| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07680910B2 |
System and method for efficient transfer of applications and data during device swap
A method for automatically registering the runtime environment and related component applications with an application gateway when transferring the applications from a first wireless device to a second wireless device is provided. Applications installed on the first wireless device are registered with an application gateway, which maintains a registration list of identification information for all registered wireless devices and applications installed thereon. A back-up is created of the applications and registration information for the runtime environment installed on the first wireless device for transfer to a second wireless device. An application container of the second wireless device determining installation and communicating to the application gateway identification information regarding the second wireless device and the restored applications. The application gateway registers the second wireless device by updating the registration list with the identification information for the second wireless device and the applications installed thereon. |
| US07680909B2 |
Method for configuration of a processing unit
A method for configuration of an Auxiliary Processing Unit (APU) of multiprocessor system is presented. The multiprocessor system has at least a Main Processing Unit (MPU) coupled to the APU via a communication link. The APU has at least a first memory and a second memory. The method includes a plurality of steps. At step the first memory is divided into an application sector, a boot sector and a common sector. At another step interrupts of the APU except interrupt/s that is/are being received via the communication link are disabled. At a further step interrupt vector/s pertaining to the communication link is/are mapped to the boot sector of the first memory. At another step a configuration code is received selectively into the application sector of the first memory and into the second memory. At a further step the interrupt/s that is/are being received via the communication link are disabled. At a further step the common sector of the first memory is updated from the second memory. |
| US07680908B2 |
State replication
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate replicating a state associated with a client, user, service, application, and the like. A third party service provider can support any number of services that can be concurrently requested by several clients without user perception of degraded computing performance as compared to conventional systems/techniques due to improved connectivity and mitigated latencies. A replication component can generate replicas of states associated with requested services. Further, the replicas can facilitate seamlessly interacting with the third party service provider (e.g., while transitioning between client devices). Additionally, by providing replicas of the state related information, differing third party service providers can effectuate services based upon a request from a client without regenerating the state. |
| US07680906B2 |
Configuring devices using context histories
A “Device Correlator,” operates to identify and configure complementary devices as a combined function of device “touching” and observations of contextual history of human interaction with the various devices in an ad-hoc network environment. New devices are brought into a local trust domain of the network via a “touch-based” process. Further, as each device is added to the trust domain, a contextual history of user interaction with each device is recorded. This recorded context history is evaluated to determine probable device associations. Inter-device associations and device behaviors for trusted devices are then automatically configured as a function of both the context history and the capabilities of the various devices. The result is an automatically configured invisible computing environment, wherein the only actions required by the user are to bring new devices into the local area of the ad-hoc network, and then designate those devices as being trusted. |
| US07680905B1 |
Methods and system for viewing SAN resources
A user selects one or more storage area network resources for purposes of viewing respective configuration information. Based on a respective selection by the user, a management control system determines whether it maintains corresponding configuration information associated with the selected one or more resources. If so, the management control system generates a respective configuration view for the user to view respective configuration information associated with the selected one or more resources. If not, the management control system identifies a remote server that manages the selected one or more resources and communicates with the remote server to convey a configuration view generated by the remote server through the management control system to the user for viewing on a display screen. Thus, the management control system can either serve the requested configuration information to a client or act as a proxy for retrieving and serving the requested configuration information to the user. |
| US07680902B2 |
Method and system for accessing web pages based on playback of recordings
Entertainment content complementary to a musical recording is delivered to a user's computer by a computer network link. The user employs a browser to access the computer network. A plug-in for the browser is able to control an audio CD or other device for playing the musical recording. A script stored on the remote computer accessed over the network is downloaded. The script synchronizes the delivery of the complementary entertainment content with the play of the musical recording. |
| US07680895B2 |
Integrated conversations having both email and chat messages
Email and chat messages may be displayed as part of the same conversation, in an integrated conversation view. The conversation view would include items corresponding to email messages that are part of the conversation and chat messages that are part of the conversation. A user may reply to an email message in the conversation by chat. |
| US07680889B2 |
Use of browser history file to determine web site reach
In a method of metering Web usage, a collection program is downloaded from a server to a metered computer in response to a message transmitted from the metered computer to the server, and the collection program is executed on the metered computer in order to collect Web usage history information stored in a history file by a browser running on the metered computer. The collected Web site usage history information is transmitted by the metered computer to the server. The Web site usage history information is stored in the server along with Web site usage history information from other metered computers. |
| US07680880B2 |
System and method for protecting a computer network
A system for protecting a computer network from vulnerabilities can be provided that generally includes a remedy and patch server located at a client site and adapted to receive a global remedy package and a global patch package. The global remedy package may include at least one remedy and the global patch package may include at least one patch. At least one remedy and optionally at least one patch can repair a vulnerability in the computer network. The system can further include at least one local remedy server adapted to communicate with the remedy and patch server for receiving at least one remedy. At least one local patch server may be adapted to communicate with the remedy and patch server to receive at least one patch. The system also generally includes a local computer system adapted to communicate, independently, with the at least one local remedy server and at least one local patch server for receiving, respectively, at least one remedy and optionally at least one patch. |
| US07680879B2 |
Method and apparatus for maintaining data integrity across distributed computer systems
A method and apparatus are generally disclosed for maintaining data integrity across distributed computer systems. In one embodiment, the method of the invention includes the step of transmitting an object from a server application to a client application. The method also includes the step of transmitting an object state from the server application to the client application. The method further includes the steps of synchronizing the object and object state between the server application and the client application, and updating the object by invoking a server application method after the step of synchronizing. An apparatus and article of manufacture for carrying out the steps of the method are also disclosed. |
| US07680876B1 |
Highly available domain name system
A technique is performed by a high availability main primary DNS name server. The technique involves receiving a DNS update sent from a DNS client to the main primary DNS name server and directly modifying a main DNS record based on the DNS update. The technique further involves directing a backup primary DNS name server to modify a backup DNS record based on the DNS update while both the main primary DNS name server and the backup primary DNS name server (i) are configured to distribute DNS information to secondary DNS name servers and DNS clients and (ii) are in ongoing communication with each other, the backup primary DNS name server being configured to receive DNS updates sent from the DNS clients to the backup primary DNS name server and modify backup DNS records based on the DNS updates in response to a loss of communication between the main primary DNS name server and the backup primary DNS name server. |
| US07680866B2 |
System and method for managing relational numerical data for monitoring systems
An object-oriented system for managing relational numerical data includes a relation interface that provides access to a relation and its attributes and tuples, where an attribute is a data item with a numeric value and a relation is a set of n-tuples of attribute values, where the relation interface maintains its tuples in a fixed order and is adapted to selecting subsets of attributes and/or tuples where a new relation interface instance is created, an iterator interface for iterating over the tuples of a relation, where the iterator is adapted to acquiring the tuple attribute data as data is being accessed, and a notification interface for notifying other classes whenever changes occur in a relation interface instance. |
| US07680865B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, which can improve security and reinforce privacy protection for cache data and management data generated when an operator employs a browser function, and which can efficiently utilize storage resources of the apparatus. In the image processing apparatus having a browser function, data generated by an operator employing the browser function is stored in the RAM. Herein, it is determined whether or not the operator employing the browser function is a particular operator such as a system administrator. In a case where the browser function is employed by an operator other than the particular operator, the data stored in the RAM is deleted. Meanwhile, in a case of the particular operator, the data is stored in a hard disk drive (HDD). |
| US07680864B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing access to stored objects based on retention policy
In one embodiment, a method is provided that may include determining, at least in part, by a device comprised, at least in part, in storage, whether to request that the storage perform, at least in part, at least one operation. The at least one operation may involve, at least in part, at least one object stored in the storage. The determining may be based, at least in part, upon metadata associated with the at least one object. The metadata may be stored in the storage, and may indicate an earliest permitted deletion time for the at least one object and/or a latest permitted access time for the at least one object. Of course, many modifications, variations, and alternatives are possible without departing from this embodiment. |
| US07680861B2 |
System and process for identifying objects and/or points nearby a given object or point
A system and process is presented that identifies nearby objects and/or points in relation to a base object or point. An object or point is nearby if it resides within a prescribed area around the base point. The identification is based on information accessed from a database of geometric data. The identification of nearby neighbors begins by dividing the geographic system defined by said geometric data into a plurality of zones. The zone in which each object or point resides and the zones intersected by the prescribed area are determined. The nearby objects and/or points of interest are then identified by initially considering only those that are identified as residing in the zones intersected by the prescribed area. The search for nearby neighbors can be further refined by limiting the objects and/or points considered to those with locations within the lateral extent and/or within the height of the prescribed area. |
| US07680859B2 |
Method for analyzing demographic data
A computer implemented method of generating an ordered list of geographical locations having similarities in preselected categories relative to a first geographical location. |
| US07680858B2 |
Techniques for clustering structurally similar web pages
Web page clustering techniques described herein are URL Clustering and Page Clustering, whereby clustering algorithms cluster together pages that are structurally similar. Regarding URL clustering, because similarly structured pages have similar patterns in their URLs, grouping similar URL patterns will group structurally similar pages. Embodiments of URL clustering may involve: (a) URL normalization and (b) URL variation computation. Regarding page clustering, page feature-based techniques further cluster any given set of homogenous clusters, reducing the number of clusters based on the underlying page code. Embodiments of page clustering may reduce the number of clusters based on the tag probabilities and the tag sequence, utilizing an Approximate Nearest Neighborhood (ANN) graph along with evaluation of intra-cluster and inter-cluster compactness. |
| US07680852B2 |
Search processing method and search system
A technique to maintain the fast search capability for the large-scale documents without causing the update delay is provided. This search processing method includes: causing an index search unit for carrying out an index search using a search index before document update to carry out the index search relating to a search request, and obtaining a first list of document IDs of pertinent documents; causing a string pattern matching unit having document contents after the document update to carry out a string pattern matching relating to the search request for the document contents after the document update, and obtaining a second list of document IDs of pertinent documents; and generating a search result for the search request by using the first and second lists and a third list of document IDs of documents relating to the document update. |
| US07680851B2 |
Active spam testing system
A method and system for introducing spam into a search engine for testing purposes is provided. An active spam testing system receives from a tester a specification of spam that is to be introduced into the search engine for testing purposes. The testing system may then generate auxiliary data structures for storing indications of the spam that is to be introduced. A search engine has original data structures that may include a content index and a link data structure. The testing system stores the indications of the spam in the auxiliary data structures so that use of the search engine for non-testing purposes is not affected. When the search engine is used for testing purposes, the search engine generates search results based on a combination of the original data structures and the auxiliary data structures. |
| US07680850B2 |
Computer-readable recording medium storing information search program, information search method, and information search system
A computer-readable recording medium storing an information search program capable of retrieving desired information with ease. An index information-producing section produces index information associating a preparation object keyword with file identification information for identifying files in the file information each including, in a usage time zone thereof, a date and time matching a date and time at which the preparation object keyword was entered, based on dates and times at which the keyword in the keyword information stored in a keyword information-storing section was entered, and usage time zones during which files in the file information are used. A retrieval section retrieves the preparation object keyword matching a search object keyword entered by a keyword input operation from the index information, and outputs the file identification information for identifying files associated with the retrieved preparation object keyword. |
| US07680847B2 |
Method for rebalancing free disk space among network storages virtualized into a single file system view
A method for moving files between network storages in a virtualized network storage system having multiple network storages and rebalancing the free disk spaces. It periodically judges whether to start rebalancing. Two different conditions are adopted for the determination of start: (a) an imbalance of free disk spaces and the minimum value of the free disk spaces is less than a threshold and (b) an imbalance of free disk spaces and the frequency of accesses to the system is less than a threshold. Rebalancing is performed until the difference in free disk spaces falls below the threshold without exceeding the maximum execution time of rebalancing. If a request to write into a file which is being moved from a client takes place during a file moving step, the movement of the file is aborted and the file is deleted from the destination. |
| US07680840B2 |
Image processing system and method of processing image
An image processing system and a method of the same conveniently transmit meta data without using an additional transmission apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes a meta data extraction unit extracting meta data, a markup language conversion unit converting the meta data into a markup language document, and a document transmission unit transmitting the markup language document to a predetermined image output apparatus. |
| US07680836B2 |
Systems and methods for a snapshot of data
In one embodiment, a user or client device is connected to a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each include nested files and directories. According to one embodiment, the system stores representations of the snapshots that govern a file or directory and its descendants within metadata associated with that file or directory. Before modifying a file or directory, the system updates the representations of the governing snapshots by traversing the metadata of ancestors of the file or directory. |
| US07680834B1 |
Method and system for no downtime resychronization for real-time, continuous data protection
A data management system or “DMS” provides an automated, continuous, real-time data protection service to one or more data sources associated with a set of application host servers. To facilitate the service, a host driver embedded in an application server captures real-time data transactions. When a data protection command for a given data source is forwarded to a host driver, an event processor enters into an initial upload state. During this state, the event processor gathers a list of data items to be protected and creates a data list. Then, the event processor moves the data to a DMS core to create initial baseline data. The upload is a stream of application-aware data chunks that are attached to upload events. A resynchronization state is entered when there is a suspicion that the state of the data in the host is out-of-sync with the state of the most current data in the DMS. During upload or upward resynchronization, the application does not have to be shut down. |
| US07680831B1 |
Methods and apparatus for detection and recovery of database out of synchronization conditions
A system detects an event suggesting a data discrepancy between a staging database and a production database that maintain network management data within a network management system. The staging database is logically separate from the production database. The system prevents modification to the production database, and replaces data in the staging database with data from the production database. The system then allows modification to the production database. |
| US07680830B1 |
System and method for policy-based data lifecycle management
System and method for policy-based lifecycle management of data in file systems. In embodiments, an expiration policy for the files may be stored as part of the file system metadata. The expiration policy may be as simple as an expiration date for the file, or a more complex policy that specifies one or more metrics to be evaluated to determine if a file is expired. The expiration policy may also specify one or more actions to be taken if the file has expired. The expiration policy may be evaluated on attempts to access the files in the file system, on other file systems, and on backup/archive images to determine if the files are expired and thus whether access to the files is to be allowed. In one embodiment, a scan mechanism may periodically or aperiodically delete files in the file system for which the expiration date has passed. |
| US07680828B2 |
Method and system for facilitating data retrieval from a plurality of data sources
A method and a system for facilitating data retrieval from a plurality of data sources are provided. A plurality of ‘Local Data Objects’ (LDOs) corresponding to the plurality of data sources are generated. Further, the plurality of LDOs are mapped onto a ‘Global Data Object’ (GDO). The GDO consolidates the plurality of LDOs into a single integrated model. The mapping of the LDOs onto the GDO includes a plurality of ‘binding conditions’ that relate LDO attributes to GDO attributes. The mapping also includes a plurality of ‘transformation functions’ for transforming the LDO attributes to the GDO attributes. |
| US07680824B2 |
Single action media playlist generation
A method for generating a list of media items selected from a library of media items in response to only a single action being performed. The method displays information identifying a portion of the library of media items and selects a group of media items from the portion of the library in response to only a single action. By utilizing only a portion of the media items in the library, the generated list of media items is desirable to a user by excluding less desirable media items. |
| US07680822B1 |
Method and system for automatically creating and updating access controls lists
A method and system are provided for inserting access control rules into an access control list. The access control list may be configured to contain independent rule blocks having ordered access rules. In one example, the method includes creating a new independent rule block and inserting a new access rule into the block if the list is empty. If the list is not empty, a set of mapped independent rule blocks may be created from the list. For each block in the set, the method may attempt to determine a position for the new access rule. Those blocks for which a position cannot be determined may be removed from the set, and the blocks in the set may be merged to form a new independent rule block with the new access rule. |
| US07680821B2 |
Method and system for index sampled tablescan
An optimized query processing system and method for a database system. The database system includes a table of data and an index correlated to both the query and to the table. The optimized query processing system includes an index accessing module adapted to access the index to determine if the table contains an entry satisfying a query predicate; and a tablescan module for scanning substantially the entire table and retrieving data satisfying the query. A method is also disclosed for generating database diagnostic data. |
| US07680820B2 |
Systems and methods for displaying text recommendations during collaborative note taking
Multiple users access a collaborative data-sharing system during a data-sharing event. Each user can establish the level of sharing to be allowed with each other user and filtering criteria for filtering the data before it is provided to the other users. Data can be extracted from a number of different sources, including data input by other users and/or previously created information sources. For example, slides from a presentation on a similar topic may be identified and included by a user as a potential source of information to be used by other users. Shared data can be displayed on devices used by users to communicate with the collaborative data-sharing system. A user can selected data provided by the collaborative data-sharing system, which was obtained from the data input by other users and/or from the identified additional data sources and added to that user's data as data entered by that user. |
| US07680819B1 |
Managing digital identity information
A basic architecture for managing digital identity information in a network such as the World Wide Web is provided. A user of the architecture can organize his or her information into one or more profiles which reflect the nature of different relationships between the user and other entities, and grant or deny each entity access to a given profile. Various enhancements which may be provided through the architecture are also described, including tools for filtering email, controlling access to user web pages, locating other users and making one's own location known, browsing or mailing anonymously, filling in web forms automatically with information already provided once by hand, logging in automatically, securely logging in to multiple sites with a single password and doing so from any machine on the network, and other enhancements. |
| US07680815B2 |
Image array authentication system
A user data management apparatus for connection to a terminal data processor used by a user through a network, registers data that is dependent on a user ID peculiar to the user. The user data management apparatus has a first unit for generating a first data registration screen, when data of the user is to be initially registered, which differs from user ID to user ID, and a second unit for displaying, on the terminal data processor, a second data registration screen based on the first data registration screen generated by the first unit, when the data of the user is to be registered. |
| US07680814B2 |
Navigating media content by groups
Grouping media files via playlists on a computer-readable medium. One or more media files are selected according to a grouping criterion to define one or more playlists from the media files. A folder is associated with the playlists and stores values identifying each of the playlists associated with the folder along with references to each of the playlists. |
| US07680811B2 |
Set based data store
Storing data in a data store is disclosed, including storing data in a plurality of generalized memory structures and generating an indexing structure that references one or more of the memory structures. Referencing is based on rules expressed in the memory structures. Processing a query in a data store is disclosed, including receiving a query, selecting an appropriate indexing structure to access for the query, and accessing data using the selected indexing structure. |
| US07680806B2 |
Reducing overflow of hash table entries
An apparatus and method for reducing overflow in a hash table lookup mechanism that moves entries from full or nearly full buckets in one hash table to less full buckets of another hash table. The number of bucket overflows caused by hashing input addresses can be reduced. |
| US07680799B2 |
Autonomic control of a distributed computing system in accordance with a hierarchical model
A distributed computing system conforms to a multi-level, hierarchical organizational model. One or more control nodes provide for the efficient and automated allocation and management of computing functions and resources within the distributed computing system in accordance with the organization model. The model includes four distinct levels: fabric, domains, tiers and nodes that provide for the logical abstraction and containment of the physical components as well as system and service application software of the enterprise. A user, such as a system administrator, interacts with the control nodes to logically define the hierarchical organization of distributed computing system. The control node includes an automation subsystem having one or more rule engines that provide autonomic control of the application nodes in accordance with a set of one or more rules. |
| US07680795B2 |
Shared disk clones
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to data processing systems and more particularly to high availability data processing systems. A primary server may share a storage device with one or more clone systems. Each clone generally replicates the state of the primary server, but relies on the same disk-based storage as the primary server. Thus, the clone systems may provide a shadow of the primary server, ready to take over should the primary server fail. The clone systems may access a log file that includes entries reflecting the actions performed by the primary system. The primary server may flush entries from a log buffer maintained on the primary server to a log file stored on the shared disk-based storage. The primary server may also send a log sequence number to the clone systems, and the clone systems periodically transmit a log sequence number back to the primary server indicating how far through the log file a clone system has progressed. |
| US07680787B2 |
Database query generation method and system
A process for generating SQL queries to retrieve requested information from a database, whilst applying requested search filters, involving defining a “base” query, which is the simplest SQL query that can be executed to retrieve the information requested by the user (i.e. without applying any search filter), and then use a separate module for each search filter to detect the existence of the table that is required to apply that filter, and possibly add a “WHERE” condition that includes the required table using a sub-query. For each module, if the table required to filter a particular attribute exists in the current query, the “WHERE” condition is added on that table, without adding any sub-query. If on the other hand the required table does not exist in the current query, a sub-query that navigates associations from the tables involved in the current query to the required on is added, and the “WHERE” condition is added to the required table within the sub-query. |
| US07680785B2 |
Systems and methods for inferring uniform resource locator (URL) normalization rules
Different URLs that actually reference the same web page or other web resource are detected and that information is used to only download one instance of a web page or web resource from a web site. All web pages or web resources downloaded from a web server are compared to identify which are substantially identical. Once identical web pages or web resources with different URLs are found, the different URLs are then analyzed to identify what portions of the URL are essential for identifying a particular web page or web resource, and what portions are irrelevant. Once this has been done for each set of substantially identical web pages or web resources (also referred to as an “equivalence class” herein), these per-equivalence-class rules are generalized to trans-equivalence-class rules. There are two rule-learning steps: step (1), where it is learned for each equivalence class what portions of the URLs in that class are relevant for selecting the page and what portions are not; and step (2), where the per-equivalence-class rules constructed during step (1) are generalized to rules that cover many equivalence classes. Once a rule is determined, it is applied to the class of web pages or web resources to identify errors. If there are no errors, the rule is activated and is then used by the web crawler for future crawling to avoid the download of duplicative web pages or web resources. |
| US07680782B2 |
Method to generate semantically valid queries in the XQuery language
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for automatically generating a query. Data and occurrence is described using a sequence type. The data and occurrence from the sequence type are matched to a sequence type pattern. Sentences in a query language are generated automatically using the sequence type pattern for testing an ability of a query processing engine to interpret queries. |
| US07680781B1 |
Automatic search query generation and results set management
Techniques are presented for automatic search query generation and results set management. A searcher makes selections from metadata; the metadata is associated with a particular lexicon or industry. Furthermore, the selections are mapped to fields associated with a data source. A thread-safe or unique search query is generated in response to the fields. The thread-safe search query is in a query language format which can query the data source. In an embodiment, the thread-safe search query is executed against the data source and the results returned are customized to rank the results, to sort the results, to filter the results, and/or to acquire a random sampling of the results. |
| US07680775B2 |
Methods and systems for generating query and result-based relevance indexes
Methods and systems for generating query and result-based relevance indexes are provided. For one embodiment, a plurality of queries is received from a plurality of users. Each query of the plurality of queries is measured based on one or more metrics. The measured data of each query is stored. The queries are associated into topical query categories. A performance of a first query category is calculated based on at least one metric of the one or more metrics. A metric data request for a select category is received from a client. Lastly, the stored measured data of the selected category is transmitted to the client in response to the metric data request. |
| US07680772B2 |
Search quality detection
In various embodiments, the present invention provides methods and systems for categorizing the quality of a search by analyzing the relevancy numbers associated with the search results. The relevancy numbers are compared to established patterns to categorize the quality of the search query. Based on this categorization, the system alters the display parameters of the results, such as the number of results to display, the message to display to the user, or in some embodiments, a subsequent action the system executes. |
| US07680771B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for database provisioning
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for provisioning database resource within a grid database system. The apparatus comprises an analysis module and a provision module. The analysis module analyzes a data query stream from an application to a database instance and determines that the data query stream exhibits a predetermined performance attribute. The provision module provisions a database resource in response to a determination that the data query stream exhibits the predetermined performance attribute. The provisioned database resource may be a database instance, a database server, or a cache. The provisioning of the new database resource advantageously is substantially transparent to a client on the database system. |
| US07680765B2 |
Iterate-aggregate query parallelization
Iterate-aggregate shape queries are executable in an efficient parallel manner. Techniques are utilized that leverage properties of aggregations to implement such a query in a highly parallelized manner utilizing one or both of vertical and horizontal parallelism. More specifically, queries can be recursively evaluated in parallel utilizing partitioning and repartitioning mechanisms. Distributed query execution results over a subset of input data are repartitioned and aggregated to produce a final result. |
| US07680763B2 |
Administration of resources in system-wide search systems
A method and system for administration of a search system (310) for searching data from a plurality of applications. The method includes defining the requirements of a plurality of applications (301-303) to send data to the search system (310), and using optimization techniques (312) to adapt the resources (420) of the search system to meet the requirements. Resources (420) are allocated and de-allocated to the search system (310) in response to the outcome of the optimization. Policies (415) regarding resource consumption can be defined at predetermined times or in predetermined circumstances to enable dynamic resource allocation. |
| US07680757B2 |
Association rule mining in peer-to peer systems
A method for discovering association rules in a distributed database that includes a plurality of partitions associated with respective computing nodes includes generating a candidate association rule defining an association relationship between itemsets in the distributed database. At each node among at least a subset of the nodes, an asynchronous fully-distributed majority voting process is applied to assess a correctness of the candidate association rule. |
| US07680755B2 |
Automatic detection and classification of a mobile device
The invention consists of a method of automatically detecting and classifying a device, comprising: a) receiving information from the device; b) looking up the information in a device directory to identify the device; c) applying a series of identity rules if the information is not found in the device directory; and d) identifying the device from the identity rules. Preferably, the device is a mobile device. |
| US07680754B2 |
System and method for evaluating differences in parameters for computer systems using differential rule definitions
A method for evaluating the differences between computer systems is provided. The systems are evaluated using one or more differential rule definitions and one or more differential rule sets. The rules evaluate the differences between specific parameters in the computer systems and are used to generate a score that indicates how different the systems are based on these parameters and preferably what the cost to remedy the difference would be. The rules can be used for consolidation analysis, compliance analysis etc. The rules each include a weight that quantifies the importance of the rule to compatibility and the score is affected accordingly. Systems can be evaluated against each other or against themselves at different instances in time. |
| US07680753B2 |
System and method for fault identification in an electronic system based on context-based alarm analysis
A fault identification system analyzes alarm information and the associated contextual information to identify the occurred faults. The contextual information is based on usecases, transactions, and functions associated with the electronic system under consideration. Multiple detectors that form part of knowledge repositories are used in the process of fault identification. |
| US07680752B1 |
System and method for predictive process management
An integration platform for managing long term processes. The platform includes a runtime engine that manages the process instances and communication with the processes to provide Web services. The runtime engine includes an execution engine module and a prediction module. The prediction module generates predictions for executing processes for inbound and outbound messages and eventual process outcomes. The predictions may be utilized when requisite data is unavailable or under defined circumstances. The prediction module utilizes process history, process description and process state data to generate relevant prediction data. The prediction module may include a learning module that applies analytical algorithms to the process history and descriptions to create models for use by the prediction module. |
| US07680749B1 |
Generating attribute models for use in adaptive navigation systems
Adaptive navigation techniques are disclosed that allow navigation systems to learn from a user's personal driving history. As a user drives, models are developed and maintained to learn or otherwise capture the driver's personal driving habits and preferences. Example models include road speed, hazard, favored route, and disfavored route models. Other attributes can be used as well, whether based on the user's personal driving data or driving data aggregated from a number of users. The models can be learned under explicit conditions (e.g., time of day/week, driver ID) and/or under implicit conditions (e.g., weather, drivers urgency, as inferred from sensor data). Thus, models for a plurality of attributes can be learned, as well as one or more models for each attribute under a plurality of conditions. Attributes can be weighted according to user preference. The attribute weights and/or models can be used in selecting a best route for user. |
| US07680745B2 |
Automatic configuration and control of devices using metadata
Particular embodiments generally relate to automatically controlling an item. For example, items may include electronic devices, such as televisions, lights, etc, and/or virtual devices, such as applications, etc. In one embodiment, items may be configured using metatags. When a device is connected for operation, one or more metatags for the device are received. A metatag be used to classify the device. For example, the metatag may indicate uses, locations, connections, etc. The use of device (e.g., pathway, reading, etc.) classifies the item in way it can be used. For example, a user may use a pathway light in different ways, such as the user may turn on all lights with the pathway metatag at night. The location indicates the location of the item, such as in the living room, bedroom, etc. The connections indications a type of item, such as a bedroom light, lamp, TV, etc. |
| US07680744B2 |
Method for interdependently validating a digital content package and a corresponding digital license
A method is disclosed for a device to interdependently validate a digital content package having a piece of digital content in an encrypted form, and a corresponding digital license for rendering the digital content. A first key is derived from a source available to the device, and a first digital signature is obtained from the digital content package. The first key is applied to the first digital signature to validate the first digital signature and the digital content package. A second key is derived based on the first digital signature, and a second digital signature is obtained from the license. The second key is applied to the second digital signature to validate the second digital signature and the license. |
| US07680743B2 |
Software application protection by way of a digital rights management (DRM) system
A digital rights management (DRM) system, an application, and a DRM digital license for the application are all on a computing device. The application is for being executed to perform a function and includes code requiring that the DRM system determine that the application is allowed to be executed to perform the function based on the license. The application further includes code for determining that the application is to be executed on one of the computing device or in connection with the DRM system. |
| US07680742B1 |
System and method for controlling access to licensed computing processes via a codified electronic license
A system and method controls access to hardware and software functions by employing a codified electronic license that does not generally require application code modification. In response to customer purchases, highly configurable XML licenses containing lists of allowable CLI commands are generated, digitally signed, and transmitted to various customer systems over a network. The customer systems authenticate the licenses, extract the CLI command lists, and register the specified commands with a command processor internal to the customers' systems. Only registered commands are allowed to execute, preventing unlicensed hardware and software from operating on the system. |
| US07680740B2 |
Managing copy protecting information of encrypted data
The present invention provides according to an embodiment a method of reproducing digital content, comprising the steps of: (a) reading a position information where a sample data is present, the sample data being same as a portion of digital content and not encrypted; and (b) reproducing the sample data based on the read position information without a key information, the key information required for decrypting an encrypted digital content. |
| US07680738B2 |
System and method for executing cash payments via a computer network
The invention presented comprises a system and method for executing a cash payment via a computer network. A payor computing device communicates over a computer network with payee computing devices via a P2P server. The P2P server is operative to receive a payment request from the payor computing device and process the payment by debiting a financial instrument specified by a payor utilizing the payor computing device. The payment request is transmitted from the P2P server to a cash payment server operative to receive the payment request and translate the request into the native format of an ATM control server, the native format of the P2P server and ATM control server not being interoperable. The ATM control server is operative to generate a PIN code, which is transmitted along with the received payment instructions to an ATM. The ATM receives the payment instructions and dispenses the payment upon receipt of the PIN code. Receipt data is also generated by the ATM control server, translated into the native format of the P2P server by the cash payment server, and delivered to the payor and payee via the P2P sever. |
| US07680737B2 |
Systems and methods for processing payments with payment review features
Methods and systems of processing a plurality of payments. One method can include receiving the plurality of payments from a plurality of customers, the plurality of payments payable to at least one receiver, determining a first set of payments included in the plurality of payments to automatically accept based on validation parameters, determining a second set of payments included in the plurality of payments to reject based on the validation parameters, determining a third set of payments included in the plurality of payments to conditionally accept based on the validation parameters, and electronically prompting at least one user to accept or reject payments included in the third set of payments. |
| US07680733B1 |
Computerized patent and trademark fee payment method and system
An improved computerized method and system for the payment of patent and trademark fees is disclosed. The patent or trademark fee for a client of a firm is charged against an account maintained by an organization separate from the firm. A charge issued at a workstation at the firm is delivered to a patent or patent and trademark agency, or a foreign associate firm, where it is cashed against an account maintained by the separate organization. The firm bills the client for the fee, along with a service charge, while the separate organization bills the firm for the fee and the service charge. Payment from the client to the firm for the fee and service charge is then sent to the separate organization to cover the firm's bill from the separate organization. Recirculating retainers, pre-billing, and other aspects of methods and systems are also disclosed herein. |
| US07680730B2 |
Downstream correspondent foreign exchange (FX) banking
Systems and methods that enable real-time (or almost real-time) foreign exchange (FX) pricing via retail branch networks, wire room operations and cash management platforms are provided. Essentially, the systems and methods decouple the FX-infrastructure and enable downstream banks to effectively and efficiently access FX transaction services and infrastructure without the need to locally manage such an FX platform. In doing so, an FX generation component is employed in connection with standard downstream mechanisms to provide necessary information to a partner FX processing component. The partner FX processing component conveys information to the downstream environment while shielding the downstream entity from risks and costs involved in FX operations. |
| US07680728B2 |
Credit/financing process
