| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07937762B2 |
Tracking and identifying operations from un-trusted clients
Tracking data operations associated with unauthenticated computing devices to enable subsequent identification and remediation thereof. In embodiments in which one computing device has to trust another computing device without authenticating the other computing device, a machine identifier and a credential group value are associated with data operations in communications from the unauthenticated computing device. The data operations may be subsequently identified based on the machine identifier and credential group value. Remedial action may be taken on the identified data operations to restore data integrity. |
| US07937760B2 |
System security agent authentication and alert distribution
An aggregation agent may combine and correlate information generated by multiple on-host agents and/or information generated in response to multiple security events. The aggregation agent may transmit the combined information to a security console. The security console may check the identity of the aggregation agent to determine whether to accept the information. The security console may map information to one or more consoles. |
| US07937754B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method for the apparatus, and information processing system
Update firmware is stored as one binary file. The binary file includes firmware data necessary for operating a controller unit and root certificate data necessary for a printer apparatus to establish secure communication with a content server. Specific information in the root certificate data is extracted from the update firmware, and the extracted specific information is used to update a management table of the root certificate provided in a RAM. With this configuration, it is possible for an information processing apparatus to reliably acquire and update the root certificate data without greatly changing the original functional configuration. |
| US07937749B2 |
Method and system for managing network
A network management method and system is provided that issues a digital certificate easily and safely. A digital certificate is issued to a personal computer that is to newly join a network by the following method. A provisional authentication server issues a first digital certificate that is a provisional certificate of the personal computer. The personal computer enters the first digital certificate and a private key corresponding thereto. The personal computer and a formal authentication server establish a connection for encryption communication based on the first digital certificate. After establishing the connection, the formal authentication server generates a second digital certificate that is a formal digital certificate of the personal computer. Further, an experimental network independent of the network is prepared and participation of a personal computer having the first digital certificate into the experimental network is allowed. |
| US07937746B2 |
Apparatus and method for hierarchically connecting devices
An apparatus and method for hierarchically connecting devices are provided. The apparatus includes a controller that determines at least one of whether an authentication value of a layer including a second device to be connected to a first device is valid, and whether a connection has been granted to the layer including the second device, and a generator that generates an authentication value of a layer including the first device, when the first and the second devices are connected. |
| US07937743B2 |
Method and system for rapid network application switching
A method for rapid application switching at a mobile station includes authenticating, in response to selection of a first application, a first network access identifier (NAI) assigned to the first application using an authentication server, registering the first NAI using a home agent, and requesting application switching by selecting a second application for execution. The method further includes deregistering, upon detection of the application switching request, the first NAI using the home agent without deactivation of protocol programs below an application layer for a period of time after deregistration, authenticating a second NAI assigned to the second application using the authentication server; and registering the second NAI using the home agent. |
| US07937739B2 |
Method, device and system for cable television distribution
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, device and/or system for communicating over a wideband distribution network. The device may include, for example, a downstream conversion module for converting a legacy downstream electrical signal of a legacy downstream frequency band into an extended downstream optical signal of an extended downstream frequency band; and/or an upstream conversion module for converting an extended upstream optical signal of an extended upstream frequency band into a legacy upstream electrical signal of a legacy upstream frequency band. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07937738B1 |
Variable modulation unicast system
A system is described that consists of a variable modulation unicast system that utilizes multiple modulation schemes in a cable network for unicast applications and is capable of assigning users to different channels of differing modulation schemes in the network based on a feedback signal received in response to a transmitted probe signal. The system may also, in response to the feedback signal from a remote device in the network, assign a channel from a plurality of channels having differing carrier frequencies and modulation schemes to the remote device and may also modify the carrier frequencies of the channels. |
| US07937737B2 |
Field qualification of disk drives in consumer electronics devices
Systems and methods are disclosed for qualifying performance of a disk drive in a digital home communications terminal (DHCT) deployed in the field. In embodiment, among others, at least one DHCT is identified for performance testing. A disk drive performance test application is downloaded to the DHCT over a communication channel. Performance test results are received from the DHCT over the communication channel. A DHCT is designated as having a hard disk failure if the test results are below a threshold. |
| US07937736B2 |
Media content rebroadcast
Media content rebroadcast is described. In embodiments, requests for a missing data segment of television media content are received from client devices that determine the missing data segment has not been received. The requests from the client devices can be prioritized based on demand for the missing data segment. The missing data segment can then be queued in a rebroadcast queue for rebroadcast to the client devices, and the rebroadcast queue can be prioritized based on the demand for the missing data segment. |
| US07937732B2 |
Network fraud prevention via registration and verification
An apparatus for controlling fraud in a satellite signal delivery system. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a receive antenna for receiving at least one satellite signal, and a module, coupled to the receive antenna, for selectively delivering the at least one satellite signal to at least one receiver via an output of the module, wherein the module creates an association between the module and the at least one receiver upon installation of the at least one receiver to the output, such that the module delivers the at least one satellite signal to the at least one receiver only when the association is present. |
| US07937728B2 |
Retrieving lost content for a scheduled program
In an embodiment, content is received on a channel between a scheduled start time and a scheduled stop time. A schedule specifies a planned transmission of a scheduled program between the scheduled start time and the scheduled stop time. The received content is recorded to a saved program. A determination is made that the saved program includes interruption content that is different from lost content of the scheduled program. A request for the lost content is sent to a content provider, the lost content is received from the content provider, and the interruption content is replaced in the saved program with the lost content. The request includes a begin time of the lost content relative to a beginning of the scheduled program and an amount of the lost content. |
| US07937720B2 |
Disk carrying device and optical disk recording/reproducing device
In a disk carrying device including a first idle gear rotatably supported by a lower chassis and a second idle gear for contacting and separating from the first idle gear to perform a rotation operation, the second idle gear and a roller gear meshing therewith are rotatably supported by a feed plate to cause the second idle gear to contact and separate, from below, from the first idle gear rotatably supported by the lower chassis. Because of this configuration, in disk insertion, a downward force F1 acts on the second idle gear and a pushing pressure of the feed roller to a disk D decreases. In disk ejection, an upward force F2 acts on the second idle gear and the pushing pressure of the feed roller to the disk D increases. |
| US07937719B2 |
Disk device
A disc device includes a casing, a disc processor, a drive motor, a transfer unit and a disc clamper. The transfer unit transfers an optical disc while holding the optical disc by driving the drive motor. The disc clamper switches a drive transmission of the drive unit in accordance with a holding condition of the optical disc with different diameters by the transfer unit to pivotally move the disc processor. The drive of the single drive motor effects both the transfer of the optical disc and the pivotal movement of the disc processor. A timing for transferring the optical disc and a timing for pivotally moving the disc processor can be suitably adjusted in accordance with the diameter of the optical disc. |
| US07937717B2 |
Method and apparatus enabling multiple application sharing of classes
The invention comprises a method adapted to manage access to information elements such as classes, data files, objects and methods within a shared library by each of a plurality of applications operating within a respective context. Library contexts including requested information elements are instantiated as necessary for each access requesting application. Location information pertaining to the instantiated library contexts is added to a corresponding location parameter of the requesting applications. |
| US07937711B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a consolidated namespace to client applications in multi-tenant common information model (CIM) environments
An information handling system includes a processor, system memory, and a storage medium. The storage medium includes an object manager that is accessible to a client management application. The object manager includes first and second sets of class instances instantiated in first and second vendor namespaces, respectively. An uber set of class instances is instantiated in an uber namespace. A class instance in the uber set of class instances is associated with a vendor namespace class instance in one of the first or second sets of class instances. An uber provider instantiates objects in the uber namespace. The uber provider services a client management application request by indicating an action and a class including identifying instances of the class in the first and second vendor namespaces and causing the action to be performed with respect to the identified class instances. |
| US07937710B1 |
Context switch signaling method and system
A context switch request is made from a host unit to a processing engine separately from the method stream to that processing engine and does not require the host unit to know what context the processing engine is currently working on. Upon receiving the request, the processing engine compares the requested context with the context that it is currently working on, and if the two are different, performs the context switch to the requested context. On the other hand, if the two are the same, the engine does not perform the context switch and continues working on the current context. |
| US07937709B2 |
Synchronizing multiple threads efficiently
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of assigning a location within a shared variable for each of multiple threads and writing a value to a corresponding location to indicate that the corresponding thread has reached a barrier. In such manner, when all the threads have reached the barrier, synchronization is established. In some embodiments, the shared variable may be stored in a cache accessible by the multiple threads. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07937708B2 |
Computer system and method for allocating computational power based on a two stage process
A computer system having at least one hardware unit, a control device and a plurality of virtual computer units, and a method for allocating total available computational power within such a computer system, wherein a plurality of virtual computer units can be respectively associated with a group. The computational power is allocated in a plurality of stages by using prescribed rules and taking into account allocation parameters so as to, first, split the available computational power and to allocate the split computational power to the groups and those virtual computer units which do not belong to a group, and then to split the computational power allocated to a group and to allocate the split computational power to each of the plurality of virtual computer units which belong to this group. |
| US07937699B2 |
Unattended upgrade for a network appliance
A method and apparatus for upgrading a network appliance. In one embodiment, the method includes determining that an upgrade of the network appliance is needed using versioning information of the network appliance and upgrade versioning information, and determining, based on upgrade criteria, whether the network appliance should be upgraded using a full install image. If the network appliance should be upgraded using the full install image, the full install image is downloaded to the network appliance. |
| US07937698B2 |
Extensible mechanism for automatically migrating resource adapter components in a development environment
The illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for automatically migrating a resource adapter component. In one embodiment, information describing a development and runtime environment associated with a first version of a resource adapter is collected by a migration framework to form real environment information. A specification of requirements associated with a second version of the resource adapter is received from the second version of the resource adapter to form a required environment specification. The migration framework compares the real environment information with the required environment specification. In response to identifying incompatibilities between the real environment information and the required environment specification, the migration framework automatically executes a migration scenario to resolve the incompatibilities. |
| US07937697B2 |
Method, system and computer program for distributing software patches
A software patch management solution is proposed. The devised solution is based on the idea of automating the installation of the patches through a software distribution infrastructure. An automation engine is added to a distribution server. The automation engine interfaces with a patch provider acting as a proxy, which stores a local copy of the patches and of a patch catalogue for detecting corresponding vulnerabilities. The automation engine automatically builds a distribution plan for deploying the patches to the relevant endpoints, according to a vulnerability catalogue that stores the actual exposures of the endpoints. The distribution plan arranges the required activities in the correct order, to minimize the number of rebooting of the endpoints; the distribution plan ends with an activity for scanning the endpoints, to update the vulnerability catalogue accordingly. |
| US07937693B2 |
System and method for obfuscation of reverse compiled computer code
A method, system and computer program product for obfuscating pseudocode (e.g., p-code, IL-code, byte-code, etc.), including creating a class-container; declaring an anonymizer method in the class-container; identifying method call instructions in the pseudocode; replacing, in the pseudocode, method calls with calls of the anonymizer method; and in the anonymizer method, adding the method call instructions. All or some of the added method calls have the same name. Parameter types of the added calls can be replaced with an abstract type. Return types of the added calls can be replaced with an abstract type. The class-container is a global class, and includes calls to public method, or the class-container is a private nested class, and includes calls to private methods, or two separate class-containers can be used. Optionally, the invention can include identifying field load instructions in the pseudocode; replacing, in the pseudocode, field load instructions with calls of the anonymizer method; and in the anonymizer method, adding the field load instructions. |
| US07937688B2 |
System and method for context-sensitive help in a design environment
An intelligent tool for assisting a developer during the creation or maintenance of software generates an icon when triggered by input. Upon selection of the icon, options are displayed for potential selection. Upon selection of an entry, event associated with the entry are deployed. |
| US07937685B2 |
Computer software implemented framework for configuration and release management of group systems software, and method for same
A global framework multi-layer computer based architecture is provided. The global framework may include a single set of libraries that contains common source code applicable to substantially all business processing systems using the global framework. The global framework may include individual source code libraries that contain modifications specific to a business processing system to meet the local needs of that business processing system. The business processing systems may execute the custom and base libraries through concatenation of the libraries. |
| US07937684B2 |
System and method for enabling assisted visual development of incoming message handling operations for applications on a communication device
A message wizard enables assisted visual development of operations to process an incoming message for an application on a communication device. The wizard provides a series of pages from which a developer can select a desired action to perform on a target upon receipt of the incoming message and select a specific target comprising at least one data component from a set of candidate data components. The wizard then automatically generates code to implement the selected action on the target. A message page to visualize the message, target and the relationship between then and, as applicable, any script generated to implement the action may also be provided. The wizard may provide a data component type page to select a type of data component and then provide the series of pages in response to the type of data component selected. |
| US07937679B2 |
Method for performing failure mode and effects analysis of an integrated circuit and computer program product therefor
A method for performing failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) on integrated circuits including preparing a FMEA database of an integrated circuit under design and computing FMEA results from the FMEA database. Information is automatically extracted from an integrated circuit description. The extraction of information includes reading integrated circuit information, partitioning the circuit in invariant and elementary sensitive zones (SZ), using the information in the preparation step of a FMEA database. Optionally a FMEA validation stage may be performed with which FMEA computed results are compared with FMEA measured results to obtain FMEA validated results. |
| US07937677B2 |
Design-for-test-aware hierarchical design planning
Full-chip scan data can be advantageously used during design planning to minimize top-level scan wires and scan feedthroughs. The scan cells can be reordered using a modified cost function to promote connecting all scan cells in one plan group before crossing to a scan cell in another plan group. The modified cost function can take into account penalty parameters. The penalty parameters can include at least one of: membership in a plan group or a top-level physical hierarchy, size of a plan group, FLOATING/ORDERED scan element in scan data, location of endpoints of an ORDERED list, location of endpoints of a macro, and membership in a plan group containing a STOP point. Scan data, at the block-level and at the top-level, can be automatically updated to reflect the plan groups and optimized scan chains. |
| US07937671B2 |
Method for modifying a list of items selected by a user, notably a play list of an audio and/or video apparatus, and audio and/or video apparatus allowing play lists
A method for modifying a play list in an audio and/or video apparatus is proposed. This methods notably comprises the steps of: displaying available tracks in a first area, displaying the current play list in a second are, determining a track to be considered depending on a first user action, indicating the track to be considered by highlighting it in the first area, upon a second user action, removing, if existing, the last occurrence of the track to be considered in the play list displayed in the second area. |
| US07937667B2 |
Multimedia mirror assembly for vehicle
A user-interactive display system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly, a portable hand-held device, and a display device. The portable hand-held device is operable to communicate a first signal to a vehicle-based receiver. A user input is actuatable so that a user can select an item from a listing of choices displayed by the display device, whereby the user-interactive display system (a) displays at the display device data associated with the selected item in response to the user-selection of the selected item from the listing of choices, and/or (b) audibly plays at an audio device of the vehicle data associated with the selected item in response to the user-selection of the selected item from the listing of choices. |
| US07937665B1 |
System and method for automatically generating a graphical program to implement a prototype
A system and method for automatically generating a graphical program from a prototyping environment application. By utilizing an application specialized for developing solutions to problems in a particular domain, i.e., a prototyping environment, a user may develop a solution to a problem, i.e., a prototype. The prototype may comprise a series of functions that form an algorithm or process. Once the user has developed the desired prototype, the user may request the prototyping environment to automatically, i.e., programmatically, generate a graphical program implementing the prototype, e.g., in order to run the program independently of the prototyping environment. In various embodiments, the prototyping environment may be operable to generate any of various types of graphical programs. Once the graphical program has been generated, the program may be modified as desired, e.g., in order to include features not available from the prototyping environment that generated the program. |
| US07937660B2 |
Computer-based methods and structures for stent-graft selection
A stent-graft planning system is a web-based system that assists a physician in selecting and ordering the right stent-graft online in real-time. The stent-graft planning system provides a physician with a two-dimensional (2D) graphic model reflecting the individual vessel anatomy, e.g., aneurismal anatomy, and the selected stent graft in that anatomy. By comparing the graphic model with the image of the patient's vessels, the physician can note any dimensions that are inconsistent with the graphic image and problems with the stent-graft placement. Each collected measurement is validated and the physician is warned if the measurement suggests a problem. The stent-graft system automatically generates the most suitable stent graft for an individual patient. After reviewing the selected stent graft in the 2D model, the stent graft can be ordered online. |
| US07937656B2 |
Method for rendering information on a display
The method is for rendering information on a display. Content components in a container are provided. A content handler (style sheet) is used to transform the content components. A key word in the content component is identified. A real time link is provided between the key word and an outside source. A screen size of a display unit is determined. A size of a first display is adjusted by only displaying a complete content of a first level of the content components and a link to a second level. The link is activated to display a complete content of the second level and a link to the second level. |
| US07937648B2 |
Decoding device, control method, and program
A decoding device for decoding LDPC (Low Density Parity Check) codes includes a message calculation unit for performing a variable node calculation for decoding the LPDC codes using a message to be supplied, or performing a check node calculation, and outputting the message to be obtained as a result of the calculation, a storing unit for storing the message, and a control unit for performing writing control for writing the message that the message calculation unit outputs in the storing unit, and readout control for reading out the same message to be employed for the calculation of the message calculation unit from the storing unit twice, and supplying these to the message calculation unit. |
| US07937644B2 |
Error detection in physical interfaces for point-to-point communications between integrated circuits
An apparatus, system and method for detecting errors in a physical interface during the transmission and/or receipt of data communications between integrated circuits (“ICs”) are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating error-detection codes in a physical interface for the transmission of data communications between integrated circuits (“ICs”) includes an N-bit-to-N+2-bit (“N bit/(N+2) bit”) physical layer (“PHY”) encoder configured to insert a physical interface error detection bit with N application data bits to form N+1 unencoded data bits, and encode said N+1 unencoded data bits to yield N+2 encoded data bits. The apparatus further includes an error-detection code generator configured to generate a number of bits constituting an error-detection code that includes said physical interface error detection bit, wherein N represents any integer number of data bits. |
| US07937642B2 |
Apparatus and method for receiving signal in a communication system
An apparatus and method of receiving a signal in a communication system are provided, in which a signal is received and decoded by a PPS scheme being an LDPC decoding scheme in which an order of performing a node operation is scheduled. |
| US07937641B2 |
Memory modules with error detection and correction
A memory module having error detection and correction mechanisms. The memory module includes a plurality of memory devices arranged in an array and a buffer device connected to the memory devices. The buffer device includes a register module for synchronizing and buffering a plurality of input signals to the memory devices, an error detection module for detecting errors of the input signals, and a transmission memory for storing a copy of the input signals and transmitting the stored copy of the input signals as an output signal. A buffer device for a memory module. A method of operating a memory module. A memory including a plurality of registers arranged in a pipeline for storing a plurality of copies of the input signals and communicating the stored copies of the input signals as an output signal to an external device. |
| US07937637B2 |
TAP with enable input gated and multiplexed mode select
A TAP Linking Module (TLM) couples plural TAPs, via select and enable signals, to an externally accessible IEEE 1149.1 interface. The select signals are outputs from the TAPs to the TLM, and the enable signals are output from the TLM to the TAPs. Each select signal is output in response to a special instruction scanned into a TAP's instruction register, which causes the TLM to be selected as the data register scan path between the TDI and TDO pins. A conventional data register scan operation shifts data through the TLM. Following the scan operation, the TLM outputs one enable signal to the TAPS and outputs select signals to a multiplexer to establish a TAP link configuration. |
| US07937636B2 |
Semiconductor device and inspection method of semiconductor device and wireless chip
