the number of the RFID tags belonging to a user is not exposed to an eavesdropper, thereby protecting user's privacy. |
| US07649439B2 |
Flexible thin metal film thermal sensing system
A flexible thin metal film thermal sensing system is provided. A self-metallized polymeric film has a polymeric film region and a metal surface disposed thereon. A layer of electrically-conductive metal is deposited directly onto the self-metallized polymeric film's metal surface. Coupled to at least one of the metal surface and the layer of electrically-conductive metal is a device/system for measuring an electrical characteristic associated therewith as an indication of temperature. |
| US07649438B2 |
Positive temperature coefficient thermistor device
A positive temperature coefficient thermistor device includes a laminate of a lower insulating plate, a positive temperature coefficient thermistor element, and terminal assemblies. The laminate is disposed in a hollow portion in a metal body. The device also includes a pressure spring made of a metal plate that is bent such that the cross-sectional shape thereof in a plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction thereof is substantially constant. The pressure spring is disposed between the top surface of the hollow portion and the terminal assembly adjacent to the top surface of the hollow portion such that the pressure spring and the laminate are resiliently supported inside the hollow portion. With this structure, the pressure spring can be easily inserted without damaging electrodes of the positive temperature coefficient thermistor element, and an insulator can be easily arranged without damaging the insulator. |
| US07649434B2 |
Multiphase voltage regulator having coupled inductors with reduced winding resistance
A multiple phase buck converter or boost converter, or buck-boost converter has an inductor in each phase. The inductors are inversely coupled. In a first embodiment, the converter includes a toroidal magnetic core with inductors extending under and over opposite sides of the toroidal magnetic core. The coupled inductors are thereby inversely coupled and have a relatively low ohmic resistance. In a second embodiment, the converter comprises a ladder-shaped magnetic core (i.e. having parallel sides, and connecting rungs). In this case, the inductors extend under the sides, and over the rungs. Each inductor is disposed over a separate rung. The ladder-shaped magnetic core is preferably disposed flat on a circuit board. Inverse coupling and low ohmic resistance are also provided in the second embodiment having the ladder structure. |
| US07649432B2 |
Three-dimensional microstructures having an embedded and mechanically locked support member and method of formation thereof
Provided are three-dimensional microstructures and their methods of formation. The microstructures are formed by a sequential build process and include microstructural elements which are mechanically locked to one another. The microstructures find use, for example, in coaxial transmission lines for electromagnetic energy. |
| US07649431B2 |
Band pass filter
There is provided a multi-layered band pass filter capable of improving a stop characteristic out of a pass band and reducing the entire size of the filter. The multi-layered band pass filter includes a ceramic laminated body having at least first to fifth dielectric layers laminated sequentially therein; first and second resonators having symmetrical patterns of first and second inductors formed on the first dielectric layer, and symmetrical patterns of first and second capacitors formed on the second dielectric layer so that they are at least partially overlapped with the patterns of the first and second inductors; a pattern of first and second load capacitors electrically capacitively coupled respectively to ends of the first and second resonators formed on the third dielectric layer; a pattern of first and second notching capacitors electrically capacitively coupled respectively to the other ends of the first and second resonators formed on the third dielectric layer; and first and second ground planes formed respectively on the fourth and fifth dielectric layers, wherein each of the patterns of the first and second inductors is composed of a low impedance portion formed of wide-width lines and a high impedance portion formed of meander-type narrow-width lines from the low impedance portion. |
| US07649429B2 |
Controlling coupling strength in electromagnetic bus coupling
A controller sends signals to an electromagnetic coupler associated with a bus. The signals are arranged to set a coupling strength of the coupler. |
| US07649425B2 |
Programmable precision oscillator
A free running clock circuit includes a switching circuit for switching between first and second logic states at a predetermined frequency based upon a trip voltage. The switching circuit has an inherent temperature profile associated therewith. A voltage divider circuit outputs a defined trip voltage that is compensated over the temperature to offset the temperature profile of said switching circuit to provide an overall temperature compensated operation for the free running clock circuit. The voltage divider circuit has a top programmable resistor array connected in series with at least two programmable resistor arrays between two supply terminals of differing voltages. |
| US07649424B2 |
Method of adjusting the resonance frequency of an L-C resonant circuit and resonant circuit
An L-C resonant circuit with an adjustable resonance frequency, having a capacitor and a first inductor electrically coupled together and a second inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor. Additionally, there is a control circuit to sense a signal representing a first current flowing through the first inductor and to force through the second inductor a second current that is a replica of the first current for setting the adjustable resonance frequency of the L-C resonant circuit. |
| US07649417B1 |
Apparatus and method for input stage and bias canceller for an audio operational amplifier
An input bias cancellation stage for an audio operational amplifier is provided. The input bias cancellation stage includes an input differential pair, a current mirror, and a bias duplicator transistor that substantially duplicates the input bias current. The bias duplicator transistor receives substantially the same emitter current as the transistors in the input differential pair, and has substantially the same Vce as the transistors in the input differential pair. The current mirror mirrors the duplicated bias current and subtracts it from the bases of the transistors in the input differential pair so that the input bias current is substantially cancelled. |
| US07649413B2 |
High-frequency power amplifier improved in size and cost
A high-frequency power amplifier of the present invention comprises a power supply unit for including a transistor for switching whose drain electrode—source electrode or collector electrode—emitter electrode are on/off controlled according to a pulse signal corresponding to an envelope signal of a high-frequency signal applied to a gate electrode or to a base electrode, and for generating a voltage corresponding to the envelope signal by means of on/off operation of the transistor for switching; and a transistor for power amplification which is a source electrode grounded type or an emitter electrode grounded type, to which a voltage generated by the power supply unit is supplied as an operating voltage, in which the high-frequency signal is applied to the gate electrode or to the base electrode. Further, the transistor for switching in the power supply unit and the transistor for power amplification are arranged so that the source electrodes or the emitter electrodes are commonly connected in one package. |
| US07649410B2 |
Systems and methods for improving performance in a digital amplifier by adding an ultrasonic signal to an input audio signal
Systems and methods in which an ultrasonic signal is introduced into an audio signal before the audio signal is amplified by a switching amplifier. The added ultrasonic signal (e.g., a tone at half the amplifier's switching frequency) shifts the signals input to a set of power switches so that they do not switch nearly simultaneously. The ultrasonic signal causes the output current to be well defined to eliminate dead time distortion at low signal levels. Adding the tone ultrasonic signal causes the distortion to shift to an amplitude greater than zero. Signals that exceed this amplitude will experience the distortion, but the distortion will be less noticeable than in lower-amplitude signals. Signals that do not exceed this amplitude will not experience the distortion at all. Adding an ultrasonic signal may also draw energy away from the switch frequency and its harmonics to interference with AM radio reception. |
| US07649406B2 |
Short-circuit charge-sharing technique for integrated circuit devices
A short-circuit charge-sharing technique which allows charge-sharing between two or more circuits with a simple shorting transistor controlled to achieve the desired operating voltage levels. The shorting transistor which can be either a P-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor (PMOS) or an N-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor (NMOS) device and can be controlled utilizing the same clock that enables the drive of the signals between which charge-sharing occurs. In operation, the desired operating voltage levels can be regulated by increasing and decreasing the pulse width of the control circuit output to the gate of the shorting transistor. |
| US07649400B2 |
Back gate biasing overshoot and undershoot protection circuitry
The signal switch has flat resistance across the input/output voltage range when in the ON state while still isolating input/output nodes from overshoots and undershoots when in the off state. The signal switch includes: a p channel switch coupled between a first input/output node and a second input/output node; an n channel switch coupled in parallel with the p channel switch; an overshoot protection block having a first output coupled to a backgate of the p channel switch, a first input coupled to the first input/output node, a second input coupled to the second input/output node, a third input coupled to a gate of the p channel switch, and a second output coupled to a p-rail voltage node; and an undershoot protection block having a first output coupled to a backgate of the n channel switch, a first input coupled to the first input/output node, a second input coupled to the second input/output node, a third input coupled to a gate of the n channel switch, and a second output coupled to an n-rail voltage node. |
| US07649399B2 |
Signal generating and switching apparatus and method thereof
A signal generating and switching apparatus and a method thereof are provided. According to a simple layout technique, the signal switching apparatus is formed in each layer of a plurality of metal layers in an integrated circuit. When there is a need to correct any one of the plurality of conductive layers in the integrated circuit, the changing of the signal switching apparatus in that conductive layer can be achieved by changing mask patterns of the conductive layer. As a result, the transmission path of signals in the conductive layer is changed, and the purpose to change output logic signals is achieved. Therefore, there is no need to change additional conductive layers, thereby significantly reducing the correcting cost of the integrated circuit. |
| US07649398B2 |
Level shifter with single input and liquid crystal display device using the same
A single input level shifter, which performs a stable level-shifting operation without increasing its area when used with a thin film transistor (“TFT”) having a variety of different characteristics, and includes an intermediate voltage signal providing unit for providing an intermediate voltage signal having a voltage between a supply voltage and an input signal voltage, an inverting unit for receiving the intermediate voltage signal and providing an inverted intermediate voltage signal, and a voltage signal comparing unit for comparing the intermediate voltage signal with the inverted intermediate voltage signal and providing the supply voltage or the ground voltage according to the comparison. A TFT liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device employs the single input level shifter. |
| US07649395B2 |
Scan flip-flop with internal latency for scan input