A method for a borrower to obtain and/or evaluate desired financial services is disclosed. Personal information from the borrower is obtained and recorded. The personal information includes reasons that the borrower wants to obtain the financing. Financing evaluation information based on pre-established and objective criteria used by at least one established financial institution that provides financing of the type sought by the borrower is obtained and recorded. A credit grading for the borrower is determined based on the personal information, and the financing evaluation information. The credit grading is determined by an independent entity that will not provide the financing to the borrower. The financing may be a loan, such as a mortgage loan or an auto loan or the financing may be the issuance of a credit card or a line of credit. |
| US07680726B2 |
Electronic bartering system
A bartering system implements barters between a plurality of parties each having one or more classes of items available for barter. Preferably, barter orders are created by designating a selected quantity of a first class of items to be bartered, designating a date range for transferring title of the first class items to be bartered, designating a barter value of the first class of items to be bartered, and designating a second class of items to be acquired. Barter orders are posted via the Internet to a barter database and may be displayed via the Internet. Posted barter orders whose first class of items match the second class of items of a barterer's order are preferably displayed. Posted barter orders from the display are selected to effectuate a barter transaction which combines a barterer's barter order with the selected posted order(s). |
| US07680725B2 |
Arbitrage of tracking securities
A financial product is based on a first fund that is traded on a trading marketplace in a first country. The financial product is registered in the first country. The first fund has the characteristics of being based on an index of securities that are traded in a second, different country. The first fund is arbitragable with a second fund that is based on the index and which is registered in a second different country. The first fund has a creation unit basis that is substantially the same basis as a creation unit basis for the second fund. The calculation of the net asset value of the first fund occurs at essentially or exactly the same time that second country fund has its NAV calculated. |
| US07680723B2 |
User interface for semi-fungible trading
A user interface and method are disclosed for providing trading between a plurality of semi-fungible and non-fungible goods. A plurality of book axes are displayed in a single interface, each book axis representing a market for a particular good. Orders for goods are displayed as marks on the axes to display the relative value of the orders. A value axis is provided that relates the value of the goods from each market to each other. Thus, a single interface provides the means to relate the values of different semi-fungible goods. The value axis may be displayed in units of price, or a custom value designated by a user or pre-defined by the interface. Quantity information is represented in the interface through the display of a dimension of an order icon. Precise information about each order is displayed either in a panel view or a pop-up window. |
| US07680719B1 |
Method, system and apparatus for wealth management
The invention enables a system user to create a scenario that includes an analysis resolution, portfolio component data and analysis environment data. Once the scenarios are established, the system user can conduct processing/modeling/analysis in order to optimize the portfolio allocation data—effectively maximizing the return on the component investments, while minimizing the risk exposure for the portfolio. In achieving the optimization, the system can process stored user or system defined scenarios based on a series of modeling/analysis system modules. Further, it is possible for a system user to model, analyze and compare multiple scenarios historically or prospectively. The system may provide wealth outcome analysis which allows a user to determine likely long term outcomes of a particular investment plan, while accounting for the tax consequences of the chosen plan. In an implementation, the system is configured to store the modeling/analysis results and generate a scenario report. Further, the system can be configured to generate the report in a standardized format and automatically distribute the report to designated recipients. |
| US07680717B2 |
Hypothetical-portfolio-return determination
A portfolio-analysis tool receives data that describe an actual portfolio. It computes from those data the returns or other performance measures of hypothetical portfolios whose holdings are drawn from the assets that the actual portfolio held during some period. Among the purposes of doing so is to detect biases made in investment-portfolio actions of the type taken, for instance, to accommodate cash inflows and withdrawals. For that purpose, differences between the hypothetical portfolio and the actual portfolio are so made as to offset portfolio actions identified by finding differences between the weights that positions actually exhibit and the weights they would result from return only. Returns for the hypothetical portfolio are computed by calculating an offset return incrementally, one such offset at a time, and then computing the hypothetical portfolio's return as the sum of quantities proportional to the offset return and that of the actual portfolio. |
| US07680716B1 |
System and method for allocating excess funds in aggregated control account
A method, program product and system for interim allocation of excess funds in a control operating account in an intermediary bank prior to actual distribution to aggregated accounts, the method comprising: (a) monitoring the control operating account during an interim period prior to the distribution to determine for each of a plurality of the clients whether the funds held in the control operating account by that client exceeds a predetermined amount; (b) reallocating, for at least one of the clients that has been determined to have an amount of funds that exceed the predetermined amount in the control operating account, the amount of the funds listed in an electronic database for the one client in the control operating account by at least a second amount to reduce the funds held in the control operating account by the one client to at or below the predetermined amount; (c) allocating at least funds equal to or in excess of the second amount from the one or more destination aggregated accounts of the respective different deposit institutions to or among one or more eligible clients in the control operating account; and (d) distributing or having distributed to the one or more destination aggregated accounts in the different deposit institutions the funds in the control operating account. |
| US07680709B1 |
Selection processing for financial processing in a relational database management system
A Value Analyzer system is a data-driven computer-facilitated financial model that provides accurate and consistent profitability calculations using account and event data stored in a relational database managed by a relational database management system (RDBMS), wherein the account data comprises attributes of the accounts being measured and the event data comprises attributes of account-related transactions. A selector function uses selection criteria to select accounts and events from the relational database in order to generate a number of inputs for profitability calculations. |
| US07680708B1 |
Method and user interface for assigning a tax line item to a user transaction
A method for associating a tax-line item to a user transaction in a financial management software application including obtaining the user transaction by the financial management software application, associating a first tax line item with the user transaction, where the tax line item is selected by accepting input from a user separately from categorizing the transaction, and presenting the user transaction and the first tax line item selected by the user. |
| US07680706B2 |
Automotive core fulfillment system and method
A system and method for facilitating acquisition of automotive core parts from automotive recyclers for remanufacture includes identifying automotive cores and determining the value of the cores with a core fulfillment system. The core fulfillment system includes an interchange database with automotive core descriptions and corresponding interchange identification indicators. The system includes a core supplier database that includes automotive core descriptions with corresponding core supplier identification indicators and an interchange number matching module that equates database entries in the interchange database with database entries in the core supplier database. An interface module provides access to the core fulfillment system, accepts vehicle information, and provides demand and pricing information regarding automotive cores. Vehicle information is received and compared to automotive core descriptions, automotive interchange numbers, and core supplier identification indicators that correspond to the vehicle identification information. Automotive cores are identified based upon the comparison, and a core value is determined. |
| US07680697B2 |
Searching for a seller of a product
A method of searching for a seller of a product. The method comprises the steps of: indicating a product; indicating a geographical search location; and searching for a seller of the product that is located within a search distance of the geographical search location. |
| US07680696B1 |
Computer processing system for facilitating the order, purchase, and delivery of products
A method for facilitating the ordering of two or more products, wherein a data repository receives from each respective buyer of two or more buyers at least two respective orders for purchase quantities of units of at least two products of said two or more products. The data repository calculates, substantially contemporaneously with the step of receiving, a composite order comprising the total units of each of said two or more products specified in each respective order received from each respective buyer. A near valid order quantity is determined with reference to said total units, and the purchase quantity is adjusted with reference to the total units taken with respect to the near valid order quantity. |
| US07680695B2 |
Method and system for role-based authorization in web shopping
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for role-based authorization in web shopping. According to the embodiments, operations available to a user of a web shop may be filtered based on the user's role, and correspond authorization level, within an organization. |
| US07680694B2 |
Method and apparatus for a user to shop online in a three dimensional virtual reality setting
A solution is provided for a method for a user to shop online in a three dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) setting by receiving a request at a shopping server to view a shopping location, having at least one store, and displaying the shopping location to the user's computer in a 3D interactive simulation view via a web browser to emulate a real-life shopping experience for the user. The server then obtains a request to enter into one of the stores and displays the store website to the user in the same web browser. The store website has one or more enhanced VR features. The server then receives a request to view at least one product and the product is presented in a 3D interactive simulation view to emulate a real-life viewing of the product. |
| US07680691B2 |
Inventory management system using RFID
An inventory management system is provided that includes an RFID interrogator and corresponding RFID tags that are placed on items to be monitored. The tags can be used to monitor the storage time of food items stored in a refrigerator or pantry, the time in use of replaceable items such as toilet bowl cleaners, or the nature of laundry items being washed. The interrogator can be coupled to a display providing various reports on the status of such items. Also disclosed are devices for dispensing such RFID tags. |
| US07680690B1 |
Intelligent menu ordering system
A methodology for customers seeking to purchase a meal from a food service vendor such as a restaurant, a cafeteria, or a vending machine, by ordering a food preparation based upon menu-selections. In addition to receiving ordered food, customers receive suggestions for optionally modifying their food orders based upon nutritional benefits and other criteria. Either during real-time customer-ordering or during post-ordering, a food-service vendor presents a customer suggestions specific to a pending tentative or completed order, wherein the customer may enjoy purported nutritional benefits by electing to follow these suggestions and thereby modify the tentative order into a corresponding completed order. Alternatively, the customer may elect to ignore these suggestions, but may nonetheless decide to effect such food-ordering modifications during subsequent visits. The food selection criteria implemented by a food service vendor is independent of individual customer identity and preferences, and are flexible and readily adaptable to accommodate changes such as a food service vendor's marketing strategy, customer-food preferences, discoveries pertaining to nutrition and consequent good health; and may be adapted to a plethora of food service environments. The preferred embodiment contemplates a restaurant environment in which customers typically approach a food-ordering counter and interface with both a menu display and with order-taking personnel. Other embodiments implicate kiosks, vending machines, remote access devices, and locally and remotely-accessed networked computers, wherein customers interact with automated computer-driven devices instead of or in addition to wait-staff or other food service personnel. |
| US07680679B1 |
Method and system for processing transactions involving accounts for reimbursing medical expenses or patient responsible balances with multiple transaction substantiation modes
The present invention relates to a method and system for processing transactions involving accounts for reimbursing medical expenses or patient responsible balances, wherein the accounts may be handled by multiple payors having multiple transaction substantiation requirements. Examples of such accounts include flexible spending accounts, health reimbursement arrangement accounts, medical savings account, health savings account and the like. The system and method of the present invention allow an employer that uses multiple payors for administering the aforementioned accounts to distinguish its employees based on their associated payors in order to determine the proper transaction substantiation requirement per each employee and associated payor without having required to collect payor data at the employee level. |
| US07680677B2 |
System and method for selecting and protecting intellectual property assets
The present invention relates to systems and methods for intellectual property asset selection and protection. In an embodiment, an intellectual property selection system receives from an innovator an innovation submission describing an innovation. An intellectual property protection system receives at least a portion of the innovation submission and manages obtaining an intellectual property legal right related to the innovation. An intellectual property asset management system receives and stores at least one of an innovation description and an intellectual property legal right description, where the innovation description is based at least in part on the at least a portion of the innovation submission and the intellectual property legal right description is based at least in part on the intellectual property legal right. |
| US07680674B2 |
System and method for providing a price quotation for a transportation service having promotional event notification capabilities
A method and system for providing a price quotation information for shipping goods by rail. A computer delivers first information to a user prompting the user to enter at the computer a parameter, the parameter specifying a given characteristic of a transportation service. In response to an entry by the user, a database of promotional events, including a plurality of entries mapping one or more discount eligibility criteria to a promotional event, is processed to identify an entry associated to a certain discount data element and to a certain promotional event. The certain discount eligibility criterion in the identified entry is such that it would be satisfied if the parameter provided by the user was altered. The computer then delivers second information to the user indicative of the certain promotional event. |
| US07680673B2 |
System for real estate sale management
In a method for promoting the sale of real estate, a first dealer, such as an independent seller, may offer a commission to a second dealer, such as a professional real estate agent or broker, for the sale of a real estate property. The commission offer may be transmitted from the first to the second dealer through a computer server. The second dealer may also have previously determined a minimum acceptable commission, which may be posted on an administration environment or page maintained by the second dealer. If the commission offered by the first dealer is at or above the second dealer's selected minimum, and the real estate property is in the same general geographic location as the second dealer, then the listing for the real estate property may appear as a listing on the second dealer's administration page. |
| US07680670B2 |
Dimensional vector and variable resolution quantization
The invention relates to compression coding and/or decoding of digital signals, in particular by vector variable-rate quantisation defining a variable resolution. For this purpose an impulsion dictionary comprises: for a given dimension, increasing resolution dictionaries imbricated into each other and, for a given dimension, a union of: a totality (D′i |
| US07680669B2 |
Sound encoding apparatus and method, and sound decoding apparatus and method
A plurality of sets of position code books indicating the pulse position are provided in a multi-set position code book storing circuit (450). In accordance with a pitch prediction signal obtained in an adaptive code book circuit (500), one type of position code book is selected from the plurality of position code books in a position code book selecting circuit (510). From the selected position code book, a position is selected by a sound source quantization circuit (350) so as to minimize distortion of a sound signal. An output of the adaptive code book circuit (500) and an output of the sound source quantization circuit (350) are transferred.Thus, a sound signal can be encoded while suppressing deterioration of the sound quality with a small amount of calculations even when the encoding bit rate is low. |
| US07680664B2 |
Parsimonious modeling by non-uniform kernel allocation
A multi-state pattern recognition model with non-uniform kernel allocation is formed by setting a number of states for a multi-state pattern recognition model and assigning different numbers of kernels to different states. The kernels are then trained using training data to form the multi-state pattern recognition model. |
| US07680662B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing segmentation in speech recognition systems
A speech recognition system (105) includes an acoustic front end (115) and a processing unit (125). The acoustic front end (115) receives frames of acoustic data and determines cepstral coefficients for each of the received frames. The processing unit (125) determines a number of peaks in the cepstral coefficients for each of the received frames of acoustic data and compares the peaks in the cepstral coefficients of a first one of the received frames with the peaks in the cepstral coefficients of at least a second one of the received frames. The processing unit (125) then segments the received frames of acoustic data based on the comparison. |
| US07680660B2 |
Voice analysis device, voice analysis method and voice analysis program
A voice analysis method and device are provided whereby processing can be performed in real time and an indefinitely large number of speakers can be coped with. A computer-executable method of voice analysis is for detecting boundaries of phonemes from input voice, and is characterized by repeating a step of specifying a time-point in an input voice signal, a step of extracting the voice signal contained in a time range of prescribed length from this time-point, and a step of decomposing the extracted voice signal into frequency component data; finding a plurality of frequency component data from the voice signal contained in time ranges of the prescribed length; finding a plurality of correlations using the frequency component data corresponding to the voice signal contained in mutually adjacent time ranges of the prescribed length; finding time ranges having a degree of change that is larger than the two adjacent degrees of change on either side thereof; and partitioning the input voice signal into a plurality of sections based on these time ranges. |
| US07680656B2 |
Multi-sensory speech enhancement using a speech-state model
A method and apparatus determine a likelihood of a speech state based on an alternative sensor signal and an air conduction microphone signal. The likelihood of the speech state is used, together with the alternative sensor signal and the air conduction microphone signal, to estimate a clean speech value for a clean speech signal. |
| US07680655B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring the quality of speech transmissions that use speech compression
A method and apparatus are provided for determining the quality of a speech transmission, including temporal clipping, delay and jitter, using a carefully constructed test signal (300) and digital signal processing techniques. The test signal that is to be transmitted through a speech transmission system (100) is created (700). Then the test signal is transmitted through the speech transmission system such that the speech transmission system creates an output signal that corresponds to the input signal, as modified by the speech transmission system (702). The test signal includes multiple segments (500) of speech signals interleaved with periods of silence. The periods of silence vary in duration according to a predefined pattern. Each segment of speech signals includes multiple predefined speech samples or symbols (400, 402, 404, 406, 408, 410, 412, 414) interleaved with a plurality of silence gaps. The speech samples have a common period of duration, but the silence gaps do not. The output signal from the speech transmission system is preferably recorded (704) and analyzed to determine its quality, including temporal clipping (706). This analysis preferably includes comparing the output signal with a reference signal derived from the test signal using a cross correlation function. A processor (114) coupled to memory (116) records and analyzes the output signal. |
| US07680652B2 |
Periodic signal enhancement system
A signal enhancement system improves the understandability of speech or other audio signals. The system reinforces selected parts of the signal, may attenuate selected parts of the signal, and may increase SNR. The system includes delay logic, an adaptive filter, and signal reinforcement logic. The adaptive filter may track one or more fundamental frequencies in the input signal and outputs a filtered signal. The filtered signal may approximately reproduce the input signal approximately delayed by an integer multiple of the signal's fundamental frequencies. The reinforcement logic combines the input signal and the filtered signal output to produce an enhanced signal output. |
| US07680651B2 |
Signal modification method for efficient coding of speech signals
In accordance with the exemplary embodiments of the invention there is disclosed at least a method and apparatus for determining a long-term-prediction delay parameter characterizing a long term prediction in a technique using signal modification for digitally encoding a sound signal, the sound signal is divided into a series of successive frames, a feature of the sound signal is located in a previous frame, a corresponding feature of the sound signal is located in a current frame, and the long-term-prediction delay parameter is determined for the current frame while mapping, with the long term prediction, the signal feature of the previous frame with the corresponding signal feature of the current frame. Each divided frame of the sound signal is partitioned into a plurality of signal segments, and at least a part of the signal segments of the frame are warped while constraining the warped signal segments inside the frame. |
| US07680649B2 |
System, method, program product, and networking use for recognizing words and their parts of speech in one or more natural languages
A system, method, and computer program are disclosed for recognizing one or more words not listed in a dictionary database. One or more sequences of characters in the word are checked to determine a probability that the word is valid. A prefix removal process removes any prefixes from a word, and obtains information about the removed prefix. A suffix removal process removes any suffixes from the word, and obtains information about the removed suffix. A root process obtains information about a root word from the dictionary database. A combination process then determines if the prefix, the root, and the suffix can be combined into a valid word as defined by one or more combination rules, obtains one or more of the possible parts of speech of the valid word, and stores the parts of speech with the valid word in the dictionary database. |
| US07680643B2 |
Method for carrying multiple suspended runtime images
A portable device is connected to a host system that operates according to a first industry standard architecture (e.g., a personal computer built according to the IBM Personal Computer standard). The user initiates a session in the host system using the software and data in the portable device. The user suspends the state of the session, the state is stored in the portable device, and the user disconnects the portable device from the host. The user later connects the portable device to a second host that operates according to a second industry standard architecture (e.g., Apple Macintosh™ computer). The second host boots an autoconfiguring host operating system stored in the portable device and starts a virtual machine layer also stored in the portable device. The user then resumes operation of the suspended virtual machine layer session. |
| US07680640B2 |
Systems and methods for utilizing cell based flow simulation results to calculate streamline trajectories
Systems and methods for utilizing finite difference simulation results to compute streamline trajectories, which may be used to analyze the results with other streamline techniques. |
| US07680635B2 |
Configuration system and method
A configuration method includes selecting a design configuration, and modeling the solution configuration having a failure event for the selected solution configuration to determine an amount of down time associated with the failure event. A first penalty cost function is applied the amount of down time to determine a first penalty cost associated with the failure event of the selected solution configuration. |
| US07680633B2 |
Automated process for generating a computed design of a composite camera comprising multiple digital imaging devices
A computed design of a composite camera having multiple digital imaging devices is generated automatically in accordance with the following process. A target volume to be captured by the composite camera and a target resolution for capturing the target volume are obtained. A representation of a view frustum of each of a plurality of digital imaging devices is generated based on at least one characteristic of each device. The digital imaging devices are organized based on the view frusta. A set of digital imaging devices is selected from the organized digital imaging devices, where the view frusta of the set of digital imaging devices substantially covers the target volume with at least the target resolution. The set of digital imaging devices are positioned based on each device's physical characteristics. A computed design of the composite camera that includes digital imaging devices held in position by a mechanical fixture is generated. |
| US07680632B1 |
Test precondition items for automated analysis and test generation
The present invention provides methods and systems for using a design element in a graphical model to represent and identify a precondition for use by a verification tool in verifying an executable form of the design represented by the graphical model. The precondition design element provides a specification of a verification constraint without affecting the behavior of the design. The constraint is to be applied by the verification tool in verifying the design. As such, the precondition design element of the present invention provides a mechanism and formalism in a model-based design approach that is used to constrain automatically generated tests or verification of the design represented by the graphical model. |
| US07680631B2 |
Method and system for analyzing linear engineering information
A system for analyzing linear data is provided. The system comprises a datastore of linear data correlated by distance; a library of functions that may be performed on the linear data; computer executable code stored on a computer readable medium for performing an analysis of the sets of linear data based on the functions in the library. |
| US07680630B2 |
Monitoring a parameter with low power consumption for aircraft landing gear-data logger
Apparatus for monitoring a parameter associated with a structural component comprises a module (1) which is attachable to the structural component and which is associated with a sensor (2) for making measurements of said parameter. The module incorporates a power supply (7) for powering the apparatus; a memory (4) for storing data from the sensor, and a processor (3) to process measurement signals from the sensor (2) and to store data in said memory (4). A display (5) for displaying measurements made by the sensor (2) may also be provided. The processor may make use of an algorithm such as a rainflow counting algorithm to reduce data stored. For energy saving, the sensor (2) is only powered on as required to take a measurement. The sensor (3) is interfaced to the processor through a signal processing subsystem (6) consisting of an amplifier and A to D converter, and each is turned on and off as required to power the sensor (2) for measuring. A sensor such as a tilt-switch (8) may also be used to control powering of the sensor (2). A communication link allows downloading of data from the memory, and recharging of the battery (7). Alternatively, the memory (4) and battery (7) are incorporated in a unit which is removable from the apparatus so that the data in the memory can be processed elsewhere. |
| US07680626B2 |
System and method of analyzing timing effects of spatial distribution in circuits
Systems and methods are provided for analyzing the timing of circuits, including integrated circuits, by taking into account the location of cells or elements in the paths or logic cones of the circuit. In one embodiment, a bounding region may be defined around cells or elements of interest, and the size of the bounding region may be used to calculate a timing slack variation factor. The size of the bounding region may be adjusted to account for variability in timing delays. In other embodiments, centroids may be calculated using either the location or the delay-weighted location of elements or cells within the path or cone and the centroids used to calculate timing slack variation factor. The timing slack variation factors are used to calculate a new timing slack for the path or logic cone of the circuit. |
| US07680620B2 |
Dynamic matrix sensitivity measuring instrument for inertial sensors, and measuring method therefor
A device for measuring the dynamic matrix sensitivity of an inertia sensor is provided with a motion generating machine or a vibrating table for inducing a translational or rotary motion, an acceleration measuring unit, an angular velocity measuring unit or angular acceleration measuring unit, an output device for fetching an output from the unit, one or, pre light reflectors, a displacement measuring device for seizing a multidimensional motion by using a laser interferometer radiating light from a plurality of directions to the light reflectors, a data processing unit for processing a data indicating the state of motion and obtained from the displacement measuring unit, and a displaying device to display or a transmitting device to transmit the output of the data processing unit and the output of the acceleration measuring unit, angular velocity measuring unit or angular acceleration measuring unit. Since the accelerometer is exposed to acceleration in every conceivable direction and possibly fails to find a correct value of acceleration as encountered by the conventional one-dimensional calibration, it is actually calibrated by applying acceleration from all possible directions thereto. |
| US07680619B1 |
Parallel test architecture
A measurement system for testing a DUT includes a plurality of procedures for performing test functions, each procedure having a phase variable; a task queue where the procedures are entered in the task queue with a sign-up value of the phase variable; and a multiphase task executor that arranges the procedures in the queue in response to the sign-up value. The executor changes the phase variable to an execution value and executes the procedures in the task queue after the phase variable has the execution value. |
| US07680617B2 |
Process control architecture with hydrodynamic correction
Methods and systems for controlling processes related to the amount of fluid in a container subjected to externally-excited motions. Fluid level sensor measurements in processing tanks on-board boats are confused by ocean waves and swells. A hydrodynamic model of a fluid in a tank can be constructed using non-linear dynamic model algorithms with inputs such as multi-axis accelerations, fluid viscosity, and apparent level measurements. The model can be used to filter-out boat motion disturbances to obtain a corrected level of the fluid in the tank. The corrected fluid level signal can be further processed using a dynamic model of the tank and associated input and output flow rates in a closed loop observer. The methods and systems are especially advantageous for offshore equipment such as cementing and fracturing ships. |
| US07680614B2 |
Method for determining the humidity and density of a dielectric material
The invention relates to a method for determining the humidity and/or density of a dielectric material in a resonator that is filled with said material and that contains a transmitter and a receiver. According to said method: the transmitter emits a signal; a resonance curve of the filled resonator is scanned in stages, whereby respective signal intensity values (Ui) are measured at different frequencies (fi); the resonant frequency (frm) and the bandwidth (BWm) are determined for the filled resonator from measured points (fi/Ui); and the humidity (ψ) and/or density (ρ) of the material are calculated by solving a second system of equations (G2), containing the resonant frequencies (fr0, frm) and bandwidths (BW0, BWm) of the empty and filled resonators and known calibration coefficients (ar1, ar2, br1, br2, cr1, cr2, abw1, abe2, bbw1, bbw2, cbw1, cbw2) of said resonator. The aim of the invention is to provide a method for determining the humidity independently of the density in a rapid, precise manner. |
| US07680613B2 |
Battery management system (BMS) and driving method thereof
A Battery Management System (BMS) includes a sensing unit and a Micro Control Unit (MCU). The sensing unit measures a battery current, a battery voltage, and a battery temperature. The MCU determines a State of Charge (SOC) reset point based on the measured battery current and voltage. The BMS determines a battery overcharge state using a current integration result after the SOC reset point is reached. The MCU includes an SOC calculator and a full charge determining unit. The SOC calculator transmits a present current integration value upon detecting the SOC reset point. The full charge determining unit receives the present current integration value, integrates the current using the measured battery current, and determines that the battery is being overcharged when the current integration value reaches a predetermined battery rating capacity. |
| US07680609B2 |
Biopolymer automatic identifying method
The invention aims to provide a highly accurate automatic biopolymer determination technique utilizing mass spectrometry whereby calibration prior to measurement or the addition of an internal standard to a sample can be eliminated. The biopolymer automatic identifying method of the invention comprises: retrieving a candidate molecule by matching an observed mass value X obtained by mass spectrometry with a predetermined database; selecting an arbitrary number of candidate molecules with high similarity scores; calibrating the observed mass value X using the candidate molecule as an internal standard; calculating relative error Ec between a calibrated mass value Xc and a theoretical mass value M of the candidate molecule; determining the standard deviation SEc of the relative error; determining a tolerance Tc of database search from the standard deviation SEc; and repeating a database search based on the tolerance Tc. |
| US07680603B2 |
Systems and methods for determining real-time PCR cycle thresholds using a rotation transformation
Systems and methods for determining the elbow or Ct value in a real-time, or kinetic, PCR amplification curve data set. The PCR data set may be visualized in a two-dimensional plot of fluorescence intensity vs. cycle number. A rotation transform is applied to the data set to rotate the data about a defined coordinate such as the origin so that the data point representing the Ct value becomes a minimum or a maximum along the intensity axis. The data point representing the elbow or Ct value of the PCR curve is identified, and this data point is then rotated back and the cycle number of the data point is returned or displayed. |
| US07680602B2 |
Concepts and methods for identifying brain correlates of elementary mental states
Methods for identifying and modulating the subset of constitutively expressed locus-specific proteins in the brain, the deactivation of which selectively impairs the otherwise normal behavioral response to given stimulus, which is correlated with a particular elementary mental state. |
| US07680601B1 |
Design of polyketide synthase genes
Methods for the computational analysis of polyketides and the computer-assisted design of PKS genes are facilitated by representing the structure of a polyketide and/or a PKS gene that encodes the PKS that produces the polyketide by alphanumeric symbols that facilitates computer assisted analysis. A database of polyketides and corresponding PKS genes that can be rapidly searched and information extracted for a variety of applications, including the design and specification of PKS genes via the recombining of modules or portions of modules or sets of modules from already known and available PKS genes. |
| US07680598B2 |
Information generating apparatus, recording medium where information generating program is recorded, and information generating method
When an in-link type of in-link attribute data is a tunnel, a system controller specifies the positions of both ends of a tunnel on the basis of a annotation true position shape of the in-link attribute data, and generates annotation data for displaying a tunnel symbol for each of the specified both ends. |
| US07680597B2 |
Guided vehicle system and travel route map creation method for guided vehicle system
CAD data of a guided vehicle system is converted into layout data of a map. The layout data is displayed on a screen. Attribute data is added to the layout data to edit the map data. The edited map data is distributed to overhead traveling vehicles. By controlling a probe vehicle to actually travel on a travel route, positions of load ports and buffers on the map, and data about transfer to/from these load ports and buffers are verified, and updated, and then, the resulting data is distributed to the other overhead traveling vehicles and a controller. |
| US07680596B2 |
Route calculation method for a vehicle navigation system
Traffic information, including flow information and incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be used in route calculation by a navigation device. The navigation device may recalculate a route based on anticipated user error. Alternatively, the navigation device may recalculate a route using received traffic information triggered by the receipt of a traffic information update, or triggered by the passage of an amount of time. The broadcast rate of traffic information updates may vary temporally (providing more frequent updates during peak commute times) or geographically (providing more frequent updates to metropolitan areas with increased traffic information needs). If route calculation is triggered by an elapsed amount of time, the amount of time may vary to be shorter during peak commute times. Additional route calculation techniques allow the incorporation of historical traffic information or the use of the most recent traffic information if incomplete traffic information is available. Still further route calculation techniques may calculate a best route by avoiding zigzagging or evaluating an assigned cost of a potential route. |
| US07680594B2 |
Display method and system for a vehicle navigation system
Traffic information, including traffic flow information and traffic incident information, obtained through a traffic management system for providing and facilitating the exchange of traffic information between a remote location and a vehicle may be presented to a user on a user display in the vehicle. The traffic information may be presented to the user in several circumstances, either as cued by the user, or automatically presented by the traffic management system. The user display may also automatically display traffic flow and traffic incident information for the direction that the user is traveling or along a route calculated by the navigation device. Further, a window displaying information about an upcoming traffic incident such as distance to the incident and incident details may automatically appear in the user display. Alternately, the user may select a roadway, freeway, or area for which traffic information is desired. |
| US07680590B2 |
Boundary detection algorithm for embedded devices
Techniques for detecting boundary crossings may involve the use of rectangles that approximate a boundary. Data defining the rectangles may be retrieved, and a current location of a monitored device may be identified. The current location may be compared with the rectangles, and a determination that the current location is located within a rectangle may indicate a boundary crossing. To simplify the calculations on the monitored device, certain calculations may be performed in advance. For example, an angle between a selected side of a particular rectangle and an axis of the coordinate system may be determined, and the particular rectangle may be rotated by the angle to orient the rotated rectangle parallel to the axis of the coordinate system. Subsequently, location coordinates for a monitored device may be rotated and compared with a corresponding rotated rectangle to determine whether the monitored device is located within the particular rectangle. |
| US07680577B2 |
Estimating method for road friction coefficient and vehicle slip angle estimating method
The estimating method for a road friction coefficient μ includes the steps of detecting a steering angle by a steering angle sensor; detecting a lateral acceleration by a lateral acceleration sensor; and calculating an approximate friction coefficient μ by referring to a road friction coefficient μ determination table where a plurality of regions each composed of steering angle and lateral acceleration are defined so as to respectively correspond to a plurality of road friction coefficients μi (i=1 to n, n is an integer not less than 2) on the basis of a boundary line derived from lower limits of the lateral acceleration over various values of the steering angle, and by specifying one of said regions according to the steering angle detected by said steering angle sensor and the lateral acceleration detected by said lateral acceleration sensor to thereby specify one of said road friction coefficients μi as said approximate friction coefficient μ. |
| US07680574B2 |
Vehicle information system with steering wheel controller
An information system for a vehicle includes a computer for handling informational data corresponding to operation of the vehicle. A primary display is connected to the computer in a position to be viewed by a driver of the vehicle for presenting the informational data in multiple, sequential, interactive menu screens. A manual controller mounted on the steering wheel allows input to the computer and manipulation of the primary display through the menu screens. The controller includes a scroll wheel which is oriented so that its rotational axis is parallel to the steering axis. The controller includes a central push button for activating a particular selection highlighted on the primary display. A plurality of category selector buttons operate as mode switches for activating various vehicle system subjects through the information system. The scroll wheel and push button selectors establish an interface for the driver which can be operated intuitively, without taking eyes off the road or releasing the driver's grip of the steering wheel. |
| US07680570B2 |
Parking assist devices, methods, and programs
Parking assist devices, methods, and programs determine a current position of a vehicle and acquire image data from a camera provided on the vehicle. The devices, methods, and programs extract a predetermined region of the acquired image data, the predetermined region being a portion of the image that will be in a blind spot of the camera if the vehicle travels a first predetermined distance from the current position. The devices, methods, and programs correlate the extracted image data with the current position of the vehicle and cause the correlated extracted image data to be stored in a memory. The devices, methods, and programs read out past correlated extracted image data, the past correlated extracted image data having been acquired when the vehicle was in a previous position, the previous position being a second predetermined distance from the current position. The devices, methods, and programs output a parking assist image to a display, the parking assist image displaying both the past correlated extracted image data, and the image data acquired at the current position of the vehicle. |
| US07680562B2 |
Power generation system
A power generation system includes a converter configured for supplying power from a constrained power or energy source to a power network and a control system configured for balancing instantaneously available power from the constrained source against demanded load from the power network by dynamically adjusting power network voltage, power network frequency, or a combination of power network voltage and power network frequency. |
| US07680557B2 |
System for processing semiconductor substrate by using laser and method of the same
The present invention provides a system for processing a semiconductor substrate using a laser beam, the system including: a storing unit storing a process control data set for a slot for loading the semiconductor substrate therein; a process controlling unit detecting identification information of the slot in which the semiconductor substrate is loaded, and reading the control data, which is set for the detected identification information, from the storing unit to control a process of the semiconductor substrate; and a substrate processing unit processing the semiconductor substrate on the basis of the read control data using the laser beam with a predetermined energy. |
| US07680553B2 |
Methods of interfacing nanomaterials for the monitoring and execution of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes
Methods of interfacing nanomaterials used to monitor and execute the pharmaceutical manufacturing process are disclosed herein. The nanomaterials are useful to provide a plurality of analysis to the manufacturing process. Consequently, the methods provide a means to perform validation and quality manufacturing on an integrated level whereby pharmaceutical manufacturers can achieve data and product integrity and ultimately minimize cost. |
| US07680552B2 |