The invention provides an inspection method of a semiconductor device which receives a test program wirelessly. As an inspection method of the semiconductor device, a test program is transmitted as a communication signal for every test. By transmitting a test program as a communication signal wirelessly in the case of an operation test, test contents are changed as required. As a result, a test program can be easily changed and an inspection circuit or the like is not required. In this manner, manufacturing cost of a wireless chip can be reduced. |
| US07937634B2 |
Circuit and method providing dynamic scan chain partitioning
The circuit and method providing dynamic scan chain partitioning delivers peak power reduction by dynamically partitioning scan chains into multiple groups, wherein transitions are equally distributed among these multiple groups. For each test pattern, a particular partitioning that leads to the even partitioning of the transitions is computed by analyzing the transition distribution of the pattern. The scan chain partitioning is formulated using an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) and an efficient greedy heuristic. The computed information is loaded into the reconfigurable scan chain partitioning hardware during the capture window. The partitioning hardware is composed of controllable clock gating logic, which is reconfigured on a per pattern basis, wherein the reconfiguration is effected by only utilizing the existing scan channels. The reconfigurability delivers a solution that is test set independent. The results confirm the superiority of dynamic scan chain partitioning over static partitioning techniques in terms of peak power reduction. |
| US07937633B2 |
Semiconductor device using logic chip
A system-in-package type semiconductor device includes a logic chip; and a memory chip connected with external terminal through the logic chip. The logic chip includes a data holding circuit configured to hold a test data in a test mode, and store the test data supplied through the data input/output terminal in the data holding circuit in response to a test data set command, and writes the test data which has been stored in the data holding circuit in the memory chip in response to the test data write command. |
| US07937632B2 |
Design structure and apparatus for a robust embedded interface
A design structure is embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integrated circuit. The design structure includes an input register coupled to a data processing unit input and a test operation mode and functional operation mode. In the test mode operation, the register operates in a clocked mode such that, during the test operation mode, the register propagates data to the data processing unit in response to a clock signal. In the functional operation mode, the register operates in a data flush mode such that the register propagates data to the data processing unit in response to the data. The functional mode is enabled by a flush enable signal and the test mode is enabled by an opposite state of the flush enable signal. |
| US07937631B2 |
Method for self-test and self-repair in a multi-chip package environment
A method and apparatus for operating a component including a memory device. The method includes receiving a plurality of commands and determining if a set of the plurality of commands matches a predefined pattern of commands configured to place the memory device into a test mode. Upon determining that the set of the plurality of commands matches the predefined plurality of commands, the memory device is placed in the test mode. |
| US07937626B2 |
Techniques for generating a trace stream for a data processing apparatus
A data processing apparatus and method are provided for generating a trace stream. The data processing apparatus comprises logic for producing data elements, and trace logic for producing a stream of trace elements representative of at least some of the data elements. The trace logic has trace generation logic operable to generate trace elements for inclusion in the stream, and is further arranged to generate trace timing indicators for inclusion in the stream. Each trace timing indicator indicates the elapse of one or more processing timing intervals, the processing timing interval being a predetermined plurality of clock cycles. |
| US07937622B2 |
Method and system for autonomic target testing
A target is autonomically tested using a number of test cases. Dependencies among the test cases exist. A dependency between a first test case and a second test case means that where testing of the target using the first test case results in failure, testing of the target using the second test case is not performed. The dependencies among the test cases are constructed using one or more dependency rules. The dependency rules are updated while testing of the target using the test cases is performed, such that new dependencies among the test eases revealed during testing are incorporated into the dependency rules. Autonomic testing in this way provides for more intelligent testing of the target without human interaction and/or human intervention. |
| US07937618B2 |
Distributed, fault-tolerant and highly available computing system
A method and system for achieving highly available, fault-tolerant execution of components in a distributed computing system, without requiring the writer of these components to explicitly write code (such as entity beans or database transactions) to make component state persistent. It is achieved by converting the intrinsically non-deterministic behavior of the distributed system to a deterministic behavior, thus enabling state recovery to be achieved by advantageously efficient checkpoint-replay techniques. The method comprises: adapting the execution environment for enabling message communication amongst and between the components; automatically associating a deterministic timestamp in conjunction with a message to be communicated from a sender component to a receiver component during program execution, the timestamp representative of estimated time of arrival of the message at a receiver component. At a component, tracking state of that component during program execution, and periodically checkpointing the state in a local storage device. Upon failure of a component, the component state is restored by recovering a recent stored checkpoint and re-executing the events occurring since the last checkpoint. The system is deterministic by repeating the execution of the receiving component by processing the messages in the same order as their associated timestamp. |
| US07937615B2 |
Method for improving reliability of multi-core processor computer
In a system including a plurality of multi-core processors, a table for managing the processors and cores owned by the processors is provided and a single virtual server is formed by using cores owned by different processors when generating the virtual server. According to the number owned by processors, the number of processors is varied. If a fault preecho in a processor is detected, control is exercised so as not to deliver an execution schedule of a virtualization mechanism to the processor in which the fault preecho has been detected. In a system including a plurality of multi-core processors, arithmetic cores owned by a plurality of different processors are assigned to processing of a process or thread in an operating system. In a system including a plurality of multi-core processors, arithmetic cores owned by a plurality of different processors are assigned to the operating system. |
| US07937614B2 |
Volume and failure management method on a network having a storage device
A SAN manager acquires configuration information from devices constituting a SAN and produces a corresponding relationship between a host computer and a virtual volume (virtual volume mapping) and a corresponding relationship between the host computer and a real volume (real volume mapping). Based on those pieces of mapping information, the SAN manager outputs a corresponding relationship between virtual and real volumes. Meanwhile, the failure notification messages received from the in-SAN devices are construed to detect and output an influence of the failure upon the access to a real or virtual volume. Furthermore, when receiving a plurality of failure notifications from the devices connected to the SAN, the plurality of failure notifications are outputted with an association based on the corresponding relationship between real and virtual volumes. |
| US07937608B2 |
Clock generating circuit and digital circuit system incorporating the same
A digital circuit system includes: a register, for receiving and registering digital data; an operation unit, for operating and generating resulting data according to the digital data registered in the first registering unit; a second register, for receiving and registering the resulting data; a multi-phase clock signal generating unit, for generating a plurality of reference clock signals having different phases with each other; a first selector, for selecting one of the reference clock signals to output a first clock signal to the first registering unit; and a second selector, for selecting another of the reference clock signals to output a second clock signal to the second registering unit. |
| US07937606B1 |
Shadow unit for shadowing circuit status
Generally, the present disclosure concerns systems and methods for shadowing status for a circuit with a shadow unit. In one aspect, a system comprises a first circuit in a first dynamic clock domain of a plurality of dynamic clock domains, a processor configured to execute software instructions to generate a request for a status of the first circuit, and a second circuit coupled to the first circuit and to the processor. The second circuit, outside the first dynamic clock domain, is configured to shadow a status of the first circuit and to respond to the request for the status of the first circuit with the shadowed status. |
| US07937601B2 |
Programmable system on a chip
A programmable system-on-a-chip integrated circuit device comprises a programmable logic block, a non-volatile memory block, an analog sub-system, an analog input/output circuit block, and a digital input/output circuit block. A programmable interconnect architecture includes programmable elements and interconnect conductors. Ones of the programmable elements are coupled to the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, the digital input/output circuit block, and to the interconnect conductors, such that inputs and outputs of the programmable logic block, the non-volatile memory block, the analog sub-system, the analog input/output circuit block, and the digital input/output circuit block can be programmably coupled to one another. |
| US07937597B2 |
Information handling system including wireless scanning feature
An information handling system (IHS) is provided which includes a system processor and a wireless section coupled to the system processor. While the system processor remains in a reduced power state, the wireless section is operable to be powered up to detect the presence of a wireless network external to the IHS and determine if that detected wireless network matches a network included in profile information stored in a memory that is accessible by the wireless section. An indicator is coupled to the wireless section and is operable to provide an indication that a wireless network is present. |
| US07937592B2 |
Network communication security processor and data processing method
The invention provides a network communication security processor and its data processing method, the security processor comprising: a data communication interface for transferring a communication data packet between the network communication security processor and an external network; a secure connection database for storing the security policy and secure connection parameters relevant to the data packet; a secure connection database operating engine for operating and maintaining the secure connection database; a multi-channel security processing engine for performing security processing on the data packet by invoking an encryption operation module; and the encryption operation module for performing encryption/decryption operations on the data packet. The invention, on the one hand, guarantees the high-speed capability of the data packet security processing, on the other hand, makes the central processor free from the security processing operations of every particular data packet and focused on the implementation of high level protocols, thus reducing the difficulty of the system development and enhancing the system reliability. |
| US07937591B1 |
Method and system for providing a device which can be adapted on an ongoing basis
A method and system for adapting a device is disclosed. The method and system comprises providing a data stream to the device to be changed based upon a parameter. In a second aspect an adaptable device is disclosed. The adaptable device comprises an adaptable computerized environment (ACE) for receiving a data stream that allows the device to be changed based upon a parameter. The adaptable device includes a mechanism within the ACE for authorizing the data stream. A system and method in accordance with the present invention provides a hardware device that can be changed based upon a particular parameter such as time and location. In so doing, a provider of the hardware device can provide a more adaptable component which provides more value to the provider. Indeed, it is possible to give away the hardware upfront or even give an incentive to a receiver of the hardware and thereby use the device in a variety of ways. |
| US07937588B2 |
Techniques for detecting, analyzing, and using visible authentication patterns
Improved techniques for making copy detection patterns and using them to detect copying relationships between digital representations. The techniques include techniques for including a message in a copy detection pattern without altering the copy detection patterns entropy and reading the message, techniques for using a copy detection pattern on an analog form to determine whether the analog form is an original analog form without reference to a digital representation of the original of the analog form's copy detection pattern, techniques for increasing the sensitivity of copy detection using copy detection patterns by modifying one of two copy detection patterns that are being compared to take into account alterations resulting from the copying process, techniques for distributing a copy detection pattern across a document, and techniques for using the entropy of a copy detection pattern to locate the copy detection pattern. Also disclosed are applications of copy detection patterns with copying that involves transformations between the digital and analog forms and with digital-to-digital copying. |
| US07937585B2 |
Systems and methods for providing security to different functions
Methods and systems are provided that use smartcards, such as subscriber identity module (SIM) cards to provide secure functions for a mobile client. One embodiment of the invention provides a mobile communication network system that includes a mobile network, a mobile terminal, a server coupled to the mobile terminal via the mobile network, and a subscriber identity module (SIM) card coupled to the mobile terminal. The SIM card includes a first key and a second key. The first key is used to authenticate an intended user of the mobile terminal to the mobile network. Upon successful authentication of the intended user to the mobile network, the mobile terminal downloads a function offered from the server through the mobile network. The second key is then used by the mobile terminal to authenticate the intended user to the downloaded function so that the intended user can utilize the function. |
| US07937583B2 |
Method of aggregating multiple certificate authority services
The disclosure relates to the management of PKI digital certificates, including certificate discovery, installation, verification and replacement for endpoints over an insecure network. A database of certificates may be maintained through discovery, replacement and other activities. Certificate discovery identifies certificates and associated information including network locations, methods of access, applications of use and non-use, and may produce logs and reports. Automated requests to certificate authorities for new certificates, renewals or certificate signing requests may precede the installation of issued certificates to servers using installation scripts directed to a particular application or product, which may provide notification or require approval or intervention. An administrator may be notified of expiring certificates, using a database or scanning or server agents. Detailed information on various example embodiments of the inventions are provided in the Detailed Description below, and the inventions are defined by the appended claims. |
| US07937578B2 |
Communications security methods for supporting end-to-end security associations
Methods and apparatus facilitating mobile node paging in a system where a mobile node is able to hand off application processing to an application proxy are described. Paging determinations are made based on application processing results corresponding to processing the content of multiple packet payloads. In some cases paging determinations are made based on processing the payload of a single packet in conjunction with information received from a mobile node, e.g., intermediate application processing results, mobile node state information, etc. To facilitate application processing handoffs in a manner that is transparent to a peer node involved in an ongoing communications session with the mobile node, security information may be passed between the mobile node and the application proxy node in a manner that is transparent to the peer node allowing an end to end security association to be maintained throughout the communications session with the peer node. |
| US07937577B2 |
Information processing apparatus and operating system determination method
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a determination module provided for an SMI handler of an ACPI compatible Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). The determination module determines, when a system management interrupt (SMI) occurs due to issuance of an Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) Enable command by an ACPI compatible operating system, a type of a kernel of the operating system by referring to a CPU STATE MAP area holding a state of a CPU upon occurrence of an SMI. |
| US07937576B2 |
Configuration of a multi-level flash memory device
A multi-level flash memory device allows for a faster and more effective configuration of the operating parameters of the memory device for performing the different functioning algorithms of the memory The identification of an optimal configuration of the operating parameters of the memory device during testing is simplified by allowing for a one-time processing of configuration bits into algorithm-friendly data that are stored in an embedded ancillary random access memory at every power-on of the memory device This is done by executing a specific power-on algorithm code stored in the ancillary read only memory of the embedded microprocessor. |
| US07937574B2 |
Precise counter hardware for microcode loops
In an embodiment, a microcode unit for a processor is contemplated. The microcode unit comprises a microcode memory storing a plurality of microcode routines executable by the processor, wherein each microcode routine comprises two or more microcode operations. Coupled to the microcode memory, the sequence control unit is configured to control reading microcode operations from the microcode memory to be issued for execution by the processor. The sequence control unit is configured to stall issuance of microcode operations forming a body of a loop in a first routine of the plurality of microcode routines until a loop counter value that indicates a number of iterations of the loop is received by the sequence control unit. |
| US07937573B2 |
Metric for selective branch target buffer (BTB) allocation
A method and data processing system allocates entries in a branch target buffer (BTB). Instructions are fetched from a plurality of instructions and one of the plurality of instructions is determined to be a branch instruction. A corresponding branch target address is determined. A determination is made whether the branch target address is stored in a branch target buffer (BTB). When the branch target address is not stored in the branch target buffer, an entry in the branch target buffer is identified for allocation to receive the branch target address based upon stored metrics such as data processing cycle saving information and branch prediction state. In one form the stored metrics are stored in predetermined fields of the entries of the BTB. |
| US07937562B2 |
Processing apparatus
A processing apparatus includes an execution stage which executes each of instruction streams, a first resource counter which counts the number of operating resources used when the execution stage executes a first one of the instruction streams, a second resource counter which holds data of the number of unused ones of the operating resources, and a control circuit which reads the count value of the first resource counter from a management table when a subsequent instruction stream is executed, to control a start of execution of the subsequent instruction stream in accordance with a subtraction result obtained by subtracting the count value from the data. The control circuit checks whether a number of operating resources required by the subsequent instruction stream is secured based on the subtraction result before the subsequent instruction stream starts to be executed. |
| US07937557B2 |
System and method for intercommunication between computers in an array
A computer array (10) has a plurality of computers (12) for accomplishing a larger task that is divided into smaller tasks, each of the smaller tasks being assigned to one or more of the computers (12). Each of the computers (12) may be configured for specific functions and individual input/output circuits (26) associated with exterior computers (12) are specifically adapted for particular input/output functions. An example of 25 computers (12) arranged in the computer array (10) has a centralized computational core (34) with the computers (12) nearer the edge of the die (14) being configured for input and/or output. |
| US07937556B2 |
Minimizing TLB comparison size
In one embodiment, a system comprises one or more registers configured to store a plurality of values that identify a virtual address space (collectively a tag), a translation lookaside buffer (TLB), and a control unit coupled to the TLB and the one or more registers. The control unit is configured to detect whether or not the tag has changed and in response to a change in the tag, map the changed tag to an identifier having fewer bits than the total number of bits in the tag, and provide the current identifier to the TLB. The TLB is configured to detect a hit/miss in response to the identifier. A similar method is also contemplated. |
| US07937555B2 |
Data processing system and computer program product to allow PCI host bridge (PHB) to handle pre-fetch read transactions on the PCI bus which access system memory through translation control entry (TCE) table
A method, system, and computer instructions for providing valid translation entries in the TCE table for all supported DMA addresses to prevent the occurrence of system errors due to prefetching. A page is reserved in system memory. This reserved page is made unavailable to the operating system and may not be utilized by any software in the system. The reserved page is also written with all bytes set to 0xFF. The system firmware then selects a region in system memory for the TCE table. The TCE table is initialized, with all entries within the TCE table initialized to be valid and contain the corresponding address of the reserved page. |
| US07937554B2 |
System and method for managing memory
Systems and methods that manage memory are provided. In one embodiment, a system for communications may include, for example, a memory management system that may handle a first application employing a virtual address based tagged offset and a second application employing a zero based tagged offset with a common set of memory algorithms. |
| US07937548B2 |
System and method for improved snapclone performance in a virtualized storage system
A system and method of creating a snapclone for on-line point-in-time complete backup in a virtualized storage system is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for creating a snapclone for on-line point-in-time complete backup in a virtualized storage system includes receiving a copy operation directed to one or more identified segments of an original virtual disk, in response to the copy operation, substantially sequentially copying the one or more identified segments to a snapclone virtual disk, clearing bits in an in-memory sharing bitmap associated with already copied one or more identified segments, and writing the cleared bits in the in-memory sharing bitmap to a disk resident virtual disk metadata associated with the snapclone virtual disk upon receiving a current write I/O operation while the copy operation is in progress. The received current write I/O operation is targeting data outside the LBA range of the already copied one or more identified segments. |
| US07937546B2 |
Data duplication control method
When there is a change in a group of volumes managed by a host computer, data duplication processing is immediately carried out against the changed volume. The host computer includes a volume-managing portion, a data duplication-controlling portion which executes the data duplication of data stored in a volume in a main data center, and a data duplication storing portion which stores data necessary for the data duplication. The data duplication-controlling portion compares data held by the volume-managing portion with the data in the data duplication storing portion, and updates the data in the data duplication storing portion based on the data held by the volume-managing portion. |
| US07937544B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer product for data backup and synchronization
In a data recording apparatus, a monitoring unit detects a VLU including an MRB that manages an area that has not been accessed for a specified time period based on a current time, a time management table, and a parameter table. From MRBs of the detected VLU, the monitoring unit selects a plurality of MRBs with an unaccessed time period equal to or more than the specified time period and equal to or less than a total time. The monitoring unit performs synchronization process for data in a primary storage managed by the selected MRBs at a time. During the synchronization process, a correction value is adjusted when there is a data conflict with another device. |
| US07937542B2 |
Storage controller and storage control method for accessing storage devices in sub-block units
Provided are a storage controller and a storage control method capable of improving the transaction performance. This storage controller includes a disk controller for receiving a read command and a write command from a host computer, and an external disk controller and an internal disk device for sending and receiving data to and from the disk controller. A storage device of the external disk controller or the internal disk controller processes the access from the disk controller in physical sub-block units. When the disk controller is to access the storage device of the external disk controller or the internal disk device in logical sub-block units in which an additional code containing a guarantee code is added to user data, it makes such access in minimum common multiple units of logical sub-blocks and physical sub-blocks, and changes the guarantee code length. |
| US07937541B2 |
Speed selective table scan operation
Disclosed are a method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for scanning a storage medium table. The method includes retrieving location information associated with at least one other storage medium table scan. A storage medium table scan is started at a location within a storage medium table based on at least a location of the one other storage medium table scan. A weight is assigned to at least one storage medium block based on at least a current scanning location within the storage medium table relative to the location of the one other table scan. The method determines if a distance between the current scanning location and the location of the one other table scan is greater than a first given threshold. A current scanning operation is delayed, in response to the distance being greater than the given threshold, until the distance is below a second given threshold. |
| US07937539B2 |
External memory controller node
A memory controller to provide memory access services in an adaptive computing engine is provided. The controller comprises: a network interface configured to receive a memory request from a programmable network; and a memory interface configured to access a memory to fulfill the memory request from the programmable network, wherein the memory interface receives and provides data for the memory request to the network interface, the network interface configured to send data to and receive data from the programmable network. |