A scan flip-flop circuit including a data input, a scan input, a data output, a flip-flop, a multiplexer and a delay element is provided. The multiplexer allows selection of either the scan input or the data input for presentation at the input of the flip-flop. The flip-flop provides an output signal at the output of the scan flip-flop. The delay element is in a signal path between the scan input and the input of the flip-flop, and provides a signal propagation delay between the scan input and the input of the flip-flop. The delay between the scan input and the input of the flip-flop is substantially larger than the signal propagation delay between the data input and the input of the flip-flop. The delay in the scan path reduces the need for external buffers to avoid hold-time violations during scan testing of integrated circuits. |
| US07649390B2 |
Delay locked loop for high speed semiconductor memory device
A delayed locked loop supports increased operation frequency in a semiconductor memory device. An output driver for use in a delay locked loop includes a first driving block for receiving an output from the delay locked loop to generate a first DLL clock for outputting read data corresponding to a read command, and a second driving block for receiving an output from the delay locked loop to generate a second DLL clock for reducing current consumption during a write operation, wherein the first driving block has larger delay amount than the second driving block. |
| US07649387B2 |
Output driving circuits
An output driving circuit is disclosed, providing an output signal at an output node and comprises an inverter and an output driver. A first P-type transistor and a first N-type transistor of the inverter are coupled in series between high and low voltage sources and controlled respectively by first and second driving signals. A gate oxide layer of the first N-type transistor is thinner than that of the first P-type transistor. The inverter generates a first driving signal. A second P-type transistor and a second N-type transistor of the output driver are coupled in series at the output node between the high and low voltage sources. The second P-type transistor and the second N-type transistor are controlled respectively by the first driving signal and a second driving signal. A falling time of the first driving signal is longer than a falling time of the second driving signal. |
| US07649378B1 |
Methods for evaluating permanent magnet motors after manufacture and during service
A method evaluates a motor assembly having a first permanent magnet motor in a transmission of an automotive drive system at an end of manufacturing line evaluation. The first motor includes a first rotor with a first plurality of magnets mounted thereon, and a first stator with a first plurality of windings in proximity to the first rotor and coupled to a first inverter. The method includes spinning the first motor with an input dynamometer machine to a predetermined speed such that the first rotor of the first motor induces a first voltage on the first inverter; measuring the first voltage on the first inverter; calculating a first voltage constant of the first motor from the first voltage; comparing the first voltage constant to accepted voltage constants; and identifying the motor as not acceptable if the first voltage constant is outside of a range of the accepted voltage constants. |
| US07649375B2 |
Connector-to-pad printed circuit board translator and method of fabrication
In one embodiment, a laminated printed circuit board translator is provided. In some embodiments, the translator includes a receiving board adapted to receive a pin, the receiving board includes a plated via extending through the receiving board and has a hole for receiving a pin. An interface board laminated with the receiving board has a controlled depth via extending through it to contact a conductive trace. The conductive trace extends between the receiving board and the interface board to connect the plated via of the receiving board with the controlled depth via of the interface board. The controlled depth via is configured so that it is capable of being plated through a single sided drilled opening in the interface board. Some embodiments have a pad on the interface board connected to the controlled depth via. |
| US07649373B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit with voltage drop detector
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes one or more voltage drop detection circuits located at one or more measurement points within the integrated circuit to detect drops in the power supply potential at those points. The voltage drop detection circuits output signals indicating whether the power supply potential is within tolerance, or whether the power supply potential has fallen and corrective action is required. Being located near the measurement points, the voltage drop detection circuits can measure the power supply potential without being disturbed by electrical noise elsewhere in the semiconductor integrated circuit. The signals output by the voltage detection circuits can be reliably brought to external terminals despite the presence of such noise, because the output signals are bi-level signals. |
| US07649372B2 |
Die design with integrated assembly aid
Methods and systems for inserting and replacing swaged probe pins in a lower die portion of a head having an array of micro-holes for receiving the probe pins are disclosed. The methods and systems include the following: swaged probe pins including substantially cylindrical ends and a swaged center portion; and an assembly aid film including an array of slotted holes, each of the slotted holes including a substantially round portion for receiving the substantially cylindrical ends of the swaged probe pins and slot portions for receiving the swaged center portion of the swaged probe pins. The array of slotted holes is configured to properly align the swaged probe pins with the array of micro-holes. |
| US07649369B2 |
Probe and method of manufacturing probe
In accordance with an increase in speed, a wiring structure has rapidly become more microscopic and thinner and a wiring layer has become extremely thin, and therefore, giving a contact load to a probe for the inspection as has been conventionally done causes damage to a wiring layer and an insulation layer because the probe penetrates not only the oxide film but also the wiring layer or because of a concentration stress from the probe. On the other hand, decreasing the contact load causes unstable continuity between the probe and an electrode pad.It is an object of the present invention to surely and stably inspect an object to be inspected by breaking an oxide film with a low stylus pressure.The present invention is a probe that comes into electrical contact with an object to be inspected when inspecting an electrical characteristic of the object to be inspected, the probe including: a probe main body having a contact portion that comes into contact with the object to be inspected; and a plurality of conductive materials having tip portions projecting from the contact portion of the probe main body. |
| US07649367B2 |
Low profile probe having improved mechanical scrub and reduced contact inductance
A vertically folded probe is provided that can provide improved scrub performance in cases where the probe height is limited. More specifically, such a probe includes a base and a tip, and an arm extending from the base to the tip as a single continuous member. The probe arm is vertically folded, such that it includes three or more vertical arm portions. The vertical arm portions have substantial vertical overlap, and are laterally displaced from each other. When such a probe is vertically brought down onto a device under test, the probe deforms. During probe deformation, at least two of the vertical arm portions come into contact with each other. Such contact between the arm portions can advantageously increase the lateral scrub motion at the probe tip, and can also advantageously reduce the probe inductance. |
| US07649366B2 |
Method and apparatus for switching tester resources
A contactor device comprising a plurality of probes disposed to contact ones of the electronic devices can be electrically connected to a source of test signals. A switch can be activated electrically connecting a connection to the source of test signals to a selected one of a first group of electrically connected ones of the probes disposed to contact a first set of a plurality of the electronic devices or a second group of electrically connected ones of the probes disposed to contact a second set of a plurality of the electronic devices. |
| US07649365B1 |
Inline inspection of photovoltaics for electrical defects
A method of inline inspection of photovoltaic material for electrical anomalies. A first electrical connection is formed to a first surface of the photovoltaic material, and a second electrical connection is formed to an opposing second surface of the photovoltaic material. A localized current is induced in the photovoltaic material and properties of the localized current in the photovoltaic material are sensed using the first and second electrical connections. The properties of the sensed localized current are analyzed to detect the electrical anomalies in the photovoltaic material. |
| US07649364B2 |
Circuit comprising a MOS transistor and a control circuit for the MOS transistor
A circuit includes a MOS transistor having a control electrode and a control capacitance, and including a control circuit for the MOS transistor. The control circuit includes an input to supply a control signal and an output to supply a drive signal, the output being connected to the control electrode of the MOS transistor. A calibration circuit is connected to the control electrode of the MOS transistor, and generates a calibration signal dependent on the capacitance value of the control capacitance. A drive circuit generates the drive signal with an amplitude dependent on the calibration signal as determined by the control signal. |
| US07649362B2 |
Apparatus for testing catalysis electrode of fuel cell
An apparatus is disclosed for testing a catalysis electrode of a fuel cell. The apparatus includes a driving module, a loading module, a containing module and an analyzing unit. The containing module includes a hollow threaded bolt, a sleeve and a contact plate. The hollow threaded bolt is operatively connected to driving module. The sleeve receives and is operatively connected to the hollow threaded bolt. The contact plate is located below the hollow threaded bolt in the sleeve. The analyzing unit includes a working electrode, an auxiliary electrode and a reference electrode. The working electrode is connected to the contact plate. The auxiliary electrode includes an end located below the containing module in the loading module. The reference electrode is connected to the loading module. |
| US07649361B2 |
Methods for forming process test capacitors for testing embedded passives during embedment into a printed wiring board
Making process test capacitors simultaneously with circuit capacitors that are to be embedded into a printed wiring board and firing the test capacitors to result in fired-on-foil test capacitors for the purpose of using the test capacitors as test substitutes for the embedded circuit capacitors to predict whether capacitance, dissipation factor or insulation resistance of the circuit capacitors will fall within acceptable specified ranges prior to and after embedment. |
| US07649360B2 |
Apparatus and systems for common mode voltage-based AC fault detection, verification and/or identification
Apparatus for AC fault (ACF) detection are provided. In addition, apparatus for AC fault (ACF) detection and verification are provided. In addition, apparatus for identification of a module which is the cause of an AC fault (ACF) are provided. In one implementation, one or more of these apparatus can be combined to provide a fast, simple, low cost and reliable ACF detection, verification and/or identification circuit. |
| US07649358B2 |
Signal processing circuit comprising ion sensitive field effect transistor and method of monitoring a property of a fluid
A signal processing circuit includes an ion sensitive field effect transistor, a reference electrode for the ion sensitive field effect transistor, a metal oxide semiconductor transistor having its gate coupled to the reference electrode, and a biasing circuit. The biasing circuit is configured to bias the ion sensitive field effect transistor and the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor to operate in a weak inversion region and to provide an output current signal. |
| US07649357B2 |