Spectral translation/folding in the subband domain
The present invention relates to a new method and apparatus for improvement of High Frequency Reconstruction (HFR) techniques using frequency translation or folding or a combination thereof. The proposed invention is applicable to audio source coding systems, and offers significantly reduced computational complexity. This is accomplished by means of frequency translation or folding in the subband domain, preferably integrated with spectral envelope adjustment in the same domain. The concept of dissonance guard-band filtering is further presented. The proposed invention offers a low-complexity, intermediate quality HFR method useful in speech and natural audio coding applications. |
| US07680551B2 |
Method of adjusting origin of industrial robot
An industrial robot includes a first member, a positioning member arranged to be attached to the first member, a second member arranged to rotate relative to the first member, and a first joint for coupling the first member with the second member. The second member has a contact point arranged to contact the positioning member. An indication for requesting to enable the positioning member to contact the contact point is displayed. The second member rotates at the first joint relatively to the first member while the positioning member can contact the contact point. It is detected whether or not the contact point of the second member contacts the positioning member. A position of the second member is stored as an origin when it is detected that the contact point of the second member contacts the positioning member. This method prevents a possible failure of the attaching of the positioning member, and decreases a work load on an operator. |
| US07680550B2 |
Unit module state processing enhancements
A system is provided to facilitate state processing in an industrial control environment. The system includes a unit module to process components in an industrial control facility. A status component associated with the unit module provides present state information for the components. |
| US07680545B2 |
System and method for speed measurement verification
This Invention provides for a method and system for speed measurement verification. The method comprises the step of automatically measuring the speed of a vehicle traveling on a surface which includes a fixed marker at a predetermined distance from a point where the speed of the vehicle is measured. The measured speed is automatically compared to a predetermined speed limit and if the speed limit is exceeded, the next step involves automatically calculating a time delay, which time delay is calculated according to the measured speed and the predetermined distance so as to predict when the vehicle, if traveling at the measured speed, will reach the marker. An image is then captured with a camera directed at the marker after expiration of the time delay so that, if the measured speed is accurate, the vehicle will be positioned proximate the marker so that the captured image showing the vehicle relative to the marker is able to serve as verification of the accuracy of the measured speed. |
| US07680542B2 |
Radiofrequency ablation epiphysiodesis
The present invention is directed to a method of treating bone length discrepancies and angular deformities in a patient in need thereof, where the method involves radiofrequency ablation epiphysiodesis of a physeal plate. Specifically, the method treats long bone discrepancies with a minimally invasive procedure. The present invention is also directed to a method of inhibiting bone growth, where the method involves exposing a physeal growth plate to radiofrequency ablation epiphysiodesis. |
| US07680537B2 |
Therapy triggered by prediction of disordered breathing
An approach to providing disordered breathing therapy includes providing therapy based on a prediction of disordered breathing. One or more patient conditions are detected and used to predict disordered breathing. Therapy is delivered to mitigate the predicted disordered breathing. The disordered breathing therapy may be adapted to enhance therapy efficacy and/or to reduce the impact of the therapy to the patient. |
| US07680535B2 |
Pace counter isolation for cardiac resynchronization pacing
A system and method recording sensing and pacing events in a cardiac rhythm management device. The method may be particularly useful in assessment of pacing parameters for ventricular resynchronization therapy. |
| US07680529B2 |
System and method for monitoring blood glucose levels using an implantable medical device
T-wave amplitude and QT interval are derived from patient cardiac signals. Then blood glucose levels are determined based on a combination of the T-wave amplitude and the QT interval. By using a combination of both T-wave-based and QT interval-based signals, blood glucose levels can be reliably detected throughout a wide range of blood glucose levels. Once the blood glucose level has been detected, the implanted device compares the blood glucose level against upper and lower acceptable bounds and appropriate warning signals are generated if the level falls outside the bounds. In one example, wherein an implantable insulin pump is additionally provided, the pump is controlled based on the detected blood glucose level to maintain glucose levels within an acceptable range. A calibration technique is also provided for determining patient-specific parameters for use in the detection of blood glucose levels. |
| US07680528B2 |
Method for the graphical representation of a medical instrument inserted at least partially into an object under examination
The invention provides a method for the graphical representation of a medical instrument inserted at least partially into an object under examination, with an image representing the medical instrument being generated, in that the instrument image is vectorized, with the medical instrument being represented as a polyline. |
| US07680521B2 |
Battery pack locking device of a mobile phone
Disclosed is a battery pack locking device for a mobile phone which attaches or detaches the battery pack to or from a body of the phone by slidably moving a cover of a camera lens module. The battery pack locking device includes a sliding cover; a push locker portion moved upwardly or downwardly according to movement of the sliding cover; a slide locker portion slidably moved according to the upward or downward movement of the push locker portion to restrict or release the battery pack; and a resilient member. |
| US07680516B2 |
Mobile millimeter wave communication link
A point-to-point, wireless, millimeter wave communications link between two stations at least one of which is a mobile station. A millimeter wave transmitter system operating at frequencies higher than 57 GHz with a tracking antenna producing a beam having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less and a millimeter wave receiver also with a tracking antenna having a half-power beam width of about 2 degrees or less. In preferred embodiments each mobile station has a global position system (GPS) and a radio transmitter and both tracking antennas are pointed utilizing GPS information from the mobile station or stations. The GPS information preferably is transmitted via a low frequency, low data rate radio. Each millimeter wave unit is capable of transmitting and/or receiving, through the atmosphere, digital information to/from the other station at rates in excess of 155 million bits per second during normal weather conditions. In preferred embodiments actually built and tested by Applicants digital information has been transmitted at rates of 1.25 gigabits per second. Preferred communication links described here are millimeter wave links operating at frequencies of 71-73 GHz and 74-76 GHz mounted on simple two-axis gimbals. Pointing information of the required accuracy is provided by GPS receivers and standard radio links which send the GPS calculated positions to the millimeter wave systems at the opposite end of the link. In these embodiments there is no need for any complicated closed loop pointing information derived from received signal intensity or phase. On moving platforms locally generated inertial attitude information is combined with the GPS positions to control pointing of the gimbaled transceivers. |
| US07680509B2 |
Transmission/reception integrated radio-frequency apparatus
There is provided a highly reliable transmission/reception integrated radio-frequency apparatus which can achieve a high communication quality in a cable modem. A reception RF signal is input to a reception system block via an input/output terminal, converted to an intermediate-frequency signal, and output from a terminal. An output terminal of a transmission processing section of a transmission system block is connected to the input/output terminal via an overvoltage protection circuit, a high-pass filter functioning as a countermeasure to overvoltage, and a low-pass filter for suppressing harmonics produced from the high-pass filter. |
| US07680507B2 |
Shared control and signaling channel for users subscribing to data services in a communication system
The downlink shared channel includes dedicated physical channel control information for more than one mobile. In HSDPA, providing the downlink shared channel replaces the downlink dedicated physical channels for at least two mobiles. |
| US07680506B2 |
Method for inserting advertisement into PoC and extended-PoC communication system
The object of the present invention is to realize a method and a server which enable insertion of advertisement even in voice communication including multimedia communication. The server is configured as a server for managing PoC communication among multiple terminals, comprising: a right-to-speak management section for managing the right to speak of the multiple terminals; a data distribution section for transmitting and receiving data to and from the multiple terminals; and an advertisement control section for storing advertisement data and transmitting the stored advertisement data to the multiple terminals via the data distribution section. |
| US07680504B2 |
Message transmission and received message activation methods and mobile communication terminal having message transmission and received message activation functions
A method for transmitting a message including inputting, at a transmitting terminal, a message body and an activation condition indicating when the message body is to be activated on a receiving terminal, and transmitting message data to the receiving terminal. The message data includes the message body and the activation condition. Further, the activation condition is compared to a current status of the receiving terminal to determine when the message body is to be activated. |
| US07680503B2 |
Method and apparatus for effecting SMS and SMSC messaging in different cellular communications systems
An apparatus and method of mapping a short message service (SMS) information from a first communications system to a corresponding message in a second, different cellular system is claimed. SMS information having a format required by the first communication system is received. The SMS information is mapped into a format required by the second communication system. Additional information is appended, if necessary, or information is removed as being extraneous information, if necessary, as required by the second communication system. |
| US07680502B2 |
Radio frequency detection assembly and method for detecting radio frequencies
A radio frequency detection assembly is described and which includes a radio frequency detector which detects a radio frequency emission produced by a radio frequency emitter from a given location which is remote relative to the radio frequency detector; a location assembly electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and which is operable to estimate the location of the radio frequency emitter from the radio frequency emission which has been received; and a radio frequency transmitter electrically coupled with the radio frequency detector and the location assembly, and which transmits a radio frequency signal which reports the presence of the radio frequency emitter. |
| US07680500B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for autonomously managing reverse link communication resources in a distributed communication system
An apparatus, system, and method efficiently manage reverse link communication in a communication system having geographically distributed base stations. A base station functioning to at least one mobile station as a non-serving active base station estimates an expected coupled load due to the at least one mobile based on a previous total coupled load. The base station determines a total available capacity based on the difference between the total capacity of the base station and the estimated expected coupled load. The base station allocates reverse link resources to other mobile stations served by the base station so as not to exceed the total available capacity. Since the allocation of reverse link channels resources are controlled directly by the base station, delays due to communications with a central controller are eliminated. As a result, adverse effects of load scheduling based on obsolete reverse channel information are minimized. |
| US07680497B2 |
Method and system for optimizing system-access and soft-handoff parameters based on location information
A system and method for updating a current set of parameters in a communications system is provided. The system and method determines the current position of a mobile unit in a first coverage area, determines a set of optimum parameters based on the current position of the mobile unit, and updates the current set of parameters in the mobile unit with the set of optimum parameters. The system and method may be used for optimizing position-dependent system-access and soft-handoff parameters. |
| US07680494B2 |
Servicing of wireless terminal print job by unsupported printer
A wireless terminal having processing resources, a user interface including a user input device and a display, and a wireless interface causes a file to be printed to a destination printer that is unsupported by the wireless terminal. The processing resources communicatively couple to the wireless interface and to the user interface and are operable to receive a file via a servicing wireless network and the wireless interface, receive a request via the user interface to print the file, identify a destination printer, determine that the wireless terminal does not support printing of the file at the destination printer, identify a servicing device for processing of the file for printing at the destination printer, and transmit the file to the servicing device via the wireless interface and the servicing wireless network. |
| US07680491B2 |
Method and system allowing for one mobile phone number (MSISDN) to be associated with a plurality of wireless devices (‘Multi-SIM’)
The method and system allowing for one mobile phone number (MSISDN) to be associated with a plurality of wireless devices is described. |
| US07680489B2 |
Method for concurrent multiple services in a mobile communication system
A method for providing concurrent service in a mobile communication system is disclosed in which a SCCP connection identifier SLR/DLR of a lower layer and a Service Option Connection Identifier (SOCI) on an IOS message of the higher layer to be exchanged are transmitted when a SCCP connection is established between a BSC and a MSC, thereby providing additional services to those already requested from a mobile station after the SCCP connection establishment without stopping a currently used service. According to the method, the concurrent service is provided while minimizing the conventional call processing procedures on the interface between the BSC and the MSC, thereby allowing a subscriber to use new additional service without stopping the current service or concurrently use a plurality of services such as voice and packet data services. Furthermore, a flexible confront is possible to a future development direction of the network. Providing concurrent service is an essential function of the third generation mobile communication network in a multimedia environment. |
| US07680487B2 |
Method and apparatus to facilitate scheduling transmissions to group recipients
Upon detecting (201) a communication need for a group of communication recipients that entails attempting to make at least one transmission to each of the communication recipients in the group (wherein at least one of the communication recipients has both a scheduled personal communication opportunity and a scheduled group communication opportunity), one automatically uses (202) whichever of the scheduled communication opportunities occurs first to make the at least one transmission to the communication recipient(s) for which this option applies. In one approach this response is further informed and influenced by one or more other factors, such as but not limited to system loading (203), group size and/or known whereabouts (204), and/or whether a recent transmission response was received (205). |
| US07680480B2 |
Determining user availability based on a past event
Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth. |
| US07680477B2 |
Integrated radio frequency filters for multiband transceivers
A system and method integrates signal filters in a multiband transceiver. A preferred embodiment comprises an amplifier with a first tunable capacitor coupled to a signal input and a tunable filter. The tunable filter comprises an input stage with a first pair of inductors arranged in a dipole configuration and a second tunable capacitor coupled in parallel to the first pair of inductors and an output stage inductively coupled to the input stage, the output stage includes a second pair of inductors also arranged in a dipole configuration and a third tunable capacitor coupled in parallel to the second pair of inductors. The inductors are realized using bond wire or any other high Q material. The first tunable capacitor, the second tunable capacitor, and the third tunable capacitor can be tuned using a master-slave tuning configuration to adjust the operating frequency of the amplifier and the tunable filter to enable frequency band compatibility with multiple communications protocols. |
| US07680475B2 |
Dynamic ASBR scheduler
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate dynamically scheduling frequency sets for reuse by user devices to reduce inter-cell interference by evaluating an overall scheduling metric for each user device in a wireless communication region. The overall scheduling metric can be evaluated by determining a fairness metric for each user device in a wireless communication region, an overall channel peak desirability metric for each user device, and a channel delay desirability metric for each user device. The overall scheduling metric can be the product of the fairness metric and one or more of the overall channel peak desirability metric and the channel delay desirability metric. A user device with a highest overall scheduling metric score for a given round of dynamic scheduling can be awarded a frequency set. |
| US07680469B2 |
Electronic device power management system and method
An electronic device power management system, comprising a plurality of wireless transmitters and receivers and a power management module configured to selectively adjust the operational status of at least one of the plurality of wireless transmitters and receivers based on a signal indicative of at least one characteristic of a wireless network to which the electronic device is associated. |
| US07680468B2 |
Method and apparatus for distortion correction of RF amplifiers
A method of reducing distortion in the output of an amplifier is provided. The method comprises subtractively combining an error signals with the appropriate phase shift with input signals to be amplified. The error signal being generated by subtractively combining a fed-forward portion of the input signal with a portion of the fed-back amplified output signal, and signal processing applied to it between its generation and application to correcting the input signal in the baseband domain. The error therefore being down-converted, filtered, and up-converted in the feedback path. The filtered baseband error signal components providing inputs to a controller which adjusts active elements of the amplification and feedback path in order to minimize the distortion within the output of the amplifier. |
| US07680464B2 |
Waveguide—printed wiring board (PWB) interconnection
An RF interconnection between RF Printed Wiring Boards (PWBs) includes a waveguide transmission line coupled between the RF PWBs. The waveguide feeds are provided as integral parts of each PWB. In one embodiment, the waveguide interconnecting the PWBs is provided as an integral part of a support structure which supports the PWBs. By providing the interconnecting waveguide and the feeds at each end of the waveguide as integral pieces of other already existing structures, a reliable, low cost RF interconnection between RF PWBs having relatively few separate pieces is provided. |
| US07680460B2 |
Wireless process field device diagnostics
A wireless process device for use in an industrial process control or monitoring system comprising includes a power source configured to power the process device. Diagnostic circuitry is configured to diagnose operation of process device and provides a diagnostic output. Wireless communication circuitry transmits information over a wireless communication link. |
| US07680458B2 |
Interference cancellation method and module for OFDMA mobile communication system
The present invention relates to an interference cancellation receiving method in an OFDMA mobile communication system, and an apparatus using the same. For this purpose, the present invention provides an interference cancellation receiving method for outputting a data symbol from which an interfering signal is canceled by receiving subcarriers including a data signal from a serving base station, the data signal including interfering signals from a neighboring base station and a remote base station, estimating a channel response of the serving base station and the neighboring base station by using at least one adjacent pilot subcarrier in the frequency axis or time axis, computing a weight value for canceling the interfering signals, and combining at least one data subcarrier having a repeated identical data symbol among received subcarriers with the weight value. According to the present invention, performance of receiving serving base station signals is improved, and a success rate of handoff is increased and handoff delay time is reduced by successful decoding of signals from a serving base station and a neighboring base station when handoff occurs. |
| US07680457B2 |
Method and system for collaborated beamforming for reducing interference
A method is provided for reducing interferences in a wireless communication system. First, in one or more cells, a plurality of frequency-time frames are generated each having at least one predetermined frequency-time open window unused for desired wireless communications. The interference information is derived from the predetermined open windows of the frames. The interference for incoming signals is reduced by calculating beamforming weights using the observed interference information. |
| US07680455B2 |
Method and system for antenna selection diversity with biasing
Methods and systems for choosing at least one signal path are disclosed. Aspects of the method may include determining a signal quality metric for each of a plurality of signal paths, modifying the signal quality metric for each of the plurality of signal paths, and selecting at least one signal path based on at least one modified signal quality metric. At least one of the signal paths may be cycled through and the signal quality metric may be biased and/or increased and/or decreased for each of the plurality of signal paths by a fixed amount and/or by a predetermined amount. The signal quality metric may also be dynamically changed for each of the plurality of signal paths. |
| US07680453B2 |
Method of storing and accessing electronic data and apparatus therefor
A method of storing, accessing and displaying electronic data features: storing a first part of the data in a memory tag; storing a second part of the data in a separate location having an address, using a reader, when data is accessed, to couple to the memory tag and access the first part of the data and, while or after the first part of the data is being displayed on a screen, and using a communication unit to link to the address of the separate location and obtain the second part of the data. |
| US07680452B2 |
Repeater
A booster capable of preventing itself from adversely influencing a base station. This booster comprises a plurality of downstream signal amplifying parts (111-1 to 111-4) and a plurality of upstream signal amplifying parts (112-1 to 112-4). A received signal analyzing part (116) analyzes the perch channel information of a signal received from a base station to generate analysis information. When the analysis information shows that the reception quality of the received signal is below a threshold value, halt control parts (118,124) halts the operations of those ones of the downstream signal amplifying parts (111-1 to 111-4) and upstream signal amplifying parts (112-1 to 112-4) that are related to that analysis information. When the analysis information shows that a path-loss value or a base station interference power is above a threshold value, the halt control parts (118,124) may halt the operations of those ones of the downstream signal amplifying parts (111-1 to 111-4) and upstream signal amplifying parts (112-1 to 112-4) that are related to that analysis information. |
| US07680450B2 |
Method and user equipment for jamming detection and signalling in a mobile telecommunications network
Method for jamming detection in a mobile telecommunications network comprising the steps of, at a user equipment registered with the mobile telecommunications network: a) measuring a signal power level in at least one of a plurality of communication channels between the user equipment and a base station within a band of operation of the mobile telecommunications network; b) checking whether the signal power level in said at least one communication channel is greater than a threshold MNPL and, if so, attempting to decode a Base Station Identity Code BSIC broadcast by the base station in said communication channel; c) repeating steps a) and b) for a certain number of channels; d) signalling a jammed condition report JDR message to the base station if said BSIC cannot be decoded for said number DCMN of channels. |
| US07680446B2 |
Cleaning device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member, an electrostatic latent image forming member, a developing member, a transferring member, and a cleaning device. The cleaning device includes a cleaning brush contacting with a photosensitive member to remove residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive member and a lubricant supplying brush contacting with the photosensitive member to supply a lubricant to the surface of the photosensitive member. The lubricant supplying brush is configured to change an amount of the lubricant supplied to the surface of the photosensitive member depending on a linear speed of the photosensitive member. |
| US07680439B2 |
Interference fit sleeved foam charge rolls and composite materials
The present invention is generally directed to composite materials or charge rolls comprising a sleeved foam charge roll where the sleeve is interference-fit over the foam core, and methods of constructing them. The foam core can be made with an outer diameter larger than that of the sleeve inner diameter. The sleeve can be interference fit over the foam core to provide a functional charge roll. In some embodiments the charge roll can be used in an image forming apparatus including, but not limited to, an electrophotography system, an electrophotographic copying machine, and a laser printer. |
| US07680438B2 |
Image forming apparatus having contactless type temperature sensor
A sealing member which is compressed by a contactless temperature sensor and a cover member of a fixing unit is provided between the sensor and the cover member. An opening portion for temperature detection is shut off from a space around the fixing unit by the sealing member, thereby preventing the air from flowing from the opening portion into the fixing unit. |
| US07680432B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus having removable/replaceable process cartridges is provided. One of the removable/replaceable process cartridges may be removed/replaced from a panel which is different than a panel from which the other removable/replaceable process cartridges may be removed/replaced. One of the removable/replaceable process cartridges may be associated with an exposure device which is only used to expose a portion of that process cartridge while the other removable/replaceable process cartridges may be associated with at least one other exposure device. An image forming apparatus may include two or more different types of exposure devices (e.g., laser based, light emitting diode based, etc.). An image forming apparatus may include a plurality of guide members for guiding portions of an exposure device arranged on a panel of the image forming apparatus such that when the door or panel is arranged on the image forming apparatus, the exposure device is guided into position by the guide members. |
| US07680418B2 |
Multi-rate clock signal extracting method and multi-rate clock signal extracting device
A multi-rate clock signal extracting device includes a light modulator, a photoelectric converter, a band-pass filter unit, a phase comparison unit, a bit rate changeover switch and a modulating electric signal generating unit. The light modulator modulates a light signal according to a modulating electric signal as a mixing signal obtained by mixing an electric signal with frequency f/(2j−1) and an electric signal with frequency Δf so as to output it as a modulated light signal. The modulated light signal is converted into a first electric signal by the photoelectric converter. A second electric signal group with frequency (2n−1)×Δf is generated from signal components with frequencies (2n−1)×Δf included in the modulated light signal by the photoelectric converter and the band-pass filter unit so as to be input into the phase comparison unit. The bit rate changeover switch selects an electric signal corresponding to the bit rate of the light signal so as to input it into a modulating electric signal generating unit. The modulating electric signal generating unit outputs the modulating electric signal. |
| US07680417B2 |
Bi-directional parallel optical link
A system is disclosed. The system includes a first optical transceiver having a first set of transmitters and a first set of receivers and a second optical transceiver having a second set of transmitters coupled anti-symmetrically to the first set of receivers of the first optical transceiver and a second set of receivers coupled anti-symmetrically to the first set of transmitters of the first optical transceiver. |
| US07680416B2 |
WDM-PON having optical source of self-injection locked fabry-perot laser diode
A wavelength division multiplexed-passive optical network includes an optical line terminal for generating downstream optical signals of discrete wavelengths and for receiving upstream optical signals of discrete wavelengths, a remote node, coupled to the optical line terminal, a wavelength division unit settled to reflect a predetermined wavelength, and a plurality of optical network units. Each optical network unit has an optical source which is oscillated in a multi-mode and is self-injection locked by the predetermined wavelength provided thereto, thereby to generate the upstream optical signal in a single mode to be provided to the remote node. |
| US07680415B2 |
Optical code division multiplexing transmission and reception method and optical code division multiplexing transceiver
An object of the present invention is to provide an OCDM transceiver with which the reduction amount of the intensity of the correlation waveform signal is smaller than that of a conventional device of the same type in the decoding step that comprises a time gate processing step. Hence, in the OCDM transceiver of the present invention that comprises an encoding portion and a decoding portion, the decoding portion is constituted comprising a decoder, clock extractor, and time gate. The decoder decodes an encoded optical pulse signal and separates the encoded optical pulse signal into a clock signal extraction signal and an optical pulse signal playback signal. The clock extractor extracts a clock signal from the clock signal extraction signal. Further, the time gate removes only the auto-correlation waveform component from the optical pulse signal playback signal. The auto-correlation waveform component is converted to an electrical signal by means of an optical receiver and generated as a reception signal. |
| US07680411B2 |
Imaging optical system for multi-focus camera
Imaging optical systems of imaging units of a multi-focus camera are set to form respective focal planes in a shooting space at different distances from the multi-focus camera. Front depths of field of the imaging optical systems are set to be so deep that they reach the adjacent focal planes that are arranged on the camera side of the respective focal planes. Focal lengths and magnifications of the imaging optical systems are so defined that images of any subjects of the same size are taken in the same size regardless of where the subjects are located in the shooting space. |
| US07680410B2 |
Imaging device equipped with flash unit
Upon depression of a release button, pre-shooting is performed before regular shooting. In the pre-shooting, flash of a predetermined amount is emitted and exposure of an image sensor is performed. A shooting frame is divided into small areas. As to each of the small areas, subject brightness of pre-emission and subject brightness of non-emission are detected to calculate a difference between them. The small area having the maximum difference is selected as a main-subject area. The brightness of the non-emission of the selected small area, which is the brightness of an ambient light applied to the main subject, is set as reference brightness. A correction amount of the flash amount of the regular shooting corresponding to the reference brightness is derived with reference to an LUT. In the regular shooting, regular emission is performed during a regular-emission time corresponding to the collected flash amount. |
| US07680408B2 |
Lens module and camera module having same
A lens module includes a lens barrel, a first lens, a second lens, a plurality of electrostrictive members and a controlling unit. The first lens has a first optical axis thereof, the second lens has a second optical axis thereof, the first and second lenses being received in the lens barrel. The electrostrictive members are arranged in the lens barrel and connected with the second lens. The controlling unit is configured for controlling the electrostrictive members so as to adjust the second optical axis of the second lens to be in alignment with the first optical axis of the first lens. A camera module using the lens module is also provided. |
| US07680406B2 |
Liquid-lens assembly
Disclosed herein is a liquid-lens assembly using an electrowetting method. The liquid-lens assembly includes a liquid-lens module, a barrel supporting the liquid-lens module, and a housing coupled to the barrel and having an image sensor. Electrodes are provided on the barrel and the housing, so that current is applied to the liquid-lens module through the electrodes. |
| US07680400B2 |
Systems and methods for smart deicers
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a deicer system for heating water within a fluid receptacle to prevent ice from forming, the system including a main body configured to be positioned within the fluid receptacle, a heating element adapted to heat the water, a temperature sensor adapted to detect a temperature of the water, a switch adapted to activate and deactivate the heating element, and a control unit in communication with the heating element, the temperature sensor, and the switch. The heating element is supported by the main body. The control unit is adapted to control the heating element using the switch based at least in part on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor. |
| US07680399B2 |
System and method for producing and delivering vapor
Systems and methods for producing and delivering vapor are disclosed. A vaporizer tank containing a liquid may be heated such that liquid within the tank is heated and vapor generated. The flow of this vapor to a destination may then be regulated. Embodiments of the present invention may control the temperature of this liquid such that a saturated vapor condition is substantially maintained in the vaporizer tank. The vaporizer tank is coupled to a mass flow controller which regulates the delivery of the vapor to downstream components. By substantially maintaining the saturated vapor condition within the vaporizer tank the pressure of vapor at the mass flow controller can be substantially maintained and a stable and consistent flow rate of vapor achieved. |
| US07680397B2 |
Method and apparatus for recording data on a recording disc, and method and apparatus for restoring data recorded on a recording disc
Video object units are generated from a program stream. The generated video object units have navigation portions respectively, and compose video objects. The navigation portions are void of ending time information and search information. The video object units are sequentially recorded on the recording disc without being buffered. Ending time information and search information are detected from the program stream. A decision is made as to whether or not the recording of video object units composing one video object has been completed. Navigation information is generated which includes the ending time information and the search information, and which corresponds to the last recorded video object. The generated navigation information is recorded on zones in the recording disc which correspond to the navigation portions of the video object units composing the last recorded video object each time the recording of video object units composing one video object has been completed. |
| US07680392B2 |
Streaming contents recording method of mobile communication terminal
A streaming contents recording method of a mobile terminal including comparing a length of streaming contents with a remaining memory capacity of the mobile terminal, and recording the streaming contents by omitting a specific frame type if the length of the streaming contents is greater than the memory capacity. Further, the omitted specific frame types include a B-frame type or a B-frame type and a P-frame type. |
| US07680390B2 |
Polymer clad optical fiber
A polymer clad optical fiber is provided in which, if the diameter of an inner core is taken as a1, and the diameter of an outer core is taken as a2, and if a ratio X (which=a22/a12) between a cross-sectional area of the inner core and a cross-sectional area of the outer core is within a range of 1.8≦X≦2.2, and if a relative refractive index difference between the inner core and the outer core is taken as Δ1, and if a relative refractive index difference between the outer core and a cladding is taken as Δ2, then for a parameter Y which is defined as Y=Δ1/Δ2, when a high temperature is taken as Ymax and a low temperature is taken as Ymin, a relationship is established in which, when X is within a range of 1.8≦X≦2.0, then 0.25≦Ymin≦0.84X−0.68, and Ymax is 0.25≦Ymax≦0.84X−0.68, and, when X is within a range of 2.0≦X≦2.2, Ymin is 0.48X−0.71≦Ymin≦−2/9X+13/9, and Ymax is 0.48X−0.71≦Ymax≦−2/9X+13/9. |
| US07680388B2 |
Methods for configuring and testing fiber drop terminals
A method for testing a fiber drop terminal from a single geographic location may include placing a signal onto a first optical fiber at the single geographic location. The first optical fiber is communicatively coupled to a first output receptacle on the fiber drop terminal. The method may also include detecting the signal via a second optical fiber at the single geographic location. The second optical fiber is communicatively coupled to a second output receptacle on the fiber drop terminal, and the second output receptacle is communicatively coupled to the first output receptacle via a loop-back assembly. |
| US07680384B2 |
Installation tool with integrated visual fault indicator for field-installable mechanical splice connector
A mechanical splice fiber optic connector installation tool operable for performing splice terminations and verifying an acceptable splice termination includes a power source, a connector holder, an integrated Visual Fault Locater having an optical transmission element and a display for displaying the status of the termination. An adapter configured to receive the connector and align the connector with the optical transmission element, such that the optical transmission element is spaced apart from the connector at a predetermined distance and is in optical communication with the connector for propagating light energy through the adapter and along the stub optical fiber to a termination area of the connector. |
| US07680380B2 |
Fiber optic cables and assemblies and the performance thereof
A fiber optic jumper assembly comprising at least one bend performance optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular hole-containing region comprised of non-periodically disposed holes, a protective covering positioned over the at least one bend performance optical fiber, and at least one connector mounted upon each end of the at least one bend performance optical fiber. A preconnectorized fiber optic jumper assembly comprising a microstructured fiber having a delta attenuation of 0.00 dB at 5 wraps about a 6 mm diameter at a reference wavelength of 1625 nm. |
| US07680379B2 |
Broadband light source in particular for short coherence interferometry
The invention relates to an arrangement for generating a broadband spectrum which can be used in particular as a light source for short coherence interferometry. The arrangement comprises a laser, in particular a laser diode, for generating a short light pulse of wavelength λp and a microstructured optical fiber (1) with a high nonlinearity, which has a zero dispersion of the group velocity in the vicinity of the wavelength λp and an anomalous dispersion, as well as means for introducing the light pulse into the microstructured optical fiber. |
| US07680378B2 |
Low reflection lateral output fiber probe
A system and method which integrates a mirror at the fiber tip to the fiber tip and uses a tilted flat at the exit plane to prevent astigmatism caused by the cylindrical curvature of the fiber wall and minimize reflection. |
| US07680376B2 |
Wafer-level alignment of optical elements
Methods are disclosed of fabricating an optical assembly. An active optical element is disposed near or on a first surface of a slab of optical material. A passive optical element is formed on a second surface of the slab, with the second surface being substantially parallel to the first surface. An optical axis of the passive optical element is aligned with an optical path between the passive optical element and an active region of the active optical element using a lithographic alignment process. |
| US07680374B2 |
Apodised binary Bragg grating
An apodised Bragg grating comprises a base grating section formed by a base order 5 periodic pattern of marks and spaces. The Bragg grating further comprises one or more apodised grating sections that are formed by a periodic pattern of marks and spaces, each defined by the base order pattern from which at least some of the marks are missing. The determination of which marks are missing may be performed by combining the base order pattern with a higher order modulation envelope function. |
| US07680367B2 |
Optoelectronic integrated circuit board and communications device using the same
In the optical connection between multi-layered optical waveguides and photoelectric converting elements or optical waveguide array connectors formed on a substrate, the optical coupling efficiency is to be prevented from degrading due to deviation of the optical axis positions between optical elements and the optical waveguide layers that is caused by a radiation due to a beam expansion or by a deviation of positioning layers in producing the optical waveguides. There are stacked, on a substrate, optical waveguide layers, each of which comprises a clad layer and a core having a higher refractive index than the clad layer, and optical elements formed on the uppermost optical waveguide layer. The optical elements are positioned such that they correspond to the optical path conversion mirrors of the cores of the underlaying optical waveguide layer. The light transmission/reception between the optical elements and the optical path conversion mirrors of the cores of the underlaying optical waveguide layer is performed via the cores of overlying optical waveguide layer. |
| US07680363B2 |
Optical pressure sensor
The present invention aims to provide an optical pressure sensor capable of detecting a more minute pressure change. A base film is formed with a through hole passing first and second surfaces, an optical fiber is fixed to the base film at a region other than the FBG portion such that the FBG portion is positioned on the through hole in plan view. The optical pressure sensor according to the present invention is attached to an object body such that the second surface of the base film is closely attached to a surface of the object body directly or indirectly. |
| US07680362B2 |
CMOS-compatible polarization-diverse tunable optical bandpass filter
According to one embodiment, an optical filter has a polarization rotator and two instances of an optical bandpass filter (OBPF). The first instance of the OBPF processes a TE-polarized component of an optical input signal to produce a first filtered signal. The polarization rotator then transforms the TE polarization of the first filtered signal into the TM polarization. The polarization rotator also transforms the polarization of a TM-polarized component of the optical input signal into the TE polarization. The second instance of the OBPF processes the resulting TE-polarized signal to produce a second filtered signal. The first and second filtered signals having TM and TE polarizations, respectively, are then combined to produce a filtered output signal. |
| US07680360B2 |
Information processing system and information processing method
An information processing system includes a memory portion that stores image information of a space in association with a document, the image information being captured by an image capturing portion, the document being used while the space being captured, a receiving portion that receives information that specifies the document as a search request, and a search portion that searches the image information stored on the memory portion for a scene associated with the document specified by the search request, on the basis of the search request. |
| US07680357B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting positions of center points of circular patterns
Voting of coordinates of each pixel in a photographic image onto a Hough space corresponding to annuluses is performed, the Hough space being defined by a coordinate system having an X coordinate axis for a circle center point, a Y coordinate axis for a circle center point, and an r coordinate axis for a radial direction. A vote value of each voting position having coordinates (X, Y, r) on the Hough space is acquired as a first integrated vote value from a calculation of a number of votes given to each voting position. A position represented by (X, Y) coordinate values of a voting position associated with the largest first integrated vote value is detected as the position of the center point of the circular pattern. |
| US07680356B2 |
Technique for bit-accurate comfort noise addition
The addition of comfort noise to an image serves to hide compression artifacts. To facilitate comfort noise addition, supplemental information accompanying a video image contains at least one parameter that specifies an attribute regarding comfort noise. Typically, the supplemental information includes parameters that function to turn the comfort noise on and off, as well as to indicate the level of noise to add, based on the expected level of compression artifacts. |
| US07680351B2 |
Video deblocking method and apparatus
Methods and systems for processing pixels within a current macroblock are disclosed. Aspects of the method may comprise acquiring a plurality of pixels that are adjacent to the left of a plurality of selected pixels within the current macroblock. A portion of the plurality of selected pixels within the current macroblock may be filtered along a vertical edge utilizing a portion of the acquired plurality of pixels that are adjacent to the left of the plurality of selected pixels. The at least a portion of said filtered plurality of selected pixels within the current macroblock may be rotated. The current macroblock may be filtered along a horizontal edge, utilizing at least a portion of the rotated plurality of selected pixels. |