| US07937537B2 |
Memory switching data processing system
A memory switching data processing system including one or more central processing units (‘CPUs’); random access memory organized in at least two banks of memory modules; one or more memory buses providing communications paths for data among the CPUs and the memory modules; and a flexibly configurable memory bus switch comprising a first configuration adapting the first CPU to a first bank of memory modules and a second CPU to a second bank of memory modules and a second configuration adapting the first CPU to both the first bank of memory modules and the second bank of memory modules. |
| US07937535B2 |
Managing cache coherency in a data processing apparatus
Each of plural processing units has a cache, and each cache has indication circuitry containing segment filtering data. The indication circuitry responds to an address specified by an access request from an associated processing unit to reference the segment filtering data to indicate whether the data is either definitely not stored or is potentially stored in that segment. Cache coherency circuitry ensures that data accessed by each processing unit is up-to-date and has snoop indication circuitry whose content is derived from the already-provided segment filtering data. For certain access requests, the cache coherency circuitry initiates a coherency operation during which the snoop indication circuitry determines whether any of the caches requires a snoop operation. For each cache that does, the cache coherency circuitry issues a notification to that cache identifying the snoop operation to be performed. |
| US07937534B2 |
Performing direct cache access transactions based on a memory access data structure
Embodiments of an apparatus, method, and system for encoding direct cache access transactions based on a memory access data structure are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes memory access logic and transaction logic. The memory access logic is to determine whether to allow a memory access based on a memory access data structure. The transaction logic is to assign direct cache access attributes to a transaction based on the memory access data structure. |
| US07937530B2 |
Method and apparatus for accessing a cache with an effective address
A method and apparatus for accessing a processor cache. The method includes executing an access instruction in a processor core of the processor. The access instruction provides an untranslated effective address of data to be accessed by the access instruction. The method also includes determining whether a level one cache for the processor core includes the data corresponding to the effective address of the access instruction. The effective address of the access instruction is used without address translation to determine whether the level one cache for the processor core includes the data corresponding to the effective address. If the level one cache includes the data corresponding to the effective address, the data for the access instruction is provided from the level one cache. |
| US07937528B2 |
Transaction-based storage system and method that uses variable sized objects to store data
Aspects of the innovations herein are consistent with a storage system for storing variable sized objects. The storage system may be a transaction-based system that uses variable sized objects to store data. The storage system may be implemented using arrays disks that are arranged in ranks. Each rank may include multiple stripes. Each stripe may be read and written as a convenient unit for maximum performance. A rank manager may be provided to dynamically configure the ranks to adjust for failed and added disks by selectively shortening and lengthening the stripes. The storage system may include a stripe space table that contains entries describing the amount of space used in each stripe. An object map may provide entries for each object in the storage system describing the location (e.g., rank, stripe and offset values), the length and version of the object. |
| US07937523B2 |
Memory system with nonvolatile semiconductor memory
A memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory and a controller. The memory has a plurality memory blocks each including memory cells capable of holding data. The data in each of the memory blocks is erased simultaneously. The data is written simultaneously in pages in each of the memory blocks. Each of the pages is a set of a plurality of memory cells. The controller transfers write data and a first row address to the memory and issues a change instruction for the transferred first row address and a second row address differing from the first row address. The memory writes the write data into the memory cells corresponding to the first row address when the change instruction has not been issued, and writes the write data into the memory cells corresponding to the second row address when the change instruction has been issued. |
| US07937522B2 |
Method for flash memory data management
The method for managing flash memory data includes the following steps. When data are first transmitted from a host and the address for the data indicates a temporary address, then temporary data are retrieved from the temporary address to an external buffer. A writing command is then executed and the temporary data having a destination address are written to a flash buffer. When the buffer of the flash memory is not full, the buffer data are written into a temporary block. The method of writing the buffer data into the temporary block includes using a address changing command, or executing a writing command to rewrite the external buffer data to the flash buffer so that the data are written into the temporary block. |
| US07937520B2 |
General purpose interface controller of resoure limited system
The invention discloses a general purpose interface controller, including a slave interface controller and a master interface controller, used to exchange data among master devices and slave devices in an electronic device. The slave interface controller receives data and a first control signal from one of the master devices, and converts the first control signal to a request signal. The master interface controller receives the data and the request signal from the slave interface controller, converts the request signal to a second control signal recognized by at least one of the slave devices, and forwards the data and the second control signal to the slave device. |
| US07937516B2 |
Integrated circuit with LIN-protocol transmission
The invention relates to an integrated circuit having a system base chip of the kind usually provided for performing transmitting and/or receiving functions at a node that is coupled to a vehicle data bus. In an example embodiment, there is an integrated circuit having a system base chip that has basic functions for a transmitting and/or receiving system for a vehicle data bus, namely at least a system voltage supply, a system reset and a monitoring function An interface circuit that, in a self-contained fashion, runs at least parts of a data bus protocol, and in particular, the LIN (Local Interconnect Network) protocol, that performs detection of the bit-rate of received data, and that is capable of passing on at least one received or transmitted byte. A serial/parallel converter makes use in its conversion of the bit-rate detected by the interface circuit. |
| US07937514B2 |
CWUSB host management system
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a Master/Salve or Host/Device system in which there is only one host and one or more devices connected by cables to the host. To connect a USB device to a different host controller (say another PC), the user unplugs the USB cable and establishes the connection physically by plugging the cable into the new host controller interface. Certified Wireless USB (CWUSB), a logical extension to the USB, preserves the USB connection model, except that the link between the host and the device is now using a wireless technology. A wireless device is usually connected to only one wireless host at a given point of time, even though several wireless hosts may be co-located in the same physical neighborhood. The connection between the wireless host and device is initiated by the device. A device usually selects a wireless host from a stored set of known hosts that have established a trusted relationship with the device. If more than one wireless host is operating in the same neighborhood, there is no well known established procedure for the device to select a particular wireless host to establish a connection. |
| US07937512B1 |
Method and apparatus for an automatic recovery keyboard for slate tablet computers
A method and apparatus for reimaging of a computing device are provided. The apparatus may include a recovery device which connects to a computing device via a communication network or a connector. The recovery device may have the capability to retrieve data from and to transfer data to the computing device to simulate inputs of an input device. Sometimes the simulated inputs are in response to a prompt from the computing device for an input response. The recovery device may reimage software applications, operating systems, and data to replace and/or fix corrupted or damaged portions of information stored on a memory of the computing device without the need for other input devices. |
| US07937510B1 |
Lempel Ziv compression architecture
A data compression architecture comprises a shift register structure comprising first and second parallel paths, each comprising several shift register elements for storing previously received data characters. Each shift register element in the first path is paired with a respective shift register element in the second path. An input shift register stores input data characters in pairs during successive clock cycles. Logic circuitry compares the input data characters with each of the previously received data characters stored in the pairs of shift register elements to detect a match during one or more clock cycles. The logic circuitry determines a length of a sequence of received input data characters by determining a number of clock cycles during which a match is detected in a particular pair of shift register elements, and applies a correction factor based on a type of match detected at a beginning and end of the sequence. |
| US07937507B2 |
Extended measurement word determination at a channel subsystem of an I/O processing system
An article of manufacture, an apparatus, and a method for determining an extended measurement word at a channel subsystem of an I/O processing system using data from a control unit are provided. The article of manufacture includes at least one computer usable medium having computer readable program code logic. The computer readable program code logic performs a method including sending a command message to the control unit, and receiving a transport response information unit message at the channel subsystem in response to sending the command message to the control unit. The computer readable program code logic additionally extracts a plurality of time values from the transport response information unit message as calculated by the control unit, calculates an extended measurement word as a function of the time values, and writes the extended measurement word to computer readable memory in the I/O processing system. |
| US07937496B2 |
Control server, control terminal, control system, and recording medium storing control communication program
Screen data is generated by a screen generating processor (74) of a control host computer (7) and transmitted to a programmable display apparatus (5). In accordance with the screen data, the programmable display apparatus (5) inquires a PLC (3) or the like about a state of a device (21), so as to update the display or transmit a control instruction depending on an input result. On the other hand, a control host computer (7) has a public server section (77) to transmit to a client apparatus (9) via the Internet an applet, which is generated by a compiler (76) compiling the screen data. The client apparatus (9) executes the applet to transmit to the public server section (77) an or the control instruction inquiry similar to those the programmable display apparatus (5) makes. In this way, the display is updated in accordance with a response. This realizes a control system, which allows a display content of the programmable display apparatus (5) to be remotely checked from a remote area remote from the programmable display apparatus (5), without newly generating a display screen. |
| US07937493B2 |
Connection pool use of runtime load balancing service performance advisories
Runtime connection load balancing of work across connections to a clustered computing system involves the routing of requests for a service, based on the current operational performance of each of the instances that offer the service. A connection is selected from an identified connection pool, to connect to an instance that provides the service for routing a work request. The operational performance of the instances may be represented by performance information that characterizes the response time and/or the throughput of the service that is provided by a particular instance on a respective node of the system, and is relative to other instances that offer the same service. |
| US07937492B1 |
LSP ping and traceroute for bypass tunnels
A method performed by a network device may include assembling a multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) echo request, the echo request including an instruction for a transit node to forward the echo request via a bypass path associated with the transit node, and an instruction for an egress node to send an echo reply indicating that the echo request was received on the bypass path. The method may also include sending the MPLS echo request over a functioning label switched path (LSP). |
| US07937491B1 |
On-demand initialization of services in an application server
Various embodiments of a system and method for initializing application server services on demand are disclosed. In one embodiment, an application server may provide clients with a variety of services, where the clients may be applications and/or other services. During startup of the application server, some of these services may be initialized while others may not be initialized. In most embodiments, services necessary to the basic function of the application server, like a naming service, may be initialized during startup, while other services, e.g. transaction management, may go un-initialized. The naming service may include an on-demand service initiator, which may intercept service lookup requests. The on-demand service initiator may determine whether a requested service has been initialized, and if not, may initiate the initialization of the requested service. |
| US07937487B2 |
Media scrubbing using a media processor
A system and method for a media processor separates the functions of topology creation and maintenance from the functions of processing data through a topology. The system includes a control layer including a topology generating element to generate a topology describing a set of input multimedia streams, one or more sources for the input multimedia streams, a sequence of operations to perform on the multimedia data, and a set of output multimedia streams, and a media processor to govern the passing of the multimedia data as described in the topology and govern the performance of the sequence of multimedia operations on the multimedia data to create the set of output multimedia streams. The core layer includes the input media streams, the sources for the input multimedia streams, one or more transforms to operate on the multimedia data, stream sinks, and media sinks to provide the set of output multimedia streams. |
| US07937486B2 |
Information processing system, information providing apparatus, information providing method, information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
Systems and methods are disclosed for determining the preferences of a user of an information processing apparatus. This may be achieved, for example, by an information providing apparatus sending sample content data representing the contents database to the information processing apparatus. Then, the sample content data may be evaluated, and the evaluation results may be sent to the information providing apparatus. The information providing apparatus may then derive user preference information based on the evaluations results. |
| US07937485B2 |
Streaming gateway
The exemplary embodiments describe methods, systems, and products that intelligently translate between streaming formats. One such method receives a multimedia stream of data, with the multimedia stream of data having a streaming protocol. Network control data is received and indicates a level of demand for the multimedia stream of data. The multimedia stream of data is translated to a different streaming protocol to reduce bandwidth. The translated multimedia stream of data is then forwarded to a transport network. |
| US07937483B2 |
System and method of routing data packets using trunk ports and access ports
A system and method of routing data packets is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a first Internet Protocol (IP) data packet at a first access port of an access line card within a data router. The method also includes transmitting the first IP data packet from the first access port to a network line card within the data router, via a first trunk port of the access line card. The first access port is coupled to the first trunk port and not coupled to at least one other access port. The method further includes receiving a second IP data packet at a second trunk port of the access line card from the network line card. In addition, the method includes transmitting the second IP data packet from the second trunk port to a second access port of the access line card. |
| US07937481B1 |
System and methods for enterprise path management
Systems and methods are provided for disabling a device in an enterprise storage system. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving information identifying a device in a storage area network that is scheduled for an outage. The method further determines one or more paths impacted by the outage of the device, generates a notification identifying the determined one or more paths, and transmits the notification to one or more hosts having paths to the device. |
| US07937478B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for cooperation between a browser and a server to package small objects in one or more archives
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for reducing the loading time of a web page. In one embodiment, the apparatus, system, and method comprise requesting a web page from a web server, wherein requesting a web page from a web server comprises sending a browser parameter comprising an indicator to the web server, the indicator indicating that a browser is capable of receiving an archive. The present invention may further comprise receiving one or more archives from the web server, the one or more archives each comprising a plurality of archivable objects referenced by the web page, and rendering the web page using the plurality of archivable objects from the one or more archives. |
| US07937474B2 |
Method and apparatus for offloading network processes in a computer storage system
A system and method for offloading network processes from main processors of a storage system and performing them on parallel processing modules. Embodiments of the present invention improve performance of a clustered storage system by performing certain network processes in an accelerator module of a storage system node. The accelerator module receives multi-protocol protocol data units (PDUs) from a network interface, performs protocol operations on the PDUs to form file system requests and passes the file system requests to a local D-module. If a file system request is directed to a non-local D-module in the cluster, the accelerator module repackages the request for transmission to the appropriate D-module and passes it back to the network without using local D-module processing resources or passing data over the system bus. |
| US07937473B2 |
Resource-amount calculation system, and method and program thereof
A response-time-difference calculation/request-number converting means (523) calculates a change of throughput based on a response time monitoring result, a target value of the response time, a quantitative model and performance specification information. A server selection means (524) input the performance specification information in the quantitative model acquired to calculate a throughput of each of pool servers, selects a pool server having a throughput corresponding to a throughput larger than and closest to the change of throughput, and instructs provisioning means (513) to execute configuration modification control on the selected pool server (502). The provisioning means (513) modifies the configuration so that the pool server (502) functions as an application server. |
| US07937464B2 |
Download progress management gaming method
A modified form of the UDP multicast protocol is disclosed to implement a one-way download progress notification method between a server and one or more clients. The UDP multicast download progress notification method enables UDP messages to be sent only to registered clients, not broadcasted to all clients. This architecture minimizes network traffi c and enhances system security, since only registered clients receive the UDP message. The configuration of the UDP multicast download progress notification method does not require the configuration of network devices in order to support a UDP multicast. Furthermore, any number of the clients may be on a different network domain than the DCM engine. |
| US07937463B2 |
Method and server for invoking application servers in a SIP network
The invention concerns a method for invoking at least one service application server (AS) during a communication between an originating user agent (O_UA) and end user agent (T_UA). It consists at least in opening (A) two separate dialogues, between a service selecting function (SIF) and, respectively, the originating agent (O_UA) and the end agent (T_UA). The function (SIF) is substituted to the user agent (T_UA) in its dialogue with the user agent (O_UA) and to the user agent (O_UA) in its dialogue with the user agent (T_UA). The messages from the user agents during the two opened dialogues are stored (B) and at least one service conditional triggering criterion on the two dialogues is verified (C). If the triggering criterion is verified, at least part of the messages is restored (D) to the server so as to trigger the invocation thereof. The invention is useful for invoking application servers in a SIP network. |
| US07937461B2 |
Method for controlling a daily living activity monitoring system from a remote location
A system is provided for monitoring a user in a user living area. The system includes a system controller and an activity detection subsystem. The activity detection subsystem monitors a daily living activity of the user and provides information representative of the daily living activity to the system controller. The system controller includes a control circuit which generates a control signal in response to the daily living activity information obtained by the activity detection subsystem. Control information from the system controller is applied by way of a control information communication channel both to the activity detection subsystem and to a remote monitoring site. The activity detection subsystem may be a system for determining the movement of the user around the home, medication compliance by the user, problems with usage of stoves or other potentially dangerous appliances, and selected auxiliary appliances. |
| US07937458B2 |
On-demand software service system and method
An on-demand software and service access system has a remote processing system or remote service provider accessible via the Internet or other network, and a local system which runs on a user's local device. The remote system has a plurality of different software applications, operating systems, and central data storage means for selective access by authorized users from their local computer via a network or the Internet, as well as a profile manager for providing user registration, user login, and loading of user selected settings and services onto the local system. Usage of the selected software applications is provided on a subscription basis for applications required by users on a daily basis, as well as on a one-time purchase basis, for one time use, for use only for a specific time period, or permanently. |
| US07937457B2 |
Docking platform for developing portable packet processing applications in a network processor
An apparatus for developing portable packet processing applications on network processors includes a docking platform which provides a common interface for individual packet processing applications to be plugged into the network processing environment. Each application interacts with the docking platform through the common interfaces provided by the latter. The docking platform interacts with the other modules inside the system to accomplish the requests from the application. In this manner, the applications become “shielded” from the implementation details of the underlying hardware. The applications need not change when the network processor hardware features are changed. It therefore provides a universal packet processing programming environment in which applications can execute in a portable and flexible manner in various hardware architectures. |
| US07937449B1 |
System and method for enabling network stack processes in user mode and kernel mode to access kernel memory locations
Methods and apparatus provide for receiving a request for memory from a network stack subsystem running in user mode. The request is received at a listing of pointers that resides within the network stack but separate from kernel memory. Each available pointer in the listing of pointers references a particular free kernel memory location. In response to the request, the listing of pointers provides the network stack subsystem with at least one pointer to a free kernel memory location. Via the pointer, the network stack subsystem that received the pointer to the free kernel memory location directly writes at least one segment of a packet to the free kernel memory location. |
| US07937448B2 |
Remote copy with path selection and prioritization
A method for handling a remote copy request in a distributed storage includes providing a plurality of primary volumes within a primary storage system that is coupled to a primary host via a first network, the primary storage system being coupled to a secondary storage system via a second network. A first request is selected from a plurality of requests placed in a queue based on priority information associated with the requests. A first path group is selected from one or more path groups that could be used to transmit the request. The first request is transmitted to the secondary storage system using the first path group, the secondary storage system including a plurality of secondary volumes that are paired to the plurality of primary volumes. |
| US07937444B2 |
Systems and methods for forwarding text, voice, and data in a telecommunications network
A method for sending a message from a telecommunications device to a receiving device. The method includes recording the message as an audio file, receiving an address of the receiving device, and sending the audio file as an attachment to an electronic mail message to the receiving device. |
| US07937429B2 |
Taylor series-based transmission line equalization scheme
An equalization scheme for a transmission line employs a Taylor series expansion which enables the provided equalization to be adjusted based on line length. Multiple circuit blocks compute respective terms of the Taylor series, which are then summed to provide a compensating frequency response. For example, for a conductor having a frequency response given by H(f)=e−kl(1+j)√{square root over (f)}, where k is a constant dependent on the physical parameters of the conductor, l is the length of the conductor and f is the frequency of the signal propagated via the conductor, the present scheme provides an inverse frequency response H−1 (f) given by H−1 (f)= 1 + kl f 1 ! + k 2 l 2 f 2 ! + k 3 l 3 f 2 3 ! + … . The kl terms serve as weighting factors which vary with the length of the conductor. |
| US07937427B2 |
Digital generation of a chaotic numerical sequence