Side entry leak protection for downhole tools
A connector for a downhole tool includes a body with one or more conductors positioned at least partially axially adjacent to an axial bore that extends at least partially through the body. In embodiments, one or more seals surrounding the body prevent fluid from flowing from a lateral opening into the interior of the downhole tool. Additionally, the body of the connector can include a circumferential or annular recess that acts as a reservoir to contain or capture fluid that might otherwise enter the sub. Leak protection can also be protected by applying a pressure compensating material around the body. |
| US07649354B2 |
Method and apparatus for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data
A multi-shot three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data view-ordering strategy for uniform or variable density k-space sampling schemes is presented. The ky-kz plane is partitioned into multiple wedge-shaped “blades” (or radial fan beams). The angular size of individual blades may be adjusted according to the desired number of views for each blade. Each blade includes views near the origin that contain low-frequency information about the imaged object such that views having the most desirable characteristics may be used to fill the central portions of k-space. |
| US07649351B2 |
Method for interference suppression in a measuring device
The present invention describes a method enabling one to shield a device that measures weak biomagnetic signals from strong magnetic interference fields. The measurement sensors are provided with a feedback compensation loop, the difference signal of which is obtained from the measurement sensors themselves. As the actuator of the feedback function, one or more coils are responsible for eliminating, the external interference fields in the region of the sensors. Difference signals can be generated as a linear combination from the signals of two or more sensors. In the control logic, the SSS method can be used to numerically separate the biomagnetic signal being measured from the signals produced by the sources—compensation coils and interference sources—disposed outside the measurement region. The interference suppression can be enhanced by placing the assembly of sensors and the actuators within a magnetically shielding room. |
| US07649349B2 |
Method for the manufacture of a switching device and module for a switching device
The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of a switching device with a sensor unit located at a measurement end of a casing sleeve and connected to an electronic circuit located on a support received in the casing sleeve, and with a connection part located at a rear end of the casing sleeve. The method is characterized in that the sensor unit, support and connection part together with a shielding sleeve surrounding the support are assembled to form a dimensionally stable module and the latter is subsequently inserted in the casing sleeve, where it is received in fixing manner. According to a further aspect, the invention relates to a module for a switching device. |
| US07649345B2 |
Power supply regulator with digital control
An integrated circuit and method in an integrated circuit for providing electrical power utilizing digital power regulation. Various aspects of the present invention provide an integrated circuit comprising a power supply module that outputs electrical power at an output voltage level. An error determination module may receive a power supply reference signal and a signal indicative of the output voltage level and output a power supply error signal. A digital controller module may receive the power supply error signal, digitally process the power supply error signal, and output a power supply control signal. A power output-monitoring module may monitor the electrical power output from the power supply module and output the signal indicative of the output voltage level. The power supply module may receive the power supply control signal and output the electrical power based, at least in part, on the power supply control signal. |
| US07649343B2 |
Charge control circuit, charging device, and connection checking method
Electrical connection between a charging device and a secondary battery is checked during a wait time in which a charge mode of the charging device is selected. When the electrical connection is not successfully established, a charge current is not supplied from the charging device to the secondary battery. |
| US07649342B2 |
System and method of charging a battery in a power management unit
Exemplary methods and systems for charging a battery in a power management unit include a power regulator having an input power supply and a processor that regulates a charging rate of the battery based on measured parameters of the power regulator and the battery. The processor is programmed to perform exemplary methods that include receiving an output voltage signal and a battery temperature signal from the power regulator, and comparing the output voltage to a first threshold to determine a charge level of the battery. An exemplary method includes selecting a charging mode based on the comparison, and sending a first control signal to the power regulator to adjust a charging rate of the battery based on the battery temperature. |
| US07649340B2 |
Battery pack
A protecting circuit monitors a voltage of a secondary battery and supplies the signal to permit a discharge to a gate terminal of a discharge control FET when the voltage is equal to or more than a lower limit value in a rated voltage range. When the discharge control FET receives this signal, it is connected and passes a discharge current. In the other cases, it shuts off the discharge current. Further, when the voltage is equal to or more than a predetermined value, a signal of a voltage of a battery voltage or more is supplied from a voltage converter to the gate terminal. When the voltage is equal to or less than an upper limit value in the rated voltage range, the protecting circuit supplies the signal to permit a charge to a gate terminal of a charge control FET. Further, when the voltage is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the voltage output from the voltage converter is supplied to the gate terminal. A battery pack in which by applying the voltage of the battery voltage or more to the gate terminal, the discharge control FET and the charge control FET are controlled and an energy loss is suppressed to the minimum is provided. |
| US07649339B2 |
Calculating remaining battery capacity based on battery-side end voltage and device-side end voltage
A remaining battery capacity indicating apparatus includes an end voltage accumulated value setting unit operable to set an accumulated value indicative of a remaining capacity of a lithium-ion secondary battery, the accumulated value being set in a fully charged state of the battery so that the accumulated value reaches zero when a voltage in the battery is a device-side end voltage. It is determined whether a battery-side end voltage which ends discharges from the lithium-ion secondary battery corresponds to the device-side end voltage. If the battery-side end voltage does not correspond to the device-side end voltage, then the accumulated value is corrected in response to the device-side end voltage. A remaining capacity of the battery, corresponding to the device-side end voltage, is calculated based on the corrected accumulated value, and the calculated remaining capacity of the battery is displayed on a display unit. If the device-side end voltage does not correspond to the battery-side end voltage, then the remaining capacity of the battery is displayed on the device side. |
| US07649338B2 |
Method for compensating state of charge of battery and battery management system using the same
The present invention relates to a state of charge (SOC) compensation method of a battery and a battery management system using the SOC compensation method. The charge and discharge current of the battery is used to calculate a first SOC and a first voltage corresponding to the first SOC, the charge and discharge current of the battery, the battery pack voltage, and an internal resistance of the battery are used to calculate a rheobasic voltage of the battery, an integration error corresponding to a difference between the first voltage and the rheobasic voltage is calculated, and a SOC compensation factor corresponding to the error is added to or subtracted from the first SOC to determine a more accurate SOC of the battery. |
| US07649337B2 |
Power tool including a fuel gauge and method of operating the same
A power tool and a method of operating a power tool. The power tool can include a housing supporting a motor, a switch assembly, and a fuel gauge. The method can include the acts of activating the switch assembly to electrically connect the motor and a battery, measuring a state of charge of the battery, displaying the state of charge on the fuel gauge before electrically connecting the motor and the battery, and stopping the display of the state of charge before deactivating the switch assembly. |
| US07649331B2 |
Mobile robot
A mobile robot has a mobile mechanism, a swing mechanism and a control unit. The mobile mechanism is of a coaxial two-wheeled type and controls a forward thrust using inverted pendulum control. The swing mechanism actively swings an upper body laterally with respect to the mobile mechanism. A centrifugal force and a gravitational force act on a center of gravity of the mobile robot. A swing attitude is controlled such that a location of intersection of an extension of a composite vector of the forces acting on the center of gravity of the mobile robot and a ground plane of wheels is kept between left and right wheels. |
| US07649324B2 |
Auxiliary lighting circuit for high intensity discharge system
The embodiment disclosed herein relates to a lighting system that includes an auxiliary lighting circuit for use with an electronic HID ballast. The lighting system comprises a power supply configured to provide power to a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp via an electronic ballast and a ballast power sensing component configured to determine the amount of power drawn by the electronic ballast and to convert this power drawn by the electronic ballast to a scaled voltage that is representative of the power drawn by an HID ballast. A lamp driver component is configured to provide power to an auxiliary lamp via the same power supply when the scaled voltage reaches a triggering threshold. A voltage regulation component is configured to regulate the power delivered to the auxiliary lamp such that the auxiliary lamp power stays within a predefined range. |
| US07649323B1 |
Rechargeable light-emitting diode driver circuit
A self-contained, rechargeable LED flashlight uses a zener diode in reverse-breakdown avalanche mode as a low-cost voltage regulator. A second embodiment of the LED flashlight incorporates boost-buck circuitry to allow the internal rechargeable flashlight battery to be recharged through external dry cells. An LED or LED array of the flashlight may be by passed with operator control to allow an internal battery to operate an external device, such as a cellular telephone or the like. |
| US07649322B2 |
Limited flicker light emitting diode string
A limited flicker decorative light-emitting diode (LED) string includes a power plug adapted to connect to an alternating current (AC) power source and supply AC power to the LED string, a first pair of LEDs and a second pair of LEDs, a plurality of LEDs electrically connected in series to form an LED series, and a plurality of rectifying diodes. The plurality of rectifying diodes provides full-wave rectification of the AC power to the LED series and half-wave rectification of the AC power to the first and second pair of LEDs. |
| US07649321B2 |
Irradiation direction control apparatus and method
An apparatus for controlling the irradiation direction of a lamp for a vehicle is provided with an actuator 3R for controlling the irradiation direction of a headlamp 2R and a controller (ECU) 1 for controlling the actuator 3R in accordance with a pitch angle of a vehicle. The controller 1 includes a monitor unit for monitoring the state of a control signal line CL for sending a control signal for controlling the actuator 3R and determines an abnormality of the controller, the actuator or the control signal line based on the state of the control signal line. The controller is not required to be connected to the actuator via a wire harness dedicated for the monitoring which is provided independently, so that the number of the wire harnesses can be prevented from increasing. Further, since the actuator is not required to be provided with a dedicated monitor circuit, the configuration of the actuator is prevented from being complicated. |