| US07680350B2 |
Method and system for progressive mesh storage and reconstruction using wavelet-encoded height fields
Systems and methods are provided for progressive mesh storage and reconstruction using wavelet-encoded height fields. A method for progressive mesh storage includes reading raster height field data, and processing the raster height field data with a discrete wavelet transform to generate wavelet-encoded height fields. In another embodiment, a method for progressive mesh storage includes reading texture map data, and processing the texture map data with a discrete wavelet transform to generate wavelet-encoded texture map fields. A method for reconstructing a progressive mesh from wavelet-encoded height field data includes determining terrain blocks, and a level of detail required for each terrain block, based upon a viewpoint. Triangle strip constructs are generated from vertices of the terrain blocks, and an image is rendered utilizing the triangle strip constructs. Software products that implement these methods are provided. |
| US07680336B2 |
Information processing method and apparatus
An imaging apparatus index detecting unit detects an index in a physical space from an image captured by an imaging apparatus including a first camera. A position and orientation estimating unit estimates the position and orientation of the imaging apparatus based on information relating to image coordinates of a detected index. A second camera index candidate detecting unit monitors an index on the imaging apparatus with a second camera positioned in the physical space, and detects an index candidate. A position constraint condition calculating unit calculates a position constraint condition based on information relating to image coordinates of a detected index candidate. A second camera index identifying unit identifies a second camera index based on the estimated position and orientation of the imaging apparatus and the position constraint condition of the second camera index candidate. |
| US07680334B2 |
Presenting recognised handwritten symbols
A method for presenting recognized handwritten symbols includes recognizing a detected handwritten pattern. Recognizing may include comparing the handwritten pattern to templates representing ways of writing symbols and returning a best interpretation of the handwritten pattern. The best interpretation may be based on the pattern of a best template. At least two templates may include different patterns which represent different ways of writing a single symbol, and the patterns of the at least two templates may return different best interpretations when being most similar to the handwritten pattern. The method further includes presenting the pattern of the best template on a screen. A device for implementing the method may also be provided. |
| US07680328B2 |
Histogram generating device
A histogram generating device is disclosed. An embodiment has a brightness signal generating module generating a brightness signal by use of RGB component data of an input frame, an image component data selecting module outputting a single component frame consisting of image component data, which is one of the RGB component data and the brightness signal, an interval histogram generating module generating a level value by calculating the number of image component data belonging to each level grouped by a histogram resolution as a detection interval of the plurality of successive single component frames is changed, and a memory storing a plurality of level values generated for each of the single component frames. |
| US07680326B2 |
Method, system, and program for correcting the image quality of a moving image
An image processing system has a scale-down section for scaling down frames of a moving image to obtain thumbnail images, a temporary correction value calculation section for calculating a temporary correction value by employing a first feature quantity calculated from the thumbnail image by a feature quantity calculation section, and a temporary correction section for calculating a second feature quantity of a temporarily corrected thumbnail image obtained by correcting each thumbnail image with the temporary correction value. The image processing system further has a target feature quantity calculation section for calculating a target feature quantity of each frame so that the second feature quantities vary smoothly in a temporal direction, an object correction value calculation section for calculating an object correction value so that the first feature quantity becomes the target feature quantity, and a correction section for obtaining a corrected moving image by correcting each frame with the object correction value. |
| US07680323B1 |
Method and apparatus for three-dimensional object segmentation
A three-dimensional (3-D) machine-vision involving a method and apparatus for performing segmentation of 3-D objects. Multiple stereo-related sets (left/right, top/left, top/right) of two-dimensional video pixel data are separately processed into sets of edges. Each stereo-related set is then pair-wise processed to convert pairs of sets of edge data into 3-D point data. Multiple sets of pair-wise 3-D data are then merged and used for obtaining 3-D features which are then clustered into discrete 3-D objects that can lie on any arbitrary plane. |
| US07680321B2 |
Method and system to compensate for lamp intensity differences in a photolithographic inspection tool
An after develop inspection tool considers tool-to-tool variability when determining confidence score for wafers under inspection. A golden wafer is used to calculate a RGB signature as well as the slope of the individual RGB curves for different lamp intensities. These slopes are normalized in order to generate a compensation factor for red values and blue values within a signature. When a wafer is subsequently inspected at an ADI station using a different lamp, the test wafer RGB signature is likely captured at a different lamp intensity. Consequently, when comparing the signatures, the golden wafer RGB signature is adjusted by the compensation factors, based on the different lamp's intensity setting, and this adjusted RGB signature is then used to determine whether a defect exists on the test wafer. |
| US07680315B2 |
Facilitating computer-aided detection, comparison, or display of medical images
The present invention is methods for processing medical images so as to remove certain effects of the physical characteristics of the object being imaged and/or of the apparatus used to form the images. The invention further provides for the formation of a standardized image from the processed image and for the use of the standardized image or the processed image in the training of computer-aided detection/diagnosis algorithms. These algorithms may then be used to detect abnormalities in other standardized or processed images derived from any of a variety of image acquisition systems. |
| US07680313B2 |
Method and apparatus for post-processing of a 3D image data record, in particular for virtual colonography
A method is disclosed for post-processing of a 3D image data record which has been recorded by way of an imaging tomographic appliance of a body area, and covers at least one hollow organ which is at least partially filled with contrast agent. An imaging apparatus is also disclosed. In the method, an automatic three-dimensional edge detection process is carried out in the 3D image data record in order to determine transitions between areas which have contrast agent and a wall of the hollow organ as boundary surfaces. A weighted high-pass filtering process is carried out at right angles to the boundary surfaces and leads to removal of the areas which have contrast agent and in which process areas around the transitions are given a lower weighting than areas which are further away from the transitions. After low-pass filtering in the areas around the transitions, a 3D image data record is produced from which the areas which are filled with contrast agent are eliminated, without image artifacts being produced at the transitions to the wall of the hollow organ. The method can be used in particular for virtual bowel cleaning in virtual colonography. |
| US07680311B2 |
System aid for digital radiographic image quality verification
A computerized method to aid in human visual reading of phantom image data for task-based image quality assessment. A digital image is registered to a phantom template to generate a plurality of individual targets. The individual targets are sequentially displayed to a user for visual assessment. A display control adjustment is provided for each of the displayed individual targets. The user then indicates at least one assessment of the displayed individual target, and the assessments for all the plurality of targets is stored for analysis. In one arrangement, the individual targets are randomly rotated prior to being sequentially displayed. |
| US07680309B2 |
Method and functional unit for quality monitoring of image acquisitions and simultaneous implementation of an image pre-processing and generation of image processing objects (presentation states) using progressive image compression and transfer methods
A method is provided for simultaneously implementing an image preprocessing and storing of presentation states during a running image transfer by sending acquired image data, which may be in a low resolution format, to an image processing station where processing descriptions associated with the acquired image are assigned to the image data and stored along with the acquired image data in an image storage database for future access. |
| US07680307B2 |
Systems and methods for image segmentation with a multi-stage classifier
The systems and methods described herein provide for fast and accurate image segmentation through the application of a multi-stage classifier to an image data set. An image processing system is provided having a processor configured to apply a multi-stage classifier to the image data set to identify a distinctive region. The multi-stage classifier can include two or more component classifiers. The first component classifier can have a sensitivity level configured to identify one or more target regions in the image data set and the second component classifier can have a specificity level configured to confirm the presence of the distinctive region in any identified target regions. Also provided is a classification array having multiple multi-stage classifiers for identification and confirmation of more than one distinctive region or for the application of different classification configurations to the image data set to identify a specific distinctive region. |
| US07680306B2 |
Method for recognition and tracking of fibrous media and applications of such a method, particularly in the computer field
The invention relates to a method for acceptance of a candidate fibrous medium comprising the following steps: a candidate digital signature is generated from a structural characteristic extracted from a reference zone of the fibrous medium, the said digital signature representing the unique, complex, chaotic structure of the reference zone, practically invariable with time; the candidate digital signature is compared with at least one authentic digital signature previously recorded on a digital data medium so as to issue a positive or negative decision about acceptance of the candidate fibrous medium; characterized in that the comparison uses a statistical method to calculate a similarity index between the candidate digital characteristic and the authentic digital signature, and to compare this similarity index with a given acceptance threshold, so as to enable issuing a positive acceptance decision if the candidate digital signature does not exactly correspond to the authentic digital signature with which it is compared. |
| US07680305B2 |
Vein authentication device
Provided in this invention is a vein authentication device comprising: an interface on which a part of a living body; one or more light sources for emitting infrared light; an image pickup unit for picking up a blood vessel image of the part of the living body using infrared light emitted from the light sources; an image computing unit for processing the blood vessel image picked up by the image pickup unit; and a light shielding unit for shielding infrared light emitted from the light sources and preventing the infrared light from traveling in an image pickup direction of the image pickup unit, wherein the interface has an opening opened in the image pickup direction of the image pickup unit, and wherein the light sources irradiates the part of the living body with infrared light from an image pickup side of the part of the living body. |
| US07680304B2 |
Method of wood strength and stiffness prediction
A method of non-destructive testing of a wood piece using a multiplicity of sensors. The method may include the steps of sensing the wood piece; collecting information from the sensors; and integrating the information into a physical model providing for strength and stiffness prediction. The collected information relate to material characteristics of the wood piece and to fiber quality characteristics of the wood piece. The material characteristics may include one or more of the following material characteristics of the wood piece: growth ring thickness; grain angle deviation; clear wood density; knot location; knot density; knot type; knot size; location in the tree from which the wood piece was cut. The fiber quality characteristics may include one or more of the following fiber quality characteristics: microfibril angle, juvenile wood, biodeterioration; reaction wood species; and manufacturing or drying defects including one or more of the following defects: sawcuts, checks, shake; size of actual cross-section, and species. |
| US07680302B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of drowsiness and quantitative control of biological processes
The present invention is directed to a real-time automated video cognizer that functions as a facial video processor for detecting drowsiness in operators of motorized vehicles, including the use of a video cognizer to provide pattern recognition and control signal generation during monitoring of macroscopic or microscopic biological processes. More specifically, the present invention accepts input from a video monitoring system that continuously captures the operator's facial images; employing three sequential means of processing the digitized video information to extract the position and configuration of drowsy-relevant facial features and numerically processes this information to yield a quantitative estimate of drowsiness probability in each epoch of monitoring. The means of the present invention are noninvasive, do not restrict driver movement or performance, provide increased measurement reliability for actual driver behavior, and include the capability of generating or triggering suitable alarms when drowsiness occurs. |
| US07680301B2 |
Measurements using a single image
A method used in broadcasts of events is disclosed for identifying the coordinates of an object in world space from a video frame, where the object is not on the geometric model of the environment. Once the world coordinates of the object are identified, a graphic may be added to a video replay showing the object. The method may also be expanded in a further embodiment to identify a trajectory of an object over time moving through world space from video images of the start and end of the trajectory, where the object is not on the geometric model of the environment. Once the trajectory of the object in world space is identified, a graphic may be added to a video replay showing the trajectory. |
| US07680300B2 |
Visual object recognition and tracking
This invention describes a method for identifying and tracking an object from two-dimensional data pictorially representing said object by an object-tracking system through processing said two-dimensional data using at least one tracker-identifier belonging to the object-tracking system for providing an output signal containing: a) a type of the object, and/or b) a position or an orientation of the object in three-dimensions, and/or c) an articulation or a shape change of said object in said three dimensions. |
| US07680295B2 |
Hand-gesture based interface apparatus
An interface is provided that corresponds to an individual person without being restricted to a particular place within a room, by performing gesture recognition while identifying an individual person. A stereo camera (1) picks up an image of a user (4), and based on the image pickup output, an image processor 2 transmits a color image within a visual field and a distance image to an information integrated recognition device (3). The information integrated recognition device (3) identifies an individual by the face of the user (4), senses the position, and recognizes a significant gesture based on a hand sign of the user (4). The information integrated recognition device (3) executes a command corresponding the identified user (4) and performs operations of all devices (6) to be operated in the room (such as a TV set, an air conditioner, an electric fan, illumination, acoustic condition, and window opening/closing). |
| US07680290B2 |
Sound reproducing apparatus and method for providing virtual sound source
A sound reproducing apparatus for providing an optimal virtual sound source and a sound reproducing method therefor are provided. The sound reproducing apparatus includes a virtual sound signal generation unit for generating more than one virtual sound signal corresponding to locations and the number of target virtual sound sources on the basis of more than one inputted sound signal, and a virtual sound signal downmix unit for downmixing said more than one virtual sound signal to virtual sound signal outputs corresponding to a predetermined number of output channels. The number and locations of diversely variable virtual sound sources are provided, thereby obtaining an effect of providing an optimal virtual sound source adaptively depending on each different environment. |
| US07680288B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating, storing, or editing an audio representation of an audio scene
An apparatus for generating, storing or editing an audio representation of an audio scene includes audio processing means for generating a plurality of speaker signals from a plurality of input channels as well as means for providing an object-oriented description of the audio scene, wherein the object-oriented description of the audio scene includes a plurality of audio objects, wherein an audio object is associated with an audio signal, a starting time instant and an end time instant. The apparatus for generating further distinguishes itself by mapping means for mapping the object-oriented description of the audio scene to the plurality of input channels, wherein an assignment of temporally overlapping audio objects to parallel input channels is performed by the mapping means, whereas temporally sequential audio objects are associated with the same channel. With this, an object-oriented representation is transferred into a channel-oriented representation, whereby on the object-oriented side the optimal representation of a scene may be used, whereas on channel-oriented side the channel-oriented concept users are used to may be maintained. |
| US07680287B2 |
Directional setting apparatus, directional setting system, directional setting method and directional setting program
A directional setting apparatus according to the present invention, comprising: a voice recognition unit which detects a certain voice included in a sound signal outputted from a microphone array having a plurality of microphones and a directional determination period indicating a detection period of said certain voice; a voice direction detector which detects occurrence direction of said certain voice in said directional determination period; and a directional controller which controls directivity of a prescribed apparatus based on the sound signals outputted from said plurality of microphones in said directional determination period. |
| US07680286B2 |
Sound field measurement device
A wide frequency range signal from a test sound source is reproduced successively by a plurality of speakers, and the reproduced sound is detected by a plurality of microphones, after which the frequency characteristics are obtained at FFTs, while obtaining the frequency characteristics of the wide frequency range signal at an FFT. A high frequency range level is normalized with a low frequency range level, and a determination section compares the normalized value with a reference value stored in a reference value storage section to determine the number and positions of people in the sound field. The transfer functions between the speakers and the microphones are calculated at transfer function calculators, and impulse responses are obtained at IFFTs, after which a reverberation time calculator calculates the reverberation time based on the impulse responses. An audio signal is adjusted based on the results. |
| US07680280B2 |
Electronic device, control method thereof, security program and others
An electronic device, a control method thereof and a security program are provided which are capable of preventing or suppressing the theft of the electronic device.The electronic device comprises mounting means for loading a portable recording medium and encrypted information write means for encrypting predetermined information using an encryption key unique to the electronic device and writing the encrypted information in the recording medium. The electronic device further comprises encrypted information read means for reading the encrypted information recorded in the recording medium in the case where the recording medium is loaded in the mounting means, decryption execution means for executing the decryption of the encrypted information using the encryption key, and control means for setting the electronic device in usable mode in the case where the encrypted information is decrypted by the decryption execution means. |
| US07680276B2 |
Secure storage device for transfer of digital camera data
A secure storage device with the external dimensions of a PCMCIA card, for securing digital camera data at the acquisition stage. Original digital camera data is saved in the memory of the secure storage device which has the capability of performing one or more security functions, including encryption, creation of an authentication file, adding data to the image data such as fingerprinting, and adding secure annotations such as separate data included in an image-header. The device prepares original authentication data from original digital camera data, and encrypts and stores both the original authentication data and the original image data. The use of the device includes downloading the original image data to a first computer, and encrypted original authentication data to a second computer. The second computer can be programmed with software whereby the encrypted original authentication data can be decrypted by a user having a key. The software then allows the user to prepare corresponding second authentication data from second image data of questionable authenticity. If the second authentication data is the same as the original authentication data, the questionable second image data is deemed to be an accurate copy of the original image data. |
| US07680275B1 |
Method and system for the controlled delivery of digital services, such as multimedia telematics services
The services delivered by a plurality of providers (SP) towards the users (U) are identified by respective streams of encoded data, for instance MPEG data. The users (U) are provided with respective receiving means (STB) of a generalised type, common to all users. Each user is provided with a user unit (105), preferably embodied in the form of a smart card, incorporating a processing function (VM) able to recognize, load and execute at least one enabling algorithm embedded in the data streams sent by the providers, by exploiting a respective identifying code, also embedded in the delivered data stream, to enable to receiving means, through the user unit (105), to make use of the respective service. |
| US07680274B2 |
Security element comprising micro- and macrostructures
A security element which is difficult to copy includes a layer composite which has microscopically fine, optically effective structures of a surface pattern, which are embedded between two layers of the layer composite. In a plane of the surface pattern, which is defined by co-ordinate axes x and y, the optically effective structures are shaped into an interface between the layers in surface portions of a holographically non-copyable security feature. In at least one surface portion the optically effective structure (9) is a diffraction structure formed by additive superimposition of a macroscopic superimposition function (M) with a microscopically fine relief profile (R). Both the relief profile (R), the superimposition function (M) and also the diffraction structure are functions of the co-ordinates x and y. The relief profile (R) is a light-diffractive or light-scattering optically effective structure and, following the superimposition function (M), retains the predetermined profile height. The superimposition function (M) is at least portion-wise steady and is not a periodic triangular or rectangular function. In comparison with the relief profile (R) the superimposition function (M) changes slowly. Upon tilting and rotation of the layer composite the observer sees on the illuminated surface portions light, continuously moving strips which are dependent on the viewing direction. |
| US07680272B2 |
Inverse calculation circuit, inverse calculation method, and storage medium encoded with computer-readable computer program code
In an inverse calculation circuit, an inverse calculation method, and a storage medium encoded with a computer readable computer program code, a random number generator generates a first random number and a second random number; and an inverter receives a plurality of first bits expressing a first element of a finite field(s) as first inputs, receives a plurality of second bits expressing a second element of a finite field(s) as second inputs. In response to the first and second random numbers, the inverter outputs a plurality of third bits expressing the inverse elements of the first element. The first random number prevents a different power analysis (DPA) decryption attack, and the second random number prevents a timing decryption attack. |
| US07680271B2 |
Zero-knowledge proof cryptography methods and devices
A cryptography method involving a keyholder having a number m≧1 of private keys Q1, Q2, . . . , Qm and respective public keys G1, G2, . . . , Gm, each pair of keys (Qi, Gi) (where i=1, . . . , m) satisfying either the relationship G1=Qiv mod n or the relationship Gi×Qiv=1 mod n, where n is a public integer equal to the product of f (where f>1) private prime factors p1, . . . , pf, at least two of which are separate, and the exponent v is a public integer equal to a power of 2. Disclosed is what mathematical structure may be imparted to the public keys for it to be impossible to calculate said private keys from said public parameters in a reasonable time unless said prime factors are known. Devices adapted to implement the method are also disclosed. |
| US07680269B2 |
Method for ciphering a compressed audio or video stream with error tolerance
A method ciphers a standardized stream of compressed audio or video data, wherein at least one part of the bits of data packets delimited by two consecutive synchronization markers is ciphered by pseudo-random stream. |
| US07680268B2 |
Elliptic curve point octupling using single instruction multiple data processing
Systems and methods for elliptic curve octupling using Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) processing are described. In one aspect, a weighted projective point P on an elliptic curve, P having coordinates (x, y, z) is identified. Value 8P is computed from P with 12 sets of field multiplications using SIMD processing. Each set of field multiplications includes one to four respective field multiplications. Each set of field multiplications is performed in parallel according to an assigned time-step. |
| US07680265B2 |
Echo canceler circuit and method
An echo canceller circuit (200) and method performs cascaded echo cancellation and noise suppression in a non-interfering manner. The echo canceller circuit (200) includes pre-noise suppression logic (210), echo canceller coefficient logic (218), noise suppression logic (212) and an echo canceller filter (216). The pre-noise suppression logic (210) receives pre-echo canceller uplink data (64) and downlink data (52), and in response produces pre-noise suppression uplink data (224). The echo canceller coefficient logic (218) receives the pre-noise suppression uplink data (224) and the pre-echo canceller uplink data (64), and in response produces filter coefficient data (226). The noise suppression logic (212) receives the pre-noise suppression uplink data (224), and in response produces noise suppressed uplink data (228). The echo canceller filter (216) receives the noise suppressed uplink data (228) and the filter coefficient data (226) and in response produces final uplink data (230). |
| US07680264B2 |
Systems and methods for endpoint recording using a conference bridge
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for recording media communication. An exemplary method comprises the steps of: receiving an incoming call from a calling phone; routing the incoming call to a called phone in a contact center; transmitting voice communications associated with the incoming call via the calling phone through a conference bridge; duplicating the voice communications via the conference bridge; transmitting the duplicated voice communications via the conference bridge; and recording the duplicated voice communications. |
| US07680262B2 |
Method and apparatus for placing a long distance call based on a virtual phone number
A method and apparatus for reducing the cost of long distance phone calls is disclosed. Accordingly, an originating phone network is operatively connected to a first intermediate point, and a receiving phone network is operatively connected to a second intermediate point. Each intermediate point is operatively connected to communicate via a data network. Users on the originating and destination phone networks may communicate based on virtual numbers. The virtual number is preferably within the local calling area of the originating phone network. The first and second intermediate points route calls to any geographic location, regardless of distance, over the data network based on the virtual number. This provides the advantage of allowing a user on the originating phone network to access a user at a distant location for a price that is substantially similar to the price of a local call. |
| US07680258B2 |
Providing information in a communication system
The present invention relates to a method for providing user equipment information associated with use of services provided via a communication system. The method comprises a step of collecting, in a network element, use information relating to use, by the user equipment during a period, of a service provided via the communication system. The method comprises a further step of loading, by the network element, the use information on the user equipment according to a predetermined plan. An information provision entity, user equipment and a communication system are configured to execute the method. |
| US07680256B2 |
Contact number encapsulation system
A contact number encapsulation system is disclosed that is operable to consolidate a plurality of contact numbers associated with a given user into a single contact number. The system includes a call processing application that uses information contained in a SIP message header to determine a list of contact numbers to call. The SIP message header contains a call destination indication that is used by the call processing application to retrieve the list of contact numbers. The list of contact numbers is user defined and may be updated or modified by an account holder at any given time. Once the list of contact numbers is obtained, a simultaneous call module is used to simultaneously call each number contained in the list. As such, the account holder only needs to provide the primary contact number to individuals desiring to reach him/her instead of various numbers that are associated with various locations the account holder may be located. |
| US07680255B2 |
Telephone outlet with packet telephony adaptor, and a network using same
An outlet for a Local Area Network (LAN), containing an integrated adapter that converts VoIP to and from analog telephony, and a standard telephone jack (e.g. RJ-11 in North America) for connecting an ordinary analog (POTS) telephone set. Such an outlet allows using analog telephone sets in a VoIP environment, eliminating the need for an IP telephone set or external adapter. The outlet may also include a hub that allows connecting both an analog telephone set via an adapter, as well as retaining the data network connection, which may be accessed by a network jack. The invention may also be applied to a telephone line-based data networking system. In such an environment, the data networking circuitry as well as the VoIP/POTS adapters are integrated into a telephone outlet, providing for regular analog service, VoIP telephony service using an analog telephone set, and data networking as well. In such a configuration, the outlet requires two standard telephone jacks and a data-networking jack. Outlets according to the invention can be used to retrofit existing LAN and in-building telephone wiring, as well as original equipment in new installation. |
| US07680254B2 |
Health monitor for a geographically distributed voice messaging system
A health monitor subsystem detects and responds to faults within a geographically disperse voice messaging system. The health monitor subsystem comprises agent, manager, interface, and common processes. The agent process monitors a respective voice messaging system component operative on the host. The manager process monitors and manages detected faults on the host. The interface process exposes a status responsive to the host. The common process monitors and manages a platform of hosts. The health monitor subsystem enables monitoring at the component, host, and platform levels. |
| US07680248B2 |
X-ray tube and X-ray analyzing apparatus
To be able to achieve further small-sized formation and light-weighted formation and to promote a sensitivity by further efficiently detecting a fluorescent X-ray or the like in an X-ray tube and an X-ray analyzing apparatus, there are provided a vacuum cabinet 2 inside of which is brought into a vacuum state and which includes a window portion 1 formed by an X-ray transmitting film through which an X-ray can be transmitted, an electron beam source 3 installed at inside of the vacuum cabinet 2 for emitting an electron beam e, a target T generating a primary X-ray X1 by being irradiated with the electron beam e and installed at inside of the vacuum cabinet 2 to be able to emit the primary X-ray X1 to an outside sample S by way of the window portion 1, and an X-ray detecting element 4 arranged at inside of the vacuum cabinet 2 to be able to detect a fluorescent X-ray and a scattered X-ray X2 emitted from the sample S and incident from the window portion 1 for outputting a signal including energy information of the fluorescent X-ray and the scattered X-ray X2. |
| US07680246B2 |
Method and device for judging polarity of single crystal sample
Wavelength dependence of diffraction X-ray intensity of a single crystal sample is measured using an X-ray incident optical system of simple structure so that the polarity of the single crystal sample can be judged. When the polarity of the {111} face of a GaAs single crystal sample (18) is judged, for example, an X-ray source (10) which can generate X-rays in a predetermined wavelength range including in the middle the wavelength at the K absorption end of Ga, i.e. an X-ray source of Au target, is employed. An X-ray beam (12) emitted from that X-ray source is reflected on a paraboloidal multilayer film mirror (14) to form a parallel beam (16) including an X-ray in a predetermined wavelength range. The sample (18) is irradiated with the parallel beam and the intensity of a diffraction X-ray therefrom is detected by an X-ray detector (22). Wavelength dependence of diffraction X-ray intensity is measured in the wavelength range including the wavelength at the absorption end by performing 2θ/ω scanning. Polarity is judged by determining the ratio of diffraction X-ray intensity on the shorter wavelength side than the absorption end to diffraction X-ray intensity on the longer wavelength side than the absorption on end. |
| US07680243B2 |
X-ray measurement of properties of nano-particles
A method for analyzing a sample includes directing one or more beams of X-rays to impinge on an area of a surface of the sample on which a layer of nano-particles of a selected element has been formed. Secondary X-ray radiation from the area is detected responsively to the one or more beams. A distribution of the nano-particles on the surface is characterized based on the detected radiation. |
| US07680240B2 |
Iterative reconstruction of tomographic image data method and system
Methods for performing image reconstruction that include deriving background projection data for an area outside a targeted field of view of a tomographic image, and reconstructing the tomographic image of the targeted field of view, wherein the background projection data is used in the reconstruction. Methods for selecting a reconstruction methodology that include determining a number of pixels in a reconstructed image for a first reconstruction methodology, determining a number of pixels in a reconstructed image for a second reconstruction methodology, comparing the number of pixels for the first reconstruction methodology and the number of pixels for the second reconstruction methodology, and selecting the reconstruction methodology for image reconstruction based on the comparison of the number of pixels. Imaging systems implementing these methods are also provided. |
| US07680234B2 |
Method and apparatus for signal phase locking
A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit provides ac devices, such as power inverters and power measurement devices, with a reliable means for synchronizing to ac electrical systems. In an exemplary embodiment, the PLL circuit is configured for operation with single-phase electrical systems and offers substantial noise immunity by basing its locking operations on measured fundamental components, i.e., measured x-y phasors, of the electrical system voltage. Further, with its phasor-based locking operations and with its timer/counter-based operation, the PLL circuit can be implemented partly or wholly in digital processing logic. |
| US07680232B2 |
Method and apparatus for multi-mode clock data recovery
The disclosed invention is a technology for producing a recovered clock signal using a multi-mode clock data recovery (CDR) circuit that accommodates a flexible range operating frequencies F and consecutive identical digit requirements CID. In a first mode of operation, a controlled oscillator produces the recovered clock signal, and in a second mode of operation, a phase interpolator produces the recovered clock signal. The multi-mode CDR circuit operates in the first mode if (CID/F) is less than a threshold time value and in the second mode if (CID/F) is greater than the threshold time value. |
| US07680228B2 |
Communication system, real-time control device, and information processing system
In addition to fast on-off timing, instructive information on an output wave such as an amplitude or a slope is transmitted through a small number of signal lines. Output wave modifier information such as the amplitude or slope is transferred through serial communication 1, and an on-off timing signal is transmitted as an individual signal 20. |
| US07680227B2 |
Method and system for filter calibration using fractional-N frequency synthesized signals
A method and system for filter calibration using fractional-N frequency synthesized signals are presented. The method may include generating an Local Oscillator (LO) signal by a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) circuit within a chip. A reference signal may be generated based on the generated LO signal and a synthesizer control signal. A frequency response for a filter circuit integrated within the chip may be calibrated by adjusting parameters associated with the filter circuit based on the generated LO signal. The system may include a single-chip multi-band RF receiver that enables generation of a LO signal by a PLL circuit within the single-chip, and enables calibration of a frequency response for a filter circuit integrated within the chip. A reference signal may be generated based on the generated LO signal and a synthesizer control signal. The frequency response may be calibrated by adjusting the filter based on the generated reference signal. |
| US07680226B2 |
Minimizing dynamic crosstalk-induced jitter timing skew
A digital signal waveform receiving circuit may be processed by a non-linear adaptive canonical correlation analysis circuit that may quantify and minimize crosstalk-induced jitter timing skew for improving set-up and hold timing margins of data streams on the receiving circuit. A non-linear adaptive canonical correlation analysis circuit may be placed between an incoming digital signal from a serial link and a PHY receiving layer of an information handling system 100. The PHY receiving layer of the information handling system may be coupled to the non-linear adaptive canonical correlation analysis circuit or may be coupled to the digital signal. This coupling selection may be automatically programmed depending on received signal cross-talk-induced jitter timing skew or may be programmed by a user of the information handling system. |
| US07680224B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatic frequency correction for a receiver system
A system and method is shown for automatic frequency correction in a receiver, where the number of clock cycles in a baseband data signal, such as an I or Q channel of the receiver or an XOR of the I and Q channels, for a “1” state and a “0” state of a received data signal are each determined and the difference between the two is used to calculate a subsequent frequency offset correction value. The subsequent frequency offset correction value is added to a current offset correction value to obtain an actual offset correction value. The actual offset correction value is then used to adjust the frequency of the receiver clock. |
| US07680221B2 |
Ultratight navigation observation lock detector
An observation lock detector receives I and Q correlations and measurement residuals and transforms the I and Q quadrature correlation outputs based upon computed code phase and carrier phase into transformed I and Q quadrature signals communicated to conventional output lock detectors to provide validity and confidence indicator signals for indicating that the residual estimates are valid for dynamic propagation of the residuals in a navigation receiver for improved performance especially in low signal-to-noise environments such as for use in an ultratight GPS navigation system. |
| US07680214B2 |
Computation of soft bits for a turbo decoder in a communication receiver
A device (20) for computing a threshold Sthi used in demodulating a quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) signal to generate a plurality of soft bits per received symbol for input to a turbo decoder, the device including: means (30) for computing the mean amplitude A of the received symbols and multiplying the mean amplitude A by of the received symbols and multiplying the mean amplitude A by a constant Ci for a square QAM constellation with 4m points, such that Sthi=A×Ci where m is a positive integer and i is a positive integer from 1 to (√4m-1)−1. |
| US07680210B2 |
Method for generating I/Q signal in a TDMA transmitter and corresponding modulator
The present invention relates to a digital I/Q modulator which efficiently supports multi-time-slot operation of wireless TDMA transmitters employing linear power amplifiers. According to the present invention, dips are introduced in the envelope of the I/Q signal in the guard interval between adjacent time-slots or bursts. The dips avoid interference on adjacent radio frequency channels when the gain of the TX chain in switched abruptly in order to change the power level of the TX signal or when the modulation scheme is changed. Also, a method is provided for generating the dips, which is particularly attractive if the modulation scheme in adjacent time-slots changes from GMSK to 8PSK or vice versa. |
| US07680207B2 |
Mobile communication system, mobile communication method, and radio station suitably used for the same
The object of the present invention is provide a mobile communication system which can improve a communication quality of the mobile communication system as a whole by changing a transmission method for transmitting common information. Each of the mobile stations 200a to 200l comprises a communication quality measurer 230 configured to measure a communication quality of a signal transmitted from the radio station 100a. The radio station 100a comprises a communication quality acquirer 130 configured to acquire the communication quality from the plurality of mobile stations 200a to 200l; a transmission method changer 140 configured to change a transmission method for at least one of an error encoding rate, the number of repeated bits, an interleave length, the number of multiple codes and the number of transmission signal repetitions, in accordance with the acquired communication quality; and a transmitter 110 configured to transmit the signal to the plurality of mobile stations 200a to 200l using the changed transmission method. |
| US07680206B2 |
Selecting modulation and coding level and spatial rate for orthogonal frequency domain modulation systems
Embodiments are directed to a link adaptation method that selects the optimum transmission scheme and modulation and coding signal (MCS) level within a MIMO system, based on optimal maximum throughput on the channels. The method selects the MCS levels and spatial rate values for broadband communication systems based on the instantaneous broadband MIMO-OFDM signaling capacities. The transmission rate over the transmission channel is selected based on a comparison of the capacities achieved under diversity coding and spatial multiplexing MIMO transmission schemes. The effect of a particular receiver type or implementation can also be factored into the signaling capacity. For a fixed target probability of error, the scheme or spatial rate that has the higher instantaneous throughput is selected for transmission. |
| US07680205B2 |
Method and system for transmitter beamforming for reduced complexity multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transceivers
Aspects of a method and system for transmitter beamforming for reduced complexity multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transceivers are presented. Aspects of the system may include a MIMO transmitter that computes a channel estimate matrix and decomposes the computed channel estimate matrix based on singular value decomposition (SVD). Singular values in a singular value matrix may be rearranged and grouped to generate a plurality of submatrices. In one aspect, each of the submatrices may be decomposed based on GMD at a MIMO transmitter, while a MIMO receiver may utilize a vertical layered space time (VLST) method. In another aspect, the MIMO transmitter may utilize Givens rotation matrices corresponding to each of the submatrices, while the MIMO receiver may utilize maximum likelihood (ML) detection. |
| US07680204B2 |
Method and system of convolutive coding for the transmission of space-time block codes according to the technique termed Golden Code
A method is provided for convolutive coding for the transmission of space-time block codes according to the technique termed Golden Code, in a wireless communication network comprising at least a plurality of transmit antennas. The Golden Code coding is associated with a trellis coded modulation, and the necessary partitioning to the trellis is produced such that, for each partitioning step, a set Γ∞ is multiplied by at least one element β from the set Bk (k>1) of elements of Az such that: Bk={X∈Az and |Det(X)|2=2k}, the set Γ∞, termed “infinite Golden Code”, being a principal ideal of the ring Az as defined by the Golden Code technique. |
| US07680200B2 |
Transceiving apparatus and method using space-frequency block-coded single-carrier frequency domain equalization