A method is provided for generating a chaotic sequence. The method includes selecting a plurality of polynomial equations. The method also includes using residue number system (RNS) arithmetic operations to respectively determine solutions for the polynomial equations. The solutions are iteratively computed and expressed as RNS residue values. The method further includes determining a series of digits in a weighted number system (e.g., a binary number system) based on the RNS residue values. According to an aspect of the invention, the method includes using a Chinese Remainder Theorem process to determine a series of digits in the weighted number system based on the RNS residue values. According to another aspect of the invention, the determining step comprises identifying a number in the weighted number system that is defined by the RNS residue values. |
| US07937425B2 |
Scalable 2×2 rotation processor for singular value decomposition
A two-plane rotation (TPR) approach to Gaussian elimination (Jacobi) is used for computational efficiency in determining rotation parameters. A rotation processor is constructed using the TPR approach to perform singular value decomposition (SVD) on two by two matrices yielding both eigenvalues and left and right eigenvectors. The rotation processor can then be replicated and interconnected to achieve higher dimensioned matrices. For higher dimensional matrices, the rotation processors on the diagonal solve the 2×2 rotation angles, broadcast the results to off-diagonal processors, whereby all processors perform matrix rotations in parallel. |
| US07937423B2 |
Systems and methods of conducting clinical research
Information management systems for clinical research, and related methods, are disclosed. The management system may have a database of biometric sample information. At least some of the pieces of sample information in the database may have been received from a test-subject in a first clinical research effort, and each piece of sample information may have a related pointer stored in the database. Each pointer may identify the location of clinical research information obtained during the first clinical research effort. |
| US07937416B2 |
Business intelligence data repository and data management system and method
A business intelligence and data management system is disclosed comprising a database for storing multi-dimensional business data from multiple online educational institutions; a usage tracking engine for recording within a user profile the time and duration of access to disparate system features. A reporting engine provides periodic and custom reports and a benchmarking engine facilitates comparison of internal institution data with aggregate data from multiple institutions, to compare student retention, course completion, student satisfaction, and student performance. The reporting engine provides reports on course retention rates, course evaluations, faculty evaluations, enrollment, student performance, and course run rates. The usage tracking engine, benchmarking engine, and reporting engine facilitate determination of best practices to improve student enrollment, student retention, course completion, student performance, and student satisfaction. A custom query engine facilitates freeform searches of business data and a data mining engine provides access to detailed data supporting the periodic reports. |
| US07937415B2 |
Apparatus and method for stripping business intelligence documents of references to unused data objects
A computer readable storage medium comprises executable instructions to provide a first report defining a plurality of references to a plurality of data objects. The plurality of references to the plurality of data objects is analyzed to identify references to unused data objects. The references to the unused data objects are removed from the plurality of references to generate a subset of references to a subset of data objects. A second report defining the subset of references to the subset of data objects is generated. |
| US07937413B2 |
Self-adaptive prefix encoding for stable node identifiers
A variable-length binary string is utilized to encode node identifiers in a tree for an XML document object model. A general prefix encoding scheme is followed; a node identifier is generated by the concatenation of encodings at each level of a tree along a path from a root node to another particular node. Arbitrary insertions are supported without change to existing node identifier encodings. In addition, the method provides for document order when unsigned binary string comparison is used to compare encoded node identifiers. In support of sub-document concurrency control, prefix encoding provides a way to derive ancestor-descendant relationships among nodes in a tree. Lastly, the encoding method provides a natural pre-order clustering sequence, also known as depth-first clustering. If a prefix is applied to an encoding with a level number, starting with zero at the root, width-first clustering will result. A mixed clustering can also be supported. |
| US07937412B2 |
Process and system for incorporating audit trail information of a media asset into the asset itself
An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the media asset is transferred and used. The integrated metadata accumulates, as a trail of source information and usage information in the enhanced media asset, and can be extracted upon arrival at a target computer system. |
| US07937410B2 |
Generic archiving of enterprise service oriented architecture data
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generic archiving of enterprise service oriented architecture data. In general, an identification of an instance of a business object to archive is received. Information defining the business object is retrieved. A schema for the type definition and a definition of the instances of the business object in accordance with the schema is generated. The schema may be in accordance with a platform-independent file format including information reflecting the hierarchy of the business object. The schema may include hierarchy levels that reflect each hierarchy level of the business object. Each hierarchy level, with the exception of hierarchy levels including references to stand-alone business objects, may have the respective attributes of the hierarchy level of the business object. Instance data may be generated to reflect the instance of the business object, the instance data being in accordance with the schema. |
| US07937408B2 |
Layout information for data element
Providing layout information includes assigning at least a first context value to layout information for a data element. The layout information is configured for use in displaying an instance of the data element in a graphical user interface. The method includes storing the layout information and the first context value in a schema definition for the data element. Providing display of data using layout information includes receiving a context definition. A data element is identified using the received context definition. A schema definition for the data element includes layout information with at least a first context value assigned thereto. The method further includes providing, using the layout information, an instance of the identified data element for display in a graphical user interface. |
| US07937407B2 |
Access control method, access control system, metadata controlling device, and transmitting apparatus
The present invention provides an access control method of controlling acceptance or rejection of access to content from metadata. The access control method according to the present invention includes a step of producing metadata 3A for content 6A and embedding a digital signature 4A of a producer who has produced the metadata as producer information in the produced metadata 3A, a step of embedding an identifier 5A indicating which metadata are accessible to the content in license information required to play back the content 6A, and an access propriety control step of comparing the digital signature 4A with the identifier 5A to control propriety of access to the content 6A from the produced metadata 3A. |
| US07937405B2 |
Serving advertisements based on content
Advertisers are permitted to put targeted ads on page on the web (or some other document of any media type). The present invention may do so by (i) obtaining content that includes available spots for ads, (ii) determining ads relevant to content, and/or (iii) combining content with ads determined to be relevant to the content. |
| US07937403B2 |
Time-based analysis of related keyword searching
Disclosed are apparatus and methods for displaying related search terms in a time sequence format. In example embodiments, a user search database, for retaining search terms that were used during specific times, may be available. The user search database may be searched to find which users have searched on a selected anchor term. The frequency of use of such anchor term may then be displayed in a time sequence format, e.g., over a week time period. The users that have used this selected anchor term may have also searched on other search terms, and the search terms that belong to a selected category of interest and were also used by the anchor term users may also be located in the user search database. These search terms from the selected category may also be displayed in a time sequence format, e.g., in the month preceding or proceeding the anchor use display's time period. |
| US07937398B2 |
Managing compound XML documents in a repository
A declarative mechanism is used to manage large documents within a repository. The large documents are sectioned into subdocuments that are linked together by a parent document. The combination of the parent document and subdocument is referred to as a compound document. There are multiple options for configuring rules to break up a source document into a compound document and naming the subdocuments. The compound documents may be queried using statements that treat the compound document as a single XML document, or the parent document of a subdocument may be queried and treated independently. Access control and versioning can be applied at the finer granularity of the subdocument. |
| US07937397B2 |
Apparatus and method for term context modeling for information retrieval
A novel method for going beyond the observed properties of a keyword, to a model in which the presence of a term in a document is assessed not by looking at the actual occurrence of that term, but by a set of non-independent supporting terms, defining the context. In other words, similarity is determined not by properties of the keyword, but by properties of the keyword's context. This yields a scoring for documents which is useful for ad hoc retrieval and, by extension, any information retrieval task where keyword-based similarity is needed. |
| US07937394B2 |
Method and system for dynamically processing ambiguous, reduced text search queries and highlighting results thereof
A method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has a name including one or more words. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query comprises a prefix substring of at least one word in the name of the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more words in the names thereof matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. They system also orders the one or more items of the group in accordance with given criteria. The names of the one or more items of the identified group are output to be displayed on the device operated by the user as ordered with the characters of the one or more words in the names corresponding to the prefix substring of the search query being highlighted. |
| US07937386B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for information extraction of textual documents
A method and system for text extraction employs structured annotations that are embedded within a text document and specify the start and end of a document segment and an associated rhetorical relation. The structured annotations are processed to generate and store variables that represent document segments and associated rhetorical relations. A user interacts with a computer to define query input that specifies at least one rhetorical relation of interest. The query input is processed to query the stored variables to identify document segments associated with a rhetorical relation that matches the rhetorical relation of interest and to return to the user information pertaining to the matching document segments. The rhetorical relation of interest as well as the stored variables can include RST relations whose meaning is dictated by nuclearity of the associated text as well as Speech Act relations whose meaning extends beyond the situational semantics of the associated text. |
| US07937384B2 |
Software and method for performing database operations
Elements of one or more database manipulation language (DML) commands strings are stored in tables, read from those tables and DML commands are generated. Storing these command elements in tables facilitates access to and modification of database commands used in data processing applications. Temporary storage control elements are also stored in and read from those tables. The DML query command string is executed, the retrieved data is stored in temporary storage as specified by the temporary storage control elements and is bound to the parameters to the DML storage command strings which are executed to modify target database tables. |
| US07937378B2 |
Concurrent lock-free skiplist with wait-free contains operator
Apparatus, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for performing a wait-free search of a concurrent, lock-free skiplist to determine existence of a sought-after key. |
| US07937377B2 |
Dynamic cluster database architecture
distributed database management system implemented on a cluster of computers. The cluster including disks organized as data nodes. The data nodes being locally connected to one or more computers in the cluster. The distributed database management system includes a distributed database manager layer having a lock manager, a resource manager, and an architecture manager. The lock manager serializes access to the data nodes in the cluster. The resource manager maintains a data representation of the resources of each computer in the cluster and makes the data available to other computers in the cluster to facilitate access to the resources by the other computers. The architecture manager defines logical ownership relationships between data nodes and computers in the cluster to permit the architecture of the database to be dynamically reconfigured to provide improved performance. |
| US07937375B2 |
Method and apparatus for masking index values in a database
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for masking index values in a database. During operation, the system receives a request to mask a column in a database, wherein the column is an index-column. Next, the system retrieves a tree which is used to index the column, wherein the tree provides a sorted representation of values in the column. The system then locates the root-node of the tree. Then, for each child-node in the tree, the system determines if the child-node is a leaf-node. If so, the system masks a node-value for the leaf-node without resorting the tree. If not, the system leaves the node-value unmasked. |
| US07937374B2 |
Electronic data management
A method of electronically administering instructions, includes receiving a new instruction; creating new instruction metadata from the new instruction; comparing the new instruction metadata to a data set of existing instruction metadata to identify existing instructions corresponding to the new instruction; determining whether the new instruction metadata indicates that the new instruction revises an existing instruction; comparing the new instruction to any corresponding existing instructions, where the new copy instruction metadata does not indicate that the new instruction revises an existing instruction, to determine if the new instruction revises the existing instructions; initiating revision workflow where the new instruction is determined to revise an existing instruction; and storing the new instruction metadata in the data set of existing instruction metadata and the new instruction in a corresponding data set of existing instructions. A system for electronically administering hundreds of instructions per hour and a computer program for electronically administering a new instruction are also presented. |
| US07937373B2 |
Method and apparatus for automated storage of event-substantiating data
A method for detecting an event and/or behavior of interest based on monitoring data and selectively storing portions of the monitoring data associated with the event and/or behavior of interest. Preferably, the method includes defining a hierarchy of event and/or behavior types so that the storing of a first behavior/event type is preferred over a second behavior/event type, especially when storing capacity is scarce. A data management apparatus including a logic device and a long-term storage memory apparatus, the logic device for detecting an event and/or behavior of interest based on monitoring data and selectively storing portions of the monitoring data associated with the event and/or behavior of interest on the long-term memory storage apparatus. |
| US07937372B2 |
Snapshot indexing
Managing backup data comprises mounting a snapshot of a file system. Each of the plurality of snapshots is taken at a particular time and each comprises a replica of the data set at that particular time. The mounted snapshot is accessed. For each of the one or more file system objects included in the accessed snapshot, index data is added which indicates that each of the one or more file system objects is located within the accessed snapshot. This information is added to an index associated with the snapshot so that it is able to be determined, using the index and without having to again mount the accessed snapshot, whether an object of interest is included in the snapshot. |
| US07937368B2 |
Method and mechanism for identifying transaction on a row of data
A method and mechanism for identifying one or more transactions that have modified or created an object in a database system. Also disclosed is a method and mechanism to compensate for the effects of a transaction in a database system is disclosed. The disclosed approach can be applied to perform auditing for changes and/or transactions in a database system and for identifying the scope of changes and data accesses made by a transaction in the system. |
| US07937361B2 |
Method of reflecting on another device a change to a browser cache on a handheld electronic device, and associated device
An improved handheld electronic device includes an Application Programming Interface (API) that generates various notifications in certain circumstances. The handheld electronic device provides an improved method of employing the notifications to enable another device to reflect a change to a browser cache on the handheld electronic device. |
| US07937359B1 |
Method of operation for parallel LCP solver
A method of operating a Linear Complementarity Problem (LCP) solver is disclosed, where the LCP solver is characterized by multiple execution units operating in parallel to implement a competent computational method adapted to resolve physics-based LCPs in real-time. |
| US07937357B2 |
Method and device for reproduction of information
Provision is made for an information reproduction scheme which is intelligent and adjusts to the desires and needs of the user in a manner which is almost unnoticeable to the user and is associated with little or no additional effort on the part of the user, in that the selection, from pieces of information or a plurality of pieces of information, of the information to be reproduced is performed randomly on the basis of an adaptive probability distribution, and the adaptive probability distribution is adapted based on a captured behavior of the user upon the reproduction of the information selected. Consequently, the user's behavior is used as a controlled variable for adapting the adaptive probability distribution, the latter one defining, among the reproducible information and/or those information objects wherein the reproducible information is provided, the likelihood that a specific piece of information provided in an information object will or will not be selected in the next random selection for the next piece of information to be reproduced. |
| US07937356B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for assessing viability of communication system arrangement transformation
Apparatus, and an associated method, for determining viability of transformation of a conventional computer system arrangement into a virtualized arrangement. A virtualization engine is provided that includes an assessor and a scorer. The assessor carries out an assessment process, such as a system assessment, a component assessment, and a cost assessment that assesses the viability of the transformation. And, a scorer provides a quantifiable score of the assessment results. The score is used in the decision-making process to decide whether to transform the arrangement into the virtualized arrangement. |
| US07937355B2 |
Decision tree multi-field classification dynamic rules updating and rebuilding
The present invention relates to a method and computer system device for applying a plurality of rules to data packets within a network computer system. A filter rule decision tree is updated by adding or deleting a rule. If deleting a filter rule then the decision tree is provided to a network data plane processor with an incremental delete of the filter rule. If adding a filter rule then either providing an incremental insertion of the filter rule to the decision tree or rebuilding the first decision tree into a second decision tree responsive to comparing a parameter to a threshold. In one embodiment the parameter and thresholds relate to depth values of the tree filter rule chained branches. In another the parameter and thresholds relate to a total count of rule additions since a building of the relevant tree. |
| US07937353B2 |
Method and system for determining whether to alter a firewall configuration
A method and system for determining whether to alter a firewall configuration. Message flow data associated with a message packet blocked by a firewall is received. The packet was blocked based on the firewall not having a message flow rule that permitted passage of the message packet. Risk values associated with a source network, destination network and destination port are identified by the message flow data. Based on the risk values, an electronic recommendation indicating whether to add to the firewall a message flow rule that permits the message flow to pass is determined and generated. |
| US07937351B2 |
Support vector machine using iterative chunking and violators
An implementation of SVM functionality improves efficiency, time consumption, and data security, reduces the parameter tuning challenges presented to the inexperienced user, and reduces the computational costs of building SVM models. A computer program product for support vector machine processing in a computer system comprises computer program instructions for storing data, providing an interface to client software, building a support vector machine model on at least a portion of the stored data, based on a plurality of model-building parameters, estimating values for at least some of the model-building parameters, and applying the support vector machine model using the stored data to generate a data mining output. |
| US07937350B2 |
Method, system and program product for determining a time for retraining a data mining model
The invention relates to a method for determining a time for retraining a data mining model, including the steps of: calculating multivariate statistics of a training model during a training phase; storing the multivariate statistics in the data mining model; evaluating reliability of the data mining model based on the multivariate statistics and at least one distribution parameter, and deciding to retrain the data mining model based on an arbitrary measure of one or more statistical parameters including an F-test statistical analysis. |
| US07937347B2 |
Method and apparatus for component association inference, failure diagnosis and misconfiguration detection based on historical failure data
A method (which can be computer implemented) for inferring component associations among a plurality of components in a distributed computing system includes the steps of obtaining status information for each pertinent component of the plurality of components, forming an N by D matrix, X, based on the status information, and factorizing the matrix X to obtain a first matrix indicative of the component associations to be inferred and a second matrix indicative of failure explanations for corresponding ones of the probe instances. N is a number of probe instances associated with a given time frame. D is a number of the plurality of components for which the associations are to be inferred. Techniques are also presented for forming a database with the status information. |
| US07937344B2 |
Machine data web
Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide the ability to organize and build understandings of machine data generated by a variety of information-processing environments. Machine data is a product of information-processing systems (e.g., activity logs, configuration files, messages, database records) and represents the evidence of particular events that have taken place and been recorded in raw data format. In one embodiment, machine data is turned into a machine data web by organizing machine data into events and then linking events together. |
| US07937343B2 |
Method and apparatus for randomized verification of neural nets
Described are techniques for using statistical analysis to reduce the number of samples required in accordance with statistical analysis confidence intervals to verify correctness of a component. These techniques may be used in verification of a neural network or other hardware or software component. |
| US07937342B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting spatial patterns
An HTM node learns a plurality of groups of sensed input patterns over time based on the frequency of temporal adjacency of the input patterns. An HTM node receives a new sensed input, the HTM node assigns probabilities as to the likelihood that the new sensed input matches each of the plurality of learned groups. The HTM node then combines this probability distribution (may be normalized) with previous state information to assign probabilities as to the likelihood that the new sensed input is part of each of the learned groups of the HTM node. Then, as described above, the distribution over the set of groups learned by the HTM node is passed to a higher level node. This process is repeated at higher level nodes to infer a cause of the newly sensed input. |
| US07937339B2 |
Method and apparatus for using bayesian networks for localization
The invention is a technique for performing sampling in connection with Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations in which no attempt is made to limit the selected samples to a selected slice of the entire sample domain, as is typical in Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling. Rather, samples are taken from the entire domain and any samples that fall below a randomly selected probability density level are discarded. |
| US07937337B2 |
System and method for generating robot genome
A system and method for generating a robot genome. Internal state attribute preferences of internal states and behavior preferences are input by a user, and a set of one or more robot genomes containing initial values of genes is generated. A masking process of each robot genome of the generated robot genome group is performed so attributes are manifested. Robot genomes that underwent the masking process are loaded into a personality engine. A reliability value is calculated from a manifestation result of each robot genome, and reliability values of extracted robot genomes that satisfy a particular user reliability value are determined. Extracted robot genomes are modified when the user reliability value is not satisfied, and a new robot genome group including the modified robot genomes is generated. A robot genome satisfying the user reliability is extracted by iteratively performing the above procedures for the newly generated robot genome group. |
| US07937335B2 |
Article and method for finding a compact representation to visualize complex decision trees
The invention comprises an article and method for transforming a complex or large decision tree having multiple variables; multiple values for each variable; and, multiple outcomes for each combination of variables and their associated values, into a compact, efficient graphical representation to provided enhanced ease of use and interaction by a human user. More particularly, the invention comprises a computationally efficient method for transforming an input decision tree into an optimal compact representation by computing a particular ordering of variables in the decision tree that first leads to a Directed Acyclic Graph, or “DAG,” with a minimum number of nodes. The method then converts the DAG into an exception-based DAG, or “EDAG,” with exactly one exception, having an optimal, minimum number of nodes with increased comprehensibility for a user. |
| US07937333B2 |
System and method for facilitating refunds of unused postage