| US07649316B2 |
Assemblies for plasma-enhanced treatment of substrates
Some embodiments include methods of forming plasma-generating microstructures. Aluminum may be anodized to form an aluminum oxide body having a plurality of openings extending therethrough. Conductive liners may be formed within the openings, and circuitry may be formed to control current flow through the conductive liners. The conductive liners form a plurality of hollow cathodes, and the current flow is configured to generate and maintain plasmas within the hollow cathodes. The plasmas within various hollow cathodes, or sets of hollow cathodes, may be independently controlled. Such independently controlled plasmas may be utilized to create a pattern in a display, or on a substrate. In some embodiments, the plasmas may be utilized for plasma-assisted etching and/or plasma-assisted deposition. Some embodiments include constructions and assemblies containing multiple plasma-generating structures. |
| US07649315B2 |
Plasma display panel
A plasma display panel (PDP) according to one embodiment includes: a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed substantially in parallel with each other with a predetermined distance therebetween; a plurality of address electrodes disposed on the first substrate; a first dielectric layer disposed on an entire surface of the first substrate while covering the address electrodes; a plurality of barrier ribs having a predetermined height from the first dielectric layer and disposed in a space between the first substrate and the second substrate to partition the space into discharge spaces of a predetermined size; a phosphor layer disposed in the discharge spaces; a plurality of display electrodes disposed on one side of the second substrate facing the first substrate in a direction crossing the address electrodes; a second dielectric layer disposed on an entire surface of the second substrate to cover the display electrodes; and a protective layer disposed to cover the second dielectric layer. The protective layer includes MgO having a crystalline grain size ranging from 100 to 500 nm and has a membrane density of less than or equal to 3.3 g/cm3. |
| US07649313B2 |
Structure for stabilizing drive pulses and plasma display device using the same
A plasma display device (PDP), and a structure stabilizing drive pulses in a PDP the structure including a panel, a chassis base which is mounted on an upper part of the panel to form a current path and dissipates heat, a case the dissipates the heat in connection with the chassis base, a chassis reinforcing member mounted on an upper part of the chassis base, a driving circuit substrate mounted on an upper part of the chassis reinforcing member, a signal transmitting element that transmits signals between the driving circuit substrate and the panel, and a carbon group thermal conductive sheet that is interposed between the panel and the chassis base to electrically connect the panel to the chassis base, and grounded to the chassis base. The carbon group thermal conductive sheet reduces inductance between the panel and the chassis base, and accordingly, the generation of an electromotive force, which affects the driving pulses, is reduced, thereby enabling a stable panel discharge. |
| US07649310B2 |
White LED, backlight using same and liquid crystal display
The present invention provides a white LED comprising: an ultraviolet emitting diode or a purple light emitting diode; and phosphors for emitting at least three visible lights including blue light, green light and red light; wherein an emission spectrum of the white LED has: a first luminescence peak in a blue light region having a wavelength of 440-460 nm; a second luminescence peak in a green light region having a wavelength of 510-530 nm; and a third luminescence peak in a red light region having a wavelength of 620-640 nm. Further, it is preferable that a half bandwidth of each of the luminescence peaks is 50 nm or less. As a result, there can be provided a white LED, backlight and liquid crystal display using the white LED exhibiting a high luminance and an excellent color reproducing property. |
| US07649300B2 |
Electromagnetic actuator and camera blade driving device
An electromagnetic actuator includes a rotor rotatable within a predetermined angular range, a magnetizing coil, and a yoke having an arcuate surface facing the rotor, and first and second magnetic-pole parts that have mutually different magnetic poles upon energizing the coil. The rotor includes a magnetized rotor part defining the outer peripheral surface of the rotor and magnetized to have different magnetic poles, a non-magnetized driving pin rotatable with the magnetized rotor part, and a protrusion part protruding radially from the rotor and facing the first or second magnetic-pole part while being magnetized to have the same magnetic pole as the outer peripheral surface of the rotor. The surface of the rotor that faces the yoke and that exerts a magnetic action is increased due to the inclusion of the protrusion part, and hence a desired maintaining force and driving torque can be obtained. |
| US07649298B2 |
Claw teeth type electric rotary machine and manufacturing method for stators
A claw teeth type electric rotary machine comprises a stator including an annular core with claws formed from a powder core and an annular coil installed inside the annular core, and a rotor rotatably positioned inside the stator. An inner edge of the annular core is provided with plural claw poles which are protruded at a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction and extended in an axial direction of the annular core so as to alternately meshes with each other. The stator comprises the annular core with claws, the annular coil, and a molded nonmagnetic potting material filled between the annular core with claws and annular coil, so that the annular core with claws and annular coil are integrated with the molded potting non-magnetic material. |
| US07649297B2 |
Commutator, direct-current motor, and method for manufacturing commutator
A commutator having a plurality of segments, a short-circuit member assembly, a holding portion, and a plurality of spacing members is disclosed. The short-circuit member assembly includes a plurality of short-circuit pieces. Each short-circuit piece has an outer terminal, an inner terminal arranged radially inward from the outer terminal and circumferentially offset from the outer terminal at a predetermined offset angle, and a connecting portion connecting the inner terminal to the outer terminal. The holding portion covers the segments and at least a portion of the short-circuit member assembly to hold the segments and the short-circuit member assembly. The spacing members each have an insulated support portion and a plurality of insulated spacing projections formed integrally with the support portion. Each support portion extends in a radial direction of the short-circuit member assembly. The spacing projections are arranged in the direction in which the corresponding support members extend in such a manner that the spacing projections are each provided between the corresponding circumferentially adjacent pair of the connecting portions. |
| US07649293B2 |
Rotor of an electrical machine
The rotor (1) of an electrical machine (10), having at least one permanent magnet (3), which is embodied as a hollow cylinder (5) and which has axial contact faces (20) that cooperate with corresponding axial clamping faces (22) of at least one retaining element (4), with which element the permanent magnet (3) is secured to the rotor (1), in which at least one of the clamping faces (22) has a knurling (46) extending in the radial direction. |
| US07649291B2 |
Limit structure for motor spindle
The present invention relates to a limit structure for motor spindle, which includes a base equipped with a shaft tube and a stator set. A limit member and a bearing are disposed inside a shaft tube such that a spindle can be inserted and rotated in the bearing. The inner wall of a through hole of the limit member has plural limit protrusions extended toward a center of the through hole for snapping a necking of a nose of a spindle to limit its axial displacement. The limit protrusion forms a non-vertical included angle with the inner wall of the through hole in a tilted manner. Therefore, when the limit protrusions are subjected to compression of the nose of the spindle, its deformation is so small that irrecoverable condition and fracture of the limit protrusion and rotor drop can be prevented. |
| US07649290B2 |
Bearing bush and compound movement using the same
Provided is a bearing bush enabling excellent advancing and retreating movements of a shaft member by eliminating a clearance between the bearing bush and the shaft member to eliminate a backlash therebetween, capable of reducing a load of dimension control on both the bearing bush and the shaft member, and capable of being manufactured at a low cost. The bearing bush (4) for supporting the reciprocating movement of the shaft member (1) in an axial direction has a receiving hole through which the shaft member (1) is passed. Grooves (40) are sequentially formed at predetermined intervals in an inner peripheral surface of the bearing bush (4) facing the receiving hole. An inner diameter of the receiving hole is formed to be equal to or smaller than an outer diameter of the shaft member (1), and the bearing bush is press-fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the shaft member (1) in a state of a so-called interference fit. |
| US07649288B1 |
System and method for providing rotation control in a limited rotation motor system
A limited rotation motor system is disclosed that includes a rotor shaft mounted within first and second bearing units. The rotor shaft is coupled to a helically shaped torsion member that is fixed with respect to a motor housing. |
| US07649277B2 |
Method for the operation of a wind energy plant with a synchronous generator and a superimposition gearbox
A method for the operation of a wind energy plant, with a synchronous generator, a superimposition gearbox, which is connected between rotor shaft and generator shaft, and a drive unit, wherein before connecting the synchronous generator to the electric grid, the drive unit drives the synchronous generator until the same has reached its rated rotational speed. |
| US07649275B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating electric power from a subsurface water current
A subsurface power generating system in one embodiment includes a frame, an electric generator supported by the frame and operably connected to a first vertical rotor, another electric generator supported by the frame and operably connected to a second vertical rotor, a first louver operably connected to the first vertical rotor and including a front side, and a back side, and pivotable between a first position whereat the backside is in contact with a first pivot limiting structure, and a second position whereat the backside is not in contact with the first pivot limiting structure, and a second louver operably connected to the second vertical rotor and including a front side, and a back side, and pivotable between a third position whereat the backside is in contact with a second pivot limiting structure, and a fourth position whereat the backside is not in contact with the second pivot limiting structure. |
| US07649273B2 |
Hybrid drive unit having a low-temperature circuit
A hybrid drive unit (10) for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine (12) and at least one electric machine (14) optionally operable as a motor or as a generator, has a charge air compressor (22) for compression of combustion air supplied to the internal combustion engine (12) and a charge air cooler (32) for cooling the combustion air. The hybrid drive unit (10) has a low-temperature cooling circuit (38) carrying a liquid coolant and is designed separately from a high-temperature cooling circuit of the internal combustion engine (12) and has a heat exchanger (42) for cooling the coolant, whereby the low-temperature cooling circuit (38) includes the charge air cooler (32) and the electric machine (12) and/or electronic components (34, 36) allocated to the electric machine (14). |
| US07649268B2 |
Semiconductor wafer