Disclosed is a transceiving apparatus and method in which a space frequency block coding (SFBC) technique is applied to the SC-FDE technique. The transceiving method encodes an input signal into frequency-domain blocks so as to output at least two signal blocks in parallel to each other, inserts a cyclic prefix (CP) into the output signal blocks, and outputs the signal blocks through the same sub-channel using a corresponding antenna. |
| US07680194B2 |
Method and apparatus for signal processing, encoding, and decoding
Apparatus and methods for processing a signal are disclosed. Data coding and entropy coding are performed with interconnection, and grouping is used to enhance coding efficiency. The subject matter includes a payload part having at least one of data coding information including pilot coding information per a frame and entropy coding information and a header part having main configuration information for the payload part. |
| US07680192B2 |
Multi-sensor panoramic network camera
A multi-sensor network camera providing up to 360 degrees angle of view. The includes multiple image sensors with individual optics, one or more image processors, compression units and network interfaces mounted in the single housing. The image sensors are positioned in non-parallel planes, cumulatively providing panoramic field of view and image streams originating from all sensors share the same image compression and network interface hardware, providing for low cost implementation. The images from all sensors are transmitted over the network simultaneously via packet interleaving, with appropriate bandwidth reduction achieved by image decimation. Simultaneously with transmission of decimated images from all sensors, full resolution window or entire image of one or more sensors may also transmitted, where the selection of contents is based on motion detection or user setting. |
| US07680190B2 |
Video coding system and method using 3-D discrete wavelet transform and entropy coding with motion information
A video encoding system and method utilizes a three-dimensional (3-D) wavelet transform and entropy coding that utilize motion information in a way to reduce the sensitivity to motion. In one implementation, the coding process initially estimates motion trajectories of pixels in a video object from frame to frame in a video sequence to account for motion of the video object throughout the frames. After motion estimation, a 3-D wavelet transform is applied in two parts. First, a temporal 1-D wavelet transform is applied to the corresponding pixels along the motion trajectories in a time direction. The temporal wavelet transform produces decomposed frames of temporal wavelet transforms, where the spatial correlation within each frame is well preserved. Second, a spatial 2-D wavelet transform is applied to all frames containing the temporal wavelet coefficients. The wavelet transforms produce coefficients within different sub-bands. The process then codes wavelet coefficients. In particular, the coefficients are assigned various contexts based on the significance of neighboring samples in previous, current, and next frame, thereby taking advantage of any motion information between frames. The wavelet coefficients are coded independently for each sub-band to permit easy separation at a decoder, making resolution scalability and temporal scalability natural and easy. During the coding, bits are allocated among sub-bands according to a technique that optimizes rate-distortion characteristics. |
| US07680189B2 |
Video coding system and method using 3-D discrete wavelet transform and entropy coding with motion information
A video encoding system and method utilizes a three-dimensional (3-D) wavelet transform and entropy coding that utilize motion information in a way to reduce the sensitivity to motion. In one implementation, the coding process initially estimates motion trajectories of pixels in a video object from frame to frame in a video sequence to account for motion of the video object throughout the frames. After motion estimation, a wavelet transform is applied to produce coefficients within different sub-bands. The wavelet coefficients are coded independently for each sub-band to permit easy separation at a decoder, making resolution scalability and temporal scalability natural and easy. In particular, the coefficients are assigned various contexts based on the significance of neighboring samples in previous, current, and next frame, thereby taking advantage of any motion information between frames. |
| US07680185B2 |
Self-referencing bi-directionally predicted frames
An encoder/decoder uses “self-referencing” frames. For example, a second B-field in a current frame references the first B-field from the current frame in motion compensated prediction. Allowing the first B-field in a frame to act as a reference for the second B-field in the frame allows more accurate prediction of the second B-field, while also preserving the temporal scalability benefits of having B-fields in the current frame. |
| US07680184B2 |
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. |
| US07680183B2 |
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. |
| US07680176B2 |
Simplified generalized rake receiver method and apparatus
According to a method and apparatus taught herein, a Rake receiver circuit selectively operates with or without colored interference compensation, in dependence on current operating conditions. For example, in one embodiment the Rake receiver circuit comprises one or more processing circuits that are configured to generate Rake combining weights in a first mode of operation as first combining weights calculated from channel estimates corresponding to a set of Rake signal fingers. In a second mode, the processing circuit(s) generate the Rake combining weights as compensated combining weights obtained by compensating the first combining weights with second combining weights calculated from colored interference estimates corresponding to a set of Rake probing fingers. |
| US07680173B2 |
Spread spectrum clock generator having an adjustable delay line
A system and method are provided for performing a spread spectrum clock generation, where the system includes self-adjusting delay line configured to spread the spectrum of a fixed circuit using a fixed clock frequency and a delay circuit configured to generate an adjustment signal to the delay line by adding or subtracting an addition delay per cycle, therefore causing a shift in the output clock frequency, wherein the amount of shift is proportional to the rate of addition or subtraction of delay. |
| US07680172B2 |
Laser diode device
A laser diode device capable of detecting laser light with a simple structure is provided. A laser diode device, includes a semiconductor layer formed through laminating a first conductive type layer, an active layer and a second conductive type layer in this order, the second conductive type layer including a striped current confinement structure in a top portion thereof, and a plurality of electrodes being formed on the second conductive type layer side of the semiconductor layer and being electrically connected to the second conductive type layer at predetermined intervals, wherein the semiconductor layer has a photoreceptor region in a region corresponding to an electrode (a first electrode) of the plurality of electrodes except for at least one, the photoreceptor region absorbing a part of the light emitted in the semiconductor layer to convert the part of the light into a current signal. |
| US07680169B2 |
Self-mode locked multi-section semiconductor laser diode
A multi-section semiconductor laser diode is disclosed. The laser diode includes a complex-coupled DFB laser section that includes a complex-coupled grating and an active structure for controlling the intensity of oscillating laser light, to oscillate laser light in a single mode, and an external cavity including a phase control section and an amplifier section, the phase control section having a passive waveguide that controls a phase variation of feedback laser light, the amplification section having an active structure that controls the strength of the feedback laser light. Currents are separately provided to the three sections to generate optical pulses with tuning range of tens of GHz. Applications include the clock recovery in the 3R regeneration of the optical communication. |
| US07680168B2 |
Surface emitting laser array, production process thereof, and image forming apparatus having surface emitting laser array
A surface emitting laser array comprising a plurality of surface emitting laser devices each having a semiconductor layer containing a first reflection mirror, an active layer, a current confined portion and a second reflection mirror. The laser array further comprises a first metal material layer for dissipating heat formed through a first insulating layer on the semiconductor layer and a second metal material layer for injecting current into the active layer formed through a second insulating layer on the first metal material layer. The first metal material layer is commonly shared by the plurality of the surface emitting laser devices. |
| US07680165B2 |
Light source device, monitor device, projector, and driving method for driving light source device
A light source device includes: a plurality of laser light sources that emit laser light; and a light source driving section that drives at least one of the laser light sources by a first driving value that is a value less than a threshold level of at least one of the laser light sources, or by a second driving value that is a value greater than a threshold level of at least one of the laser light sources, and that varies at least one of the number of laser light sources that are driven by the first driving value and the number of laser light sources that are driven by the second driving value in the laser light sources, thereby controlling the total output of laser light emitted from the laser light sources. |
| US07680158B2 |
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. |
| US07680156B2 |
System and method for transmitting random access data using orthogonal frequency division multiple access
Disclosed is a random access data transmission system and method using OFDMA. The system includes a scheduling ID into an access grant on a preamble for a random access, and transmits it together with an acknowledgment or a non-acknowledgment of the preamble, a base station uses the scheduling ID to notify the mobile station of a random access data transmittable time and a data transmission channel through a control channel, and the mobile station transmits a preamble in advance. After receiving a transmission assignment instruction corresponding to a scheduling ID through the control channel, the mobile station transmits random access data through an assigned channel. |
| US07680154B2 |
Methods and apparatus for synchronizing networked audio devices
A method includes determining a network counter value indicative of a network clock time of a system at a first time instant and a second time instant occurring later in time than the first time instant. The method further includes determining an audio counter value indicative of an audio clock time of the system at a third time instant occurring the first and second time instants and a fourth time instant occurring later in time than the second time instant. The method further includes determining an offset based upon the determined network counter values and the audio counter values. The method further includes adjusting the audio clock time based upon the determined offset to synchronize operation of at least one audio component operating according to the audio clock with at least one audio component operating according to the network clock. An associated system is also disclosed. |
| US07680148B2 |
Communication apparatus and communication method
A communication apparatus includes a receiving device configured to receive one physical frame in which a plurality of MAC frames are aggregated. This physical frame includes one acknowledgement request frame for the plurality of MAC frames. The apparatus includes an acknowledgement frame forming device configured to form an acknowledgement frame representing reception statuses of the plurality of MAC frames in response to the acknowledgement request frame. The apparatus also includes a transmitting device configured to transmit the acknowledgement frame. This acknowledgement frame includes a compressed acknowledgement frame representing an acknowledgement bitmap having a size equal to a maximum number of MSDUs (MAC Service Data Units) when one MPDU (MAC Protocol Data Unit) corresponds to one MSDU. |
| US07680144B2 |
Device coupled between serial busses using bitwise arbitration
First and second serial data busses are arranged so that simultaneous transmission on the respective bus of a dominant state by one node and a recessive state by other nodes results in the dominant state being detectable on the respective bus. Transitions from a first state to a second state signal the start of a bit on the first bus. Dominant and recessive states are detected on the first and second busses at first and second predetermined times after each transition. The states represent respective dominant and recessive bits of attempted messages transmitted by nodes of the first and second busses. The dominant state is transmitted on both busses after the first and second predetermined times if the dominant state was detected on one of the first and the second busses at the first and second predetermined times. |
| US07680138B2 |
Inter-module communication apparatus
The inter-module communication apparatus includes a first module and a second module which operate individually on a processor; a common memory interposed between the first module and the second module for functioning as a communication medium; a plurality of communication paths provided to the common memory for connecting the first module and the second module to be communicable; a transmission unit for transmitting communication data from the first module to the second module; a reception unit for receiving the communication data transmitted from the first module by the second module; a processing order relating device for registering a processing order of communication processing, which is set between each communication path constituting a plurality of the communication paths; and a processing order relevance register which, for transmission, registers the processing order to the processing order relating device when the processing order is set for the communication data to be transmitted. |
| US07680137B2 |
Process for transmitting asynchronous data packets
A process for transmitting asynchronous data packets includes a step of starting a packeting operation. After receiving a message from a message composition module, the process interrupts the packeting operation based on the message. A packet formed during the packeting operation prior to the interrupting step is transmitted. The steps are repeated so as to transmit a plurality of packets. |
| US07680134B2 |
Tunneling Ethernet
A machine readable medium for tunneling Ethernet is described. A machine readable medium comprises receiving an Ethernet frame and transmitting the Ethernet frame over a non-homogenous tunnel, the tunnel distinguishing subscriber traffic. |
| US07680128B2 |
Method and apparatus for interfacing applications to LCAS for efficient SONET traffic flow control
The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for interfacing high-layer applications to Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS) on Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SONET/SDH) edge nodes. These applications include high-level control protocols, such as Generalized Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS) and Optical Switching and Routing Protocol (OSRP), and user-initiated cross-connect creation and termination. The present invention provides a mechanism that is capable of mapping SONET/SDH connections to Virtual Concatenated Groups (VCGs), thus enabling an efficient interface for operators to control and manage the connections via LCAS. As part of the mechanism, the existing LCAS protocol state machine is enhanced such that the operators can shut down bi-directional SONET/SDH flows from a single edge node, as opposed to from both source and sink nodes, as provided for by existing specifications. |
| US07680121B2 |
Transmission apparatus, method and program
A transmission apparatus connected to a first network obtains information on a device connected to a third network, to which a destination of communication with a communication device connected to a second network is connected, and transmits the obtained information to a device connected to the second network via the first network. |
| US07680120B2 |
Connected communication terminal, connecting communication terminal, session management server and trigger server
The communication system according to the present invention is made up of: a connected communication terminal (1) to which communication is requested; a connecting communication terminal (3) that requests a communication with the connected communication terminal (1); a session management server (4) that manages sessions between the communication terminals; a trigger server (5) that transmits, to the connected communication server (1), the request made by the session management server (4); and routers (6 and 7) that relay between the connecting communication terminal (3) and the connected communication terminal (1), and a network (2). In the system, the connected communication terminal (1) holds a permission list (L) that is a list of communication terminals to which connection is permitted, and the session management server (4) judges, with reference to the permission list (L), whether or not the communication between the connected communication terminal (1) and the connecting communication terminal (3) is permitted. |
| US07680118B2 |
Method and apparatus for reordering fragments within a MAC layer service data unit within a downlink frame
A method and apparatus for processes a downlink frame within a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer (348) where the downlink frame includes a plurality of fragments constituting one or more MAC Service Data Unit (MSDU)s. The MAC layer pre-processes the plurality of fragments of the downlink frame by reordering the fragments to reassemble one or more of the MSDUs (910) until an end-of-frame signal is detected (912). The end-of-frame signal indicates that all of the plurality of fragments for a downlink frame have been received. The MAC layer post-processes the plurality of fragments (916) in response to detecting the end-of-frame signal (912), then delivers the reassembled MSDUs to a next layer (918). |
| US07680117B1 |
Forwarding packets using next-hop information
A method may include receiving a packet associated with a flow of packets, the packet including a destination address; selecting one of a plurality of memory banks, the selected memory bank being associated with the flow of packets, wherein each of the plurality of memory banks stores the same next-hop information for forwarding the packet to the destination address; accessing, in the selected memory bank, the next-hop information for forwarding the packet to the destination address; and forwarding the packet to the destination address based on the next-hop information. |
| US07680116B1 |
Optimized buffer loading for packet header processing
A processing engine for processing header data includes a level 2 (L2) header generation unit and a level 3 (L3) header generation unit. The L2 and L3 header generation units are implemented in parallel with one another. The L2 generation unit writes L2 header information to a first buffer and the L3 generation unit writes L3 header information to a second buffer. When the L2 and L3 header generation units finish processing a data unit, the data unit may be unloaded from the first and second buffer while a new data unit is simultaneously loaded to the header processing engine. |
| US07680114B2 |
Packet forwarding device with packet filter
To provide a packet forwarding device which minimizes degradation in packet forwarding performance at the time of execution of filtering there is provided a technique in which a destination decision processing unit of a destination decision and filtering unit decides whether to execute filtering on the basis of at least one of an input interface, an input port number, an output interface, and an output port number of an input packet and a plurality of pieces of information constituting the header of the packet. A filtering unit executes filtering only for a packet for which execution of filtering is decided. The packet forwarding device with the destination decision and filtering unit need not execute filtering for all packets and can minimize degradation in packet forwarding performance caused by filtering. |
| US07680113B2 |
Inter-FE MPLS LSP mesh network for switching and resiliency in SoftRouter architecture
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) Label Switched Path (LSP) tunnels provide protection and a switching mechanism between forwarding elements (FEs) and a control element (CE) for control and data traffic in a SoftRouter network. |
| US07680108B2 |
Digital broadcasting transmission and reception systems for stream including normal stream and turbo stream and methods thereof
A method for processing a dual transport stream (TS) which is multiplexed from a normal stream and a turbo stream is provided for a digital broadcasting transmission/reception system. The digital broadcasting signal processing method includes encoding a dual transport stream (TS) which is multiplexed from a normal steam and a turbo stream; interleaving the encoded dual transport stream (TS); turbo-processing by detecting the turbo stream from the interleaved dual transport stream (TS), encoding the detected turbo stream, stuffing the encoded turbo stream into the dual transport stream (TS), and compensating a parity corresponding to the encoded turbo stream; and trellis-encoding the turbo-processed dual transport stream (TS). Accordingly, the digital broadcasting reception performance can be improved in diverse environments. |
| US07680106B2 |
Subscriber line accommodation apparatus and packet filtering method
In a subscriber line accommodation apparatus, subscriber line termination units individually terminate a plurality of subscriber lines. An address information acquisition unit successively acquires, as address information, a dynamic address dynamically assigned to each of the communication terminals connected to the subscriber lines terminated by the subscriber line termination unit. A packet information reading unit reads out, from a packet to be sent to one of the communication terminals, packet information containing a dynamic address indicating the destination of the packet. An address information coincidence presence/absence determination unit determines whether the readout dynamic address coincides with one of the pieces of address information acquired by the address information acquisition unit. A packet sending control unit permits sending of only a packet determined to be coincident. A packet filtering method is also disclosed. |
| US07680101B2 |
Method and system for routing calls from a standard telephone device to a voice over internet protocol network
The invention enables accessing and using a Voice over Internet Protocol network, and can use a standard telephone to automatically access a VoIP network. A first aspect of the invention uses an auto dialer to transmit digits, such as a network access number, an account number and a PIN, which remain unchanged from call to call made through a given network service provider. A second aspect of the invention provides a speed dial feature for placing VoIP telephone calls. Speed dial numbers are recorded in a VoIP service provider's database on a server, which is accessible through the Internet from a personal computer (PC) or a conventional telephone. A third aspect of the invention enables callers to complete calls from conventional telephones to personal computers connected to the Internet. The VoIP network detects a flag such as leading “0,” determines that the call recipient station is a personal computer, looks up the IP address of the PC and routes the call to the PC. |
| US07680100B1 |
Internet protocol appliance manager
A system and method for allowing remote access to an IP communications network is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for allowing access to an IP network comprises: sending a first message addressed to a first port of an IP communications network component, the first message comprising a command requesting the performance of a selected telecommunications function; a selected IP endpoint performing, in response to the first message, the selected telecommunications function; sending a second message addressed to a different second port of the IP communications network component, the second message comprising a request for information associated with the IP endpoint; and tunneling, in response to receiving the second message at the second port, the second message to the IP endpoint. |
| US07680099B2 |
Jitter buffer adjustment
For enhancing the performance of an adaptive jitter buffer, a desired amount of adjustment of a jitter buffer is determined at a first device using as a parameter an estimated delay. The delay comprises at least an end-to-end delay in at least one direction in a conversation. For this conversation, speech signals are transmitted in packets between the first device and a second device via a packet switched network. An adjustment of the jitter buffer is then performed based on the determined amount of adjustment. |
| US07680097B1 |
Network switch having a hybrid switch architecture
A network switch having a hybrid switch architecture, which is scalable to increase connectivity, buffering, and bandwidth by using multiple shared-memory switch fabrics and multiple crossbar switch fabrics. Each of the crossbar switch fabrics is coupled to each of the shared-memory switch fabrics. The shared-memory switch fabrics are configured to store and retrieve packets. The crossbar switch fabrics are configured to distribute and recollect packets to and from each of the shared-memory switch fabrics. The network switch having a hybrid switch architecture distributes packets from a crossbar switch fabric to the multiple shared-memory switch fabrics to share the distributed packets among the multiple shared-memory switch fabrics. |
| US07680096B2 |
System for configuring switches in a network
A network is set forth that comprises a plurality of multiple port switches, a plurality of endpoint devices connected to the ports of the plurality of switches, and an enumerating endpoint device that is connected to at least one of the multiple port switches. The enumerating endpoint device configures the routing through the multiple port switches based on whether the multiple port switch is on path with respect to a newly discovered processing element or off path with respect to the newly discovered processing element. Each off path switch may be configured so that communication packets destined for the new processing element are routed through the port of the off path switch that the off path switch uses for communications with the enumerating endpoint device. Each on path switch may be configured so that communication packets destined for the newly discovered processing element are routed through the port of the on path switch at which the enumerating endpoint device discovered the new processing element. In one example, the network is implemented as a RapidIO network. |
| US07680095B2 |
Radio communication system and overhang station apparatus
Delay time in a signal transmitted between nodes in daisy chain connection is accurately compensated. A TRX amplifier measures phase difference between a UL frame received from a downstream chain, and a UL frame to be sent out to an upstream chain, and reports the phase difference to a base transceiver station. The base transceiver station calculates advance amount to be set to a downstream TRX amplifier based on the reported phase difference. The TRX amplifier adjusts phase difference between a DL frame received from an upstream chain, and the UL frame to be sent out to the upstream chain depending on the advance amount. |
| US07680093B2 |
Sector selection for F-SCH
A Forward Supplemental Channel (F-SCH) serving sector for a packet data call to a mobile terminal in a CDMA network is dynamically selected by monitoring radio channel conditions at potential F-SCH serving sectors. The sector loading at the potential F-SCH serving sectors is also monitored. A new F-SCH serving sector is then selected based on the sector loading and the channel condition measurements. Radio channel conditions may be monitored by PPSMM and/or CQI reports from the mobile terminal, monitoring the transmit power on the F-FCH of sectors in the mobile terminal's active set, and monitoring the transmit power on the F-SCH of the current serving sector. The new F-SCH serving sector may be determined by estimating sector loading of each potential sector at each possible data rate, and selecting the sector offering the highest data rate and lowest loading at that rate. |
| US07680091B2 |
System and method for link quality source routing
Systems and methods for routing packets by nodes in an ad hoc network in accordance with a link quality source routing protocol are disclosed. Route discovery, route maintenance, and metric maintenance are designed to propagate and keep current link quality measurements. Metric maintenance includes a reactive approach for links that a node is currently using to route packets, and a proactive mechanism for all links. Nodes are configured to include a send buffer, a maintenance buffer, a request table, link quality metric modules, and preferably a neighbor cache and a link cache. The invention allows for asymmetric links in the network. The invention may be implemented within a virtual protocol interlayer between the link and network layers. The invention may employ any particular link quality metrics, including metrics based on probing techniques as well as metrics based on knowledge gained in other ways. |
| US07680087B2 |
Wireless state machine and multiplexing method for concurrent ad-hoc and infrastructure mode service in wireless networking
The present invention relates to a state machine which has a dual process which receives and concurrently processes ad-hoc and infrastructure processes. The dual process state concurrently executes both processes by either over-clocking a media access control core, or by routing the processes to multiple media access control cores for processing. The state machine contains an ad-hoc process state which accepts either an ad-hoc or an infrastructure signal, and either processes the signal if the received signal is an ad-hoc signal, or transfers control to an infrastructure process state for processing if the received signal is an infrastructure signal. The state machine also contains an infrastructure process state which accepts either an ad-hoc or an infrastructure signal, and either processes the signal if the received signal is an infrastructure signal, or transfers control to an ad-hoc process state for processing if the received signal is an ad-hoc signal. |
| US07680084B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing orthogonal spot beams, sectors, and picocells
A method and apparatus for providing orthogonal spot beams (14a, 14b), sectors (16a, 16b), and picocells (18), by using orthogonal auxiliary pilots and different Walsh traffic channels in adjacent areas. According to the IS-95 standard, the pilot signal is covered with the 64-chip Walsh sequence zero. Designating the 64-chip all zeros Walsh sequence as P and the 64-chip all one sequence as M, additional pilot signals are provided in the present invention by concatenating the P and the M sequences. Thus, for two pilot signals, pilot Walsh sequences of PP and PM can be used. For four pilot signals, pilot Walsh sequences of PPPP, PMPM, PPMM, and PMMP can be used. In general, the required number of pilot Walsh sequences can be generated by substituting each bit in an K-bit Walsh sequence with the 64-chip all zeros P or all ones M sequence, depending on the value of that bit. |
| US07680083B2 |
Rake receiver architecture within a WCDMA terminal
A baseband processing module includes an RX interface, a rake receiver combiner module, and may include additional components. The RX interface receives the baseband signals from an RF front end and creates baseband RX signal samples there from. The rake receiver combiner module includes control logic, an input buffer, a rake despreader module, and an output buffer. The rake despreader module is operable to despread the baseband RX signal samples in a time divided fashion to produce channel symbols including pilot channel symbols and physical channel symbols. |
| US07680082B2 |
Cell selection in high-speed downlink packet access communication systems
The usual determination of signal-to-noise ratio EC/I0 in a communication system is modified such that EC/I0 is also based on either or both of the path delay profile (PDP) and estimates of the load on a cell in the communication system. The PDP may be obtained from a path searcher in a receiver that is already needed for estimating the received signal code power of a channel such as a common pilot channel. Because PDP information is already available, it can easily be incorporated into the EC/I0 measurements. |
| US07680068B1 |
System and method for artery node selection in an ad-hoc network
A system for optimizing an ad-hoc network. The system includes a plurality of nodes, wherein each node includes a computer implemented application configured to determine whether the present node is a link node such that the present node is the only node connecting at least one pair of nodes in the ad-hoc network, determine a connection number for the present node, wherein the connection number is the number of pairs of nodes connected by the present node not including pairs of nodes connected by link nodes, and determine whether the present node should be classified as an artery node based on the link node and connection number classifications. |
| US07680060B2 |
Transferring state information in a network
A system for storing information in a network. The system includes one or more network elements and a message adapted for transfer between the one or more network elements. A mechanism selectively augments the message with information pertaining to a state associated with the one or more network elements. In one embodiment, the system includes space within the message for accommodating one or more state vias containing the state information. One or more computers associated with the one or more network elements are adapted to update the message with state information pertaining to each of the one or more network elements that receives the message via the network. |
| US07680059B2 |
Multiple protocol wireless communications in a WLAN
A method for multiple protocol wireless communications begins by determining protocols of wireless communication devices within a proximal region. The method then continues by determining whether the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are of a like protocol. The method continues by, when the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region are not of a like protocol, selecting a protocol of the protocols of the wireless communication devices within the proximal region based on a protocol ordering to produce a selected protocol. The method continues by utilizing the selected protocol by the wireless communication devices within the proximal region to set up a wireless communication within the proximal region. |
| US07680057B2 |
Data transmission method, data transmission system, transmitter and receiver
A data transmission method etc. is provided. At a transmitting side, if a frame contains transmission data, frame data containing the transmission data and a calculated error-detecting code is generated. If the frame contains no transmission data, frame data containing neither transmission data nor an error-detecting code is generated. At a receiving side, one or more final bit positions of the frame data are assumed in the frame, transmission data and an error-detecting code are assumed in the frame, and the error-detecting code of the assumed transmission data is calculated. If there is a position where the assumed error-detecting code matches the error-detecting code calculated based on the assumed transmission data, it is decided that the position is the final bit position. Otherwise, it is decided that the frame contains no transmission data or that the received frame data contains an error. |
| US07680056B2 |
Apparatus and method for extracting a test signal section from an audio signal
For extracting signal test sections conforming to an auditory test from an audio signal, in particular for non-intrusive tests for a quality assessment of a transmission system, first of all a temporal structure of the audio signal is parsed in order to differentiate an information-carrying section of the audio signal from a preceding non-information-carrying section of the audio signal or a subsequent non-information-carrying section of the audio signal. Hereupon, a test signal section is generated based on the information-carrying section of the audio signal. Thus, test signal sections conforming to an auditory test are obtained, on the one hand determining the comparability with other auditory tests and, on the other hand, reducing a too inaccurate assessment of the transmission system based on system-immanent artefacts. |
| US07680048B2 |
Method and apparatus for routing data in an inter-nodal communications lattice of a massively parallel computer system by dynamically adjusting local routing strategies
A massively parallel computer system contains an inter-nodal communications network of node-to-node links. Each node implements a respective routing strategy for routing data through the network, the routing strategies not necessarily being the same in every node. The routing strategies implemented in the nodes are dynamically adjusted during application execution to shift network workload as required. Preferably, adjustment of routing policies in selective nodes is performed at synchronization points. The network may be dynamically monitored, and routing strategies adjusted according to detected network conditions. |
| US07680045B2 |
Packet switching device with a feedback method of the arbiter
The invention relates to a packet switching device comprising at least one line card (1 and 2) which device has an output port with a port control (6 and 7) for storage and arrangement of packets in output queues and for generating at least one feedback information unit to inform an arbiter (9) of statuses of the output queues of the output port. The packet switching device also comprises at least one switch card (3 to 5) consisting of a crosspoint matrix and the arbiter (9) for controlling the crosspoint matrix (8). |
| US07680039B2 |
Network load balancing
Apparatus, systems, methods, and articles described generally herein may receive a first packet marked with a congestion indicator (CI). Upon receipt of the CI, a load-balancing operation may be performed among a plurality of physical links upstream from a point of congestion to alleviate the congestion. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US07680032B1 |
Bidirectional line switched partial rings, mesh networks, and methods of operation
A bi-directional line switched mesh includes at least one bi-directional line switched ring (BLSR) sharing a common section with a partial bi-directional line switched ring (PBLSR). The partial bi-directional line switched ring has no working traffic along the common section, but may utilize the protection bandwidth associated with the common section of the BLSR in the event of a span failure of the PBLSR. Both electrical and optical PBLSR networks are also disclosed including methods of operating the asymmetrical ring nodes having unconfigured working ports (spans). |
| US07680031B1 |
Method and apparatus for load balancing and protecting data traffic in an optical ring
A method and apparatus for load balancing and protecting data traffic in an optical ring is described. A method comprises configuring multiple spanning trees in a set of one or more network elements of an optical ring, load balancing with the multiple spanning trees data traffic transmitted in unprotected data channels provisioned through the optical ring, and protecting the unprotected data channels with the multiple spanning trees. |
| US07680015B2 |
Optical disk apparatus compatible with different types of mediums adapted for different wavelengths
A polarizing beam splitter for separating an upstream beam from a downstream beam according to the polarization of an incident beam is provided between first and second light sources emitting laser beams at respective wavelength and an objective lens. A phase plate for providing a phase difference to a beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the light sources. A portion of the laser beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter and caused to be incident on a photo-detecting unit, so as to prevent an unnecessary portion of the laser beam is incident on the photo-detecting unit. According to the invention, the laser beam is used efficiently and the cost of fabricating an optical disk apparatus is reduced by eliminating a need for a gain controlling circuit in the photo-detecting unit. |
| US07680014B2 |
Objective optical system and optical pickup device using it
An objective optical system is formed of a diffractive optical element with a diffractive surface formed on a virtual plane and an objective lens for focusing three collimated light beams of three different wavelengths at three different numerical apertures onto desired positions of three different recording media with substrates that include different thicknesses, such as an AOD, a DVD, and a CD, that introduce different amounts of spherical aberration in the focused beams. The objective optical system provides compensating spherical aberration to the three light beams by varying the distance between the diffractive optical element and the objective lens with the recording medium being used. The objective optical system focuses second-order diffracted light of one wavelength and first-order diffracted light of the other two wavelengths. An optical pickup device includes the objective optical system, the recording media, and a light source that provides the three light beams. |
| US07680013B2 |
Optical information recording and reproducing apparatus
Provided is a spatial light modulator SLM and a photodetector element CMOS sensor are placed on the same chip, and the alignment thereof and a relay lens system are eliminated, whereby an optical system is reduced in cost and made compact. Specifically, provided is an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus for recording information by allowing information light and reference light to interfere with each other and reproducing the information using the reference light including: a light source; a spatial light modulator for generating at least an information light with respect to a light beam from the light source; an objective lens for irradiating a recording medium with the light beam from the spatial light modulator; and a photodetector element for receiving a reproduction light from the recording medium, in which the spatial light modulator and the photodetector element are formed on the same semiconductor substrate. |
| US07680011B2 |
Write-once recording medium having a data structure for managing recording of the recording medium, and methods and apparatuses for recording on a recording medium
A user data area of the recording medium is at least partially divided into separate recording areas such that data recorded in a separate recording area is of a same type. For example, at least one of the separate recording areas may be storing managing information for managing the recording medium. Additionally, at least two separate recording areas may be for recording different types of data. For example, at least one of the separate recording areas may be storing managing information for managing the recording medium, and at least another one of the separate recording areas is for storing a copy of the data in the at least one of the separate recording areas for storing management information. |
| US07680005B2 |
Detecting apparatus for detecting statuses of optical disc and method thereof
Disclosed are detecting apparatus for detecting statuses of an optical disc and methods thereof, which can avoid or reduce erroneous status decisions at the edge of a blank region. The detecting apparatus includes a blank detector, for detecting a blank region of the optical disc to generate a blank detection signal; an edge detector, for detecting a transition of the blank detection signal to generate an edge detection signal; a control circuit, in response to the edge detection signal for outputting control signals; and a defect detector in response to the control signals for detecting defect region of the optical disc to generate a defect decision signal. |
| US07680004B2 |
Digital servo system with inverse non-linearity compensation
A servo system with in an optical disk drive with an inverse non-linearity compensation is disclosed. An error signal calculated from signals received from an optical pick-up unit can be offset by an offset value and amplified by a gain in the early stages of a calculation of a control signal for controlling a position of the optical pick-up unit. The non-linearity compensation adjusts the gain based on the offset value so that the response of the servo system to changes in the error signal is substantially linear. The error signal can be the tracking error signal in a tracking servo system and can be the focus error signal in a focus servo system. |
| US07680002B2 |
Information recording medium, information recording apparatus and method, information reproducing apparatus and method, information recording/reproducing apparatus and method, recording or reproduction control computer program, and data structure containing control signal
An information recording medium includes an object data file for storing object data as a series of content information such as video information and audio information and play list information file for storing play list information defining a reproduction sequence on play list basis. Furthermore, the medium includes a disc information file for storing a plurality of title play lists each containing information specifying play list information defining a play list to be reproduced, pre-command information and post-command information specifying commands to be executed before and after a reproduction, respectively, according to the play list information. |
| US07679999B2 |
Marine acoustic sensor assembly
A marine acoustic sensor assembly includes an acoustic panel having a forward surface and an after surface, a laser scanner oriented so as to project a laser beam onto the acoustic panel after surface, and a sensor oriented so as to receive reflections of the laser beam off the acoustic panel and to transmit data from which a position of a sound generating source can be determined, wherein the acoustic panel is provided with an absorber layer extending over the after surface thereof, and the absorber layer is provided with holes extending therethrough, the holes being of a size sufficient to permit passage of the laser beams to the acoustic panel after surface and the reflections to pass to the sensor, whereby to minimize reflections and noise originating from aft of the after surface, while permitting sound incoming from forward of the acoustic panel to be measured. |
| US07679995B2 |
Networked sonar observation of selected seabed environments
A sonar transducer network for observing a seabed includes a controller. A first transducer assembly includes a first acoustic transducer to convert a first ping to a first electrical signal; and a first transducer processor to receive a first electrical signal from the first acoustic transducer to generate the first transducer data. At least one second transducer assembly is spaced apart from the first transducer assembly. The second transducer assembly includes a second acoustic transducer to convert a second ping to a second electrical signal. The second transducer processor receives the second electrical signal from the second acoustical transducer to generate second transducer data. A network bus communicates first transducer data and second transducer data with the controller. |
| US07679993B2 |
Method of characterizing a fractured reservoir using seismic reflection amplitudes