A system and method for processing refund requests in a postage system is described. In one configuration, each mail piece includes a tracking code. The refund system monitors the tracking codes as mail pieces are processed in the mail stream. A user enters a refund request for a particular mail piece that is identified by a unique tracking code. The refund system then interrogates a tracking code database to determine if the mail piece was observed in the mail stream. The system then continues to periodically interrogate the tracking code database over a test period of a week to determine if the mail piece was observed in the mail stream. If the mail piece is not observed within the test period, a refund is processed. The system continues to interrogate the tracking code database for a year after the refund is processed to ensure that fraud is not committed. |
| US07937332B2 |
Automatic verification of postal indicia products
A method for verifying uniquely identifiable postal indicia in a closed loop system is provided. An embodiment of the method may include scanning a mail piece for human-readable and machine-readable images in a single image, including a postal indicium representing postage-related information associated with the mail piece, the postal indicium being uniquely identifiable and having human-readable and machine-readable portions. The method may further include sending information on the postal indicium to a point of automation for comparison against stored data on the postal indicium to determine whether the postal indicium is valid; receiving an instruction on how to handle the mail piece at the mail facility; and processing the mail piece in accordance with the received instructions. |
| US07937329B1 |
Method and system for remotely managing business and employee administration functions
A method for managing human resource services, including determining a profile of a first business, where the profile comprises a plurality of attributes of the first business; identifying a second business matching the profile of the first business; receiving a first human resource service requirement of the second business and a second human resource service requirement of the second business; sending the first human resource service requirement and the second human resource service requirement to a plurality of third party providers; receiving a plurality of products from the plurality of third part providers; generating a first benefits package comprising a first subset of the plurality of products, where the first benefits package satisfies the first human resource service requirement and the second human resource service requirement; and installing the first subset of products. |
| US07937325B2 |
Interactive bill payment center
A server on a data network including software for providing a bill payment service for a user comprising a bill-payment module for navigating to the user's multiple data sources on the data network collecting and aggregating data on behalf of the user comprising, a main interface for listing the bills due and payment accounts of the user, a plurality of links enabling viewing and manipulation of bill history, recurring payments, and automated transfer of funds between registered accounts and a link for viewing calendar data. The system further provides a plurality of drop-down menus wherein each menu is associated with a listed bill, the menus providing a plurality of selectable, interactive options for viewing, managing and paying a bill and a link embedded in the main interface for enabling selective or complete data refreshing of data displayed in the interface. |
| US07937323B2 |
Data source independent interface for an electronic bill presentment and payment system
An electronic bill presentment and payment system including an extensible, customizable, data source independent data layer for accessing a business data repository for processing billing information. The business data repositories use one or more data source formats. A business logic module generating business data requests for data from the business data repository in order to carry out processing of billing information. The business data requests are independent of the one or more data source formats of the business data repository. A data layer descriptor repository stores customizable data source descriptions for generating the data layer. The data layer is generated from the customizable descriptors in the data layer descriptor repository. The data layer module receives the data source independent business data requests and based on the request, the data layer implements a data source specific method for fulfilling the request by accessing data in the business data repository. The data layer module further returns a result back to the business logic module in data source independent format. The data layer descriptor repository preferably includes top-level listings of data sources in the system. The data layer descriptor repository further includes customized data source specifications for the each of the data sources listed in the customized set of data sources. |
| US07937320B2 |
Managed purchasing account for defined commodities
A purchase account may be managed to control purchases made using the account. An account number may be provided at a point of sale. The account number is associated with or includes an identifier for a class or type of goods or services. A merchant computer may receive the identifier and process it to determine whether what is proposed for purchase using the account is a qualified type of good or service. The computer may obtain a list of qualified or unqualified products and compare the list to what is proposed for purchase. In the alternative, the computer may provide instructions to a human operator for the merchant, who may determine whether or not the proposed product is qualified. If the proposed product is deemed qualified for purchase, use of the account may be approved; if otherwise, use of the account may be refused. |
| US07937316B2 |
Multi-basket structure for exchange traded fund (ETF)
A exchange-traded fund (ETF) has a multi-basket structure that allows shares of the ETF to be created using a different basket of assets than the basket of assets required to redeem shares of the ETF. A method for administering a multi-basket ETF comprises providing shares of the ETF to investors in exchange for assets defined in a published creation basket, providing assets defined in a published redemption basket to investors in exchange for shares of the ETF, and publishing a holdings basket that represents the assets held in the ETF. The multi-basket ETF can be used to implement an ETF holding assets that have a relatively low liquidity and/or accessibility. The multi-basket structure also enables financial strategies such as to minimize transaction costs, increase tax efficiency, access less liquid or less accessible markets or securities, and meet regulatory requirements and ETF investment objectives. |
| US07937315B2 |
Portfolio execution and reporting
A program trade order process and related market center are disclosed which accumulate program trade orders throughout the trading day and execute the accumulated program trade orders at a designated time. The process disclosed provides trade reporting and order surveillance capabilities as well. |
| US07937307B1 |
Electronic check presentment system and method having an item sequence capability
A system and method for performing Electronic Check Presentment (ECP) processing. The system and method employ digital imaging techniques to digitally image the physical checks as they arrive subsequent to posting of the ECP items. The images are electronically linked to the data records that represent the checks. During the proofing process, in which the data records for the ECP items are validated against the data records for the physical items, the records are updated such that the posting date and ISN number for the data records for the physical items reflect the posting date and ISN number of the ECP items. As the digital image of the check is electronically linked to the data records, the image is thus carries the posting date and ISN of the ECP item. |
| US07937305B1 |
Methods and systems for analyzing the status of an entity and its financial transactions
Methods and systems are provided for processing the financial information of a client of a financial institution. One method embodiment includes receiving data from an overdraft data source including at least one overdraft occurrence associated with a transaction performed in association with the client; analyzing the overdraft occurrence in an overdraft application to determine a cause and disposition of the overdraft occurrence in connection with the cause of the overdraft occurrence; and, communicating an overdraft report associated with the analyzing step to a manager associated with the client. Additional system and computer-readable medium embodiments of the present methods are also provided. In another aspect of the present methods and systems, historical overdraft issues are analyzed and reported to the management of a financial institution. System and computer-readable medium embodiments of these analysis and reporting methods are also provided. |
| US07937304B2 |
Information technology value strategy
The present invention provides a system and related method for automatically examining a technology expenditure by evaluating a company's financial data and evaluating factors affecting the company's shareholder return. Specifically, the present invention evaluates a company's spread through that company's debt and equity costs. The present invention further measures returns to investors from company growth, either organic growth or growth through Mergers and acquisitions. Proposed technology expenditures may then be evaluated according to their predicted changes to accounting values and the resulting changes in shareholder value from these changes. |
| US07937302B1 |
Methods and systems for monitoring, analyzing and reporting information in association with collateralized financial instruments
In one method embodiment of the present methods and systems, a computer-assisted method is provided for analyzing at least one financial instrument associated with a financial institution. The financial instrument has an associated collateral. The method includes receiving at least one collateral margin record from a collateral data source, wherein the collateral margin record includes information related to at least one collateral margin condition of the financial instrument; comparing at least a portion of the collateral margin record to at least one criterion; and, generating at least one of a report and a notification based on the step of comparing the collateral margin record to the criterion. Various aspects of the present method embodiments discussed herein can also be provided in accordance with various computer-readable media embodiments and system embodiments. |
| US07937300B2 |
System and method for providing interoperability between diameter policy control and charging in a 3GPP network
A system and method are described whereby interoperability is facilitated in a 3GPP network environment in combination with DIAMETER policy controls. Such interoperability enables updated policy rules to be fully communicated in on-line charging situations where quota expirations occur. This invention maintains centralized policy control in a 3GPP network with on-line charging. |
| US07937299B1 |
Systems and methods for preauthorizing check transactions
Systems and methods for performing preauthorization of check transactions are disclosed. In some check transactions such as ACH card transactions, the actual purchase amount is not known when the card is first presented to a merchant. Dispensing of gasoline for a fill-up is an example of such a transaction. Various embodiments of the systems and methods disclose preauthorizing such transaction before the actual purchase amount is known, and without placing a hold of the checking account corresponding to the card. In one embodiment, such preauthorization can be based on, for example, a likely purchase amount associated with the merchant. The actual amount, once determined, can be matched with the information used for preauthorization in various manners. |
| US07937298B2 |
Guaranteed RFID event delivery
An RFID event tracking and management system provides a standardized approach that can be utilized by various industry verticals. Guaranteed event delivery can ensure that any event data captured by an RFID device is written to persistent storage. A first guaranteed commit process can ensure that event data captured by an RFID device is written to a persistent queue, and the event data is not released from the RFID device until the event data is verified to be in the persistent queue. A second guaranteed commit process then ensures that the event data in the persistent queue is written to persistent storage, and the event data is not released from the persistent queue until the event data is verified to be in the persistent storage. |
| US07937290B2 |
Method and system for the sale of medical items
A system and method for selling medical items. The system comprises one or more vending machines and a service center. The system further comprises a communications network used to allow communication between a communication device located at a vending machine and a communication device located at the service center. An individual contemplating the purchase of a medical item from one of the vending machines can consult with a pharmacist located at the service center before making a purchase from the vending machine. In one embodiment of the invention, a purchase may be made at one of the vending machines only after the purchase has been approved by a pharmacist at the service center. |
| US07937289B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring unit depletion in an independent real-time mass storage unit system by using an estimated tare mass of the item
Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for estimating, refining, and using the tare mass for an item to determine and monitor item depletion. In response to detecting an initial presence of an item in the storage unit, a controller collects data about the item. The controller then searches a database for a recorded item containing the same item identification. The tare mass of the item is set equal to the refined tare mass of the recorded item retrieved from the database. The tare mass is then used to calculate a depletion threshold for the item. |
| US07937286B2 |
System and method for analyzing marketing efforts
The present invention relates to a method and system for evaluating the cause and effect of advertising and marketing programs using card transaction data. In one embodiment, access is provided to voluminous card-holder transaction data detailing accurate-to-the-penny transaction amounts, twenty-four hour active customers, and a multi-year transaction history per customer. Furthermore, such data is captured in real-time, and due to the sample size, can provide granular, statistically significant information at a local level for client and merchant coverage. |
| US07937283B2 |
Method for optimizing a maintenance program
The present invention discloses a method and a computer program for optimizing the implementation of a maintenance program for maintenance units. In the method of the invention, an estimated duration is determined for each maintenance module, a periodic working capacity is determined for each serviceman carrying out maintenance programs and location data is determined for each maintenance unit. Further the invention comprises optimizing the maintenance work comprised in the maintenance modules for each serviceman in such manner that the unbalance between the working capacity of the serviceman and the amount of maintenance work required by the maintenance units belonging to the maintenance domain attended to by the serviceman is minimized and the required traveling from a maintenance unit to another is minimized, so that the number of maintenance modules located in the vicinity of each maintenance module is maximized. |
| US07937278B1 |
Usage-based insurance cost determination system and method
A system and method for calculating and applying insurance costs. For vehicle insurance under one embodiment of the present invention, insurance costs are calculated on a per-mile basis in a nonlinear fashion, assigning different levels of risk based upon the distance driven by a customer. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first miles or kilometers driven by a customer are assigned a greater level of risk than later-driven miles or kilometers. The present invention provides an actuarial method that more closely conforms the cost of insurance for a particular vehicle to its annual mileage by creating a Rate Per Mile Factor (RMF), where the RMF is expressed as a function of annual mileage. |
| US07937277B2 |
Systems and methods for workflow processing
Systems and methods for processing a workflow are disclosed. Certain embodiments allow prescreened data to be inserted into a workflow. A user's interpretation of prescreened data can be compared with previously obtained characteristics, enabling the user's interpretive output to be monitored and improved. The disclosed systems and methods have applications including, but not limited to, training, performance analysis, process improvement, and data analysis and data mining in workflows. |
| US07937276B2 |
Computerized system and method for generating an immunization schedule in a healthcare environment
A computerized method and system for generation an immunization schedule for a person in healthcare environment is provided. The system receives a request for an immunization schedule for a person and obtains information from an electronic medical record of the person stored within a comprehensive healthcare system. The system obtains one or more immunization schedules and utilizes the information from the electronic medical record of the person and the immunization schedule to generate a customized immunization schedule for the person. In another embodiment, the system receives immunization information for a person and stores the immunization information in the electronic medical record of the person within a comprehensive healthcare system. |
| US07937273B2 |
Change collision calculation system and method
A method of performing a change collision calculation and corresponding system are described. The method comprises: determining a collision information change based on receipt of a change request. For each determined collision information change, the method comprises determining a cause of a collision based on the collision information and the change request, and determining a severity of the collision. The method also comprises ordering the collision information based on the severity, and storing the ordered collision information to a memory. |
| US07937271B2 |
Audio decoding using variable-length codebook application ranges
Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for decoding an audio signal from a frame-based bit stream. Each frame includes processing information pertaining to the frame and entropy-encoded quantization indexes representing audio data within the frame. The processing information includes: (i) code book indexes, (ii) code book application information specifying ranges of entropy-encoded quantization indexes to which the code books are to be applied, and (iii) window information. The entropy-encoded quantization indexes are decoded by applying the identified code books to the corresponding ranges of entropy-encoded quantization indexes. Subband samples are then generated by dequantizing the decoded quantization indexes, and a sequence of different window functions that were applied within a single frame of the audio data is identified based on the window information. Time-domain audio data are obtained by inverse-transforming the subband samples and using the plural different window functions indicated by the window information. |
| US07937268B2 |
Facilitating navigation of voice data
A system, system, and program for facilitating navigation of voice data are provided. Tokens are added to voice data based on predefined content criteria. Then, bidirectional scanning of the voice data to a next token within the voice data is enabled, such that navigation to pertinent locations within the voice data during playback is facilitated. When adding tokens to voice data, the voice data may be scanned to detect pauses, changes in voice inflection, and other vocal characteristics. Based on the detected vocal characteristics, tokens identifying ends of sentences, separations between words, and other structures are marked. In addition, when adding tokens to voice data, the voice data may be first converted to text. The text is then scanned for keywords, phrases, and types of information. Tokens are added in the voice data at locations identified within the text as meeting the predefined content criteria. |
| US07937264B2 |
Leveraging unlabeled data with a probabilistic graphical model
A general probabilistic formulation referred to as ‘Conditional Harmonic Mixing’ is provided, in which links between classification nodes are directed, a conditional probability matrix is associated with each link, and where the numbers of classes can vary from node to node. A posterior class probability at each node is updated by minimizing a divergence between its distribution and that predicted by its neighbors. For arbitrary graphs, as long as each unlabeled point is reachable from at least one training point, a solution generally always exists, is unique, and can be found by solving a sparse linear system iteratively. In one aspect, an automated data classification system is provided. The system includes a data set having at least one labeled category node in the data set. A semi-supervised learning component employs directed arcs to determine the label of at least one other unlabeled category node in the data set. |
| US07937256B2 |
Systems and methods of efficient library characterization for integrated circuit cell libraries
A method of efficient library characterization of a circuit of a logic gate having a plurality of transistors and a plurality of nodes defining interconnection points in the circuit is disclosed. The method includes determining a plurality of vectors for a plurality of arcs. Each of the plurality of vectors represents possible data bits to inputs and nodes of the logic gate. The method selects a plurality of substantially distinct vectors from the plurality of vectors for each of the plurality of arcs, and performs circuit pruning for each of the plurality of substantially distinct vectors, taking each one substantially distinct vector at a time. The circuit pruning includes identifying an active circuit for each vector. The active circuit is identified by determining which circuit features are activated when applying a particular one of the substantially distinct vectors. Then, the circuit simulations limited to a plurality of transistors in the active circuit are performed. The circuit pruning and circuit simulations are repeated for remaining ones of the plurality of substantially distinct vectors. The results of the circuit simulations are then stored on a non-volatile compute readable media, for each active circuit corresponding to each of the plurality of substantially distinct vectors. |
| US07937253B2 |
Virtual prototyping system and method
A computer method for simulating motion of at least a portion of a virtual body is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing a surfaced body model; capturing or computing motion data for an external surface of the surfaced body; dividing the body model into at least two volumes, one of the volumes comprising at least a portion of the external surface of the surfaced body and being a deformable volume, and one of the volumes being a prescribed motion volume, the two volumes defining an interfacial surface; moving the external surface of the surfaced body according to the motion data while computing motion of the interfacial surface; and, simulating motion of the portion of a body by driving motion of the interfacial surface through the computed motion to provide an accurately positioned moving deformable surface that can be used in garment design. |
| US07937251B2 |
Method and system for designing and modeling a product in a knowledge based engineering environment
An interactive design system includes a design application that creates and models a geometry of an object. A programming language application defines engineering rules that may be associated with the object. The programming language application associates the geometry of the object with the engineering rules such that any change made to the geometry is automatically reflected in the engineering rules and any change made to the engineering rules is reflected in the geometry. The programming language application may also generate one or more knowledge features that can be used to verify that associated parameter constraints have not been violated as a result of a geometry or engineering rule change before applying the desired changes. |
| US07937249B2 |
Computational model of the internal human pelvic environment
A computational model of the internal human pelvic environment. The model comprises meshed finite element regions corresponding to internal tissues or organs selected from the group consisting of pelvic muscles, vagina, vaginal walls, intestinal tissues, bowel tissues, bladder, bladder walls, cervix, and combinations thereof. |
| US07937248B2 |
Virtual time reversal acoustics for structural health monitoring
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for monitoring structures using virtual time reversal signal processing. In one embodiment, a signal having a frequency range is sent into a structure in a vehicle from a fixed transmitter to form an original transmitted signal. A response to the original transmitted signal is received at a fixed sensor associated with the structure to form a received response. The received response is reversed. The reversed response is processed using a transfer function to simulate propagation of the reversed response from the fixed sensor to the fixed transmitter to form a simulated time reversed response. The simulated time reversed response is a simulation of a response of the fixed transmitter to receiving the reversed response from the fixed sensor. The simulated time reversed response is analyzed to monitor for anomalies associated with the structure. |
| US07937247B2 |
Virtual metering
Methods for improving the accuracy of characterizing unmonitored paths or virtual meters in a utility system. The hierarchical arrangement of IEDs in the utility system is determined. Measured quantities of a characteristic of the utility being monitored are received and error-adjusted using statistical or absolute methods. The statistical method accounts for the mean and standard deviation associated with error measurements of the subject IED, and the absolute method uses the absolute value of the error measurement, expressed as a percentage, to produce ranges of measured quantities within an error tolerance. The differences between the error-adjusted quantities are analyzed to determine whether an unmonitored path exists, and if so, whether the virtual meter is consuming or supplying the utility. The order in which IEDs are read is determined so that a parent and its children are read in sequence to increase synchronicity of the received data and the virtual meter evaluation. |
| US07937245B2 |
Rendering of subsurface scattering effects in translucent objects
Embodiments are directed to modifying an existing scheme for providing translucent illumination in order to take account of subsurface scattering. The color of a selected point of a translucent object can be determined using existing methods. The existing methods need not take subsurface scattering into account. Then, a contribution to the color at the selected point due to subsurface scattering may be calculated. The contribution due to subsurface scattering may be calculated based on a photon map. Embodiments of the invention also include the use of different types of photon maps. In some embodiments, a standard photon map may be used. In other embodiments, a photon map may be defined in a manner similar to a depth map. Thus, the entries of a photon map may be defined in terms of an angle from a light source and a distance between an object's surface and a light source. |
| US07937237B2 |
Method for recognizing a sensor type
A first condition, which is met when a measuring signal (V_SENS) of a sensor exceeds a first threshold value (V_SW), is checked. A second condition, which is met when a gradient (GRD_V_SENS) of a measuring signal (V_SENS) is greater than a predefined second threshold (GRD_V_SW), is checked. If the first and second conditions are met, this is recognized on a sensor with a signal evaluation area multiplex output for the measuring signal. If at least one of the conditions is not met, this is recognized on a sensor without a signal evaluation area-multiplex output for the measuring signal. |
| US07937227B2 |