A semiconductor wafer comprises a plurality of die areas, at least a first scribe line area and at least a second scribe line area surrounding each die area, at least a first metal structure positioned in the first scribe line area, and at least a second metal structure positioned in the second scribe line area. The first metal structure comprises at least a first slot split parallel to the first scribe line area, or comprises a plurality of openings arranged in an array. The second metal structure comprises at least a second slot split parallel to the second scribe line area, or comprises a plurality of openings arranged in an array. |
| US07649267B2 |
Package equipped with semiconductor chip and method for producing same
A highly reliable, high-productivity package equipped with a semiconductor chip, and a method for producing the same. In a package (100) comprising a semiconductor chip (10) and a mounting substrate (30), a plurality of electrode terminals (12) are formed on the surface (10a) of the semiconductor chip (10) opposing the mounting substrate side, connection terminals (32) respectively corresponding to the plurality of electrode terminals (12), are formed on the mounting substrate (30), the connection terminals (32) on the mounting substrate (30) and the electrode terminals (12) are electrically connected collectively by solder bumps (17) formed in self-assembly, an electrode pattern (20) not connected with the electrode terminals (12) and the connection terminals (32) is formed on the chip surface (10a) or the surface (35) of the mounting substrate (30) corresponding to the chip surface (10a), and solder (19) is accumulated on the electrode pattern (20). |
| US07649264B2 |
Hard mask for low-k interlayer dielectric patterning
Described herein are embodiments of a hard mask including a surface to reduce adhesion to an anti-reflective material deposited on a surface, wherein the surface to reduced adhesion provides use of a process to remove the anti-reflective material deposited on the surface that minimizes damage to an interlayer dielectric layer below the hard mask and methods of manufacturing the same. |
| US07649261B2 |
Highly integrated and reliable DRAM and its manufacture
A semiconductor device and its manufacture method wherein the semiconductor substrate has first and second insulating films, the first insulating film being an insulating film other than a silicon nitride film formed at least on a side wall of a conductive pattern including at least one layer of metal or metal silicide, and the second insulating film being a silicon nitride film formed to cover the first insulating film and the upper surface and side wall of the conductive pattern. The first insulating film may be formed to cover the upper surface and side wall of the conductive pattern. A semiconductor device and its manufacture method are provided which can realize high integrated DRAMs of 256 M or larger without degrading reliability and stability. |
| US07649257B2 |
Discrete placement of radiation sources on integrated circuit devices
An integrated circuit and methods of forming and using the integrated circuit. The circuit includes: a radiation-emitting layer over a selected region of a top surface of an integrated circuit chip, the radiation emitting layer comprising a first polymer or resin and a first radioactive material, the region smaller than a whole of the top surface of the integrated circuit chip, the region including a circuit that is liable to temporary failure when struck by radiation generated by the first radioactive material. |
| US07649253B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device 1 includes a substrate 10, a semiconductor chip 20 (first semiconductor chip), semiconductor chips 30 (second semiconductor chips) and a heat sink 40. Semiconductor chips 20 and 30 are mounted on the substrate 10. The level of the top surface of the semiconductor chip 20 on the substrate 10 is lower than the level of the top surface of the semiconductor chip 30. A heat sink 40 is fixed to the semiconductor chip 20. Among the semiconductor chip 20 and the semiconductor chips 30, only above the semiconductor chip 20 is provided with the heat sink 40. |
| US07649247B2 |
Radiation hardened lateral MOSFET structure
A power MOSFET is provided on a semiconductor die to withstand radiation exposure. The semiconductor die is mounted on a die flag of a leadframe. The MOSFET includes a substrate and epitaxial layer formed over the substrate. A source region is formed in a surface of the semiconductor die. The source region is coupled to the die flag. A contact pad is formed on the source region. A base region is formed in the surface of the semiconductor die adjacent to the source region. The base region is electrically connected to the contact pad. A drain region is formed in the surface of the semiconductor die. The drain region is coupled to a first wire bond pad on the leadframe. A gate structure is formed over a channel between the source region and drain region. The gate structure is coupled to a second wire bond pad on the leadframe. |
| US07649244B2 |
Vertical semiconductor device having semiconductor zones for improved operability under dynamic processes
A vertical semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor body, a first contact and a second contact, wherein a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type and a third semiconductor region of a second conductivity type are formed in the semiconductor body in a direction from the first contact to the second contact, wherein a basic doping density of the second semiconductor region is smaller than a doping density of the third semiconductor region, and wherein in the second semiconductor region a semiconductor zone of the second conductivity type is arranged in which the doping density is increased relative to the basic doping density of the second semiconductor region. |
| US07649243B2 |
Semiconductor structures incorporating multiple crystallographic planes and methods for fabrication thereof
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor mesa located upon an isolating substrate. The semiconductor mesa includes a first end that includes a first doped region separated from a second end that includes a second doped region by an isolating region interposed therebetween. The first doped region and the second doped region are of different polarity. The semiconductor structure also includes a channel stop dielectric layer located upon a horizontal surface of the semiconductor mesa over the second doped region. The semiconductor structure also includes a first device located using a sidewall and a top surface of the first end as a channel region, and a second device located using the sidewall and not the top surface of the second end as a channel. A related method derives from the foregoing semiconductor structure. Also included is a semiconductor circuit that includes the semiconductor structure. |
| US07649241B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device having a variable capacitance capacitor and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. An example semiconductor device includes a capacitor having a bottom electrode, a dielectric layer and an upper electrode, formed on a semiconductor substrate. The example semiconductor also includes a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor substrate to cover the capacitor, a plurality of first contact plugs formed in a plurality of first via holes of the first insulating layer, each of which is electrically connected to either the bottom electrode or the upper electrode, a first metal wiring formed on the first insulating layer and connected to the bottom electrode through the first contact plug, a second contact plug formed on the first insulating layer and connected to the upper electrode through the first contact plug, and a second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer to cover the first metal wiring and the second contact plug. In addition, the example semiconductor device includes an anti-fuse formed in a certain thickness in a second via hole of the second insulating layer and electrically connected to the second contact plug, a third contact plug filling the second via hole on the anti-fuse, and a second metal wiring formed on the second insulating layer and electrically connected to the third contact plug. |
| US07649240B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with vertical fuse
A semiconductor memory device having an improved fuse structure may include an interlayer insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, an opening in the interlayer insulating film, a vertical fuse that may conform to the opening, a fuse insulating film on the vertical fuse that may fill the opening, and metal wiring lines that may be electrically connected to the vertical fuse. |
| US07649236B2 |
Semiconductor photodetector and photodetecting device having layers with specific crystal orientations
A semiconductor photodetector 10 has a first semiconductor substrate 1 that is of a first conductive type and a low resistivity and has a (111) front surface, and a second semiconductor substrate 2 that is of the first conductive type and a high resistivity, has a (100) front surface, and is adhered onto first semiconductor substrate 1. A semiconductor region 3 of a second conductive type is formed on the front surface side of second semiconductor substrate 2. A region of a periphery of semiconductor region 3 is etched until first semiconductor substrate 1 is exposed. A first electrode 1e and a second electrode 2e are electrically connected to the exposed front surface of first semiconductor substrate 1 and to semiconductor region 3, respectively. |
| US07649228B2 |
Forming floating body RAM using bulk silicon substrate
A method for forming Z-RAM cells and the resulting semiconductor structure are provided. The semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate; an opening in the dielectric layer, wherein the semiconductor substrate is exposed through the opening; a semiconductor strip on the dielectric layer and adjacent the opening; a gate dielectric over a surface of the semiconductor strip; a gate electrode over the gate dielectric; and a source/drain region in the semiconductor strip and adjacent the gate electrode. |
| US07649226B2 |
Source and drain structures and manufacturing methods
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first gate dielectric on the semiconductor substrate; a first gate electrode over the first gate dielectric; a first lightly doped source or drain (LDD) region in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent the first gate dielectric, wherein the first LDD region comprises arsenic; and a first deep source/drain region in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent the first gate dielectric. The first deep source/drain region comprises phosphorous, and a first phosphorous junction depth in the first deep source/drain region is greater than about three times a first arsenic junction depth in the first deep source/drain region. |
| US07649223B2 |
Semiconductor device having superjunction structure and method for manufacturing the same
An n-type drift region includes an active element region and a peripheral region. A p-type base region is formed at least in the active element region. A trench-type gate electrode is formed in each of the active element region and the peripheral region. An n-type source region formed in the base region. A plurality of p-type column regions is selectively formed separately from one another in each of the active element region and the peripheral region. In a peripheral region, a p-type guard region is formed below the gate electrode. In the active element region, the p-type guard region is not formed below the gate electrode. As a result, it is possible to hold the breakdown voltage in the peripheral region at a higher level than in the active element region while maintaining the low ON resistance due to a superjunction structure and to raise the breakdown voltage performance of the semiconductor device. |
| US07649219B2 |
Image sensor and method of manufacturing the same
An image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a metal line layer, a first conduction type conducting layer, a first pixel isolation layer, an intrinsic layer, and second conduction type conducting layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a circuit region. The metal line layer including a plurality of metal lines and an interlayer insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The first conductive layer having patterns separated from each other by the pixel isolation layer is formed on the metal lines. The first pixel isolation layer is formed between the separated patterns of the first conduction type conducting layer. The intrinsic layer is formed on the first conductive layer and the first pixel isolation layer. The second conduction type conducting layer is formed on the intrinsic layer. |