A method of characterizing a fractured reservoir in a field includes measuring seismic reflection coefficient of the fractured reservoir as a function of angle of incidence and azimuth, predicting seismic reflection coefficient of the fractured reservoir as a function of angle of incidence and azimuth using an elastic stiffness tensor and an elastic compliance tensor of the fractured reservoir, determining components of an excess compliance tensor due to the presence of fractures in the fractured reservoir by matching the predicted seismic reflection coefficient to the measured seismic reflection coefficient, and characterizing one or more properties of the fractured reservoir using the excess compliance tensor. |
| US07679992B2 |
Wettability from electro-kinetic and electro-osmosis measurements
Methods and devices are provided for investigating an earth formation use electro-kinetics and/or electro-osmosis measurements. In one example, the method includes creating a pressure difference in the earth formation proximate to a wellbore; measuring a generated electro-kinetic property of the earth formation proximate to the wellbore, the generated electro-kinetic property generated by the pressure difference; applying an electric field to the earth formation proximate to the wellbore; measuring a generated pressure change in the earth formation proximate to the wellbore, the generated pressure change generated by the electric field; and determining wettability of the earth formation proximate to the wellbore by the use of the measurement of the generated electro-kinetic property and the measurement of the generated pressure change. |
| US07679989B2 |
Ocean bottom seismic station
Methods and apparatus for cable termination and sensor integration at a sensor station within an ocean bottom seismic (OBS) cable array are disclosed. The sensor stations include a housing for various sensor components. Additionally, the sensor stations can accommodate an excess length of any data transmission members which may not be cut at the sensor station while enabling connection of one or more cut data transmission members with the sensor components. The sensor stations further manage any strength elements of the cable array. |
| US07679988B2 |
Sound-wave imaging method and apparatus
An ultrasound imaging method including an emission step during which an array of transducers is caused to emit at an ultrasound wave focused in a target medium by causing the excitation wave to pass through a reverberant solid object prior to reaching the target medium. |
| US07679982B2 |
Multi-die packaged device
A packaged multi die device includes at least one memory die. The one or more of the memory dice includes a memory function circuit configured to program or read data, a logic circuit configured to control the program operation and the read operation of the memory function circuit in accordance with an inputted operation command, and a power supplying circuit configured to provide a power corresponding to an operation mode to the memory function circuit, and apply an extra power to the logic circuit. |
| US07679977B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and test method thereof
A semiconductor memory device including a memory cell array with electrically rewritable and non-volatile memory cells arranged therein, wherein the device has such a test mode that includes a page searching sequence for searching a fast page with the fastest write speed in the memory cell array. |
| US07679974B2 |
Memory device having selectively decoupleable memory portions and method thereof
In response to determining a bit cell of a bit cell array of a memory device is a defective bit cell, a portion of the bit cell array including the defective bit cell is decoupled from a power source of the memory device. The portion can be decoupled via a fuse, a transistor, and the like. |
| US07679970B2 |
Semiconductor memory device for simultaneously performing read access and write access
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor memory device which can simultaneously perform a read access and a write access independently. The semiconductor memory device according to the present invention can access a plurality of data through the global sense amplifying unit and the global bit line, and enables the read controller and the write controller to independently control the global bit line and the bit line sense amplifying unit to be connected to each other to thereby perform the read access and the write access simultaneously. |
| US07679963B2 |
Integrated circuit having a drive circuit
An intergrated circuit having a drive circuit is disclosed. One embodiment provides an intergrated memory circuit arrangement with a drive circuit for an EEPROM. In one embodiment, the drive circuit contains tunnel field effect transistors and can be produced in particular on a small chip area. |
| US07679961B2 |
Programming and/or erasing a memory device in response to its program and/or erase history
For one embodiment, a program starting voltage of one or more program pulses applied to one or more memory cells is in response, at least in part, to on a number of program pulses previously required to program the one or more memory cells and/or an erase starting voltage of one or more erase pulses applied to one or more memory cells is based on a number of erase pulses previously required to erase the one or more memory cells. For another embodiment, a program starting voltage level and/or an erase starting voltage level of one or more program and/or erase pulses applied to one or more memory cells is in response, at least in part, to a number of program/erase cycles previously applied to the one or more memory cells. |
| US07679959B2 |
Semiconductor memory device which generates voltages corresponding to a plurality of threshold voltages
A memory cell MC stores a plurality of bits of data using threshold levels 1, 2, . . . , n (n is a natural number). A storage section stores a plurality of items of parameter data for generating the threshold levels. An arithmetic circuit generates voltage data for generating voltages corresponding to the threshold levels by accumulating the parameter data read from the storage section. A voltage generating circuit generates a voltage on the basis of the voltage data generated by the arithmetic circuit. The arithmetic circuit, when reading data from the memory cell at threshold level k (k<=n), generates the voltage data by accumulating parameter data at the threshold levels i to k (i<=k). |
| US07679958B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method for fabricating the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of strings each of which is configured with a first select transistor, a second select transistor, and a plurality of memory cells connected in series between the first and second select transistors. A common source line is connected to a source of the second select transistor. A metal interconnection is electrically insulated from the common source line, and connected to the source of the second select transistor. |
| US07679955B2 |
Semiconductor switching device
A switching device and methods of making and operating the same are provided. In one aspect, a method of operating a switching device is provided that includes providing a MOS transistor that has a gate, a source region, a drain region and a body region. A bipolar transistor is provided that has a collector, a base and an emitter. The body region of the MOS transistor serves as the base of the bipolar transistor and the drain region of the MOS transistor serves as the collector of the bipolar transistor. Activation of the MOS transistor causes the bipolar transistor to turn on. The MOS transistor is activated to turn on the bipolar transistor and the bipolar transistor delivers current to the source region. |
| US07679950B2 |
Integrated circuit having a switch
A reprogrammable switch includes first phase-change material, a reference element, and a sense amplifier. The sense amplifier is coupled to the first phase-change material and the reference element and configured to compare a signal from the first phase-change material to a signal from the reference element and output a voltage signal based on the comparison. |
| US07679947B2 |
Semiconductor devices with source and bulk coupled to separate voltage supplies
A semiconductor transistor array is disclosed having a plurality of identical transistors, with sources of the transistors commonly coupled to a first voltage supply, and bulks of the transistors commonly coupled to a second voltage supply which is different from the first voltage supply, wherein different voltages can be supplied to the sources and bulks. |
| US07679936B2 |
Compensating for base current in a primary side power converter that uses an NPN bipolar transistor
A comparing circuit and a control loop are used to maintain the peak level of current flowing through an inductor of a flyback converter. An inductor switch control signal controls a switch through which the inductor current flows. The inductor current increases at a ramp-up rate during a ramp time and stops increasing at the end of the ramp time. The comparing circuit generates a timing signal that indicates a target time at which the inductor current would reach a predetermined current limit if the inductor current continued to increase at the ramp-up rate. The control loop then receives the timing signal and compares the target time to the end of the ramp time. The pulse width of the inductor switch control signal is increased when the target time occurs after the end of the ramp time. Adjusting the frequency and pulse width controls the peak of the inductor current. |
| US07679931B2 |
Plasma display apparatus having improved structure and heat dissipation
A plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel and a chassis disposed on a rear portion of the plasma display panel to support the plasma display panel. The chassis is formed of plastic, and thus the weight of the plasma display apparatus is reduced. A conductive grounding member is disposed between the chassis and the plasma display panel. The apparatus further comprises a circuit unit having a grounding portion electrically connected to the conductive grounding member. A thermal conductive sheet is disposed between the plasma display panel and the chassis. |
| US07679928B2 |
System-in-package module and mobile terminal having the same
Provided is a system-in-package module including a system circuit board; a first element that is disposed on the system circuit board; a second element that is disposed on the first element so as to be shifted to one side from the center of the first element, while partially exposing the first element; a third element that is electrically connected to the system circuit board and is disposed on the second element; and a plurality of bump pads that are disposed on the bottom surface of the system circuit board. |
| US07679927B2 |
Electronic device assembly with transfer card
An electronic device assembly includes an electronic device, a transfer card configured for connecting the electronic device to another electronic device, and a fixing board for mounting the transfer card to the electronic device. The electronic device includes a front wall defining a port. The transfer card is coupled to the electronic device. The transfer card comprises a printed circuit board perpendicular to the front wall, a first connector arranged on the elongated printed circuit board and protruding beyond a first longitudinal edge of the printed circuit board for engagement in the port in the front wall of the electronic device, and a second connector arranged on the printed circuit board and protruding beyond an opposite second longitudinal edge of the printed circuit board. |
| US07679924B2 |
Configurable chassis guidance system and method
A configurable chassis guidance system and method are described. The system may be practiced as a chassis and/or a module or an element thereof (e.g., a mating guide). The system and method allow reconfiguration of multiple modules of various module widths without the need for removal or reinstallation of module guides mounted on the chassis. As an example, a single-width module may be removed and replaced by a double-width module or quadruple-width module without removing module guides used to engage the single-width module. As another example, a double-width module or quadruple-width module may be removed and replaced by a single-width module without removing module guides used to engage the double-width module or quadruple-width module. The system and method may be practiced so as not to impair compatibility of modules with card edge module guides that engage an edge of a circuit board of a module. |
| US07679918B2 |
LED element and printed circuit board with the same
Disclosed is a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) element and a PCB body. The LED comprises a heat sink, a light emitting body and two base feet, each base foot comprising a support portion for supporting the light emitting body, an engaging portion and a connecting portion for connecting the support portion to the engaging portion, and the heat sink is disposed under the support portion. The PCB body comprises a first recess portion for disposing the heat sink to increase heat dissipation of the heat sink and two second recess portions for receiving the engaging portions of the base feet to increase heat dissipation of the base feet. |
| US07679916B2 |
Method and system for extracting heat from electrical components
A system for extracting heat from an electronic device is provided. The system includes heat dissipation means positioned within a printed circuit board to form an in-board heat sink structure and a fluid heat transfer medium disposed in the heat dissipation means. The medium circulates through the heat dissipation means carrying heat away from the electronic device. |
| US07679915B2 |
Motor control apparatus and method of assembling motor control apparatus
There is provided a motor control apparatus in which a size of the apparatus can easily be reduced, a work for aligning a power semiconductor module with a substrate can be eliminated and an assembling property can be enhanced.In a motor control apparatus in which a power semiconductor module adhering to a heat sink is mounted on a first substrate, a spacer is provided between the heat sink and the substrate and the power semiconductor module is disposed in the spacer. Moreover, an edge part of a hole has such a structure as to block a space between a terminal protruded from a side portion of the power semiconductor module and the heat sink. |
| US07679909B2 |
Integral swivel hydraulic connectors, door hinges, and methods and systems for their use
The present disclosure describes swivel hinge assemblies for use in rotatably mounting two structures together, such that the structures are in fluid communication by way of fluid flow, as well as systems including such hinge assemblies. The swivel hinge assemblies generally comprise a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, shafts surrounding the inlet and outlet ports and allowing for rotation about one or more axes, and attachment means which may be integrally formed with the shafts of the hinge assembly. In use, these assemblies eliminate the use for secondary hinges or secondary mounting hardware in attaching a door and a structure together in order to maintain fluid communication between an electronics rack and a heat exchanger mounted on the door of an electronics rack. |
| US07679904B2 |
Housing of foldable electronic device
An exemplary housing includes a first cover, a second cover for coupled with the first cover, a trigger, two movable latches, a first resilient member, two second resilient members, and two extending arms. The first cover includes two engaging portions. The trigger is disposed on the second cover and slidable along a first direction. The movable latches are disposed on the second cover and slidable along a second direction. Each movable latch includes an engaging portion for engaging the engaging portions of the first cover. The resilient members are configured for resetting the trigger and the movable latches. The extending arms are rotatably connected to the trigger and the movable latches. A slide of the trigger forces the movable latches to slide, thus making the engaging portions of the first cover and the movable latches engage or disengage each other. |
| US07679902B2 |
Vertical docking station
A docking station, serving as a digital hub and cable management platform, support a laptop computer (42) in an upright position with the laptop screen (43) in a comfortable viewing position relative to the working position of the user. The laptop (42) is positioned in an upright slot (4) in the docking station, with the connection ports easily seen and accessed. The surface of the laptop slot (4) is lined with non-slip surface (3) to ease insertion and control of the laptop (42) as it is lowered into the slot (4). An adjustable front cover (15) defining the front boundary of the slot (4) covers the keyboard of the mobile computer (42) so that the user does not need to view two keyboards, and the appearance of the docked laptop (42) is clean and aesthetic. Wireless data and power transmission into the laptop (42) is provided while the laptop (42) is in the slot (4) so that the laptop (42) can be used in the docking station without a need for cable connections (45, 46) at all. |
| US07679899B2 |
Host with removable device
A host with a removable device includes a main body, a removable device, and a fixing and withdrawing mechanism. Each element of the fixing and withdrawing mechanism is connected with each other by using a plurality of springs. When the removable device is placed into the host, a slide rod is pushed and a link rod is linked, such that the removable device is fastened in the host by using the link rod. When a user pulls an actuating rod, the link rod is guided to release the fastening state, and the removable device is ejected by using the slide rod under the forces of the springs. |
| US07679896B2 |
Fixing apparatus for data storage device
A fixing apparatus for holding a data storage device is provided. The fixing apparatus includes a drive bracket, and an insertion rack. The drive bracket includes two opposite side panels. Each of the side panels forms at least one guiding portion and defines a slot therein. The insertion rack is configured for inserting the data storage device into the drive bracket. The insertion rack forms two hooks. The insertion rack is capable of sliding into the drive bracket along the guiding portions. The hooks ride along an exterior of the drive bracket until they are inserted into the corresponding slots of the drive bracket. |
| US07679895B2 |
Lubricated data connector
A device comprising a cavity adapted to house a removable, electronic storage device. The device also comprises a data connector adapted to blind-mate with the storage device. The data connector is lubricated. |
| US07679892B2 |
Supporting device for display apparatus and display apparatus having the same
A supporting device for a display apparatus having a simplified configuration and an ease in manufacture with reduced manufacturing costs, and a display apparatus having the same. The supporting device includes a first supporting member coupled to a body of the display apparatus and defining therein a bore having an opened bottom, a second supporting member having a connecting portion to be inserted into the bore, an outer surface of the connecting portion being configured to correspond to the bore, a base to support the second supporting member, a connecting shaft to rotatably connect the first supporting member with the connecting portion and having both ends fixed to the first supporting member, and a friction structure provided between an outer surface of the connecting shaft and the connecting portion. |
| US07679889B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes: a thin plate display device having an image display surface and a back surface; a front cover that covers an outer area and end surfaces of the display surface of the display device; and a back surface cover mounted so as to cover the back surface, the cover being divided into a plurality of parts, wherein a projecting or recessed part is provided at a plurality of places on the front cover facing the end surfaces, a recessed or projecting part is provided that is fit into the projecting or recessed part facing thereto, on the back surface cover, and a slide mechanism part is provided in which the back surface cover is formed to move in parallel along the back surface of the display device and the fitting is achieved by the parallel motion. |
| US07679888B2 |
Thin screen enclosure
A modular container (2) for a flat display panel (3) has a mounting shelf (55) for the panel and power means (48) for selectively raising and lowering the mounting shelf and vertical channels (108) or geared tracks in the container positioned to receive side edges of the panel and adjustable laterally to accommodate panels of different widths. A modular container for a flat display panel has a mounting shelf for the panel and power means for selectively raising and lowering the mounting shelf and remotely controlled power means (32, 76), for moving said container with respect to a seated or recumbent person. |
| US07679886B2 |
Engine control device
An engine control device, especially an engine control device having an internal by-pass, is disclosed. The universally applicable engine control device includes an integrated by-pass function. For this purpose, a housing includes chambers that are electrically insulated from one another and that are configured both to receive a respective power subunit, and, alternatively, to receive a continuous current-bearing element. |
| US07679884B2 |
Organosilicon phosphorus-based electrolytes
Disclosed are electrolytes that are organosilicon phosphorus-based, and supercapacitors which incorporate them. These electrolytes are cationic salts with a phosphorous containing organosilicon moiety. They appear particularly suitable for use in applications such as electric and hybrid electric vehicles. |
| US07679883B2 |
Ultracapacitors comprised of mineral microtubules
Disclosed is an ultracapacitor having electrodes containing mineral microtubules, an electrolyte between the electrodes, and a separator in the electrolyte to provide electrical insulation between the electrodes, while allowing ion flow within the electrolyte. The electrodes may be formed from a paste containing microtubules, a conductive polymer containing mineral microtubules, or an aerogel containing the mineral microtubules. The mineral microtubules may be filled with carbon, a pseudocapacitance material, or a magnetoresistive material. The mineral microtubules may also be coated with a photoconductive material. |
| US07679881B2 |
Electrical entity with opening of the load current circuit in an explosion-vulnerable environment
There is described an electrical system including a device which features a load current circuit and connection terminals for connection of the load current circuit. In the supply line to the connection terminals, separation contacts are present for separating the load current circuit during operation of the device. Means for explosion protection are provided in connection with the separation contacts. |
| US07679874B2 |
Power overload detection method and structure therefor
In one embodiment, the bulk input voltage is used to form a reference signal that is used for controlling a switching power supply system to operate in a power overload operating mode. |
| US07679873B2 |
Deep discharge protection for battery packs with cell groups
A method of preventing deep discharge of the battery pack (1′) with series-connected cell groups (2a, 2b) by polarity reversal of an individual weakest cell (3), includes a difference measurement step which is repeated over time for detecting an event indicative of a probable reversal of polarity in which the change over time of the voltage difference between two cell groups (2a, 2b) having identical numbers of cells is checked to determine if the change in the voltage difference has exceeded an amount corresponding to a difference threshold value which reliably distinguishes a fast polarity reversal of an individual weakest cell (3) in exactly one cell group (2a, 2b) from the slow fluctuation of the voltage difference between two cell groups (2a, 2b) during an ordinary discharge characteristic curve without polarity reversal of an individual weakest cell (3); and a battery pack (1′) and a battery-powered hand-held power tool (7) with a monitoring circuit (5′) for implementing the method. |
| US07679872B2 |
Electrostatic-discharge protection using a micro-electromechanical-system switch
Embodiments of an interface circuit are described. This interface circuit includes an input pad, a control node and a transistor, which has three terminals. A first terminal is electrically coupled to the input pad and a second terminal is electrically coupled to the control node. Moreover, the interface circuit includes a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch, which is electrically coupled to the input pad and the control node, where the MEMS switch is in parallel with the transistor. In the absence of a voltage applied to a control terminal of the MEMS switch, the MEMS switch is closed, thereby electrically coupling the input pad and the control node. Furthermore, when the voltage is applied to the control terminal of the MEMS switch, the MEMS switch is open, thereby electrically decoupling the input pad and the control node. |
| US07679868B2 |
Power supply apparatus
A ground faulty interrupting function is returned to a normal standby state in a short time after a movable contact (8) tripped in detecting electrical leak is returned to a closed position. A tripping coil (10) which moves the contact (8) provided on an output line (2) to a shutdown position is included. A current transformer (12) is provided on a downstream of the contact (8). A circuit (20) energizes the coil (10) when the leak current are detected. A reset signal forming circuit (22) outputs a reset signal to the gate signal forming circuit (20) when the contact (8) is returned to a connection position. The circuit (20) obtains power from the upstream side of the contact (8). LED (16) is lit when the contact (8) is at the shutdown position, and LED (16) end display when the contact (8) is returned to the normal position. |
| US07679856B2 |
Storage device, control device, and vibration-detection method
A storage device positions a head at a predetermined position on a storage medium by driving an actuator with the head and at least writes data onto the storage medium. The storage device includes a vibration sensor, a filter for outputting a signal of a frequency band centered on a first frequency from an output of the vibration sensor, and a write-protection-determination unit for protecting against data-writing processing upon a value of the output of the filter being larger than a threshold value. |
| US07679855B2 |
Write transducer and system implementing same
A magnetic, head in one embodiment includes a substrate; a write transducer; leads coupled to the write transducer; and a resistor coupled between one of the leads and the substrate or a common line. A magnetic storage system in another embodiment includes a cable having a characteristic impedance associated with a pair of conductors; a write signal generator coupled to the pair of conductors; at least one first device coupled to the cable in series with the write signal generator and at least one of the cable conductors, the at least one first device providing a first impedance; at least one second device providing a second impedance and coupled to a second end of the cable in series with at least one of the cable conductors and the first device; and a head having a write transducer coupled to the at least one second device. |
| US07679854B1 |
Head switch operation for a disk drive
A disk drive for implementing a head switch operation is disclosed. The disk drive comprises: an actuator; a first head and a second head attached to the actuator; a disk having a plurality of tracks; and a processor. The processor controls operations in the disk drive including: executing a head switch command from the first head to the second head; determining that a sync-up operation is not successful for the second head at a first track; applying a torque to the actuator to move the second head to a second track; and determining that the sync-up operation is successful. |
| US07679849B2 |
Mobile lens unit with detection device
A lens unit includes a lens barrel for receiving at least one lens and a motor arranged to displace the lens barrel between various positions. Displacement of the lens barrel is proportional to an electrical signal applied to the motor. A first conductor is fixed to the lens barrel and is arranged to make electrical contact with a second conductor when the lens barrel is at an initial position. A processor is arranged to detect a change in the electrical contact, to determine an electrical signal at the time of the change and to generate an electrical signal corresponding to the desired displacement. |
| US07679847B2 |
Lens-barrel and image pickup apparatus
A lens barrel and an image pickup apparatus include a flow path (70) that is provided at a position (A) where a first fixed lens frame (22) faces a movable lens frame (32) and a position (B) where the movable lens frame (32) faced the first fixed lens frame (22) as that air flow resistance can be generated when the air is released which is present between the first and second lens frames if these lens frames get close to each other. The flow path (70) is provided so that the air present between a fixed lens (20) and a movable lens (30) may also be passed through the flow paths when the first fixed lens frame (22) and the movable lens frame (32) get close to each other. |
| US07679845B2 |
Adjustable/non-adjustable precision optical mounts
A highly precision, super stable, structure compact and fully lockable ball joint mechanism optical mounts are presented. Both stationary plate and movable plate have a partial-spherical hole or conical hole. Facing spacing aligns the bases of the partial-spherical holes or conical holes; a space adjustable cavity is formed. An external-spherical circumference shape optical element carrier plate fits and mates in the space adjustable combined cavity forms a ball joint mechanism, or an external-column circumference and edges chamfered optical element carrier plate fits and mates in the space adjustable combined internal-spherical shaped cavity forms an angle tilt-able and around axis swivel-able joint pair mechanism. A removable tooling for exporting a tilting and rotating movement to the optical element carrier plate are presented. Locking ring pushes the movable plate to adjust the combined cavity and locking the optical element carrier plate and to lock optical element that is carried thereby. |
| US07679842B2 |
High performance catadioptric imaging system
A reduced size catadioptric objective and system is disclosed. The objective may be employed with light energy having a wavelength in the range of approximately 190 nanometers through the infrared light range. Elements are less than 100 mm in diameter. The objective comprises a focusing lens group configured to receive the light energy, at least one field lens oriented to receive focused light energy from the focusing lens group and provide intermediate light energy, and a Mangin mirror arrangement positioned to receive the intermediate light energy from the field lens and form controlled light energy for transmission to a specimen. The Mangin mirror arrangement imparts controlled light energy with a numerical aperture in excess of 0.65 and up to approximately 0.90, and the design may be employed in various environments. |
| US07679840B2 |
Optical apparatus
An optical apparatus includes an image taking optical system that includes a first lens unit arranged on a most object side and a second lens unit movable in an optical axis direction further on an image surface side than the first lens unit, a first lens barrel that holds the first lens unit, a second lens barrel that is combined with the first lens barrel and houses the second lens unit so that the unit is movable, and a control unit that is arranged around an outer periphery of the second lens barrel and includes an operation member, which is operated in order to instruct driving of the second lens unit, and an electric component for controlling the driving of the second lens unit according to the operation of the operation member, in which a maximum outer diameter of the first lens unit is larger than a minimum inner diameter of the control unit. |
| US07679839B2 |
Optical lens displacement systems
The present invention provides optical systems, devices and methods which utilize one or more electroactive polymer actuators to adjust an optical parameter of the optical device or system. |
| US07679830B2 |
Optical systems utilizing multiple phase filters to increase misfocus tolerance
An optical imaging system includes optics for imaging a wavefront of electromagnetic radiation to form an image at a detector. The system also includes a plurality of optical phase filters. Each of the phase filters alters phase of the wavefront. The phase filters cooperate to make the system less sensitive to misfocus, as compared to the optical imaging system without the phase filters. Another optical imaging system includes a detector and optics having two or more optical elements for imaging a wavefront onto the detector. The optical elements include aspherical surfaces that cooperate to alter phase of the wavefront such that the optics are less sensitive to defocus as compared to the optics without the aspherical surfaces. The system also includes a post processor for reversing phase alteration induced by the aspherical surfaces to produce an in-focus electronic image. |
| US07679828B2 |
Method and apparatus for aperture sculpting in a microlens array film
A collimating sheet, for use with a backlit display and the like, that includes a substrate, a plurality of microlenses on the output side of the substrate, a specularly reflective layer on the side of the substrate opposite the microlenses, and a plurality of apertures in the reflective layer in direct correspondence to the microlenses of the lens array. The specularly reflective layer can be relatively thinner than a diffuse reflective layer, which allows light to pass through the more readily. One or more layers of dielectric can be placed on top of one or more reflective material layers to further improves overall reflectivity. Apertures are preferably made in the light-absorptive and reflective layers with a laser ablation process wherein laser light illuminates the output side of the film. The laser light is brought to a focus by the lenslets of the lens array onto the light-absorptive layer, which then ablates a hole or aperture into the light-absorptive and reflective layer. In this way, the apertures are self-aligned with the lenslets. |
| US07679822B2 |
Broadband laser illumination device for a scanning microscope with output stabilization
The arrangement for examining microscope preparations with a scanning microscope comprises a laser (1) and an optical means (12) which images the light generated by the laser (1) onto a specimen (13) that is to be examined. Provided between the laser (1) and the optical means (12) is an optical component (3, 20) that spectrally spreads, with a single pass, the light generated by the laser (1). The optical component (3, 20) is made of photonic band-gap material. It is particularly advantageous if the photonic band-gap material is configured as a light-guiding fiber (20). |
| US07679820B2 |
IR absorbing reflector
A infrared (IR) light absorbing reflector is formed with a substrate that supports a first IR absorptive multilayer part having multiple layers of partial IR absorbing thin films. The first IR absorptive multi-layer part supports a second visible light reflecting multilayer part. |
| US07679817B2 |
Laser light source device, illumination device, image display device, and monitor
A laser light source device includes: a light source; an external resonator constituting a resonator structure with the light source; a wavelength conversion element disposed between the light source and the external resonator, and converting the wavelength of the light emitted from the light source; and a first spacing member maintaining a state in which at least the wavelength conversion element is separated from the external resonator by a predetermined distance. |
| US07679815B2 |
Information display panel and information display device
In the information display panel, in which one or more groups of display media are sealed between opposed two substrates, at least one substrate being transparent, and, in which the display media, to which an electrostatic field generated between the substrates is applied, are made to move so as to display information such as an image, at least one substrate of the two substrates (both substrates in the figure) is a laminated substrate in which a first substrate, a low elastic layer and a second substrate are successively laminated from an outer surface, so that a stress concentration at a rib adhesion portion and so on of a partition wall can be reduced, If the laminated substrate with a laminated construction including a buffer layer for reducing stress concentration, it is possible to provide the information display panel, which can improve a mechanical strength with respect to an external force. |
| US07679812B2 |
Support structure for MEMS device and methods therefor
A microelectromechanical systems device having support structures formed of sacrificial material surrounded by a protective material. The microelectromechanical systems device includes a substrate having an electrode formed thereon. Another electrode is separated from the first electrode by a cavity and forms a movable layer, which is supported by support structures formed of a sacrificial material. |
| US07679810B2 |
Electrical characteristics of electrochromic devices
One exemplary embodiment of an electrochromic device comprises a tantalum-nitride ion-blocking layer formed between a transparent conductive layer and an electrochromic layer. Another exemplary embodiment of an electrochromic device comprises a tantalum-nitride ion-blocking layer formed between a transparent conductive layer and a counter electrode. Yet another exemplary embodiment of an electrochromic device comprises a type-2 ion-blocking layer formed on a transparent conductive layer as an ion diffusion barrier overlayer. Still another exemplary embodiment of an electrochromic device comprises a transparent conductive layer formed from tantalum nitride. |
| US07679801B2 |
Optical deflector, method of manufacturing optical deflector, optical scanning apparatus, and image forming apparatus
An optical deflector is disclosed that includes a rotary shaft; plural rotary polygon mirrors laminated in an axis direction of the rotary shaft, the rotary polygon mirrors having reflection surfaces and the reflection surfaces of one rotary polygon mirror and those of another rotary polygon mirror facing in different directions; and a joining section provided between the rotary polygon mirrors. In the optical deflector, the joining section is integrally formed with at least one of the rotary polygon mirrors. |
| US07679797B2 |
Hologram and holographic viewing device incorporating it
The invention relates to a hologram that enables two or more different images to be simultaneously reconstructed even in a state where the hologram is fixed in terms of relative position with respect to an eye, and a holographic viewing device that incorporates it. The hologram 14 is fabricated by applying Fourier transform to a plurality of input image to obtain a plurality of corresponding Fourier transform images 13-1, 13-2 and arraying the Fourier transform images 13-1, 13-2 on the same plane according to a given two-dimensional array principle into a computer-generated hologram. When a plurality of point light sources 231 to 239 located behind the hologram 14 are viewed through the hologram 14, a plurality of images are simultaneously and parallel reconstructed (28) in correspondence to the array positions of the plurality of Fourier transform images. |
| US07679796B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
To provide an image processing apparatus that does not cause missing of characters in a case where a monochrome copy is made by reading a color original document even when the base and characters thereon have the same reflectance as long as they have different hues.An image processing apparatus of the invention includes a background color specifying portion 54D that specifies a background color using RGB signals outputted from a scanner portion 120, a hue determination portion 54C that determines the hue of a pixel of interest, and a monochrome signal generation processing portion 55 that generates a monochrome signal using any one of the RGB signals according to a specification result of the background color specifying portion and a determination result of the hue determination portion. |
| US07679793B2 |
Image reading device and multifunction machine
An image reading device is provided equipped with a first light source provided at the same side of a pickup device with respect to a manuscript table and a second light source provided at the opposite side of the pickup device with respect to the manuscript table. The image recording device includes a light shielding member provided at a first position at which light introduced to the manuscript table from the second light source is shielded or a second position different from the first position in a selectable manner, a coupling mechanism for coupling a light source moving mechanism for moving the second light source and a pickup device moving mechanism for moving the pickup device so as to be able to be engaged by a single driving source, and a blocking member provided to the light shielding member so as to block the coupling provided by the coupling mechanism when the light shielding member is provided at the first position. |
| US07679789B2 |
Facsimile apparatus and multifunctional printer
Individual destination information is registered into each character/symbol input key on an operation panel. Upon transmitting data, one of the registered character/symbol input keys is pressed to select a destination. In addition to character/symbol input keys, it is possible to register destinations into selection keys. When one of the selection keys having been pre-assigned for a predetermined operation is chosen for a registration, the registration of the key is denied. The registered destination information can be printed out, by a recorder, as a destination list that associates key names and destination names. The destination information can be displayed on a screen by a display, after a retrieval process based on a specified search condition. |
| US07679787B2 |
N-color printing with hexagonal rosettes
What is provided herein are systems and methods for digitally reproducing a moiré-free color halftone image using an enhanced halftone screen set consisting of a halftone screen for each of N colorants, where N>4. Also disclosed is an enhanced color halftoning screening apparatus for reproducing a moiré-free color halftone image using an enhanced halftone screen set consisting of a halftone screen for each of N colorants, N>4. Further disclosed are embodiments for generating a plurality of non-orthogonal halftone screen outputs for moiré-free enhanced color halftoning. |
| US07679784B2 |
Reference tone settings for monotone images
A tone setting screen that includes a tone specifying area 110 for specifying a color tone of a monotone image using a single specification point is disclosed. A monotone image tone is determined according to the position of the specification point specified in the tone specifying area 110. The tone specifying area 110 is defined on the a* b* plane in the L*a*b* color space, where three reference tone points Pneutral, Pwarm, and Pcool, for the neutral, warm, and cool tones are disposed linearly in advance in the tone specifying area 110. |
| US07679783B2 |
System and method for extracting grayscale data within a prescribed tolerance
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are described for producing pure gray tones on a multi-color document output device that includes a system for operating on device independent color data having at least three color components, which color data corresponds to one or more associated electronic documents. The system and method function to extract grayscale data from such a device independent color data description, which grayscale corresponds to a rendering and a single color space. Such resultant data, inclusive of a color data portion and a grayscale portion, is thus completed in device independent form. |
| US07679782B2 |
System and method for extracting grayscale data in accordance with a prescribed tolerance function
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are described for producing pure gray tones on a multi-color document output device that includes a system for operating on device independent color data having multiple color components, which color data corresponds to one or more associated electronic documents. The system and method function to extract gray data by the use of tristimulus values in a range specified by a functional relationship of a selected tristimulus value. |
| US07679778B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and image processing program
Saturation to white and fading of subjects' faces are prevented when performing density correction on digital images. An average signal value, obtained from a photographic image, is compared against a predetermined reference value, to judge whether correction is to be administered to brighten or darken the photographic image. A corrected image constituted by corrected signal values, which are obtained by correcting the pixel signal values of the photographic image with a predetermined correction amount, is generated only in cases that it is judged that correction to brighten the photographic image is to be administered. At this time, if the brightness represented by signal values of pixels of the photographic image are greater than or equal to a predetermined brightness, the correction amount is gradually reduced as the signal values become brighter. |
| US07679776B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium storing computer-readable program therein
When a preview of a composed job is performed by composing data outputted from an application for printing, in order to provide a method for enabling the preview to be performed in consideration of a layout of each print job, one composed job is formed by composing the print jobs obtained by converting the data to be printed into the data in an intermediate code format and this method is realized by controlling so as to display the preview of the composed job on the basis of layout information of each print job in the composed job. |
| US07679774B2 |
Method, system and computer program for the generation of an electronic document from scanned image data
In a method and system for display screen-aided generation of an electronic document from rasterized image data in an application computer, the image data are filed in at least one electronic storage. A first group of rasterized image data are provided stored page-by-page and a second group of rasterized overlay image data are provided in a relationship associated such that one page is associated with at least one overlay or one overlay is associated with at least one page. In a first display screen region, symbols of the first group are displayed per page in an ordered structure. In a second display screen region, image data of the first group are displayed. The document is generated an editor computer program loaded on the application computer from the rasterized image data and the rasterized overlay image data. |
| US07679773B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus, storage medium, and program
According to the present invention, in a borderless printing mode, a printing region is determined from an original image, a region expanded outward is determined for borderless printing based on the determined region. When the thus determined region exceeds the region of the original image, an image in the surplus portion is extrapolated based on an image at end portions of the original image, and printing data is formed based on the extrapolated image and image data of the expanded region. |
| US07679769B2 |
Data receiving system and data output method therefor, data receiving apparatus, and control program for implementing the data output method
A data receiving system which enables, even when the location of a recipient is changed, a sender to always send data to the same transmission destination, and the recipient to obtain received data from a nearest output terminal apparatus. A server as the data receiving apparatus receives data addressed to an IP address, as received data through the Internet. A multi-function peripheral as an output terminal apparatus receives the received data from the server and outputs the same. In this case, the server selects the multi-function peripheral from registered multi-function peripherals based on the IP address to which the received data is addressed, and relationship map information, and then transfers the received data to the selected multi-function peripheral. |