Method, apparatus, program, and recording medium for evaluating ultraviolet radiation protection effect
A method and apparatus for evaluating an ultraviolet radiation protection effect in a measurement sample is used for evaluating SPF (Sun Protection Factor). First, a temporal change of the spectral transmission spectrum in the measurement sample within a predetermined light wavelength range at predetermined wavelength intervals is measured. Second, a correlation between a light irradiating time and minimal erythema doses by predetermined lime intervals based on the temporal change of the spectral transmission spectrum is set. Third a predicted in vitro SPF in the measurement sample using a time until an accumulated minimal erythema dose that is obtained as a time integration of the minimal erythema doses based on the correlation obtained in the second step reaches 1 MED (Minimum Erythema Dose) is calculated. |
| US07937217B2 |
Bearing calculator and error correction method
A bearing calculator provided with a geomagnetic sensor for detecting earth-geomagnetism and a control unit for calculating a geographical bearing based on detection values of the geomagnetic sensor. The control unit can execute offset error correction processing for correcting the offset error to the geomagnetic sensor based on a change in the magnetic field inside the bearing calculator. When detection values of the geomagnetic sensor enter an abnormal state, it performs said offset error correction processing when the abnormal state continues for a predetermined time, while does not perform the offset error correction processing when the abnormal state ends within a predetermined time. |
| US07937216B2 |
System for monitoring propane or other consumable liquid in remotely located storage tanks
An improved apparatus and method for monitoring the levels of propane or other consumable liquid in remotely located storage tanks and coordinating delivery of liquid to those tanks, including an improved method of using the remote monitoring data to identify out-of-ordinary conditions at remote tanks, optimally schedule purchases or deliveries, improve safety, and more efficiently operate a propane dealership. More accurate and timely information concerning the status of customer tanks serves to improve operational efficiencies and increase safety. Data received from remote sensors can be collected and organized so that it is easily understood and utilized through the implementation of a user interface accessible via the Internet that allows the information to be presented in an efficient graphical and contextual fashion. Operational efficiencies can also be improved by calculating site-specific Degree-days and K-factors for each tank and by taking historical propane usage for each tank, weather conditions, and projected fuel usage into account. |
| US07937211B2 |
Internal combustion engine torque control
In a control device for an internal combustion engine including a throttle valve for adjusting the intake air amount that affects on the torque of the internal combustion engine, when a request for acceleration of the internal combustion engine is made, a torque gradient, which is a change in the torque of the internal combustion engine per unit time during the acceleration, is predicted based on an operating condition of the internal combustion engine before the acceleration, and the operation of the throttle valve is controlled based on the predicted torque gradient during the acceleration of the internal combustion engine. |
| US07937209B2 |
Air fuel ratio control system for internal combustion engines
A fuel control system of an engine system comprises a pre-catalyst exhaust gas oxygen (EGO) sensor and a control module. The pre-catalyst EGO sensor determines a pre-catalyst EGO signal based on an oxygen concentration of an exhaust gas. The control module determines at least one fuel command and determines at least one expected oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas. The control module determines a final fuel command for the engine system based on the pre-catalyst EGO signal, the fuel command, and the expected oxygen concentration. |
| US07937208B2 |
Apparatus for measuring EGR and method
An air breathing fuel consuming internal combustion engine with EGR and a control for the quantity of EGR. The total gas flow of the engine is calculated by measuring temperature and pressure at the intake to the engine. The fresh air flow is measured by an orifice or venturi at any point in the flow path for fresh air for combustion by the engine prior to the introduction of the EGR flow. The difference between the calculated total flow and fresh air flow is the actual EGR flow which is used to set the EGR relative to total flow according to one of a number of selected control algorithms. |
| US07937207B2 |
Exhaust gas purification system for internal combustion engine
An object of the present invention is to provide a technology that enables to enhance the effect of decreasing the NOx emission achieved by an exhaust gas purification system as a whole while favorably achieving both reduction in the amount of NOx generated in an internal combustion engine by means of EGR and reduction reaction of NOx in an NOx catalyst even when a reduction process for the NOx catalyst is performed while EGR is being performed. In the invention, in the case where addition of fuel into an exhaust pipe from a fuel addition valve 28 is performed to carry out the reduction process for the NOx catalyst 20 when EGR is being performed mainly by means of a low pressure EGR passage 23, the amount of the exhaust gas passing through the NOx catalyst 20 is decreased by decreasing the amount of the exhaust gas recirculated by the low pressure EGR passage 23. |
| US07937202B2 |
Seat belt/accelerator behavioral system
The computer 26 sends actuating signals to the resistive device 38 to resist the occupant input to the accelerator 22, but only when the vehicle speed exceeds a threshold while the seat belt 24 is not fastened about the occupant 28. This invention is characterized by applying the resistance and adjusting the threshold in proportion to the number of times the seat belt 24 is not fastened while the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold compared with the number of times the vehicle 20 exceeds the threshold speed. Also, the threshold may be adjusted so resistance may be applied at speeds that would normally be acceptable to have the seat belt 24 unfastened when the vehicle 20 is operated at these speeds too often. |
| US07937201B2 |
Method for producing a control instruction adaptable to a brake situation for a transmission device of a motor vehicle power train and corresponding device
A device delivers a torque setpoint signal applicable to the vehicle wheels of a motor vehicle including an automatic transmission. The torque setpoint signal has static and dynamic components that are set according to input data supplied by an input unit and based on a recorded list of parameters representing the driver's will, the motor vehicle state, and the environment thereof. The device includes a first unit for computing the dynamic component of a gross torque, a second unit for computing the static component of a gross torque, the second unit being connected to the output of the first unit, and a unit for adaptation to a brake situation producing the static component of the torque adapted to the braking situation according to the list of parameters. |
| US07937192B2 |
Detection of derailment by determining the rate of fall
A method and a device for the recognition of a derailment state of a wheel (RAD) of a rail vehicle. The acceleration of the wheel (RAD) is measured perpendicularly to a rail plane (ε) with at least one acceleration sensor (SEN), whereby from an acceleration signal (BSI) generated by the acceleration sensor (SEN) by means of simple integration (INT) over a time window of predeterminable magnitude, one determines a fall speed (FAG) of the wheel (RAD) in the direction of the rail plane (ε), and whereby on the basis of the determined fall speed (FAG), one examines whether a derailed state exists. |
| US07937188B2 |
Chip overheating protection
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for controlling the temperature of an internal device while reducing or minimizing the involvement of the host. Thus, some of the heat monitoring and remediation work may be offloaded to the actual device itself. The device may monitor its own temperature and, in the event of high temperature, perform device specific heat reduction actions without involving the host. Furthermore, the device may, upon detecting temperature within a predefined range, alert the host of a high temperature condition in order to allow the host to perform temperature reduction measures. Also, the device may, upon detecting temperature within a predefined range, alert the host of an impending device shutdown and shut the device down. In addition, the device may periodically save its temperature into non-volatile memory in order to create a temperature log. |
| US07937187B2 |
Computer controlled fertigation system and method
A system and a method of computer controlled irrigation and fertigation composed of one or more sensors positioned in order to quantify the amount of water and/or nutrients that a plant is consuming. By controlling the fertigation, the plant or a part thereof, has improved yield and quality. |
| US07937186B2 |
Device and method for automatically setting interlock between robots
A device and a method for automatically setting an interlock based on a suitable interference area obtained by executing an offline simulation in relation to a system including a plurality of robots. The device executes the simulation on the offline programming system based on a motion program so as to determine a moving path of the robots and a two-dimensional interference area between the robots. Next, the device calculates a first three-dimensional interference area by moving the two-dimensional area in the vertical direction and calculates an accurate second three-dimensional interference area within the first interference area, using three-dimensional models of the robots. |
| US07937185B2 |
Stable motion control system and method for a legged mobile robot
The motion of a robot is switched from a first motion, which the robot is currently performing, to a second motion. Postures of the robot in both the motions are pre-defined with a plurality of frames at a plurality of different time points. When switching from the first motion to the second motion, information is acquired on the frames corresponding to the second motion, and the posture of the robot is after the switching is controlled based on the acquired information. |
| US07937179B2 |
Dynamic inline yield analysis and prediction of a defect limited yield using inline inspection defects
In one embodiment, a method for predicting yield includes calculating a criticality factor (CF) for each of a plurality of defects detected in an inspection process step of a wafer, and determining a yield-loss contribution of the inspection process step to the final yield based on CFs of the plurality of defects and the yield model built for a relevant design. The yield-loss contribution of the inspection process step is then used to predict the final yield for the wafer. |
| US07937177B2 |
Manufacturing work in process management system
A method for addressing high Work In Process (WIP) conditions for increasing throughput while minimizing risk in a manufacturing line. Selected products to be skipped over during high WIP conditions include determining toolsets having work in process exceeding a certain threshold. For each of the toolsets, products which meet a criteria for skipping are selected. The selected products skip over to the toolset used in a subsequent process step ahead of product failing to meet the criteria for skipping. Solutions to this problem also include the WIP of the current process step, nominal WIP and WIP of subsequent process steps. Candidate lots for skipping process steps are identified by referencing a matrix of parameters that includes yield and criticality. |
| US07937176B2 |
Hybrid part installation process combining mass part installation techniques with discrete part number assembly activities
A hybrid data collection and component installation scheme for optimizing equipment cost, throughput, and quality practices in a multi-stage manufacturing environment. A kit comprising a plurality of parts corresponding to an order for a product is received from one of the stages in the multi-stage manufacturing environment. The parts in the kit were validated in the stage using data collected about the plurality of parts in the stage. At a subsequent stage in the manufacturing environment, a determination is made if the product qualifies for mass installation. If the product qualifies for mass installation, a set of parts in the kit is selected for mass installation. The set of parts are re-verified using the data collected in the previous stage in the environment to determine if the set of parts selected for mass installation is valid. If valid, the set of parts are installed en masse. |
| US07937173B2 |
Base display for an item of value and methods of making same
The present invention is directed to a novel method for creating a display for a valuable item. On one example, the method includes the steps of selecting an item to be display, selecting a base material to create a display, creating a three dimensional map of the item to be displayed, and milling the base using an instruction program to create a cavity within the base that is configured and adapted to receive the valuable item. The present invention is also directed to a novel base display for displaying an item of value. |
| US07937172B2 |
Program creating device for programmable controller, program creating method for programmable controller, and recording medium having program recorded thereon
It is an object to acquire a program creating device for a programmable controller which is able to create a sequence program without grasping a procedure of an address of an individual parameter area allocated to an object module when a setting of parameters of various functional modules for the programmable controller is executed.The device constitutes setting information creating means 12 for preparing module setting information of a parameter type for the programmable controller by using specific information which is included a functional module, analysis and conversion means 14 for creating a source file to be converted into a sequence program which programmed an operation of the programmable controller according to an analysis of a parameter of the module setting information, and program converting and inserting means 31 for converting a file created by the analysis and conversion means into the sequence program. |
| US07937164B2 |
Multivariate detection of abnormal conditions in a process plant
Methods and systems to detect abnormal operations in a process of a process plant include collecting on-line process data. The collected on-line process data is generated from a plurality of dependent and independent process variables of the process, such as a coker heater. A plurality of multivariate statistical models of the operation of the process are generated using corresponding sets of the process data. Each model is a measure of the operation of the process when the process is on-line at different times, and at least one model is a measure of the operation of the process when the process is on-line and operating normally. The models are executed to generate outputs corresponding to loading value metrics of a corresponding dependent process variable, and the loading value metrics are utilized to detect abnormal operations of the process. |
| US07937163B2 |
Medical control device and its system
A medical control system has a medical device, a medical control apparatus for controlling the medical device, and a display operation device for controlling the medical device. With the configuration, the medical device includes: a GUI setting information storage unit storing GUI setting information as setting information relating to design of a GUI screen configuring a graphical user interface (GUI) for controlling the medical device; a GUI setting information transmission unit transmitting the GUI setting information to the medical control apparatus. The medical control apparatus includes: a GUI generation unit generating a GUI screen image according to the transmitted GUI setting information; and an output unit outputting the generated GUI screen image to the display operation device. |
| US07937162B2 |
Machine operator interface having linked help feature
An operator interface for a machine is disclosed. The operator interface may have an operator interface device for receiving operator input corresponding to a requested machine function, wherein a machine function signal is generated in response to the received operator input. The operator interface may also have a help request device configured to receive an operator's request for information and generate a help signal. The operator interface may further have a controller in communication with the operator interface device and the help request device. The controller may be configured to provide information to the operator in response to receiving the help signal and the machine function signal. The information may relate to the requested machine function. |
| US07937160B2 |
Methods for delivering cortical electrode leads into patient's head
Methods and kits for delivering an electrode lead into the head of a patient are provided. A burr hole is formed within the cranium of the patient, and an electrode lead is threaded through the burr hole. The electrode lead is then placed in a pre-shaped two-dimensional geometry between the cranium and cortical brain tissue of the patient. An access anchor may be mounted into the burr hole to facilitate introduction and removal of the electrode lead and other devices. In some circumstances, it may be desirable to separate the dura mater overlying the cortical brain tissue from the cortical brain tissue to create a pocket in which the electrode lead may be manipulated. In this case, a tissue layer dissection device can be introduced through the burr hole, operated to separate the dura mater from the cranium, and then removed from the burr hole. In one embodiment, the dissection device comprises a balloon that can be inflated to separate the dura mater and cranium, and then deflated prior to removing the dissection device from the burr hole. |
| US07937156B2 |
Implantable device having osseointegrating protuberances
A housing for an implantable device to be secured to a patient's bone is disclosed. The housing comprises at least one osseointegrating protuberance extending from one or more surfaces of the housing adapted to abut the patient's bone. The at least one osseointegrating protuberance is configured to be extricated from the bone subsequent to osseointegration. The housing can be used, for example, for an implantable stimulator unit of a cochlear prosthetic device. |
| US07937153B2 |
Electrode with increased stability and method of manufacturing the same
An implantable electrode with increased stability having a clustered structure wherein the surface of the electrode is covered with a material comprising openings which are filled with sticks or posts. An implantable electrode with increased stability wherein the surface is of the electrode comprises mesh grids which are filled with sticks which are filed with a conducting or insulating material. A method of manufacturing an electrode with increased stability, comprising: depositing a metal layer on an base layer; applying photoresist layer on the metal layer; patterning the photoresist layer providing openings; electroplating the openings with metal; removing the photoresist layer leaving spaces; and filling the spaces with polymer. A method of manufacturing an electrode with increased stability, comprising: depositing a metal layer on an base layer; applying a polymer layer on the metal layer; applying photoresist layer on the polymer layer; patterning the photoresist layer providing openings; electroplating the openings with metal; and removing the photoresist layer. |
| US07937151B2 |
Implantable medical device with embedded programmable non-volatile memory
A system comprising an implantable medical device (IMD). The IMD includes a processor fabricated on an integrated circuit chip (IC), a random access memory (RAM) circuit fabricated on the same IC, and a programmable non-volatile memory (PNVM) circuit also fabricated on the same IC. |
| US07937144B2 |
Electric modulation of sympathetic nervous system
A method is described for the treatment of obesity or other disorders, by electrical activation or inhibition of the sympathetic nervous system. This activation or inhibition can be accomplished by electrically stimulating the greater splanchnic nerve or other portion of the sympathetic nervous system using an implantable pulse generator. This nerve activation can result in reduced food intake and increased energy expenditure. Reduced food intake may occur through a variety of mechanisms that reduce appetite and cause satiety. Increased adrenal gland hormone levels will result in increased energy expenditure. Fat and carbohydrate metabolism, which are also increased by sympathetic nerve activation, will accompany the increased energy expenditure. |
| US07937136B2 |
Cardiac mapping, including resolution map
A non-contact cardiac mapping method is disclosed that includes: (i) inserting a catheter into a heart cavity having an endocardium surface, the catheter including multiple, spatially distributed electrodes; (ii) measuring signals at the catheter electrodes in response to electrical activity in the heart cavity with the catheter spaced from the endocardium surface; and (iii) determining physiological information at multiple locations of the endocardium surface based on the measured signals and positions of the electrodes with respect to the endocardium surface. Related systems and computer programs are also disclosed. |
| US07937131B2 |
PET—MRI hybrid apparatus and method of implementing the same
There is provided a PET-MRI hybrid apparatus and method for integrating a PET image and an MRI image so that anatomical, hemodynamical and molecular information on human tissues are simultaneously presented in a single image. The PET-MRI hybrid system comprises a first scanner for obtaining anatomical and hemodynamical information, and a second scanner for obtaining molecular and functional information on the human tissues. Along a path between the first scanner and the second scanner, a transferring railway system which includes runs, and a movable bed for supporting a subject installed on the railway. The PET-MRI hybrid system also comprises a “RF+ magnetic” shield and a “magnetic” shield between path between the first scanner and the second scanner, which switch between an open status and a close status in a completely synchronized manner to assure a complete magnetic shield for the PET system at any given time. The subject is fastened on the bed and transferred along the railway between the first and second scanner to provide accurately fused MRI and PET images. |
| US07937128B2 |
Cyanotic infant sensor
A pulse oximetry sensor comprises emitters configured to transmit light having a plurality of wavelengths into a fleshy medium. A detector is responsive to the emitted light after absorption by constituents of pulsatile blood flowing within the medium so as to generate intensity signals. A sensor head has a light absorbing surface adapted to be disposed proximate the medium. The emitters and the detector are disposed proximate the sensor head. A detector window is defined by the sensor head and configured so as to limit the field-of-view of the detector. |
| US07937127B1 |
Radio terminal device
The present invention is for providing a radio terminal device having shock resistance and high rigidity capable of preventing breakage of the housing even in the case it is dropped from a hand, without the risk of deteriorating the performance of the stored antenna. The radio terminal device according to the invention comprises a printed board, a resin housing provided so as to cover one side surface of the printed board, a metal housing provided so as to cover the other side surface of the printed board, and an antenna provided on the one surface side of the printed board, wherein the resin housing and the metal housing are divided in a region elongating from the one side surface to the other side surface of the printed board. |
| US07937124B2 |
Versatile system for adaptive mobile station antenna
A system for providing an adaptive antenna system in a mobile communications device is disclosed. An array of antenna elements is provided. A sensing component is disposed along a surface of the mobile communications device, proximal to the array of antenna elements. A processor component is communicatively coupled to the sensing component. An implementation element is communicatively coupled to the processor component, and to the array of antenna elements. The sensor component generates data characterizing the proximity of a foreign object to the array of antenna elements; which the processing component uses to determine a configuration for the array of antenna elements. The implementation element modifies the array of antenna elements, responsive to the configuration determined by the processor component. |
| US07937122B2 |
Cellular phone
A plurality of operation portions are arranged at a surface on a sub-display side of a cellular phone with a camera so that various kinds of setting, selection and control can be performed without opening the cellular phone in its folded state, and the cellular phone can achieve improved operability and convenience. Cellular phone includes a first display portion at a surface of a first body opposed to a second body in the folded state, and includes a second display portion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portions arranged at a rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portion. |
| US07937120B2 |
System, apparatus and method for frequency based current reduction in wireless portable devices
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method, comprising reducing power consumption in a wireless device by adapting the bias current of active devices in the apparatus to the RF carrier frequency of the wireless device. |
| US07937118B2 |
Wireless audio distribution system with range based slow muting
A wireless audio distribution system includes a wireless headset for receiving a serial, digital bitstream including control data interspersed with digital data related to the audio channels, a manual audio channel selector switch; a manual volume adjustment control, an error detector and a muting circuit selectively reducing the volume level of the audio reproduced by the wireless headset in multiple steps based on errors detected by the error detector. |
| US07937115B2 |
Method for developing a personalized musical ring-tone for a mobile telephone based upon characters and length of a full name of a user
A method for developing a personalized music based (preferably blues-music based) ring-tone for a mobile telephone based upon characters and length of a full name of a user of the mobile telephone. The method includes the steps of logging onto an appropriate website having an appropriate algorithm programed therein, navigating through the appropriate website to an appropriate input box therein, entering the full name of the user in the appropriate input box of the appropriate website to form an inputted full name, activating the appropriate algorithm in the appropriate website, correlating by the appropriate algorithm each letter of the inputted full name of the user to a look-up table stored in a memory that correlates alphabetic letters to notes to form correlated notes based on a 5-note music scale and applied to one of several pre-determined rhythm tracks, keys, and tempos and based upon the length of the full name of the user, retrieving the correlated notes, playing back to the user using an MIDI instrument the correlated notes to form the personalized blues-based ring-tone for the mobile telephone based upon the characters and the length of the full name of the user of the mobile telephone, and downloading by the user of the mobile telephone the personalized blues-based ring-tone to the mobile telephone. |
| US07937113B2 |
Graphical display
A device may include logic to play songs. The device may also include a two level display. A first level of the display may display information to a user of the device, where the information is not associated with a song. A second level of the display may display graphical information to the user while a song is being played by the device. |
| US07937111B2 |
Wireless base station apparatus and wireless communication control method