| US07649210B2 |
Thin film light emitting diode
Light emitting LEDs devices comprised of LED chips that emit light at a first wavelength, and a thin film layer over the LED chip that changes the color of the emitted light. For example, a blue LED chip can be used to produce white light. The thin film layer beneficially consists of a florescent material, such as a phosphor, and/or includes tin. The thin film layer is beneficially deposited using chemical vapor deposition. |
| US07649208B2 |
Light emitting diode package including monitoring photodiode
The present invention relates to an LED package including photo diode. The LED package includes a silicon substrate, and a photo diode is formed in an upper part thereof. Also, an insulation layer is formed on the silicon substrate excluding at least a light-receiving area of the photodiode. In the LED package, an LED terminal is formed on the insulation layer to be connected to the photo diode. First and second LED connecting pads are formed on the insulation layer, and arranged on both sides of the photo diode. In addition, an LED chip is mounted on the silicon substrate, and connected to the first and second LED connecting pads. |
| US07649207B2 |
Thin film transistor
A thin film transistor is disclosed, comprising a substrate, a polysilicon layer overlying the substrate, a gate insulating layer overlying the polysilicon layer, a gate electrode, a dielectric interlayer overlying the gate electrode and gate insulating layer, and a source/drain electrode overlying the dielectric interlayer. Specifically, the gate electrode comprises a first electrode layer overlying the gate insulating layer and a second electrode layer essentially overlying an upper surface of the first electrode layer. The first and second electrode layers each has substantially the same profile with a taper angle of less than about 90 degrees. |
| US07649200B1 |
System and method of detecting IC die cracks
A structure and method is utilized to detect cracks, fissures, fractures, or other dislocations in an IC die. A conductive line in a metal layer is provided about the periphery of the IC die. A break in the conductive line indicates that the IC die is cracked. A JTAG interface can be utilized to provide an indication of whether the die is cracked. |
| US07649198B2 |
Nano-array and fabrication method thereof
The invention provides a method for fabricating a nano-array comprising the following steps. A template with a plurality of nano-holes is provided. A polymer is embossed by the template to integrally form a plurality of nano-protrusions thereon, and demolding to reveal the nano-protrusions. The nano-protrusion has a concave or convex top surface. |
| US07649196B2 |
Light emitting device
A light emitting device includes an optical cavity in resonance with an optical transition of a material disposed in the cavity. The device can form an exciton-polariton state. |
| US07649194B2 |
Nitride semiconductor free-standing substrate
A nitride semiconductor free-standing substrate formed of a free-standing nitride-based compound semiconductor crystal that has a variation in lattice constant of ±12 ppm or less. |
| US07649192B2 |
Nano wires and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are nano wires and a method of manufacturing the same. The method includes forming microgrooves having a plurality of microcavities, the microgrooves forming a regular pattern on a surface of a silicon substrate; forming a metal layer on the silicon substrate by depositing a material which acts as a catalyst to form nano wires on the silicon substrate; agglomerating the metal layer within the microgrooves on the surface of the silicon substrate by heating the metal layer to form catalysts; and growing the nano wires between the catalysts and the silicon substrate using a thermal process. |
| US07649191B2 |
Forming a carbon layer between phase change layers of a phase change memory
A carbon containing layer may be formed between a pair of chalcogenide containing layers of a phase change memory. When the lower chalcogenide layer allows current to pass, a filament may be formed therein. The filament then localizes the electrical heating of the carbon containing layer, converting a relatively localized region to a lower conductivity region. This region then causes the localization of heating and current flow through the upper phase change material layer. In some embodiments, less phase change material may be required to change phase to form a phase change memory, reducing the current requirements of the resulting phase change memory. |
| US07649188B2 |
LPP type extreme ultra violet light source apparatus and driver laser for the same
A driver laser for EUV light source apparatus which driver laser simultaneously achieves short-pulsing and multi-line oscillation. The driver laser includes: a short-pulse multi-line oscillated CO2 laser oscillator having a device that shortens width of pulses included in a laser beam to be output and a device that suppresses amplitude of an oscillation spectrum exhibiting an energy peak value; and at least one amplifier that inputs the laser beam output from the short-pulse multi-line oscillated CO2 laser oscillator and amplifies the input laser beam to output the amplified laser beam. |
| US07649186B2 |
Extreme UV radiation focusing mirror and extreme UV radiation source device
In an EUV focusing mirror in which there are several thin concave nested high precision mirrors in the form of an ellipsoid of revolution, a paraboloid of revolution, a Wolter type or the like, the sides which do not constitute the reflection surfaces are made in the shape of a knife edge at the radiation incident ends of the respective mirrors in order not to be shielded by the thickness of the radiation incidence sides of the respective mirrors. Likewise, the radiation exit ends of the respective mirrors are made in the form of a knife edge. This yields an advantageous far-field distribution use of the mirrors for an EUV radiation source device and the degree of reduction of the light intensity can be made smaller than in the conventional case. |
| US07649182B2 |
Variable multi-stage waveform detector
A variable waveform detector may include multiple stages. |
| US07649173B2 |
Method of preparing a sample for transmission electron microscopy
A method for preparing TEM sample, comprising the following steps: providing a sample with two pits and a failure region between the two pits, the failure region comprising a semiconductor device; milling the first surface of the failure region, till the cross section of the semiconductor device is exposed; etching the first surface of the failure region; cleaning the sample; milling the second surface of the failure region, till the failure region can be passed by electron beam. A sample can be prepared for a high resolution TEM through above steps. When the sample is observed, it is easy to distinguish the lightly doped drain, source/drain regions from the silicon substrate and observe the pattern and defects in the lightly doped drain, source/drain regions clearly; in addition, it is easy to distinguish the BPSG from the non-doped silicon dioxide in the failure region. |
| US07649172B2 |
Charged particle beam equipment with magnification correction
Charged particle beam equipment enables the simultaneous measurement and correction of magnification errors in both X and Y directions in one measurement without requiring the elimination of displacement, if any, in rotation direction between the direction of a periodic structure pattern of a sample having a known periodic structure and the X or Y direction on an electron image of the sample. The charged particle beam equipment of the invention enables the simultaneous measurement of magnification errors in the X and Y directions by FFT transformation and coordinate transformation of an electron image, even when there is a displacement in rotation direction between the direction of the periodic structural pattern and the X or Y direction on the electron image of the sample. |
| US07649171B1 |
Miniature mass spectrometer for the analysis of biological small molecules
Analysis of biological small molecules such as toxins, spores or cells is achieved by miniature mass spectrometer apparatus and apparatus attached thereto for vaporizing and ionizing a liquid sample fed into an evacuated vaporization chamber as an electrospray. The mass spectrometer apparatus includes: a collimation chamber, a repeller assembly, an internal ionization chamber, a mass filter and ion separation chamber, a drift space region, and a multi-channel ion detection array so as to permit the collection and analysis of ions formed over a wide mass range simultaneously. The vaporization chamber includes an output port adjacent the input to the collimation chamber so as to maximize the amount of vaporized material being fed into the mass spectrometer apparatus. |
| US07649169B2 |
Method for determining shale bed boundaries and gamma ray activity with gamma ray instrument
Resolution of thin beds made by a natural gamma ray logging tool is improved using a relation between the width of the response and the bed thickness. The peak gamma ray of the bed is determined using another relation between the measured gamma ray response and the bed thickness. |
| US07649166B2 |
Near-field nano-imager
An imaging device. In one embodiment, the imaging device includes a plurality of first electrode strips in parallel to each other along a first direction x, wherein each first electrode strip has an elongated body with a first surface and an opposite, second surface and a thickness n1. The imaging device also includes a plurality of second electrode strips in parallel to each other along a second direction y that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction x, wherein each second electrode strip has an elongated body with a first surface and an opposite, second surface and a thickness n2. The plurality of second electrode strips are positioned apart from the plurality of first electrode strips along a third direction z that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction x and the second direction y such that the plurality of first electrode strips and the plurality of second electrode strips are crossing each other accordingly to form a corresponding number of crossing points. And at each crossing point, a semiconductor component is filled between the second surface of a corresponding first electrode strip and the first surface of a corresponding second electrode strip to form an addressable pixel. |
| US07649165B2 |
Image capturing apparatus
An apparatus including: a photodiode including: a first conductivity substrate; a second conductivity PD-well on the substrate's first surface side; and a first conductivity collection well inside the PD-well; a modulation transistor including: a second conductivity TR-well connected with the PD-well, and a junction depth shallower than that of the PD-well; a first conductivity modulation well inside the TR-well, and connected with the collection well; a second conductivity source inside the modulation well, and including a region contacting the first surface; a gate electrode in a region partially covering the modulation well and enclosing the source; a gate insulation layer between the gate and the first surface; and a second conductivity drain partially sandwiching the gate and opposing the source, and including a region contacting the first surface; and a transfer transistor connected to modulation transistors in pixels between the source and a connected source line. |
| US07649160B2 |
Wave front sensing method and apparatus