| US07679765B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing system and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes an input unit inputting image data, a memory having a storage region for storing the image data inputted by the input unit, a printer printing the image data in response to an user's instruction of printing the image data stored in the storage region, a transmitting unit transmitting set information indicating setting of the storage region to an other image processing apparatus, and a control unit controlling the transmitting unit not to transmit the set information to the other image processing apparatus when a pass word for accessing the storage region is included in the set information, and to transmit the set information to the other image processing apparatus when the pass word for accessing the storage region is not included in the set information. |
| US07679760B2 |
Printing service system and printing service program
A printing service system is provided. A print terminal includes a data transmission and reception unit for transmitting and receiving image data to and from a server and a key input unit for inputting an address of a recipient authorized to print the image data. The server includes a data accumulation unit in which image data uploaded from the print terminal is accumulated for each ID, a code conversion unit for converting an ID and a password into a code, a mail output unit and a FAX output unit for transmitting the code to the address, and an image management unit for, when the print terminal returns the code to the ID and the password and transmits the ID and the password, performing authentication, reading the image data corresponding to the ID, and returning the image data to the print terminal. |
| US07679755B1 |
Tunable Michelson and Mach-Zehnder interferometers modified with Gires-Tournois interferometers
Optical filters tunable for both center wavelength and bandwidth, having applications such as in astronomy, remote sensing, laser spectroscopy, and other laser-based sensing applications, using Michelson interferometers or Mach-Zehnder interferometers modified with Gires-Tournois interferometers (“GTIs”) are disclosed. A GTI nominally has unity magnitude reflectance as a function of wavelength and has a phase response based on its resonator characteristics. Replacing the end mirrors of a Michelson interferometer or the fold mirrors of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with GTIs results in both high visibility throughput as well as the ability to tune the phase response characteristics to change the width of the bandpass/notch filters. A range of bandpass/bandreject optical filter modes, including a Fabry-Perot (“FP”) mode, a wideband, low-ripple FP mode, a narrowband notch/bandpass mode, and a wideband notch/bandpass mode, are all tunable and wavelength addressable. |
| US07679754B2 |
Arterial probe for OCT
An apparatus and associated method for detecting vulnerable plaque within a lumen defined by an intraluminal wall is described. The apparatus includes a probe having a distal portion and a proximal portion. The apparatus includes an optical waveguide extending along the probe. The optical waveguide is configured to carry optical radiation between the distal and proximal portions, and has a distal end in communication with the intraluminal wall. The apparatus includes an interferometer coupled to the optical waveguide and configured to provide an interference signal for sub-surface imaging of the intraluminal wall, and a processing module configured to provide spectroscopic information from detected intensity of light collected from the intraluminal wall. |
| US07679753B2 |
Passively biased fiber-optic gyroscope and current sensor
Passively biased fiber-optic Sagnac interferometric sensor architecture, for gyroscope and current sensor in particular, is disclosed. One embodiment uses a 3×3 coupler entirely made of circular polarization maintaining fiber that serves as a beam splitter and meanwhile a passive bias. An alternative is to use a 3×3 hybrid coupler consisting of two linear polarization maintaining fibers and one conventional single-mode fiber, with the former two connected in a common interferometric sensor circuitry, and with the latter one cut short at both ends to form matched terminations. Still another alternative is an integral unit of Faraday rotator, whose central part is a fiber-optic magneto-optic 45° rotator, with a “zero to fast” fiber-optic quarter wave plate attached to one side, and a “fast to zero” fiber-optic quarter wave plate to the other. Advantages of passive bias are simplicity in construction, no need of manual adjustment and operational stability. |
| US07679752B2 |
Methods for detecting pitch in lumber
Methods are provided for detecting compression wood, blue stain, or pitch in lumber. A light beam is projected towards the wood sample. Line or area cameras acquire images of light that is reflected from the wood sample. Based on the intensity of the reflected light at one or more locations on the wood sample, compression wood, blue stain, or pitch may be detected. |
| US07679748B2 |
Coupled waveguide-surface plasmon resonance biosensor
The present invention discloses a coupled waveguide-surface plasmon resonance biosensor, comprising: a grating layer formed of a transparent material, the grating layer comprising a first periodic grating structure; a waveguide layer formed on the first periodic grating structure, the refractive index of the waveguide layer being larger than the refractive index of the grating layer; a plasmon resonance layer formed on the waveguide layer, capable of being optically excited to cause a plasmon resonance wave; and a ligand layer formed on the plasmon resonance layer; capable of being bound to react with receptors of a sample to be tested. |
| US07679747B2 |
Gloss measurement apparatus and gloss measurement method
A gloss measurement apparatus which emits light from a light source and finds an evaluation value, which represents a glossiness of an object to be measured, on the basis of specular reflected light which is reflected by the object to be measured. The gloss measurement apparatus is provided with an acquisition component, a pixel gloss value calculation component and an evaluation value calculation component. The acquisition component acquires image information in accordance with received light amounts, at predetermined respective pixels, of specular reflected light from a surface of the object to be measured. The pixel gloss value calculation component calculates gloss values of the respective pixels on the basis of the received light amounts at the respective pixels of the image information acquired by the acquisition component. The evaluation value calculation component calculates the evaluation value representing the glossiness of the object to be measured on the basis of the gloss values calculated by the pixel gloss value calculation component. |
| US07679746B1 |
System and method for measurement of pressure drop through perforated panels
A system for measurement of pressure drop through a perforated panel having panel holes includes a sensor comprising an illumination source adapted to illuminate the perforated panel, a lens spaced-apart with respect to the illumination source and a camera interfacing with the lens. A controller is connected to the camera and adapted to receive image frames of the panel openings from the camera, measure an optical porosity of the perforated panel, identify a number and locations of missing and blocked panel holes in the perforated panel, determine a shape of a small region associated with each panel hole and calculate a pressure drop through the perforated panel based on the optical porosity of the perforated panel, the number and locations of the missing and blocked panel holes and the shape of the small region associated with each panel hole. |
| US07679745B2 |
Time-resolved fluorescence spectrometer for multiple-species analysis
A time-resolved, fluorescence spectrometer makes use of a RadiaLight® optical switch and no dispersive optical elements (DOE) like gratings. The structure is unique in its compactness and simplicity of operation. In one embodiment, the spectrometer makes use of only one photo-detector and an efficient linear regression algorithm. The structure offers a time resolution, for multiple species measurements, of less than 1 s. The structure can also be used to perform fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy. |
| US07679744B2 |
Stokes parameter measurement device and method
The invention provides a Stokes parameter measurement device and Stokes parameter measurement method that enable high-precision measurement. The Stokes parameter measurement device comprises a polarization splitting device which comprises an optical element formed of a birefringent crystal material and which, by means of the optical element, splits signal light to be measured into a plurality of polarized light beams and adjusts the polarization state of one or more among the plurality of polarized light beams, and a light-receiving portion for performing photoelectric conversion of an optical component of the signal light split by and emitted from the polarization splitting device. |
| US07679742B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for monitoring variations in the size of particles present in a fluid
The present invention relates to a method, system and apparatus for continuously monitoring variations in the size of particles present in a fluid on a real time basis. The method comprises of passing one or more optical signal through the fluid such as engine oil. The variation (attenuation or enhancement) in the intensity of the optical signal is continuously measured with respect to time. In an embodiment, the method, system and apparatus of the present invention enable monitoring of the amount, size and onset of particle agglomeration using single or multiple wavelengths as interrogating optical signal(s). An exemplary embodiment is provided for monitoring of the amount, size and onset of soot particle agglomeration in engine oil using single or multiple wavelengths as interrogating optical signal(s). |
| US07679739B2 |
Device and method for measuring microporous film on battery electrode plate, coater equipped with film measuring device, and coating method using film measuring method
There is provided a film measuring device capable of accurately and easily measuring the thickness of a microporous film formed on a battery electrode plate over the entire area of the film. A color CCD sensor 8 shoots the microporous film. A video board 11 converts a color tone of a color image signal obtained by the image pickup into gradation data of respective color components of RGB. After the data conversion, an image processing board 12 extracts line images of the respective color components. A calculator 14 obtains the thickness of the microporous film by referring to pre-measured film thickness reference values corresponding to the gradation data of the green or blue color component, which are stored in a table storage 13 as reference thickness table data, using the gradation data of the line image of the green color component or the blue color component as lookup data. |
| US07679736B1 |
System and method for optical photomask inspection through pellicle
A pellicle correction factor is determined by comparing a first measurement of a reference photomask alone with a second measurement of that reference photomask through a reference pellicle protecting the mask layers of the photomask. A number of pellicle correction factors may be determined for different type pellicles and made accessible in pellicle correction factor lookup table of the system or supplied on a separate data storage medium. Raw Reflectance and/or Transmittance measurement data of a generic photomask through a generic pellicle is consecutively corrected for the measurement distorting effects of that pellicle by applying a matching one of the previously determined pellicle correction factors. The pellicle correction factor is preferably an attenuation signature across a predetermined measurement irradiation spectrum. |
| US07679734B2 |
Curved surface shape inspection method, fiber optical block, and curved surface shape inspection device
In a fiber optic block 10 formed by bundling and integrating a plurality of optical fibers 11 each composed of a core region 12 and a clad region 13, an at least partially curved input end face 14 composed of one end of each optical fiber and a measurement surface having a curved surface shape of a to-be-measured object are pressed against each other. Then, an optical image formed by bringing the input end face into contact with the measurement surface and output from an output end face 15 of the fiber optic block is used to inspect the curved surface shape of the to-be-measured object. This allows a curved surface shape inspection method capable of inspecting the shape of a curved surface easily, a fiber optic block, and a curved surface shape inspection apparatus to be achieved. |
| US07679732B2 |
Optical-fiber-characteristic measuring apparatus and optical-fiber-characteristic measuring method
A measurement range is extended while maintaining the spatial resolution high by completely separating the increment of a probe light from noises. Modulations are performed on both probe light and pump light to differentiate both lights. Using the modulations, only the change in the probe light necessary for measuring the characteristic of a measurement-target optical fiber FUT can be separated. Accordingly, unlike the conventional technology, an optical wavelength filter becomes unnecessary. Further, in a case where an amplitude Δf of the frequency modulation of a light source 1 is made wide to some extent to make the measurement range wide while maintaining a spatial resolution Δz high, the amplitude Δf does not affect to detection of the change in the probe light. Therefore, the increment of the probe light can be completely separated from noises, thereby extending the measurement range while maintaining the spatial resolution Δz high. |
| US07679719B2 |
Lithographic apparatus having a drive system with coordinate transformation, and device manufacturing method
A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate, which is held on a substrate support and a drive system to move the substrate support along a trajectory. In the drive system, set-point data, including set-point coordinates, are generated for moving the substrate support relative to the projection system in a first and second directions. The set-point coordinates of the first and second directions are transformed into set-point coordinates of third and fourth directions. Motion data, including motion coordinates, are generated for moving the substrate support relative to the projection system in the third and fourth directions, limiting the velocity in the third and fourth directions to a maximum velocity. The motion coordinates of the third and fourth directions are transformed into motion coordinates of the first and second directions for driving the first and second drive motors. |
| US07679717B2 |
Exposure apparatus
An exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate includes a projection optical system for projecting the pattern onto a substrate, the exposure apparatus exposing the substrate through a flammable liquid that is filled in a space between the substrate and a final lens of the projection optical system closest to the substrate, and an explosion-proof unit for shielding an ignition source that can ignite the liquid or vapor of the liquid, from the liquid and the vapor. |
| US07679707B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising a first electrode in contact with a bottom surface and a second electrode in contact with a top surface of a single layer insulating film comprising concave and convex portions
A wide viewing angle is achieved with a liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of this invention, in which alignment directions of liquid crystal molecules are controlled by electric field between electrodes on a substrate. A pixel electrode and an insulating film covering the pixel electrode are formed on a TFT substrate. A plurality of concave portions and convex portions extending in parallel to each other are formed in the insulating film alternately. A common electrode is formed on each of the concave portions. And a CF substrate is disposed facing to the common electrodes. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the insulating film and the common electrodes and the liquid crystal layer. When a predetermined voltage is applied to the pixel electrode to induce an electric field between the pixel electrode and the common electrodes, liquid crystal molecules are rotated along lines of electric force of the electric field in a plane parallel to the TFT substrate. Also, the liquid crystal molecules tilt vertically between the common electrodes symmetrically with respect to a center line between a neighboring pair of the common electrodes. |
| US07679703B2 |
Liquid crystal display unit
A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes: a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer; first and second electrodes arranged on one surface of first and second substrates to face the liquid crystal layer; and first and second alignment films arranged on the first and second electrodes, respectively, in contact with the liquid crystal layer. The first alignment film has been subjected to an optical alignment treatment by obliquely irradiating a first alignment film material, having a photosensitive wavelength within the wavelength range of 250 nm to 380 nm, with light including the photosensitive wavelength. The device further includes: a metal layer arranged between the first alignment film and the first substrate; and a first resin layer arranged between the metal layer and the first alignment film. The first resin layer has an optical property that attenuates the intensity of light, which has been incident on the first resin layer and then reflected from the metal layer, to 60% or less at the photosensitive wavelength. |
| US07679684B2 |
White balance adjusting device and video display device
During adjustment of a white balance, images having different white balances are displayed respectively on a plurality of regions on the screen 201 of the display 200, based on the red video signal Rout, the green video signal Gout and the blue video signal Bout output from the gamma correction device 30. After that, an user selects any of the plurality of regions by comparing the plurality of images having the different white balances displayed on the regions A to I on the screen 201 of the display 200 and pressing a touch panel on the screen 201. The image on the selected region is displayed on the entire screen 201 of the display 200, based on the red video signal Rout, the green video signal Gout and the blue video signal Bout output from the gamma correction device 30. |
| US07679678B2 |
Data processing device and method, and recording medium and program
An improvement information generating unit (11) generates a plurality of types of improvement information for improving the image quality of an image (broadcast image) broadcast as a program. An integrating unit (12) embeds one or more of the plurality of types of improvement information generated by the improvement information generating unit (11) into the broadcast image, thus integrating the improvement information with the broadcast image, and outputs an integrated signal. The integrated signal is transmitted via a transmitting unit (13). Thus, images of various image qualities are provided. |
| US07679677B2 |
Broadcast receiving device for displaying closed caption data and method thereof
A broadcast receiving device and method are provided with a function for displaying closed caption data. The broadcast receiving device according to embodiments of the present invention includes a signal receiving part for receiving a composite video signal, a signal processing part for signal-processing the composite video signal and converting the signal into an output format signal, a noise calculating part for calculating the noise level of the composite video signal, and a caption data detecting part for detecting closed caption data from the composite video signal and if the noise level is less than a threshold level, only then providing the closed caption data to the signal processing part to be inserted in the output format signal. Accordingly, noise degradation of the image quality can be prevented. |
| US07679676B2 |
Spatial signal conversion
A spatial filter unit (200) for converting a first input signal (U) comprising input samples, into an output signal comprising output samples, is disclosed. The spatial filter unit (200) comprises: a coefficient-determining means (106) for determining a first filter coefficient; and an adaptive filtering means (104) for computing a first one of the output samples on basis of a first one of the input samples and the first filter coefficient. The coefficient-determining means (106) are arranged to determine the first filter coefficient on basis of a second input signal (Y) being correlated to the first input signal (U). |
| US07679667B2 |
Solid-state image sensor using junction gate type field-effect transistor as pixel
A source region and drain region are formed in a surface region of a first semiconductor region. Moreover, a second semiconductor region connected to the drain region is formed in the surface region of the first semiconductor region. A third semiconductor region is formed in the first semiconductor region under the second semiconductor region, connected to the second semiconductor region, and accumulates signal charges in accordance with an incident light. A fourth semiconductor region is formed in the surface region of the first semiconductor region between the drain region and source region. Moreover, these source region, drain region, second semiconductor region, and third semiconductor region constitute a pixel, and different voltages are supplied to the drain region in an accumulation period of the signal charges in the pixel, signal readout period, and discharge period of the signal charges. |
| US07679662B2 |
Solid-state imaging element and solid-state imaging device
Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging element which includes a plurality of drive signal inputs, a plurality of bus lines, and a plurality of vertical transfer register electrodes. In the solid-state imaging element, a charge accumulated in light-receiving elements in a pixel region is vertically transferred by the drive signals input to the electrodes. Each of the electrodes has a contact part connected to the second contact and having a width smaller than a width of the electrodes in the pixel region, and a blank region is formed between predetermined adjacent two of the contact parts so that a width of the blank region is larger than a distance between respective two of the contact parts other than the predetermined adjacent two of the contact parts. The first contact is disposed on the blank region. |
| US07679661B2 |
Imaging apparatus having a correction section for correcting a vertical stripe-like noise and a dark shading in the horizontal direction
Disclosed herein is an imaging apparatus including: a pixel section having a plurality of pixels arranged in two dimensions for effecting photoelectric conversion; a light blocking section for blocking light to conceal the pixel section in accordance with a light blocking instruction signal; a region setting section for outputting the light blocking instruction signal and setting a correcting pixel region from which pixel data for correction are extracted within an effective pixel region of the pixel section where an object image is formed; a line memory for retaining pixel data from the correcting pixel region at the time of blocking light; and a correcting section for correcting an output of pixel data from the pixel section using the pixel data retained at the line memory. |
| US07679660B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus for compensating for deterioration in horizontal charge transfer efficiency
An solid-state image pickup apparatus compensates for deterioration in horizontal transfer efficiency conspicuous in an image captured in, e.g. a high ISO sensitivity mode. A horizontal transfer efficiency calculator in a transfer efficiency compensator of a signal processor calculates in advance a local horizontal transfer efficiency for signal charge transfer in a concentrating portion of an image sensor, for each value of ISO sensitivity, to store a resultant value. The signal processor processes a digital image signal representing a photographed subject. In main shooting with a value of ISO sensitivity for image pickup set, a subject field is captured, and a horizontal transfer efficiency detector detects a local horizontal transfer efficiency consistent with the value of ISO sensitivity for image pickup. A horizontal transfer efficiency corrector corrects a digital image signal based on the consistent local horizontal transfer efficiency. |
| US07679659B2 |
Imaging apparatus having dark current correcting unit
A digital camera includes a solid-state imaging device in which plural pixel columns, each including plural pixels arrayed in a column direction, are arrayed in a row direction. The pixels of each pixel column include upper OBs, lower OBs, and PDs disposed between the upper OBs and the lower OBs. The digital camera includes: a dark current correcting unit that performs dark current correction based on a linear function for correction in order to correct a dark current; an OB average calculating unit that calculates an average of upper OB signals acquired from the upper OBs by imaging and an average of lower OB signals acquired from the lower OBs by the imaging; and a correcting linear function generating unit that generates the linear function for correction based on the average of the upper OB signals, the average of the lower OB signals, and the number of PDs. |
| US07679658B2 |
Solid-state image pickup apparatus
It is intended to obtain a high quality image which is not affected by the fluctuation of dark outputs, and pixels having a specifically large dark output, called defects, and has no lateral line etc. A solid-state image pickup apparatus including: an aperture pixel region which accumulates and outputs the electric charges generated depending on incident light; a light shielded optical black region; a black reference pixel region in which no impurity region for accumulating electric charges is formed; and level shifting means which shifts the reference level of the output signals of the black reference pixel region with respect to the reference levels of the output signals of the aperture pixel region and the optical black region, is provided. |
| US07679657B2 |
Image sensing apparatus having electronic zoom function, and control method therefor
In an image sensing apparatus having an image sensing element that senses an object and outputs image data and an electronic zoom function, either a first processing mode or a second processing mode is set and an angle of view is designated. In the first processing mode, the image sensing element is driven by switching reading regions and reading methods of image data from the image sensing element based on the designated angle of view and the image data is read, processed, and the angle of view determined by the switched reading region is changed to the designated angle of view. In the second processing mode, the reading region and the reading method of the image data are fixed and the image data output from the image sensing element is processed, and the angle of view determined by the fixed reading region changed to the designated angle of view. |
| US07679656B2 |
Image taking system
An image taking system of the invention has a transmitter and an image taking apparatus. The transmitter is disposed near a subject and transmits subject information of the subject. The image taking apparatus has a receiver capable of receiving the subject information transmitted from the transmitter and stores in memory the subject information received by the receiver in association with image data representing a subject image obtained by image taking through an image taking lens. The transmitter transmits the subject information in a predetermined direction. The receiver is capable of receiving the subject information within a predetermined range around an optical axis of the image taking lens. |
| US07679653B2 |
Digital image acquisition arranged to acquire image data related to different light configurations
Image acquisition device, method and computer program for digital image acquisition, where the image acquisition device comprises an actuated user interface, where the image acquisition device receives control information from a user indicative of actuation of the user interface, initiates an image acquisition process by receiving lighting data on its sensor and detecting light information. A processor in the image acquisition device analyzes then the detected light information and converts these to image data and acquires image data related to at least two different light configurations, where at least one of the light configuration comprises an image acquired by means of a flash output in the image acquisition device. |
| US07679652B2 |
Image processing system, image capturing apparatus, image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable medium storing program
An image processing system includes: an image capturing apparatus for obtaining an image of a subject, having a setting unit, which sets an obtaining condition for the image according to user's operation, and an outputting unit, which outputs the obtaining condition in association with the image; and an image processing apparatus for performing an image processing for the image, having a receiving unit, which receives the image and the obtaining condition, an image processing unit, which performs an image processing for the image, and a controlling unit, which controls the image processing unit based on the obtaining conditions. |
| US07679651B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, method and program with composite-image creating function
An image pickup apparatus capable of creating various composite images easily, and also obtaining composite images such as would be obtained at different shutter speeds even after the frame images were picked up. Successive frame images of an object are picked up in a successive image-pickup mode at predetermined time intervals. The predetermined number of frame images obtained are then stored in time series in a buffer memory. Pointers indicating composition start and end positions slidable on a bar of a range selector specify therebetween a composition range in which some successive ones of the predetermined number of frame images fall on a composing picture. The respective frame images falling in the specified range are read from the buffer memory and processed, thereby producing a composite image. In this case, by changing the composition range with the range selector, a composite image such as would be obtained at a different shutter speed is displayed on a composite result display picture. |
| US07679648B2 |
Method and apparatus for coding a sectional video view captured by a camera at an end-point
The present invention utilizes video compression techniques in providing multi display and user control of picture layout with a single non-mechanical camera. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a subsection of interest within a general view captured by the camera is coded based on the prediction of the main picture. In one aspect of the embodiment, scaling of the predicted pixel values in the subsection to match with the corresponding raw pixel data of extended resolution is carried out before subtracting the prediction from the raw data to provide the residual in the coding process. In a second aspect, the frame rate and the number of quantization intervals are increased when coding the subsection relative to the coding of the general view. |
| US07679641B2 |
Vertical surround parallax correction
Three general designs for reducing parallax in a moving picture are disclosed. One design comprises stretching graphics content near the left and right frame edges of stereo pair elements in order to modify parallax settings. A second design comprises identifying a plurality of substantially corresponding points in a left eye view and right eye view and bringing the plurality of substantially corresponding points closer together using a morph technique. The third design entails fading a portion of a right eye view with a portion of a left eye view near or proximate an edge of the image. |
| US07679640B2 |
Method and system for conducting a sub-videoconference from a main videoconference
New videoconferencing services and methods for handling the video and audio of one or more sub-conferences running in parallel to a main videoconference are disclosed. In exemplary embodiment, a multipoint control unit (MCU) that controls one or more videoconferences may be requested by a conferee of a videoconference (a main videoconference) to establish a sub-conference according to a requester mode of operation. |
| US07679638B2 |
Method and system for allowing video-conference to choose between various associated video conferences
An association of videoconferencing services is disclosed that enables two or more videoconferences to be generated with each videoconference running independently from the others and having its own conferees. The association is achieved by having at least one conferee (a traveler) that can “move” or “travel” from one videoconference to another in the association. The one or more travelers belong to the association and not to any particular videoconference. In exemplary embodiments, the traveler can choose between the various associated videoconferences by making a selection to a multipoint control unit (MCU) that controls the associated videoconferences. |
| US07679637B1 |
Time-shifted web conferencing
A web conferencing system which, in one aspect has time-shifting capabilities. Session content is recorded so that participants are able to observe the session in real-time, delayed while the session is still in progress, or after the session has completed. Participants are also able to observe the session at normal, slower, or faster speeds, while maintaining substantially consistent perceived audio quality. |
| US07679635B2 |
Image forming apparatus, exposure apparatus and image forming method
The image forming apparatus is provided with: plural image carriers; and plural exposure apparatuses that are arranged corresponding to the plural image carriers respectively. The exposure apparatus has a light emitting element member that exposes the image carrier and is arranged on a substrate. A predetermined exposure apparatus among the plural exposure apparatuses includes a heating unit that heats the substrate, and other exposure apparatus other than the predetermined exposure apparatus does not include the heating unit. |
| US07679631B2 |
Toner supply arrangement
A toner supply arrangement for use in an integrated printing system which includes at least one toner container wherein the at least one toner container adapted for supplying toner to at least two image marking engines. The arrangement further includes a distribution mechanism adapted to transport the toner from the at least one toner container to the at least two image marking engines. |
| US07679630B2 |
Horizontal color plane registration correction
A method for detecting and correcting misregistration between a plurality of separations printed by a printing apparatus, comprising: producing a calibration print output on a substrate, the calibration print output including at least one calibration pattern, wherein the at least one calibration pattern translates horizontal misregistration into a detectable indicator of misregistration in a process direction; detecting misregistration; and, performing a fine adjustment of the horizontal position of at least one of the separations using the at least one calibration pattern. |
| US07679629B2 |
Methods and systems for constraining a video signal
Systems and methods for filtering to comply with copy-protection regulations set forth for HDTV signals by the Motion Picture Association of America (“MPAA”) are presented. A copy-protection filter constrains the resolution of the HDTV signal when copy-protection bits are present in a video signal. The copy-protection filter may be placed in an analog data stream before the video signal is converted from a digital to an analog signal. A second copy-protection filter is optionally placed in a digital data stream. The copy-protection filter may be combined with other filters in a video encoder, or with a scaler before the input video data stream enters a compositor. |
| US07679625B1 |
Straightening digital images
As the user operates the straighten control, the rotational orientation of a selected image is changed. According to one embodiment, a grid is superimposed over the image while the straighten control is being operated, to assist the user in selecting the proper rotational orientation. In addition, after a rotational adjustment, the image is automatically cropped to ensure that the orientation of the peripheral shape of the image remains unchanged. |
| US07679624B2 |
Moving computer displayable content into a preferred user interactive focus area
A system for displaying content, such as a computer's displayed desktop, to a user such that remote content may be easily accessed, is presented. An exemplary display system includes a preferred interaction area through which the user interacts with the displayed content. The display system detects a user's reposition action and repositions the displayed content on the display system according to the detected reposition action. A user may reposition any portion of the displayed content to any location within the preferred interaction area. That portion of the displayed content falling outside of the preferred interaction area is displayed according to the available display area outside of the preferred interaction area. The displayed content outside of the preferred interaction area may be scaled according to the available display area. Display areas uncovered by repositioning the displayed content may be displayed with empty space. |
| US07679623B2 |
Image processing program and image processing device
A computer of an image processing device executing an image processing program displays, on a display device, a virtual three-dimensional space where there are a plurality of objects. The computer varies a size of a collision detection region defined for a predetermined object so that the size repeatedly increases and decreases over time, while the predetermined object is moving. Then, based on the collision detection region, it is determined whether or not the predetermined object and another object are in contact with each other. The computer displays, on the display device, a predetermined effect being inflicted on the object determined to be in contact with the predetermined object. |
| US07679619B2 |
Data outputting method, data outputting device, liquid crystal panel driving device, and liquid crystal display device
A data outputting method is provided which is capable of reducing a memory capacity of a LUT (Look-Up Table). Compressed data obtained by dropping low-order bits making up gray-level data is stored in a manner in which the compressed data can be accessed by high-order bits to be input to the LUT. High-order bits making up an address output from an address supplying unit are supplied to the LUT and low-order bits are supplied to a computing unit. The LUT outputs compressed gray-level data corresponding to the high-order bits and compressed gray-level data corresponding to data of (high-order bit+1). The computing unit outputs each of expanded gray-level data obtained by dividing data obtained by interpolation among one expanded gray-level data, another expanded gray-level data and, third expanded data for every high-order bit based on one compressed data, other compressed data, and lower-bits. |
| US07679614B2 |
Matrix driven liquid crystal display module system, apparatus and method
Provided are a color display driving principle obtained while taking into account a difference in eye sensitivity to the flickering of differently colored lights, a TFT liquid crystal display module structure that is adequate for this method, and a double-panel projection type display device.The count of the G (green) color data that can be written is increased compared with the count for the other primary colors, or the display period for green can be extended. The repetitive unit is set to R, G, B and G, so that a satisfactory refresh rate can be set for the important color G. Therefore, the overall refresh frequency and the power consumed by the display device can be reduced without deterioration of the display quality, and requests for the time response speeds by the display device can be reduced. |
| US07679613B2 |
Image display system and method
A method of displaying an image with a display device including a plurality of display pixels includes receiving image data for the image, the image data including individual pixels of the image; buffering the image data and creating a frame of the image, the frame of the image including a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows of the pixels of the image; defining a first sub-frame and at least a second sub-frame for the frame of the image, image data of the second sub-frame being offset from image data of the first sub-frame by an offset distance of at least one pixel; and displaying the first sub-frame with a first plurality of the display pixels and displaying the second sub-frame with a second plurality of the display pixels offset from the first plurality of the display pixels by the offset distance. |
| US07679609B2 |
Touch panel
A touch panel including a substrate body having a wave plate, a first elastic layer and a first substrate, a second substrate facing to the substrate body, a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, a second elastic layer and a polarizing plate. A first conductive layer is formed at a face, which is a side of the second substrate, of the substrate body. A second conductive layer is formed at a face of the second substrate and faces the first conductive layer with a predetermined space therebetween. The second elastic layer is formed at a face, which is an opposite side of the first conductive layer, of the substrate body. The polarizing plate is formed at a face, which is an opposite side of the second substrate, of the second elastic layer. This structure offers a touch panel which is resistant to crack or damage to the first conductive layer that may occur when an end of the touch panel is pressed, and provides reliable operation and good viewability. |
| US07679603B2 |
Sensor array
Embodiments of a sensor array are disclosed. |
| US07679601B2 |
Input means for interactive devices
An input means adapted for an interactive device is disclosed, which comprises: an inertial sensing module, for detecting a gesture movement of a user and thus generating a gesture signal accordingly; a multifunctional keypad, having at least a key to be selected and pressed for generating a selecting signal accordingly; a control unit, for fetching the selecting signal and the gesture signal and thus generating a control signal corresponding thereto; a signal processing unit, for receiving and processing the control signal so as to generate an interactive signal and then sending the interactive signal to the control unit; and a wireless transmission module, being used to transmit the interactive signal of the control unit to the interactive device. |
| US07679600B2 |
Pointing device with extended travel
A pointing device having a moveable puck that moves in a predetermined field of motion by applying a lateral force thereto is disclosed. A first linear spring is attached to the puck, the first spring applying a first force to the puck at each location in the field of motion. A second linear spring is also attached to the puck, the second spring applying a second force to the puck at each location in the field of motion. The first and second springs return the puck to a predetermined location in the field of motion when the lateral force is not applied to the puck. The first linear spring is folded around a bending point and attached to a portion of the pointing device that is stationary with respect to the puck. |
| US07679597B2 |
Scan driving circuit and organic light emitting display using the same
A scan driving circuit includes a plurality of stages. Each stage receives three of four clocks that may be sequentially generated, receives and delays an input signal through an input terminal, and outputs an output signal through an output terminal. The input terminal of each stage is connected to the output terminal of a previous one of the stages. Each stage includes a transistor, a switch section, and a storage section. The transistor turns off/on a connection of the input terminal according to a second clock. The switch section transfers a first voltage to the output terminal according to a first clock and prevents the first voltage from being transferred to the output terminal according to the input signal. The storage section maintains a voltage of the output terminal for a predetermined time and transfers a voltage of a third clock to the output terminal according to the input signal. |
| US07679594B2 |
Driving circuit built-in liquid crystal display panel
A driving circuit built in liquid crystal display panel for increasing an area of a driving circuit by an overlap between the driving circuit and a sealant is disclosed. In the driving circuit built in the liquid crystal display panel, a liquid crystal cell matrix is provided in a display area of first and second substrates joined to each other by a sealant. A driving circuit is provided in a circuit area of a non-display area of the display panel at an outer portion of the display area to drive the liquid crystal cell matrix. A plurality of LOG-type signal lines are provided at a LOG area of the non-display area to supply a plurality of signals required for the driving circuit. The driving circuit area and the LOG area overlaps with the sealant. |
| US07679593B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having a liquid crystal display driven by interlace scanning and/or sequential scanning
A display device which has a liquid crystal display which has a plurality liquid crystal pixels arranged in a matrix and which writes an image thereon after resetting the liquid crystal. The method of writing on the liquid crystal display can be selected from driving methods according to interlace scanning in which a frame is divided into a plurality of fields and writing by interlace scanning is performed and driving methods according to sequential scanning in which scanning lines are subjected to writing serially. When high-speed writing is required, for example, when display of a motion picture, display of inputted letters or scroll display is desired, one of the driving methods according to interlace scanning is selected. In interlace scanning, based on the end of a blackout state of a scanning line in a field, selection of a scanning line in the next field for writing is started. Writing on a scanning line comprises a reset step of resetting the liquid crystal, a selection step of selecting the final state of the liquid crystal, an evolution step of stabling the liquid crystal into the selected state, and one of the length of the reset step and the total length of the selection step and the evolution step is n times (n: natural number) the other. For example, when the length of the reset step is n times the total length of the selection step and the evolution step and when a frame is divided into m fields (m: natural number larger than n) for interlace scanning, there is a moment when, in serial m scanning lines, n scanning lines of them are in the reset step, one of them is in the selection step or in the evolution step, and the other m-n-1 scanning lines are in a display step. |
| US07679590B2 |
Field sequential LCD driving method
A field sequential driving method for driving a liquid crystal display, wherein said liquid crystal includes a plurality of gate lines, comprising the steps of: grouping said gate lines into a plurality of zone, including a first zone to an Nth zone; sequentially addressing the first zone to the Nth zone, wherein addresses each zone comprising: writing black signals into pixels in the zone; writing white signals into pixels in the zone after the black signals are written into pixels in the zone; sequentially writing color signals to corresponding pixel in the zone; and sequentially flashing light source from the first zone to the Nth zone. |