A wireless base station apparatus (100) used in a wireless communications system includes a statistical processing unit (140) that performs statistical processing on downlink radio quality information reported from a wireless communications terminal device; a radio quality information offsetting unit (160) that adjusts the statistically processed downlink radio quality information based on a downlink transmission confirmation (ACK/NACK/DTX) message transmitted from the wireless communications terminal device and a required downlink quality; a transport format determination unit (170) that determines a downlink transport format based on the statistically processed radio quality information or the offset-adjusted radio quality information; and a transmitting unit (111) that transmits a downlink channel with the determined downlink transport format. |
| US07937109B2 |
Current source driver for common ground signal interface
A mobile computing device comprises a housing, a memory, a first current source driver, an audio interface and a processing circuit. The housing is configured to be held in a hand during use. The memory is configured to store audio data. The audio interface comprises a first terminal, a second terminal, and a common ground terminal for the first and second terminals. The processing circuit is configured to control the first current source driver to provide a first audio signal on the first terminal based on the audio data. |
| US07937107B2 |
Method and system for Bluetooth, near field communication and simultaneous FM transmission and reception functions
Methods and systems for wireless communication are disclosed and may comprise generating a first signal to enable transmission and/or reception of Bluetooth signals, and clocking direct digital frequency synthesizers (DDFSs) via the first signal to enable simultaneous transmission and reception of FM and NFC signals. The first signal may be generated via a Bluetooth LOGEN or PLL, and may comprise in-phase and quadrature components. The frequency of the first signal may be within the range of 2.4 GHz to 2.483 GHz, or mixed to result in a frequency within the same range. Control word inputs may be generated to control the DDFSs, and may be adjusted to compensate for changes in frequency of the first signal. Simultaneous NFC transmission and reception may be simulated by switching the control word inputs between a plurality of values in successive time intervals to perform time division duplexing, and may occur at different frequencies. |
| US07937106B2 |
Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including architectural embodiments of same
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion. |
| US07937101B2 |
System and method for performing communication in a wireless communication network
A wireless communication network is provided in which a plurality of radio devices achieve frequency diversity. By utilizing cognitive capability within the radio devices to iteratively select frequency sets, a lowest cardinality frequency set is generated and used to communicate amongst the plurality of radio devices. Each radio device can have different hardware, as the iterative selection of frequency set can take into account the different hardware capabilities of the radio devices. |
| US07937100B2 |
Method of updating channel information by a mobile station that is in power saving mode
A method of updating channel information by a mobile station (MS) that is in power saving mode is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes the MS which receives status information of a first channel descriptor and transmission frame information which includes when the first channel descriptor is to be transmitted. Furthermore, the MS compares status information of the first channel descriptor with status information of a second channel descriptor. Here, the second channel descriptor is stored in the MS. Lastly, if the compared status information are different, the MS receives the first channel descriptor according to the transmission frame information. |
| US07937096B2 |
Method and associated apparatus for distributed dynamic paging area clustering under heterogeneous access networks
In a telecommunication system, paging areas may be automatically reconfigured as required. Paging areas can be adaptively reconfigured in accordance with changes in movement traffic of mobile hosts. The system and method work under a constraint that only a limited number of area IDs are permitted for each paging unit area. Also, the system and method work over heterogeneous access networks. Thus, according to the presently disclosed embodiments, paging areas reconfigure themselves according to changes in movement traffic of mobile hosts. |
| US07937092B2 |
Method for providing a location information service in mobile communications system
In a method for providing a location information service based upon a user's location, when a user is currently located within a preferred location or preferred area set by the user to apply privacy with respect to a transmission of location information thereto, a procedure for requesting the user's authorization is performed before transmitting the user's location information, namely, a location server checks a location information request for the user located within the preferred location or preferred area according to a privacy profile within the corresponding location or area and performs a user notification and verification process according to the privacy profile, to thereafter determine whether to forward the location information according to the result of the verification. |
| US07937085B2 |
3G/GSM and WLAN integration of telephony
A Dual mode mobile terminal (MT2) comprising a WLAN interface (WLAN_NIC) and a cellular radio interface (GSM_NIC) has been described wherein when receiving a Page Request (6) message over the cellular radio interface (GSM_NIC), indicating an incoming voice call over the cellular radio interface, or upon receiving an indication from the user of the dual mode terminal to perform an outgoing voice call, performing a determination (7) as to whether a WLAN coverage is possible from an AP providing WLAN telephony calls, and if so responding, by issuing a WLAN call message (8) to a WLAN AP over the WLAN interface to an interworking node (IWFN). There is moreover provided an Interworking node (IWFN) comprising a cellular control unit (CTRL_SIP), a cellular unit (GSM_U), a voice over IP unit (VO_IP) and a router (R), which upon receiving a WLAN call (9) from a dual mode terminal via a WLAN AP, is establishing a connection against a serving mobile switching centre (S_MSC/VLR) (10,10a, 10b), is performing a call initiation procedure (12-15), a assign traffic channel procedure (16-20) and a call confirmation and call accepted procedure (22-27) between the dual mode terminal (MT2) and the serving switching mode centre (S_MSC/VLR), is initiating duplex GSM/IP translation (29) and is routing the cellular call between the AP and the serving mobile switching centre (S_MSC). |
| US07937079B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication network and software upgrading method
A base station control portion 200 selects one or plural signals from signals received by plural settable communication paths in accordance with the state of the wave. A wireless communication apparatus 110 communicates with a wireless terminal 300 and a wired communication network. When the wireless communication apparatus 110 receives a request for upgrading software from a network management device 250, the wireless communication apparatus 110 controls the state of the transmission wave of a wireless interface so as to switch a communication path in which communication services are being provided to another wireless communication apparatus 110 without blackouts, rewrites the set software to software having been received through a wired interface in advance, returns the state of the transmission wave of the wireless interface and upgrades software without blackouts of the supply of communication services to the wireless terminal 300. |
| US07937077B2 |
Electronic apparatus and computer-readable recording medium
An electronic apparatus, such as a mobile phone, that has a plurality of applications, displays an icon menu listing icons corresponding to the plurality of applications on its display section. The electronic apparatus stores an application operation setting table, which stores, for each of the plurality of applications, setting information regarding whether or not an RF block is to be driven in parallel with execution of the application. When displaying the icon menu, the electronic apparatus displays an icon corresponding to an application which is set not to drive the RF block in parallel with execution of it, by adding an icon indicating that the RF block is not to be driven, based on the setting information stored in the application operation setting table or setting information input from an input section. |
| US07937075B2 |
Mode changing of a mobile communications device and vehicle settings when the mobile communications device is in proximity to a vehicle
A driver of a vehicle is identified and a command is sent to a mobile communications device that is associated with the identified driver and that is in proximity of the vehicle to force the mobile communications device to change modes such as to enter a hands-free or other suitable mode. The driver may be identified through one or more techniques including biometric sensing, key detection, switch controls, and so forth. Additionally, the driver and/or feature settings preferred by the current driver may be identified by receiving data from the mobile communications device. The data may identify the driver ID with preferred feature settings, the mobile communications device which has an association to a driver ID with preferred feature settings, or the data may specify the preferred feature settings. |
| US07937074B2 |
Information terminal, and event notifying method
An information terminal of the present invention aims at informing the user of an occurrence of an event during the reproduction of contents without an unexpected feeling. An information terminal of the present invention, includes a contents reproducing unit 10 for reproducing contents, a contents reproducing unit 20 for informing an occurrence of an event by reproducing the contents, a superposing unit 70 for superposing respective outputs of the contents reproducing unit 10, 20, and a controlling unit 50 for causing an information of the occurrence of the event and a superposition of respective outputs of the contents reproducing unit 10, 20 to execute in a previously set reproducing procedure. |
| US07937073B2 |
Data session authentication credentials update for a wireless communication device
Methods and apparatus of a wireless portable communication device for maintaining appropriate authentication credentials for accessing a data application maintained in a service network are provided. A default access point name (APN) or network access identifier (NAI) is maintained in memory of the wireless device. The wireless device submits, via a default wireless network, the default APN or NAI for establishing a data session in the default wireless network. The wireless device is then able to receive, in the data session via the default wireless network, a message service using the common data application maintained in the service network. In response to a change in service subscription for the wireless device, the wireless device receives, via a current cellular network, a current APN or NAI and stores it in its memory. The wireless device then submits, via the current wireless network, the current APN or NAI for establishing a data session in the current wireless network. The wireless device is then able to receive, in the data session via the current wireless network, the message service using the common data application maintained in the service network. |
| US07937071B2 |
Device management system and method of controlling the same
A device management (DM) system and a method of controlling the same, are discussed. According to an embodiment, the DM system comprises a DM server for transmitting a notification message in response to a device control request of a user, the notification message including unique authentication information having previously stored unique information of a device and basic authentication information having a setup value for setting up communication; and a device having a DM client, for receiving the notification message, performing authentications using the basic authentication information and the unique authentication information, and discarding the notification message if the authentications using the basic authentication information and the unique authentication information fail. |
| US07937069B2 |
System and process for switching between cell phone and landline services
A system and a method for determining which type of telephone communication service to use. The system can include at least one base station, and at least one telephone communication system in communication with the base station. There can also be at least one computer which is in communication with at least one of the base station or the telephone communication system. There can also be at least one database system in communication with the computer. The database system can be for storing data for assisting the computer in selecting a particular telecommunication service to place a telephone call based upon a user's preferences. The database system can include a matrix which sets the price of the telephone call vs. the signal or reception quality of the call so that the computer or system will select the most desired calling plan based upon a user's criteria or preferences. |
| US07937066B2 |
Emergency conference calling system
An apparatus for the location of an object of value, such as a vehicle, includes a cell phone disposed in the vehicle and under microprocessor control. The cell phone is adapted to call an owner on detection of an alarm condition as well as to place a call to 911. The cell phone, according to a preferred embodiment, places the call to 911 under command by the owner and then establishes a three-way conference call between the owner and a 911 dispatcher who answers the 911 call. Other methods of creating the conference call and of using the apparatus are disclosed including call transfer and call relay modes of operation. Other features, including GPS coordinate acquisition and transmission, are described. |
| US07937060B2 |
Self-improving channel-access protocol for ad-hoc networks
A communication system includes devices configured to communicate with each other through a temporal sequence of frames. Each of these frames includes multiple sub-channels and network information. Note that the network information in a given frame transmitted from a first device includes identification information for a second device that is communicating with the first device and corresponding sub-channels used by the first device and the second device to transmit data. Furthermore, the first device and the second device are configured to dynamically reserve one or more sub-channels based on the network information when communicating with each other, and dynamic-reservation conflicts may occur in which the first device and the second device both reserve a common sub-channel. |
| US07937059B2 |
Converting an electromagnetic signal via sub-sampling
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for down-converting an electromagnetic (EM) signal by aliasing the EM signal are described herein. Briefly stated, such methods, systems, and apparatuses operate by receiving an EM signal and an aliasing signal having an aliasing rate. The EM signal is aliased according to the aliasing signal to down-convert the EM signal. The term aliasing, as used herein, refers to both down-converting an EM signal by under-sampling the EM signal at an aliasing rate, and down-converting an EM signal by transferring energy from the EM signal at the aliasing rate. In an embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to a demodulated baseband information signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is a frequency modulated (FM) signal, which is down-converted to a non-FM signal, such as a phase modulated (PM) signal or an amplitude modulated (AM) signal. |
| US07937057B2 |
Radio communication device
A spatial filtering adaptable for an interference wave that appears unsteadily can be implemented and also an interference canceling ability can be increased even in a condition that the interference wave does not steadily exist. At a time of non-active communication, the signals from a plurality of interference source radio communication devices 2 are received in advance by an interference signal receiving section 6 as the pre-process mode, then a resultant interference correlation matrix RI is stored in a storing section 7, and then an interference wave receiving antenna weight WI used to receive selectively the transmission signals from the interference source radio communication devices 2 is prepared based on the resultant interference correlation matrix RI. At a time of communication, the operation goes to the receiving process mode to normally receive the signal by a signal separating section 9, and a variation of the interference wave component is detected by an interference wave level detecting section 8 based on a signal power received using the interference wave receiving antenna weight WI. When the interference wave appears or changes, a desired wave separating/receiving antenna weight used to reduce the interference by using a new interference correlation matrix is changed adaptively. |
| US07937055B2 |
Timeshifting for a multiple-tuner vehicle radio system
Methods and apparatus are provided for timeshifting audio content in a multiple tuner audio system comprising a first tuner and a second tuner. One operating method involves maintaining a first data storage element for the first tuner, maintaining a second data storage element for the second tuner, receiving first audio content in realtime by the first tuner, and storing data representing the first audio content in the first data storage element, resulting in first stored content. The method also receives second audio content in realtime by the second tuner, and stores data representing the second audio content in the second data storage element, resulting in second stored content. The method thereafter generates a timeshifted audio signal corresponding to the first stored content or the second stored content. |
| US07937046B2 |
Wireless communication device for receiving mobile broadcasting signal and transmitting/receiving bluetooth signal with single antenna
Provided is a wireless communication device for receiving a mobile broadcasting signal and transmitting/receiving a Bluetooth® signal through a single antenna, which allows separation of the two signals using a difference in their frequency bands. A diplexer separates the signals using different band-pass filters. The signals are respectively input into a mobile broadcasting module and a Bluetooth® module. The wireless communication device allows reception of mobile broadcasting and Bluetooth signals within different frequency bands through a single antenna, thus achieving a compact and thin device with a reduced antenna mounting space. |
| US07937045B2 |
Softmultiband radio for ultra wide band
An ultra wide band device may announce a first idle message on a first ultra wide band sub-band associated with a first beacon group, announce a second idle message on a second ultra wide band sub-band associated with a second beacon group, and switch between the first and the second ultra wide band sub-bands to maintain a first connection with the first beacon group and a second connection with the second beacon group. |
| US07937040B2 |
Modulator apparatus having a mechanism for charging electronic devices and/or digital file decoding capabilities
A modulator apparatus comprising: an elongate housing having a distal portion and a proximal portion that flares outwardly from the distal portion; a cigarette lighter power adapter formed into the distal portion of the elongate housing; a user control panel located on the proximal portion of the elongate housing; an audio input jack in the elongate housing; a battery charging mechanism in the elongate housing for charging a battery of an external electronic device; a circuit located within the elongate housing and operably coupled to the cigarette lighter power adapter, the battery charging mechanism, the audio input jack, and the user control panel; and the circuit comprising means for transmitting an audio signal received by the audio input jack to a radio tuner. |
| US07937039B2 |
Object tagging system and method
A method of indexing information stored on a portable electronic device. The method includes receiving an association signal by the portable electronic device the association signal providing an indication of adjacent resources, accessing a database including a table storing relationships between data stored on the portable electronic device and the association signal, and indexing the data based on the relationships accessed in the database. |
| US07937037B2 |
Cleaning apparatus having an upper housing with varied thickness and image forming apparatus having the same
A cleaning apparatus include a cleaning member to remove a waste toner remaining in a photoconductive medium and a housing to support the cleaning member, including a waste toner admission portion to provide a transfer path of the waste toner removed by the cleaning member, and a waste toner collecting portion to store the waste toner. The housing has a first thickness corresponding to the waste toner admission portion and a second thickness corresponding to the waste toner collecting portion so that the first thickness is smaller than the second thickness. |
| US07937036B2 |
Collected developer conveying device and image forming apparatus which vents a developing container
A collected developer conveying device includes: a conveying passage through which collected developer is conveyed; a conveying member that is disposed in the conveying passage, and conveys the developer in the conveying passage by rotation thereof; a developer carrying body that holds developer on a surface thereof, and that is relatable; and a ventilation passage through which air passes from a developing container including the developer carrying body, wherein the conveying passage includes an air flow region formed in a part thereof upper than a rotational center of the conveying member in a gravitational direction, in a side of the conveying passage in which the conveying member rotates from an upper part of the conveying passage to a lower part thereof in the gravitational direction. |
| US07937035B2 |
Image forming apparatus including cleaning unit provided with cleaning member having free end facing upward and friction reducing unit, and image forming method
An image forming apparatus including: a rotatable image-carrier; a charging unit that contacts and charges a surface of the image-carrier; an exposing unit that exposes the surface and forms a latent-image; a developing unit that develops the latent-image with a developer; a transfer unit that transfers a developed-toner-image onto a transfer-receiving member; a cleaning unit that is provided with a plate shaped cleaning member having a free end that faces upwards a corner portion of the free end contacting the surface, the cleaning member cleaning off developer remaining on the surface after transfer, and a developer pooling member provided between the cleaning member and the transfer unit, that temporarily pools the cleaned off developer at the free end; and a friction-coefficient reducing unit that reduces a friction-coefficient at the surface, and that reduces the friction-coefficient during non-image forming period to less than that during image forming period is provided. |
| US07937033B2 |
Separating plate, fixing device having the separating plate with an edge part that abuts with the fixing member, method for producing the separating plate and image forming apparatus
A fixing device (55) including a fixing member (6), a pressure member (7) forcibly contacting with the fixing member, and a separating plate (1) for separating a transfer paper (9) ejected from a nipping part (8) formed by the fixing member and the pressure member contacting with the fixing member, from the fixing member, the separating plate including an edge part (2) disposed close to the fixing member, the separating plate being disposed relative to the fixing member so that a sum of a thickness of the edge part of the separating plate and a gap (10) formed between the edge part and the fixing member is lesser than a minimum lift height of the transfer paper ejected from the nipping part. |
| US07937024B2 |
Image forming apparatus utilizing technology of periodically varying rotational speed of motor
The image bearing member to improve transfer efficiency at an occasion of transferring a toner image from the image bearing member. A rotational speed of a motor rotating the image bearing member in a short period and thereby disorder in a toner image can be restrained to reach a low level. On the other hand, circumferential velocity between the image bearing member and paper can be provided large. Therefore improvement in transfer efficiency can be designed. |
| US07937023B2 |
Method and a composition for producing an undercoat layer using dialkyl malonate blocked isocyanates (for electrophotographic applications)
A method and a composition for the production of surface smoothing polyurethane layers for application to a substrate prior to subsequent application of a charge generation layer for electrophotographic applications by preparing a coating solution containing a dialkyl malonate capped isocyanate or polyisocyanate, a polyol and at least one finely-divided metal oxide, coating the substrate with the coating solution and heating the coating solution to a temperature up to about 140° C. |
| US07937022B2 |
Non-removable CRU light shield replacement for pull strip
This is a shroud for housing a replacement photoconductive drum. The shroud has an open gap at its top portion and this gap is covered by at least two overlapping flexible strips that are configured to allow a handle structure to pass therethrough on its way to an exit in the shroud where the photoconductive drum is pushed out of the shroud when installing the drum in a marking machine. |
| US07937017B2 |
Image forming apparatus
The belt cleaning unit receives a biasing force, receives a rotating force of an output gear connected to an input gear, and further receives a reaction force from a cleaning roller rotationally driven to be opposed to a transfer belt while in contact with it during a cleaning operation, thus the belt cleaning unit is pressed against a front wall of a front side support member. |
| US07937014B2 |
Image forming apparatus with cooling fan for cooling image holding members
An image forming apparatus includes plural image holding members that hold toner images, a belt unit, an apparatus side portion, and a fan unit. The belt unit includes a belt member disposed facing the plural image holding members. The apparatus side portion is disposed on an outer side of the belt unit in an axial direction of rotating shafts of the plural image holding members. The fan unit is disposed between the apparatus side portion and the belt unit and aerates end portions of the belt unit in the axial direction of the rotating shafts. |
| US07937011B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image controlling method
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; toner image formation means for forming a toner image on the image bearing member; removing means for removing deposited matter deposited on the image bearing member; detecting means for detecting a toner image to be detected, formed on the toner image formation means; control means for controlling a toner image forming condition of the toner image forming means in accordance with a result of detection of the toner image to be detected by the detecting means; the apparatus being operable in a mode in which the removing means operates to remove the deposition, and the detecting means operates to detect the toner image to be detected, executing means for executing an operation in the mode; and an operating portion for manually starting execution of the operation in the mode by the executing means. |
| US07937009B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of controlling the same according to bias voltages
An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive medium electrified by an electrifying apparatus to a predetermined electric potential, a plurality of color developing apparatuses which are fixed around the photoconductive medium, each color developing apparatus having a developing roller to adhere a predetermined color toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductive medium by a laser scanning unit, and a supplying roller to supply a toner to the developing roller, a voltage supplying apparatus to apply a predetermined bias voltage to the developing roller and the supplying roller, and a controlling apparatus to control a degree and a timing of applying the bias voltages to the developing roller and the supplying roller to control a movement state of the toner between the supplying roller and the developing roller. |
| US07937006B2 |