A new way of mixing instrumental and digital means is described for the general field of wave front sensing. The present invention describes the use, the definition and the utility of digital operators, called digital wave front operators (DWFO) or digital lenses (DL), specifically designed for the digital processing of wave fronts defined in amplitude and phase. DWFO are of particular interest for correcting undesired wave front deformations induced by instrumental defects or experimental errors. DWFO may be defined using a mathematical model, e.g. a polynomial function, which involves coefficients. The present invention describes automated and semi-automated procedures for calibrating or adjusting the values of these coefficients. These procedures are based on the fitting of mathematical models on reference data extracted from specific regions of a wave front called reference areas, which are characterized by the fact that specimen contributions are a priori known in reference areas. For example, reference areas can be defined in regions where flat surfaces of a specimen produce a constant phase function. The present invention describes also how DWFO can be defined by extracting reference data along one-dimensional (1D) profiles. DWFO can also be defined in order to obtain a flattened representation of non-flat area of a specimen. Several DWFO or DL can be combined, possibly in addition with procedures for calculating numerically the propagation of wave fronts. A DWFO may also be defined experimentally, e.g. by calibration procedures using reference specimens. A method for generating a DWFO by filtering in the Fourier plane is also described. All wave front sensing techniques may benefit from the present invention. The case of a wave front sensor based on digital holography, e.g. a digital holographic microscope (DHM), is described in more details. The use of DWFO improves the performance, in particular speed and precision, and the ease of use of instruments for wave front sensing. The use of DWFO results in instrumental simplifications, costs reductions, and enlarged the field of applications. The present invention defines a new technique for imaging and metrology with a large field of applications in material and life sciences, for research and industrial applications. |
| US07649159B2 |
Apparatus and a method of soldering a part to a board
The present invention provides technology that uniformly heats and melts a plurality of solder material arranged in a plurality of locations on a board, and uniformly solders a plurality of parts to the board that are arranged in a plurality of locations on the board. A soldering apparatus includes an induction coil having a length in the longitudinal direction that is longer than the length of the board. An inner space having a size sufficient to arrange the board therein is maintained inside the induction coil. The board supporting the parts and the solder material will be positioned in the approximate center of the inner space of the induction coil. An alternating current will flow through the induction coil in this state. An alternating magnetic field will be generated in the inner space of the induction coil. Magnetic fluxes will substantially uniformly pass through the inner space of the induction coil along the longitudinal direction of the induction coil. In this way, the plurality of solder material arranged on a plurality of locations on the board may be uniformly heated and melted. The plurality of parts arranged on a plurality of locations on the board may be uniformly soldered to the board because the plurality of solder material may be uniformly heated and melted due to magnetic fluxes that uniformly passing through the board. |
| US07649152B2 |
Conductive ball bonding method and conductive ball bonding apparatus
The present invention provides a solder ball bonding method and a solder ball bonding apparatus, which can enhance efficiency of bonding processing and in which plural electrodes formed on objects to be bonded are bonded to each other by melting a solder ball. In the present invention, the solder balls are picked up by a pick-up nozzle having a plurality of pick-up openings corresponding to electrode areas on the objects to be bonded and the solder balls are conveyed on the electrode areas. A laser radiating unit disposed independently above the pick-up nozzle is shifted along an arrangement direction of the pick-up openings and a laser beam from the laser radiating unit is irradiated onto the solder ball through a transparent member of the pick-up nozzle and through the pick-up opening of the pick-up nozzle, thereby melting the solder ball on the electrode area. |
| US07649148B2 |
Appliance timer mechanism utilizing snap action switching
A motor driven appliance timer utilizing a cam program disk and snap action switches is provided. The motor may be externally energized, or may be energized based on integrated electronics within the appliance timer. Rotation of the program disk by a user to allow selection of a desired appliance cycle is accommodated by a clutch subassembly that allows bidirectional rotation of the program disk without requiring that the user pull or push the control shaft before rotating the program disk. The timer of the present invention may utilize either impulse or constant drive mechanisms to rotate the program disk. The use of snap action switches minimizes the possibility of tack weld failures due to switch teasing. |
| US07649142B2 |
Cable for high speed data communications
A cable for high speed data communications and methods for manufacturing such cable are disclosed, the cable including a first inner conductor enclosed by a first dielectric layer and a second inner conductor enclosed by a second dielectric layer. The cable also includes conductive shield material wrapped in a rotational direction at a rate along and about the longitudinal axis around the inner conductors and the dielectric layers, including overlapped wraps of the conductive shield material along and about the longitudinal axis, the conductive shield material having a variable width. Transmitting signals on the cable including transmitting a balanced signal characterized by a frequency in the range of 7-9 gigahertz on the cable. |
| US07649138B2 |
Thermoelectric device with surface conforming heat conductor
A quickly attachable electric generator device for producing electric power from surfaces of hot or cold pipes. The invention provides a thermoelectric unit which includes a pedestal comprised of a material with high thermal conductivity on which a thermoelectric module is located. The pedestal includes a heat transfer element made to conform to a hot or cold cylindrical surface. The module also includes a module-to-air heat transfer element and the thermoelectric module is compressed between the air-to-module element and the pedestal. This element is referred to as a heat sink when energy is extracted from a hot surface and is referred to as a heat source when energy is flowing from the air and a cold surface. In preferred embodiments the heat transfer element is a thin flexible heat conductor that conforms to the hot or cold surface of various shapes and serves as a heat transfer conduit to transfer heat to or from a rigid portion of the pedestal. Electric energy is generated from the heat flowing through the module. |
| US07649136B2 |
Music reproducing system for collaboration, program reproducer, music data distributor and program producer
A music reproducing system includes a musical instrument for reproducing a music tune on the basis of the MIDI music data, a sound reproducer for reproducing a music tune and/or narration from audio data codes and a server computer for distributing programs, MIDI files and audio files to the musical instrument and sound reproducer, and a program contains plural music tunes and narration; while a program is being reproduced in collaboration between the musical instrument and the sound reproducer, the audio data codes are converted to an audio signal expressing the narration through the sound reproducer, and the music tunes are reproduced on the basis of the MIDI files through the musical instrument; and the duration data codes of audio file are supplied to the musical instrument so as to make the musical instrument and the sound reproducer synchronized with each other. |
| US07649134B2 |
Method for displaying music score by using computer
In displaying a music score by using a computer, there is provided a function for matching an in-music position being updated in a computer with an in-music position being played. According to the in-music position, display update is controlled. Space of music score display is divided into several partitions. The timing of updating each partition is defined as the moment when the in-music position in the computer has arrived at the position in the page obtained by predetermined function from the position of the page divided and the partitions are successively updated. Thus, it is possible to realize smooth display update capable of displaying the preceding partition and holding the display with a sufficient width before and after the position being played. Here, a plurality of timing input means are provided for matching the in-music position required here, so that a trace shift in the lower level can be corrected by means having a higher-level reliability when necessary. When playing in concert, the music score is different for each part but the display update can be controlled by supplying the in-music position information. |
| US07649132B2 |
Snare drum assemblies, including assemblies with flexible snare anchors, and associated methods
Snare drum assemblies, including assemblies with flexible snare anchors, and associated methods are described. A drum assembly in accordance with one embodiment includes a set of snare strands, each having a first end and a second end, a first, flexible snare anchor connected directly to the snare strands toward the first ends, and a second, flexible snare anchor connected directly to the snare strands towards the second ends. The snare anchors can be flexible between a first shape and a second shape different than the first shape when attaching the snare anchors to a drum. The first and second snare anchors can have generally flat, uniform shapes when not under tension, and can have a relatively thin profile (e.g., thickness) to provide for contact between the snare strands and a drum head in one or more orientations. In further particular embodiments, the drum head against which the snare assembly is positioned need not include snare beds. |
| US07649128B2 |
Soybean variety D4521369
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D4521369. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D4521369. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D4521369 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D4521369 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods. |
| US07649127B2 |
Soybean cultivar 6135319
A soybean cultivar designated 6135319 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 6135319, to the plants of soybean 6135319, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 6135319 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 6135319 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety 6135319, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 6135319 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 6135319 with another soybean cultivar. |
| US07649124B2 |
Simulated moving bed adsorptive separation process using a plurality of adsorption chambers in parallel and crystallizer and device used therein
Provided is a process for adsorptive separation of p-xylene from an aromatic hydrocarbon mixture comprising other isomers of xylene, and a device used therein. More specifically, the present invention provides a separation process employing simulated moving bed (SMB) adsorptive chromatography, characterized by subjecting the extracts eluted from a plurality of adsorption chambers arranged in parallel, to a crystallizer for additional separation, thereby improving productivity, and a device used therein. |
| US07649120B2 |
Microwave-assisted extraction of solanesol from potato stems and/or leaves
This invention relates to a method of extracting solanesol by microwave-assisted from potato stems and/or leaves. In particular, the invention provides a technique whereby the solanesol can be extracted effectively, in a relatively short period of time with respect to conventional extraction methods and allows for an enhanced extraction yield. The invention has bright perspectives in promoting local economic development and increasing farmers' income. |
| US07649114B2 |
Separation of stereoisomeric N,N-dialkylamino-2alkyl-3-hydroxy-3-phenylalkanes
The invention concerns a method for the isolation of a stereoisomer from a mixture comprising the two stereoisomers of the general formulae (I-A) and (I-A′) and/or the two stereoisomers of the general formulae (I-B) and (I-B′) in which R1, R2 and R3, identical or different, are selected from the group consisting of —H, —F, —Cl, —C1-C6-alkyl, —S—C1-C6-alkyl, —OH, —O—C1-C6-alkyl, —O—C1-C6-alkylenephenyl, —OCO—C1-C6-alkyl, —OCON(C1-C6-alkyl)2 and —O—SiR8R9R10 (in which R8, R9 and R10, identical or different, are —C1-C6-alkyl or -phenyl); R4 is —H or —C1-C6-alkyl; R5 is —C1-C6-alkyl; and R6 and R7, identical or different, are —H or —C1-C6-alkyl; or their salts with organic or inorganic acids; comprising the step (a) manipulating the mixture ratio of the stereoisomers in the mixture so that at least one of the stereoisomers is present in an enantiomeric excess. |