| US07679588B2 |
Display device and method of driving the same
The present invention relates to a display device for providing charges discharged from data lines to a battery. The display device includes data lines, scan lines, pixels, a charge storing circuit and a discharging circuit. The pixels are formed in cross areas of the data lines and the scan lines, and driven on the basis of a driving voltage. The charge storing circuit is coupled to at least one data line during a first sub-discharge time of a discharge time, and stores electric charges discharged from the data line during the first sub-discharge time. The discharging circuit is coupled to the data line during a second sub-discharge time of the discharge time, and discharges the data line up to a certain discharge voltage during the second sub-discharge time. |
| US07679584B2 |
Electron Emission Display (EED) with separated grounds
An EED capable of reducing noise influence between a high voltage element and a low voltage logic element in an EED panel includes: a high voltage ground for a high voltage element, a low voltage ground for a low voltage element, and a ferrite bead, connected between the high voltage ground and the low voltage ground, to block RF noise from the high voltage ground. |
| US07679581B2 |
Medical overlay mirror
Medical overlay mirror methods and related systems. |
| US07679580B2 |
Time-lapsing mirror
Time-lapsing mirror methods and related systems. |
| US07679579B2 |
Projection type image display apparatus
A projection unit comprises a laser diode (LD) for emitting a laser beam, and a LD control section for controlling the LD. The laser beam emitted from the LD is scanned in horizontal and vertical directions respectively by first and second micro mirrors, and is projected on a projection surface through a projection window. Thus, images are displayed on the projection surface. An infrared sensor is disposed near the second micro mirror. The infrared sensor is disposed such that its light receiving surface faces the projection window, and detects human presence around a projection area of the laser beam. The LD control section does not start outputting the laser beam when the infrared sensor detects human presence. Also, the LD control section stops outputting the laser beam when the infrared sensor detects human presence while the image is being displayed. |
| US07679569B2 |
Antenna device and multi-band type wireless communication apparatus using same
An antenna device is provided which is capable of saving space, of operating in wide bands (in a multi-band) and of achieving an excellent gain and maintaining non-directivity of vertically polarized waves in each band. The antenna device has a conductor antenna. An end portion 111a on one end side of the conductor antenna is mounted as a power feeding section and an end portion 112a on the other end side of the conductor antenna 110 is mounted as an open end terminal. The antenna device also has a base body made of an insulating material which is coupled to one end and other end of the conductor antenna. The base band is coupled in a place where an electric field strength of the conductor antenna having a folded-back portion is increased, thus achieving the wideband and high-gain antenna device. |
| US07679566B2 |
Antenna structure having stable properties and headset
An antenna structure includes a radiation conductor made of a metal plate that is supported by legs provided upright on a surface of a dielectric substrate and is spaced apart from the surface. The radiation conductor is circularly shaped such that the contour of the radiation conductor conforms to the outer periphery of the dielectric substrate and such that the radiation conductor includes an open portion. One of the legs functions as a feeding terminal and the other functions as a grounding terminal, whereby the radiation conductor operates as a dipole antenna. The radiation conductor has slots for adjusting impedance. Impedance can be adjusted by changing the length of the slots. |
| US07679564B2 |
Multi-band antenna
The present invention provides a multi-band antenna to which the arrangement of Koch fractal antenna is applied. The multi-band antenna is designed in triangular shape whose area is smaller than the general antenna structure. By using the arrangement of Koch fractal antenna, the area of the inverted-F dual-band antenna can be reduced efficiently, so as to enhance more usability. |
| US07679556B2 |
Method of determining a GPS position fix and a GPS receiver for the same
A method of determining a GPS position fix. The method includes: (i) sampling received GPS signals and storing those samples; (ii) conducting preliminary processing of those GPS signal samples to determine the likelihood of being able to obtain a position fix during later, final processing of those GPS signal samples; and (iii) after step (ii), conducting final processing of those GPS signal samples to obtain a position fix. |
| US07679554B1 |
Communications link time transfer to improve navigation system accuracy
A method and apparatus for improving differential navigation accuracy uses time transfer over a two-way communications link. The communications link transmits an overall time offset between a differential reference station and a remote user. A differential navigation position solution is modified at the remote user with the overall time offset to improve the differential navigation accuracy. A first time offset between a first communications device and a first navigation receiver at the remote user is determined. A second time offset between the first communications device at the remote user and a second communications device at the differential reference station is determined. A third time offset between the second communications device and a second navigation receiver at the differential reference station is determined. An overall time offset from the first time offset, the second time offset, and the third time offset is computed and used to improve the differential navigation accuracy. |
| US07679553B1 |
Adjusting GPS communication with a wireless device
Adjusting the GPS fix frequency of a wireless device is described. For example, a computer-implemented method according to one embodiment comprises: attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule; detecting one or more unsuccessful GPS fix operations; determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a first specified location; if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a first specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform GPS fix operations according to a second schedule; and if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is not at or within a specified range from a first specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform GPS fix operations according to a third schedule. |
| US07679547B2 |
Direction of travel motion detector with automatic gain control
Disclosed is a microwave direction of travel detector and method of doing the same. The microwave direction of travel detector comprising, a microwave transceiver for transmitting and receiving a microwave signal directed toward a protected area for outputting a Doppler signal when a moving target is detected, an amplifier chain including one or more amplifiers coupled to the microwave transceiver for receiving and amplifying the Doppler signal from the microwave transceiver, wherein at least one amplifier having variable gain and; a controller for sampling an output gain of each variable gain amplifier and for controlling each variable gain amplifier by adjusting a gain of each variable gain amplifier to keep the Doppler signal level constant and to avoid saturation of each said variable gain amplifier. If the output gains of each variable gain amplifier is increasing or decreasing the controller indicates a direction of travel. |
| US07679546B2 |
Apparatus and method of determining location of an object
An apparatus and method of determining location of an object hidden from view. The apparatus includes an imaging tool for detecting hidden objects. The imaging tool includes a housing including a first end and a second end, a display supported by the first end of the housing, and a tracking device supported by the second end of the housing. The imaging tool also includes a transmitter supported by the housing and operable to transmit electromagnetic radiation toward a hidden target, an analysis module supported by the housing and operable to analyze feedback data related to the interaction between the target and the electromagnetic radiation, and an image module operable to receive data from the analysis module to generate an image on the display. |
| US07679545B2 |
Suppressing motion interference in a radar detection system
One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for suppressing motion interference in a radar detection system. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. The system includes a signal generator that transmits microwave signals toward a target area. Also, the system includes a data control system to collect data from reflected microwave signals from the target area and to analyze the data in order to suppress unwanted motion interference generated by movement of the radar detection system. Other systems and methods are also provided. |
| US07679543B2 |
Current sampling mixer with harmonic rejection
Provided is a current sampling mixer that can be applied to a broadband broadcasting system. The current sampling mixer can change a structure of a current sampler including a plurality of capacitors to select and sum capacitors having a weight value given in the output, thereby performing a finite impulse response filter function and a harmonic rejection function. |
| US07679539B2 |
Randomized thermometer-coding digital-to-analog converter and method therefor
A randomized thermometer-coding digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for the reduction of harmonic distortion due to non-ideal circuit mismatch is presented. The present invention introduces a new dynamic element matching technique that contains three properties of randomization, consecutive selection and less element switching activity to achieve good spurious-free dynamic range and small maximum output error. The topology uses a bank of 1-bit DAC elements, whose outputs are summed to produce a multi-level analog output. The binary digital input is encoded to be thermometer code. During a randomization period, the thermometer code is barrel-shifted to a specific starting position where the position is generated randomly. Thus, the DAC noise is randomized with less element switching activity and consecutive selection. |
| US07679536B2 |
Method and apparatus for constructing efficient slepian-wolf codes with mismatched decoding
Disclosed is a method for constructing Slepian-Wolf codes, wherein the designed Slepian-Wolf codes are robust to mismatched decoding. The disclosed method for constructing Slepian-Wolf codes includes the steps of: choosing representative probability distributions from a set of possible probability distributions; choosing a probability distribution as a decoding metric; converting the chosen decoding metric to a cyclic-symmetric channel; computing the initial message value given the cyclic-symmetric channel; computing a set of probability distributions of the initial message given the initial message values and the representative probability distributions; optimizing the degree distribution given the set of probability distributions of the initial message; optimizing the decoding metric. |
| US07679534B2 |
Contextual prediction of user words and user actions
The invention concerns user entry of information into a system with an input device. A scheme is provided in which an entire word that a user wants to enter is predicted after the user enters a specific symbol, such as a space character. If the user presses an ambiguous key thereafter, rather than accept the prediction, the selection list is reordered. For example, a user enters the phrase “Lets run to school. Better yet, lets drive to “.””” After the user presses the space, after first entering the second occurrence of the word “to,” the system predicts that the user is going to enter the word “school” based on the context in which the user has entered that word in the past. Should the user enter an ambiguous key after the space, then a word list which contains the word “school” is reordered and other options are made available to the user. The invention can also make predictions on context, such as the person to whom the message is sent, the person writing the message, the day of the week, the time of the week, etc. Other embodiments of the invention contemplate anticipation of user actions, as well as words, such as a user action in connection with menu items, or a user action in connection with form filling. |
| US07679533B2 |
Photodiode array for an optical encoder, photodiode detection system, and optical encoder
A photodiode detector array for an optical encoder includes a sequence of photodiodes having a pitch between adjacent photodiodes that alternates between a first pitch and a second pitch, the second pitch being different than the first pitch. |
| US07679532B2 |
Systems and methods for using multiple hypotheses in a visual simultaneous localization and mapping system
The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems. |
| US07679528B1 |
Modulation of aircraft guidance lights
An aircraft landing and/or taxiing system has a plurality of landing zone, runway, and/or taxiway lights capable of receiving information signals and transmitting optically signals representative of the information signals. A processing system for providing the information signals to the plurality of lights is also used. The system also comprises a sensor tuned to receive light of a specific range of wavelengths, the light being emitted from the lights. Also, a processing system coupled to the sensor and configured with software to interpret signals received by the sensor is used. Program code runs on the processing system. The program code is configured to determine the location of an aircraft on the taxiway based on the light signal received from one or more of the taxiway lights. Also, the aircraft landing and/or taxiing system utilizes modulated lights to provide information pertinent to aircraft landing and/or taxiing operations. |
| US07679525B2 |
Remote control device and method of configuration of such a remote control device
A remote control system for operating a controllable unit includes a remote control device and a remotely-controlled device. A method for operating the remote control system includes the steps of transmitting a signal from the remote control device to the remotely-controlled device, transmitting a command signal from the remote control device to the remotely-controlled device, selectively transmitting an authorization request signal from the remotely-controlled device, transmitting a response signal from the remote control device to the remotely-controlled device, and verifying the response signal of the remote control device by the remotely-controlled device such that a controllable unit can be driven by the remotely-controlled device. |
| US07679521B1 |
Christmas tree ornament with integrated smoke detector, heat detector, motion sensor, and fire extinguishing means
The invention is a Christmas tree ornament that incorporates a smoke or fire detector, a burglar alarm operated by a motion sensor, and connects to an integrated fire extinguishing system. The Christmas tree ornament resembles a star, but can also be designed to reflect an angel, or any other Christmas tree decoration that typically rests on top of the Christmas tree. A fire extinguishing system connects to the ornament and runs the length of the tree to the fire extinguishing fluid reservoir that is located in a unit that rests on the floor. The invention is powered by an electrical cord as well as a battery backup. A speaker is integrated into the device, and features the same high sound level capability of traditional smoke detectors. |
| US07679518B1 |
Meeting facilitation tool
A meeting facilitation tool may perform and/or facilitate the planning, scheduling, holding, and/or following up of meeting related activities. A meeting facilitation tool may schedule a meeting time by interacting with meeting participants to determine a time range during which all the participants are available. Additionally, a meeting facilitation tool may programmatically interact with calendar data to schedule the meeting with each participant. A meeting facilitation tool may also allow reviewing of information for previous meetings. Additionally, a meeting facilitation tool may configure and/or initiate teleconferencing or video conferencing as well as the audio and/or video recording of the meeting. A meeting facilitation tool may also track and completion of action items assigned during a meeting. |
| US07679517B2 |
Identifying apparatus
An identifying apparatus which can identify objects having electronic identification devices (EIDs). The identifying apparatus includes multiple EID readers positioned in a spaced apart relationship to define multiple pathways so that EIDs carried by the objects can pass in a single file through any one of the multiple pathways. Each EID reader is adapted to read any EID as the objects pass through any one of the pathways. Each EID carried by an object is recorded only once irrespective of the number of times an EID reader reads an EID. |
| US07679512B2 |
Supporting the accurate chronological organization of RFID tag data from distributed sources
A computer-implemented method is disclosed for encouraging an accurate chronological organization of radio frequency identification (RFID) tag data gathered from distributed servers. The method includes limiting the processing of RFID tag data based at least in part on the operational status of a plurality of sources of RFID tag data. |
| US07679511B2 |
Method for providing information on a product
A method for obtaining information on a product (1), said method comprising the following steps: the product (1) is marked with several codes (100, 101) that are stored in one or several RFID tags (11, 11′); at least one of said codes is read contactlessly by means of an RFID reader device (2); said reader device (2) sends a set of one or several read codes to a name service server (6) over a telecommunication network (4); said name service server (6) answers with the address of one or several hypertext pages; and the sought information (7) is accessed by means of said hypertext pages. The invention is characterized in that not all codes (100, 101) read by the RFID reader device are contained in the set sent, and in that the code or codes (100, 101) contained in said set are selected in said reader device (2). |
| US07679509B2 |
System and method for improving infrared detector performance in dual detector system
Embodiments of the present invention is directed to a method and system for use of ranging MW to reduce dual (MW/PIR) intrusion detector false alarms. A Doppler microwave system may be provided that is capable of detecting an object range and adjusting the sensitivity of the PIR detector to account for object size and range. Multiple range limited MW stages may be configured for different ranges to determine the general range of the moving object. Based on signal levels present on these MW stages, an approximate object range is determined. The sensitivity of the PIR is then adjusted based on a PIR sensitivity vs. object range function that is optimized to alarm on humans and ignore small animals and insects. |
| US07679508B2 |
Sensing device for detecting approaching object
A sensing device for detecting an approaching object is composed of a sensor section that includes a detection electrode supplied with a detection source signal having a prescribed frequency and another detection electrode disposed in close vicinity to the detection electrode, a communication signal amplifier that amplifies the communication signal and outputs the amplified communication signal as an amplifier output signal, an integrator that integrates the amplifier output signal and outputs a judging signal for judging whether or not an object approaches the sensor section, and a detection sub-signal switch that is disposed between an output side of the communication signal amplifier and an input side of the integrator. A communication signal is obtained from the detection source signal that is transmitted to the other detection electrode from the detection electrode and attenuated thereat when an object approaches the sensor section. The detection sub-signal switch periodically switches on only during a prescribed period in which a peak value of the amplifier output signal is included in response to a detection sub-signal, wherein a frequency of the detection sub-signal is equal to that of the detection source signal, and the detection sub-signal maintains specific phase relation with the detection source signal, and further a duty ratio of the detection sub-signal is less than 50%. |
| US07679503B2 |
Auto connect virtual keypad
An auto-connect virtual keypad in one aspect allows for automatic notification of events occurring at a security system control panel to a remote consumer device and/or provides remote access to the control panel from a consumer device by providing a virtual keypad interface on the consumer device. The consumer device in one aspect may include a mobile device or desktop. |
| US07679502B2 |
Tire management system
A receiving module selects frequencies to be used for data request signals from all channels if there is no channel prohibited from being used, and if there are channels prohibited from being used, the receiving module selects frequencies to be used for data request signals from channels other than the channels prohibited from being used. In the case failed in acceptance of measured data from a sensor module, the receiving module sets communication channels failed in acceptance of measured data predetermined times to prohibited channels from being used. In this manner, when the receiving module transmits the data request signals to the sensor module, frequencies of channels having jamming radio waves and the like could not be selected by the receiving module, thereby enabling the receiving module to select the frequencies of high probability in communication reception. |
| US07679497B1 |
Recovering legal evidence of unfavorable events or conditions during vehicle operations
A method for the driver of an automotive vehicle to avoid distraction from the task of driving, but yet to preserve and later recover legal evidence of events, objects, or conditions that may be encountered during the driving of the vehicle, by utilizing a perimeter optical viewing system in conjunction with a central digital recording system to (monitor and) record and subsequently retrieve images of those events, objects, or conditions. |
| US07679495B2 |
Displaying unit and method for displaying a steering-wheel angle, to be modified, of a motor vehicle
A display unit for representing a steering-wheel angle, to be modified, of a vehicle is provided, which has a multitude of adjacently arranged indicator elements. One or more of these indicator element(s) is/are illuminated to indicate a modification in the steering-wheel angle and possibly the steering direction. |
| US07679490B2 |
System for harmonizing a motor vehicle's status information between at least two ID transmitters
In a system for harmonizing a motor vehicle's status information (S1) between at least two ID transmitters (5, 6, . . . ) of a vehicle-accessing device, the vehicle status (S1), together with a reference time (t1), corresponding to the vehicle status (S1), of a reference timing element of a vehicle-side control unit (2) can be sent by the unit via at least one transceiver unit (3) to at least one first mobile ID transmitter (5) over a first radio transmission (4) and stored; and the vehicle status (S1) can be sent over a second radio transmission (7) from the first ID transmitter (5) to at least one second ID transmitter (6, . . . ) and stored. This is advantageous in that an ID transmitter (6) can obtain information about the vehicle status S1 not only via the vehicle (1) itself but also via another ID transmitter (5). The invention is especially suitable for accessing and locking systems for motor vehicles. |
| US07679489B2 |
Auto anti-theft system with door-mount wireless remote-control pushbutton
An auto anti-theft system with door-mount wireless remote-control pushbutton includes a main controller installed in a car for controlling the operation of the anti-theft system; a remote controller being carried by a user for code matching; and a small-size wireless remote-control pushbutton, which includes a coupling section for mounting the pushbutton to a car of any version or brand on or near a car door, such as on a door handle, a keyhole, a door surface, or a door window. The wireless remote-control pushbutton, the main controller, and the remote controller cooperate with one another to provide the functions of releasing and enabling the anti-theft system directly beside the car without pressing the remote controller button, making the anti-theft system a humanized design. |
| US07679487B1 |
System and method for keeping track of real-time data pertaining to scores and wagering information of sporting activities
A system and method for electronically displaying real-time data pertaining to scores and wagering information of live sporting activities includes a score board with electronically adaptable cells displaying alphanumeric values. The cells are grouped into corresponding columns and rows associated with unique predetermined parameters, and are displayed in a central region of the score board. Data input ports are formed about a periphery of the score board for establishing an internet connection. A mechanism displays real-time data pertaining to sports scores and sports wagering activities within the cells such that the real-time data is categorized into a plurality of groups based upon the predetermined parameters so that the real-time data is easily read and understood by the user. |
| US07679484B2 |
Fusible link unit
A fusible link unit includes a housing and two fuse circuit bodies overlapped with each other and received in the housing in a thickness direction of the housing. A coupling plate and terminals connected to each other via fuse elements integrally forms the fuse circuit body. An opening is formed on an outer wall of the housing. The housing includes a cover made of transparent material and having a U-shaped section for covering the opening. The cover integrally includes a projection projecting to an inside of the housing on a sidewall of the cover. The projection includes a reflecting wall sloping on the sidewall in a thickness direction of the housing 7. |
| US07679483B2 |
Core for reactor
A core for a reactor includes: a plurality of core members, each of which has a convexly curved side face that serves as a bonding face; and a gap plate that is interposed between the curved side faces of the core members and that is bonded to the curved side faces. The gap plate includes a flat plate and a plurality of projections which project from each face of the plate and each of which has a tip end that contacts the curved side face. The projections are formed at positions near the outer edges of the plate, which are distant from the center of the plate at which no projection is formed, and which are at equal distances from the center of the plate. |
| US07679482B2 |
Inductor
An inductor includes a first magnetic substance core which has a middle leg, a first outer leg, a second outer leg, and a body portion interconnecting the middle leg, the first outer leg and the second outer leg, and a second magnetic substance core which is arranged to be opposed to the first magnetic substance core. A first conductor is arranged in a first space which is formed by the middle leg, the first outer leg, part of the body portion, and the second magnetic substance core. A second conductor is arranged in a second space which is formed by the middle leg, the second outer leg, part of the body portion, and the second magnetic substance core. The middle leg is formed with a region which is lower in height than the first outer leg, in the same direction as the longitudinal direction of the first outer leg. |
| US07679481B2 |
Magnetized casing string tubulars
A stack of magnetized casing tubulars includes a plurality of magnetized wellbore tubulars each of which includes a plurality of north and south magnetic poles imparted to a corresponding plurality of longitudinal positions along the tubulars. The plurality of wellbore tubulars are arranged into a stack having at least two rows and at least two columns, the wellbore tubulars are stacked side by side and atop one another such that the magnetic poles on one tubular are radially aligned with magnetic poles of an opposite polarity on adjacent tubulars. Such a configuration advantageously substantially eliminates weakening of the imparted magnetic field due to interaction of the magnetic poles on adjacent tubulars. |
| US07679478B2 |
Lighting control module mechanical override
A switching device for selectively switching electrical power from an electrical power source to a load circuit comprises a housing. An electromechanical actuator is in the housing. A fixed contact is fixedly mounted in the housing. A contact arm is pivotally mounted in the housing. The contact arm carries a movable contact and has a lever. The contact arm is operatively connected to the actuator to be selectively positioned thereby for selectively electrically contacting the moveable contact with the fixed contact. A rotational actuator is rotationally mounted to the housing. The rotational actuator includes a leg proximate the lever so that rotational movement of the rotational actuator pivotally moves the contact arm to override the electromechanical actuator. |
| US07679477B2 |
Contactor with modular connection of the coil
A contactor with modular connection of the coil according to the invention comprises an insulating body, an operating coil housed in the insulating body, and means of modular connection of the coil to an external circuit so that the coil can be powered. The coil connection means comprise a connection arrangement, internal to the body, comprising at least two pairs of contact pieces positioned near at least two faces of the insulating body, these two faces being chosen from the front face and two opposed side faces running transversely between the front face and the rear face, each contact piece facing an opening in the body, and at least one removable connection module comprising a pair of connection terminals, which is connected to a second pair of contacts which are intended to collaborate with a first pair of contact pieces of the internal connection arrangement. |
| US07679476B2 |
Polarized electromagnetic relay and coil assembly
A polarized electromagnetic relay including an electromagnet assembly, a contact section insulated from the electromagnet assembly, and a force transfer member disposed between the electromagnetic assembly and the contact section. The electromagnet assembly includes an electromagnet, an armature driven by the electromagnet, and a permanent magnet carried on the armature. The armature includes first and second electrically conductive plate elements holding the permanent magnet therebetween in a direction of magnetization of the permanent magnet and disposed to orient the direction of magnetization in parallel with the center axis of the coil. The armature is arranged linearly movably in a direction parallel with the center axis in a state where a part of the first electrically conductive plate element is inserted into a space between the outer peripheral region of the iron core head portion and the distal end region of the yoke major portion. |
| US07679473B2 |
Low pass filter incorporating coupled inductors to enhance stop band attenuation
The present invention relates to a low pass filter incorporating coupled inductors to enhance stop band attenuation. In one embodiment, the coupled inductors are provided along with various capacitors to provide for superior performance within a smaller surface area of a semiconductor or ceramic integrated device. In a further specific embodiment, the capacitors are formed on an integrated device within an area on which entirely intertwined inductors are formed. In another embodiment, at least one further pair of coupled inductors is included to create additional frequency attenuation notches, as well as a wide stop-band. |
| US07679470B2 |
Nonreciprocal circuit device
A nonreciprocal circuit device includes a permanent magnet, a ferrite to which the permanent magnet applies a direct-current magnetic field, first and second central electrodes arranged on the ferrite, and a circuit board. The first central electrode includes electrode layers provided on main surfaces of the ferrite connected by an electrode provided on a top surface of the ferrite. A second central electrode includes electrode layers provided on the main surfaces of the ferrite connected by electrodes arranged on top and bottom surfaces of the ferrite. The second electrode is wound at least about three turns around the ferrite. A width dimension of the outermost electrode layers of the second central electrode is greater than a width dimension of the inner electrode layers of the second central electrode. |
| US07679468B1 |
KFM frequency tracking system using a digital correlator
An apparatus for providing a two point phase/frequency modulation system is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a first network configured to introduce an offset to center a signal applied to a VCO. The apparatus further includes a second network configured to set a gain of the VCO. A phase tracking network is configured to dynamically adjust the offset and the gain. |
| US07679466B1 |
Counter-based resonator frequency compensation
Disclosed herein is a timing device that includes a resonator device to generate a resonator output signal at a frequency offset from a desired frequency, a counter configured to generate an extraction signal in accordance with the frequency offset, and a timing signal generator configured to track time with a count based on the resonator output signal and modified by the extraction signal downward to reach the desired frequency. |
| US07679465B2 |
Oscillator circuit
The present invention relates to an oscillator circuit having a resonant element, an active element, a feedback loop, and an additional loop comprising a phase shifting element. |
| US07679463B2 |
Multi-terminal harmonic oscillator integrated circuit with frequency calibration and frequency configuration
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a reference harmonic oscillator integrated circuit having three or more terminals, with systems and methods for calibrating the harmonic oscillator to a selected first frequency using a limited number of terminals. An exemplary apparatus comprises: a reference harmonic oscillator, a first terminal to receive a supply voltage, a second terminal to receive a ground potential, a third terminal to provide an output signal having an output frequency, and may also include a fourth terminal. One of the first, second, third or fourth terminals is further adapted for input of a calibration of the first frequency. The exemplary apparatus may enter calibration and testing modes in response to various commands such as a calibration mode signal, and may also be configured through one of the terminals for output frequency selection, spread-spectrum output, and output voltage levels. |
| US07679460B2 |
Crystal oscillator tester
A crystal oscillator tester includes first and second test pins, first and second transistors, an indicator, a first diode, and first-third capacitors. The first test pin is connected to a power source. The collector of the first transistor is connected to the first test pin. The base of the second transistor is connected to the second test pin. The emitter of the first transistor is grounded via the indicator. The base of the first transistor is connected to the cathode of the first diode. The anode of the first diode is connected to the first test pin via the first and second capacitors one by one in series. The emitter of the second transistor is connected to a node between the first and second capacitors. The collector of the second transistor is grounded. The third capacitor is connected between the base and emitter of the second transistor. |
| US07679459B2 |
Multiphase signal generator
A signal generator for generating multiple phases includes a ring oscillator with at least one first adjustable delay stage and at least one second delay stage being serially arranged, wherein an output of the first delay stage is provided for delivering at least one first output phase and an output of the second delay stage is provided for delivering at least one second output phase, and an adjustment circuit for adjusting the delay of the first adjustable delay stage, wherein the adjustment circuit is provided for adjusting the phase relationship between the first output phase and the second output phase by means of setting a first propagation delay for the first delay stage. |
| US07679458B2 |
Ring oscillator for determining select-to-output delay of a multiplexer
The frequency of an oscillating signal generated by a ring oscillator is used to determine the select-to-output delay of standard cell multiplexers. The ring oscillator has no active logic elements other than an odd or even number of standard cell multiplexers. The signal path of the oscillating signal passes through the select input leads of the multiplexers of the ring oscillator. The ring oscillator can be used to characterize how signal propagation delay varies depending on the voltage supplied to the multiplexers. The lowest supply voltage at which a signal can continue to travel through the most critical circuit path of a test circuit can be modeled. In addition, the ring oscillator can be built into operational circuits to monitor timing and signal propagation delay in real time. Real time monitoring of delay enhances the benefits of adaptive voltage scaling, which is used in signal processing circuits in cell phones. |
| US07679456B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit and method of testing same
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes S PLLs (S is an integer satisfying S≧2), and the (k−1)th PLL 12(k-1) (k is an integer satisfying 2≦k≦S) is connected to the kth PLL 12k in the test mode. In this manner, the examination of S PLLs can be performed in a single test, and thereby it can reduce the time needed to examine PLLs in the semiconductor integrated circuit having a plurality of PLLs. |
| US07679449B2 |
Method and system for a highly efficient power amplifier utilizing dynamic biasing and predistortion
Aspects of a method and system for a highly efficient power amplifier (PA) utilizing dynamic biasing and predistortion are presented. Aspects of the system may include a processor that enables computation of a value of a variable bias component of a bias current based on a bias slope value and an amplitude of an envelope input signal. The processor may enable computation of a value of the bias current based on the selected constant bias current component value and the variable bias current component value. A PA may enable generation of an output signal in response to a generated baseband signal by utilizing the bias current to amplify an amplifier input signal. The bias current may be generated based on the envelope input signal. A feedback signal may be generated based on the output signal, which may be used to predistort a subsequent baseband signal. |
| US07679448B1 |
Continuous wave based bias method and apparatus for minimizing MOS transistor distortion
A biasing circuit and method for minimizing distortion in a MOS transistor. A first CW source provides a first CW signal at the input of a replica transistor to obtain an output signal at the output of the replica transistor. The output signal is mixed with another CW signal having a frequency equal to N times that of the first CW signal, N being an integer greater than one, to obtain a mixed signal having a DC component with an intensity proportional to the Nth-order distortion present in the output signal. A bias voltage to minimize this distortion is then applied to the input of the original transistor on which the replica transistor is based, the bias voltage determined in accordance with the intensity of the DC component. |
| US07679447B2 |
Variable gain amplifier circuit and filter circuit
This variable gain amplifier is provided with an operational amplifier. The non-inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to a reference potential. A feedback resistor is connected between the output terminal and inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier. An input resistor is inserted between the inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier and the input terminal of the variable gain amplifier circuit. An adjustment resistor is connected between the inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier and the reference potential. The resistance value of the adjustment resistor is controlled in such a way as to maintain constant against the resistance value change a combined resistance value in its parallel connection with the input resistor when changing the resistance value of the input resistor. |
| US07679441B2 |
High frequency power amplifier
A high frequency power amplifier comprises: an amplifier that amplifies signals received from a first input terminal and outputs amplified signals to an output terminal; a bypass route that connects a second input terminal to the output terminal without passing through the amplifier; a capacitor having a first end connected to the amplifier, and a second end connected to the output terminal; a first switch having a first terminal connected to the second end of the capacitor and to the output terminal, and a second terminal connected to the bypass route; an inductor connected in parallel with the capacitor; a second switch connected in parallel with the capacitor, and connected in series with the inductor; and a control unit that turns off the first switch and the second switch at a high power level and turns on the first switch and the second switch at a low power level. |
| US07679439B2 |
Predistorter
A predistorter for correcting distortion caused by a memory effect in amplifying a signal by an amplifier is provided. In the memory PD 2 provided to the predistorter, the level detection means 21 detects the level of the signal, the coefficient output means 22 outputs the coefficient corresponding to the detected level, the delay means 23 delays the output coefficient, the difference detection means 24 detects the difference between the output coefficient and the delayed coefficient, the multiplication means 25 multiplies the detected difference with the signal, and the combination means 26 combines the result of the multiplication and the signal. Thus, the result of the combination is output to the amplifier. |
| US07679436B2 |
Low noise amplifiers for low-power impulse radio ultra-wideband receivers
The present invention is related to low power low noise amplifiers (LNA) including on/off switching capability, which are preferably used for impulse radio (IR) ultra-wideband (UWB) receivers. In the invention a very low power and high-gain Common-Gate Capacitive Cross Coupling Cascaded LNA is proposed, to provide an optimum gain for large ON times. The invention provides also a Common-Source Cascoded LNA for shorter received pulse widths, with the aim of implementing a fast ON/OFF switching. An input signal is applied to a first amplifying stage and the switching means are coupled to a second amplifying stage so that they do not interfere with the matching network of the first stage. The invention is also related to a method of amplifying a radio frequency signal using a plurality of low noise amplifying elements. |
| US07679435B2 |
Digital input class-D amplifier
A digital input class-D amplifier includes a decoder which outputs a plurality of lines of time-series digital signals having a density of 1 or 0 conforming to an input digital signal, an error integrator which integrates a difference between a drive waveform to be applied to a load and a sum of the plurality of lines of time-series digital signals output from the decoder, and a modulation circuit which generates a pulse modulated with a pulse width or a pulse density based on a result of integration performed by the error integrator. The load is driven in accordance with the pulse generated by the modulation circuit. |
| US07679429B2 |
Boost circuit
A boost circuit includes: first transistors connected in series between a voltage input node and a voltage output node to constitute a charge transfer circuit; and first capacitors, one ends of which are coupled to the respective connection nodes between the first transistors, the other ends thereof being applied with clocks with plural phases, wherein a gate of a certain stage transistor corresponding to one of the first transistors in the charge transfer circuit is coupled to a drain of another stage transistor corresponding to another one of the first transistors, which is disposed nearer to the voltage output node than the certain stage transistor and driven by the same phase clock as that of the certain stage transistor, the certain stage transistor being disposed nearer to the voltage output node than an initial stage transistor. |
| US07679425B2 |
Turn-off of gate-controlled switch
A gate-controlled switch configuration comprising a gate-controlled switch (V4) and a gate driver system (Ctrl, D1, D2, V1, V2), which in its first functional state is configured to change the amount of charge (Qgate) in the gate (G) of the gate-controlled switch (V4) to provide a normal turn-off functionality for the gate-controlled switch (V4), and in its second functional state it is configured to maintain the amount of charge (Qgate) in the gate (G) of the gate-controlled switch (V4) substantially constant. The gate driver system (Ctrl, D1, D2, V1, V2) is configured to produce a soft turn-off functionality during which the gate driver system (Ctrl, D1, D2, V1, V2) is in the first functional state a plural number of times, and between the subsequent first functional states it is in its second functional state. |
| US07679419B2 |
Level shifter device with write assistance and method thereof
A first transistor of a level shifter provides conductivity between a reference voltage and a node of the level shifter to hold a state of the level shifter output. When an input signal of the level shifter switches, additional transistors assist in reducing the conductivity of the first transistor. This enhances the ability of the level shifter to change the state of the output in response to the change in the input signal, thereby improving the writeability of the level shifter. |
| US07679414B1 |
Method and apparatus for tuning delay
Aspects of the disclosure provide a fine tunable digital delay circuit that can be applied in a high frequency digital circuit. Further, the digital delay circuit can utilize a level restoring technique to enable a wide tunable delay range. The delay circuit can include a delay element configured to receive an input signal at an input node and output a controlled signal having a controlled rise time and a controlled fall time at a controlled node, a first plurality of transistors configured to bias a supply node of the delay element to govern the controlled rise time of the controlled signal, and a second plurality of transistors configured to bias a ground node of the delay element to govern the controlled fall time of the controlled signal. The delay circuit can further include a restoring circuit configured to charge or discharge the controlled node. |
| US07679413B2 |
Signal oversampling for improved S:N in reflector movement system
Eight or more transition points are generated during a given period, and are used in tracking movement of an interferometer reflector. Duty cycles of generated square waves are used to establish precise intervals between the transition points, and precise wave-phase relationships. |
| US07679412B2 |
Power supply circuit
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply circuit including: a detection circuit that is connected to an external power supply voltage and that outputs a first signal indicating whether the external power supply voltage is in a dropped-state in which the external power supply voltage is dropped below a reference voltage; a control circuit that includes: a delay circuit that outputs a second signal acquired by delaying the first signal for a reference time; and a determination circuit that outputs a third signal based on the first signal and the second signal; a generation circuit that generates internal power supply voltage from the external power supply voltage and that supplies the internal power supply voltage; and an interruption circuit that interrupts the internal power supply voltage supplied from the generation circuit based on the third signal. |