| US07649112B2 |
Integrated plant for producing 2-ethyl-hexanol and methacrylic acid and a method based thereon
An integrated facility is disclosed for simultaneous production of butanal and methacrylic acid products where the facility utilizes a mixed methacrolein and isobutanal stream to make methacrylic acid. The facility is also designed to utilize downstream n-butanal products such as n-butanol and/or 2-ethyl-hexanol to make butyl-methacrylates and 2-ethyl-hexyl-methacrylate. A method is also disclosed which integrates the production of butanal derived products and methacrylic acid derived products. |
| US07649111B2 |
Catalyst for the oxidation of a mixed aldehyde feedstock to methacrylic acid and methods for making and using same
A heteropolyacid catalyst for oxidation of isobutyraldehyde, methacrolein or mixtures or combinations thereof to methacrylic acid is disclosed where the heteropolyacid catalyst includes at least molybdenum (Mo), phosphorus (P), vanadium (V), and a first component including bismuth (Bi) and/or boron (B). The heteropolyacid catalyst can also optionally include a second component including potassium (K), rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), and/or thallium (Tl) and optionally a third component including antimony (Sb), cerium (Ce), niobium (Nb), indium (In), iron (Fe), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), germanium (Ge), gallium (Ga), zirconium (Zr), magnesium (Mg), barium (Ba), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), and/or lanthanum (La). The heteropolyacid catalyst can also include an ammonium-containing compound designed to increase a value of medium pores in the final heteropolyacid catalyst. A method for oxidizing isobutanal to methacrylic acid using the heteropolyacid catalyst is also disclosed. |
| US07649110B2 |
Compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods for use in treating metabolic disorders
The present invention provides compounds useful, for example, for modulating insulin levels in a subject and that have the general formula Q—L1—P—L2—M—X—L3—A wherein the definitions of the variables Q, L1, P, L2, M, X, L3 and A are provided herein. The present invention also provides compositions and methods for use of the compounds, for instance, for treatment of type II diabetes. |
| US07649105B2 |
Diol (meth) acrylate compound having urethane bond, method for producing the same, and polymer thereof
The present invention provides compounds having in their molecule a structure contributing to high hydrophilicity, and having high photopolymerizability, as well as polymers of such compounds, and a method for producing the compound. The compounds are diol (meth)acrylate having a urethane bond represented by the formula (1), and cyclic ketal (meth)acrylate having a urethane bond represented by the formula (2): (R1: H, —CH3; R2: —(CH2)n-; R3: —(CH2)m-; n: 1-4; m: 1-8; (AO): C2-C4 oxyalkylene group; x: 0-1000; R4, R5: H, —CH3, —C2H5). |
| US07649097B2 |
Tetracyclic arylsulfonyl indoles having serotonin receptor affinity useful as therapeutic agents, process for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions containing them
The present invention relates to novel tetracyclic arylsulfonyl indoles, their derivatives, their analogues, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, their pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, novel intermediates described herein and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. This invention particularly relates to novel tetracyclic arylsulfonyl indoles of the general formula (I), their derivatives, their analogues, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, their pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, novel intermediates described herein and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. This invention also relates to process/es for preparing such compound/s of general formula (I), composition/s containing effective amount/s of such a compound and the use of such a compound/composition in therapy. |
| US07649088B2 |
Atlastin
The present invention relates to methods and compositions of a novel gene and the peptide encoded by the gene. Mutations in the gene, named atlastin, are factors in the disease Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia and related disorders. The present invention will be used for the in the research, diagnosis and treatment of these disabling diseases. |
| US07649087B2 |
Saccharide residue-functional organopolycarbosiloxanes and method for the preparation thereof
A saccharide residue-functional organopolycarbosiloxane containing at least two monosaccharide or polysaccharide groups per molecule in which a specific site on the monosaccharide or polysaccharide is bonded to silicon through a thioether bond. Also, a method of preparing the saccharide residue-functional organopolycarbosiloxane, comprising condensing a saccharide residue-functional metal thiolate compound wherein the metal is an alkali metal atom or alkaline-earth metal atom, and an organopolycarbosiloxane containing groups having the formula —R2Q wherein R2 is C2 to C10 alkylene, and Q is a group selected from halogen atoms, C1 to C10 alkylsulfonate groups, and C6 to C20 arylsulfonate groups. |
| US07649078B1 |
Apparatus and method for stabilization or oxidation of polymeric materials
An apparatus for treating polymeric materials comprises a treatment chamber adapted to maintain a selected atmosphere at a selected temperature; a means for supporting the polymeric material within the chamber; and, a source of ozone-containing gas, which decomposes at the selected temperature yielding at least one reactive oxidative species whereby the polymer is stabilized and cross linked through exposure to the oxidative species in the chamber at the selected temperature. The ozone may be generated by a plasma discharge or by various chemical processes. The apparatus may be configured for either batch-type or continuous-type processing. The apparatus and method are especially useful for preparing polymer fibers, particularly PAN fibers, for later carbonization treatments as well as to make flame-retardant fabrics. |
| US07649075B2 |
Process for preparing polyphenylene ether
A process for preparing polyphenylene ether by oxidizing phenols using water as a solvent, enabling polyphenylene ether to be prepared with only a small amount of oxidizer, while making it possible to reuse a solvent after reaction repeatedly. Water is used as the solvent. Phenols are oxidized under the presence of a water-soluble metal complex catalyst. For the water-soluble metal complex catalyst, it is preferable to use the one whose central metal is copper or manganese, having an amine multidentate ligand. |
| US07649071B2 |
Branched polysiloxane composition
The invention relates to branched polysiloxane compositions resulting from copolymerizing under hydrosilylation conditions a component mixture comprising (a) one or more organosilicon compounds containing at least two unsaturated hydrocarbon functional groups per molecule, and (b) one or more silylhydride-containing compounds containing at least two silylhydride functional groups per molecule, with the provision that (i) at least one component (a) or (b) contains at least three functional groups per molecule; (ii) a component (a) or (b) having a higher number of functional groups per molecule is present in a molar amount equal to or lower than a molar amount of the other component (a) or (b) having a lower number of functional groups per molecule; and (iii) unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds are excluded from the component mixture. |
| US07649070B2 |
Synthesis of elastomeric poly(carborane-siloxane-acetelyene)s
A linear polymer comprising carborane, siloxane, and acetylene units, which may be cross-linked to a cured polymer and/or pyrolyzed to a ceramic. |
| US07649064B2 |
Tridentate metal catalyst for olefin polymerization
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a transition metal olefin polymerization catalyst component characterized by the formula: where, M is a Group IV or a Group IV transition metal, B is a bridge group containing at least two carbon atoms, A′ and A″ are organogroups, each containing a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus, X is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, iodine, a C1-C20 alkyl group, a C6-C30 aromatic group and mixtures thereof, and n is 1, 2 or 3. The invention also encompasses a method for the polymerization of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer which comprises contacting a transition metal catalyst component as characterized by formula (1) above and an activating co-catalyst component in a polymerization reaction zone with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer under polymerization conditions to produce a polymer product. |
| US07649061B2 |
Process for preparing a poly-1-olefin in the presence of a Ziegler catalyst
The invention relates to a process for preparing a poly-1-olefin by polymerization of a 1-olefin of the formula R4CH═CH2, where R4 is hydrogen or an alkyl radical having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, in suspension, in solution or in the gas phase, at a temperature of from 20 to 200° C. and a pressure of from 0.5 to 50 bar, in the presence of a catalyst which comprises the reaction product of a magnesium alkoxide with a transition metal compound (=component a) and an organometallic compound (=component b) and whose component a has been prepared in a manner having the feature that a magnesium alkoxide powder having a mean particle size, expressed as the d50, in the range from 100 to 1000 μm is firstly processed by dry milling in a mill under inert conditions to produce magnesium alkoxide powder having a mean particle size, expressed as the d50, of less than 15 μm, then suspended in an inert hydrocarbon in which the magnesium alkoxide is insoluble, and is reacted immediately without further pretreatment with a transition metal compound of titanium, zirconium, vanadium or chromium. |
| US07649058B2 |
Biomedical devices containing internal wetting agents
This invention includes a wettable biomedical device containing a high molecular weight hydrophilic polymer and a hydroxyl-functionalized silicone-containing monomer. |
| US07649056B2 |
Heterodiamondoids
This invention is related to heteroatom containing diamondoids (i.e., “heterodiamondoids”) which are compounds having a diamondoid nucleus in which one or more of the diamondoid nucleus carbons has been substitutionally replaced with a noncarbon atom. These heteroatom substituents impart desirable properties to the diamondoid. In addition, the heterodiamondoids are functionalized affording compounds carrying one or more functional groups covalently pendant therefrom. This invention is further related to polymerizable functionalized heterodiamondoids. In a preferred aspect of this invention the diamondoid nuclei are triamantane and higher diamondoid nuclei. In another preferred aspect, the heteroatoms are selected to give rise to diamondoid materials which can serve as n- and p-type materials in electronic devices can serve as optically active materials. |
| US07649049B2 |
Rubber composition containing a polymer nanoparticle
Provided is a composition comprising a rubber and a polymer nano-particle comprising a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic) core and a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) surface layer, wherein the core of the polymeric nano-particle has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of between about 150° C. and about 600° C. Also provided is a composition comprising at least two (mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) copolymer rubbers and a polymeric nano-particle comprising a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic) core and a poly(mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) surface layer; wherein the core of the polymeric nano-particle has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of between about 150° C. and about 600° C., and the poly(mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) surface layer of the polymeric nano-particle comprises a mono-vinyl aromatic content that is between about 50 percent and about 150 percent that of the mono-vinyl content of one of the (mono-vinyl aromatic-conjugated diene) copolymer rubbers. |