Image forming apparatus with improved pressure control
An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a fixing/pressurizing roller pair that nips a transfer sheet and transports to fix toner on the transfer sheet; a pressure control unit that controls a pressure demonstrated by the fixing/pressurizing roller pair in consideration of the type of the transfer sheet; a transfer sheet compatibility determining unit that determines whether or not the pressure set by the pressure control unit is compatible with the transfer sheet to be inserted between the fixing/pressurizing roller pair; and a control unit that performs a process to cause to notify a user of incompatibility and/or a process to forbid printing if the transfer sheet compatibility determining unit determines that the pressure set by the pressure control unit is not compatible with the transfer sheet. |
| US07937005B2 |
Image forming apparatus for processing an image in accordance with a sheet size of an image transfer sheet
A ROM (18) stores image forming driver information associated with a plurality of size groups into which a plurality of sets of sheet sizes close to each other are respectively sorted. When a sheet size of an image transfer sheet designated by an operator through an operating section (19) and a sheet size of an image transfer sheet detected by an image transfer sheet sensor (21) are different from one another, but both of the image transfer sheet sizes fall in the same size group, a CPU (15) allows an image forming section (16) to execute an image forming processing in accordance with image forming driver information corresponding to the image transfer sheet size designated by the operating section (19). |
| US07937004B2 |
Image forming apparatus having replaceable components
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus which forms an image on a paper including a detection unit to detect a present temperature of one component or a plurality of components to be replaced among components constituting the image forming apparatus and a control unit to determine whether the component is replaceable or not based on the detected present temperature and to execute a replacement guide for the component which is determined to be replaceable. |
| US07937002B2 |
Original document reading apparatus
A document reading apparatus has a controller for conveying original documents from a section for loading documents via a section for reading documents to a section on which the documents are stacked, and controlling an operation of reading the documents. The apparatus includes respective sections for reporting apparatus information, detecting a start instruction when reading a document, and counting sheets conveyed to the reading section. If the reading operation is suspended in the event of an error, the controller instructs the reporting section, when resuming the reading operation, to report the loading on the loading section of documents, including already-read documents, the controller subsequently controls conveyance of documents when the detecting section detects the start instruction, to set the conveyance speed of the already-read documents faster than the conveyance speed of subsequent documents on which the reading operation was suspended, based on the number of sheets counted until the suspension. |
| US07936985B2 |
Lens barrel and image pickup apparatus
A lens barrel having an increased strength against external impact. The lens barrel is configured to move in an optical axis direction. A photographic lens unit moves in the optical axis direction. A cylindrical unit is engaged with the photographic lens unit, and has an outer periphery formed thereon with a first cam groove followed by the photographic lens unit. The cylindrical unit performs rotation to thereby move the photographic lens unit in the optical axis direction. A rectilinear motion-causing restriction member is engaged with the cylindrical unit to restrict motion of the photographic lens unit to rectilinear motion. A second cylindrical unit is disposed around the photographic lens unit and the cylindrical unit to guide the photographic lens unit for rectilinear motion. A second rectilinear motion-causing restriction member restricts motion of the rectilinear motion-causing restriction member and the second cylindrical unit in a direction of rotation. |
| US07936983B2 |
Imaging device and apparatus installed with the same
An imaging device includes a light source layer having imaging light source units for radiating the imaging light containing a first wavelength on an object to be imaged, a detection layer having detection elements for detecting the light of the first wavelength radiated from the light source units, and a light-blocking unit interposed between the light source layer and the detection layer. The light source layer is held between the detection layer and the object to be imaged. The light-blocking unit is arranged in such a manner as to block the direct radiation of at least part of the light radiated from the light source units to the detection elements. |
| US07936980B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07936979B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07936978B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07936975B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07936974B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07936973B2 |
Detecting a content item in a digital video stream
The invention relates to a method of detecting a boundary of a content item in a digital video stream. The method comprises the steps of determining (130) an average bit rate of the video stream over a period of time, and detecting (140) a change of the average bit rate indicating the boundary of the content item. A moving average of the bit rate may be determined. The method can be used for an encrypted digital video stream. The invention also relates to a device for detecting a boundary of a content item in a digital video stream. The invention further relates to a receiver for receiving at least one content item in a digital broadcast video stream, and a video recorder for recording at least one TV program. |
| US07936972B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07936970B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07936962B2 |
High density optical fiber distribution enclosure
An optical fiber distribution enclosure includes a housing defining an interior, a first fiber distribution area disposed within an upper portion of the interior, a second fiber distribution area disposed within a lower portion of the interior and a signal splitting area disposed between the fiber distribution areas. A splitter module secured within the signal splitting area has a connectorized splitter input optical fiber and connectorized splitter output optical fibers. A fiber parking area is movably disposed within the lower portion adjacent the second fiber distribution area for temporarily storing splitter output optical fibers that are not routed to the fiber distribution areas. An input fiber distribution area disposed within the interior interconnects an optical fiber of a feeder cable with the splitter input optical fiber. The splitter output optical fibers are eventually routed to a fiber distribution area and interconnected with a corresponding optical fiber of a distribution cable. |
| US07936960B2 |
Optical fiber slack storage for splice trays and splice assemblies
There is provided splice trays and splice assemblies that include one or more optical fiber routing guides for optical fiber slack storage. The optical fiber routing guides are associated with individual or select groupings of splice holders in order to eliminate slack storage generally around the perimeter of the splice tray. Therefore, the optical fibers of one or a select number of splices may be routed separately from other optical fibers to enable technicians to more easily manipulate the fibers. In addition, optical fiber routing guides are included with a splice assembly in order to eliminate slack storage generally around the splice tray. The optical fiber routing guides additionally may define bend radiuses of between about 0.1 inch and about 0.5 inch. Therefore, splice trays and splice assemblies comprising the optical fiber routing guides may provide more convenient access and/or define smaller sizes compared to previous splice trays and splice assemblies. |
| US07936955B2 |
Waveguide for thermo optic device
A waveguide and resonator are formed on a lower cladding of a thermo optic device, each having a formation height that is substantially equal. Thereafter, the formation height of the waveguide is attenuated. In this manner, the aspect ratio as between the waveguide and resonator in an area where the waveguide and resonator front or face one another decreases (in comparison to the prior art) thereby restoring the synchronicity between the waveguide and the grating and allowing higher bandwidth configurations to be used. The waveguide attenuation is achieved by photomasking and etching the waveguide after the resonator and waveguide are formed. In one embodiment the photomasking and etching is performed after deposition of the upper cladding. In another, it is performed before the deposition. Thermo optic devices, thermo optic packages and fiber optic systems having these waveguides are also taught. |
| US07936954B2 |
Optical rotary joint with high return loss
An optical rotary joint comprises a first collimator arrangement for coupling-on first light-waveguides and a second collimator arrangement for coupling-on second light-waveguides, with the second collimator arrangement being supported to be rotatable relative to the first collimator arrangement about a rotation axis. A Dove prism is provided between the collimator arrangements as a derotating element. An intermediate layer is provided on at least one boundary face of an optical constituent part to a surrounding medium, which the intermediate layer comprises a nano-structure having a mean refractive index lying between a refractive index of a material of the optical constituent part and a refractive index of the medium of the surroundings. |
| US07936947B1 |
Method of processing image data
A method of processing image data for registration of multiple images to a common reference space comprising the step of computing a mapping between each image and a common reference image comprising an average of all of the images. |
| US07936946B2 |
Migration for old image database
Techniques are described for causing digital image data to be interpreted according to a particular technique of a plurality of techniques. According to an embodiment, digital sensor data is received, and user input is received that specifies which technique of a plurality of techniques to use to generate a display that depicts an unmodified image from the sensor data, wherein each technique of the plurality of techniques generates a display from the sensor data in a different manner than each other technique of the plurality of techniques. |
| US07936943B2 |
Correcting luminance non-uniformity in a tiled projection system
A method of correcting luminance non-uniformity in a tiled projection system is disclosed. The method includes projecting with a plurality of projection devices a composite image wherein the composite image comprises a plurality of tiled images on a display surface with an overall luminance and correcting a luminance non-uniformity of the plurality of tiled images, wherein the luminance non-uniformity is based on a dimmed at least one of the plurality of tiled images, wherein correcting the luminance non-uniformity comprises utilizing at least one of the plurality of projection devices to adjust the overall luminance of the plurality of tiled images on the display surface. |
| US07936937B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for attribute data encoding
M×N attribute data for M×N pixels, where M and N are integer multiple of “L” are input. Data expressed by L bits are encoded, A first encoding control step supplies the M×N attribute data to be encoded in an input order, causing encoding to be executed. A second encoding control step converts the M×N attribute data input into bit planes of bit 0 to bit L−1, extracts L-bit data from one converted bit plane, and supplies the extracted L-bit data for each bit plane, causing encoding to be executed. An amount of encoded data generated by the encoding under the control of the first encoding control step is compared with an amount of encoded data generated in the encoding under the control of the second encoding control step, and encoded data with a smaller amount are selected. The selected encoded data and identification information representing the selected data are then output. |
| US07936931B2 |
Image encoding apparatus and image decoding apparatus
A conversion control unit divides a transform coefficient into code blocks. A storing device has a storage capacity corresponding to data size of the code blocks. To the conversion control unit, rotation/inversion control information including information of the rotation angle and the inverting direction is input. The conversion control unit generates a control signal on the basis of the rotation/inversion control information and sub-band information of the transform coefficient. An address generating unit generates a write address on the basis of a control signal. By accessing the storing device in predetermined order on the basis of the write address at the time of writing the code block to the storing device, an image rotating/inverting process is performed. |
| US07936922B2 |
Method and apparatus for segmenting images
Method and apparatus for extending regions in two-dimensional (2-D) image space or volumes in three-dimensional (3-D) image space that are generated by a test area-based region growing mechanism. Embodiments of a dilation mechanism may perform post-processing of a region or volume generated by the test area-based region growing mechanism to correct for an edge inset resulting from a radius used to define the test area. The dilation mechanism may perform a morphological dilate to expand the region or volume to the proper edge of the desired object in the image data within the tolerance range of the threshold, and thus corrects for the inset error introduced by the test area radius used by the region growing mechanism. The dilation mechanism may be limited to extending the region or volume to the radius distance from the edge of the original region or volume generated by the region growing mechanism. |
| US07936918B2 |
Method of printing from digital camera system
A method of printing from a digital camera system. The method includes the steps of: retrieving a planarized linear image from a memory of the camera system; producing a dithered image in real-time from the retrieved planarized linear image; and printing the dithered image using a printhead supplied with colored inks. |
| US07936914B2 |
Authenticity determination method, apparatus, and program
To determine authenticity of a solid body simply and precisely, a reference area of a paper sheet which is genuine is optically read from two different directions, and the image is registered as a reference image. A check area of a paper sheet subjected to the authenticity determination, including the reference area and having a size larger than the reference area, is read from two different directions with a scanner, and data on a partial area having the same size as the reference area are extracted from each set of check data collected by the reading. For a set consisting of the reference image and the check image optically read from the same direction, the value of the correlation with the reference image is repetitively calculated by the normalized correlation method while the partial area is shifted within the check area. The maximum correlation value and the normalized score of the maximum correlation value are compared with respective thresholds to determine the authenticity of the paper sheet. If the paper sheet is determined to be “genuine” for the authenticity determination of each set, the paper sheet subjected to the authenticity determination is finally determined to be “genuine.” |
| US07936908B2 |
Graphical user interface for displaying a radiology image for a patient and an associated laboratory report summary
A user interface embodied on at least one computer readable medium for displaying a healthcare image for a patient and a clinical report for a patient simultaneously is provided. The interface comprises a first display area configured to display a healthcare image for a patient and a second display area configured to display a clinical report associated with the healthcare image simultaneously with the healthcare image for the patient, where the clinical report is created based on results other than the healthcare image. |
| US07936905B2 |
Method, system and program for authenticating a user by biometric information
A personal authentication method is provided for authenticating a user by cross-relation between an enrolled image and a verification image of biometric information of the user. Upon registration of the biometric information, the method generates a filter for scrambling the image and an inverse filter thereof, and applies the filter to the enrolled image generated from the biometric information to generate a registration template which is then stored to a memory. Upon authentication of the user, the method applies the inverse filter to the verification image generated from the biometric information collected from the user, and then verifies the identity of the user based on cross-relation between the verification image after application of the inverse filter and the registration template. |
| US07936902B2 |
Face feature point detection apparatus and feature point detection apparatus
Plural nodes are arranged at predetermined initial positions, and feature values at plural sampling points around each node are obtained as a node feature value of each corresponding node. An error estimator indicating displacement between the current position of each node and the position of corresponding feature point is obtained based on correlation information on a difference between the node feature value obtained in a state in which the plural nodes are arranged at correct positions of the corresponding feature points and the node feature value obtained in a state in which the plural nodes are arranged at wrong positions of the corresponding feature points in a learning image, correlation information on a difference between the correct position and the wrong position, and a node feature value of each node. The position of each feature point is estimated in an input image based on the error estimator and the current position of each node. |
| US07936901B2 |
System and method for encoding high density geometric symbol set
A system and related techniques provide a platform for encoding high density geometric symbol sets, for example a triangular barcode-type of encoding which may be used to encode drivers' licenses, biometric IDs, passports, or other transaction or identification media. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, an inkjet, laser or other printer or output device may imprint a paper, plastic or other media with geometric symbols such as triangles in a defined array, to represent, for instance, name, address, or other identifying information, for instance such as digital facial photographs, iris or retinal scans, fingerprints, signatures, or other information. The geometric symbols may in one regard be arranged in a staggered format, separated in embodiments by a white space that may serve to reduce aliasing effects and other distortions. Because triangular symbols may in general be packed more closely together, and the number of distinct individual symbols may scale according to the range of color space employed for the symbol set, information densities high enough to satisfactorily encode biometric iris or retinal scans, digital facial photographs, or other identification or other information may be achieved. In embodiments, error correcting processing such as Reed-Solomon techniques may be employed to enhance scanning accuracy. In further embodiments, a reference palette may be embedded within the imprinted media, to provide a scale against which color fading or other distortion may be measured. |
| US07936885B2 |
Audio/video reproducing systems, methods and computer program products that modify audio/video electrical signals in response to specific sounds/images
An audio/video reproducing system is automatically electronically controlled in response to specific sensed sounds, specific sensed images and/or specific sensed patterns of nonvisible electromagnetic radiation that are identified electronically from a predefined set of specific sounds, a predefined set of specific images and/or a predefined set of electromagnetic radiation patterns. User preferences may be set to identify specific combinations of sensed patterns. The sensed patterns may be ambient sensed patterns and/or remote sensed patterns. Related systems, methods and computer program products are also described. |
| US07936881B2 |
Method and system for transmitting signaling information over a data transport network
A method for transmitting signaling information, such as cryptographic key synchronization information, over a data path of a network, the data path having an originating end and a terminating end. The method uses in-band signaling to transmit the signaling information from the originating end of the data path to the terminating end of the data path without consuming any bandwidth of the data path. More specifically, the method includes the steps of receiving user data to be transmitted over the data path and encrypting this user data with a cryptographic key, thereby generating cipher data. The method next includes processing the cipher data such that the cipher data includes the signaling information, and mapping the cipher data including the signaling information into a traffic unit for transmission over the data path. |
| US07936873B2 |
Secure distribution of content using decryption keys
For digital rights management (DRM) of e.g. digitally delivered music or video, a technique to make the decryption keys more secure. The technique fragments a message (song or video or other) into a number of portions, and uses a different decryption key for each portion. Each of the various keys is a function of the preceding key, in one version. In another version, each key is a function of a seed value and of the particular portion of the material with which the key is associated. |
| US07936870B2 |
Rotation of keys during encryption/decryption
Data is encrypted according to a plurality of data keys. During the encryption of the data, the data keys are rotated according to a data key rotation pattern, and the rotation of the data keys includes repetitive use of the data keys during the encryption of the data. The encrypted data is transmitted to a receiver. Additionally or alternatively, encrypted data is received from a transmitter. The encrypted data is decrypted according to a plurality of data keys. During the decryption of the encrypted data, the data keys are rotated according to a data key rotation pattern, and the rotating of the data keys includes repetitive use of the data keys during the decryption of the encrypted data. |
| US07936864B2 |
Voice communication terminal, media server, and method for control of locking voice communication
A lock control technique suitable for voice communication terminals. A voice communication terminal includes an unattended state detecting unit which detects an unattended state of the terminal, when its user leaves the terminal, and a lock control unit. The lock control unit determines whether the unattended state detected by the unattended state detecting unit has continued for a given time period or longer. If determining that the unattended state has continued for the given time period or longer, the lock control unit controls the terminal's communication so that voice input to the terminal will not be transmitted to other parties in conversation and voice of any other party will not be output from the computer. |
| US07936863B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing communication tasks in a workflow
Methods and apparatus are provided for developing and processing workflows that include communication tasks. A workflow is generated according to the present invention by inserting at least one communication node in the workflow. The communication node associated is with a communication task having at least one property that is resolved at run time. For example, the media type, recipient list, or timing of a communication may be resolved at run-time. A workflow generation tool is provided that generates a workflow based on (i) a user selection of at least one communication node to insert in a workflow, and (ii) a user specification of one or more properties of the communication task, wherein at least one property of the communication task is resolved at run time. At run-time, a workflow engine parses at least communication node in a workflow associated with a communication task and having at least one property that is resolved at run time. |
| US07936860B2 |
X-ray condensing method and its device using phase restoration method
An X-ray condensing method and its device are provided with an X-ray mirror that has a wavefront adjustable function to finely adjust a wavefront of a reflecting X-ray, measure an X-ray intensity distribution in the vicinity of a focus, measure an X-ray intensity distribution in the vicinity of the X-ray mirror or use a known X-ray intensity distribution of an incident X-ray, calculate a complex amplitude distribution at the reflective surface by using a phase restoration method from the X-ray intensity distribution in the vicinity of the focus and the X-ray intensity distribution in the vicinity of the reflective surface, calculate a wavefront aberration of an X-ray condensing optical system from the complex amplitude distribution, and control the reflective surface of the X-ray mirror with the wavefront adjustable function so that the wavefront aberration is minimized. |
| US07936857B2 |
Phase selector for data transmitting device
A phase selector is disclosed. The phase selector is utilized for outputting an output clock to a flip-flop according to an input data signal latched by the flip-flop. The phase selector includes: a clock phase adjustor, for adjusting the delay of an input clock to generate a first clock and a second clock, wherein the clock phases of the first clock and the second clock are different; a phase detector, for detecting phase relation between the input data signal and the first clock to generate a detecting signal; a decision circuit, coupled to the phase detector, for generating a selecting signal according to the detecting signal; and a selection circuit, coupled to the decision circuit, for selecting the input clock or the second clock to generate the output clock to the flip-flop according to the selecting signal. |
| US07936854B2 |
Method and system of cycle slip framing in a deserializer
A method and system for cycle slip framing is disclosed. The method includes receiving an asynchronous signal and generating a synchronous pulse after receiving the asynchronous signal. The method further provides that the synchronous pulse be used to affect a bit slip that results in the moving of a character frame in the recovered data of a deserializer. According to one embodiment of the invention, the moving of the character frame is prompted by a single control signal of a clock divider circuit which causes the removal of a single clock cycle of a clock signal supplied to said deserializer. |
| US07936853B2 |
False frequency lock detector
A system and method are provided for detecting a false clock frequency lock in a clock and data recovery (CDR) device. The method accepts a digital raw data signal at a first rate and counts edge transitions in the raw data signal, creating a raw count. A clock signal is also accepted at a second rate. The clock signal is a timing reference recovered from the raw data signal. The raw data signal is sampled at a rate responsive to the clock signal, generating a sampled signal. Edge transitions are counted in the sampled signal, creating a sampled count. Then, the raw count is compared to the sampled count, to determine if the first rate is equal to the second rate. The method is used to determine if the second rate is less than the first rate—to detect if the clock signal is incorrectly locked to the first rate. |
| US07936848B2 |
Apparatus and method for estimating channel in broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system
An apparatus and a method for estimating a channel in a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a subcarrier demapper for extracting pilot symbols at preset positions for a channel estimation; and a channel estimator for acquiring channel estimate values of subcarriers through an Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filtering using the pilot symbols provided from the subcarrier demapper and a preset filter factor. Thus, the channel condition can be estimated by taking into account the channel change. |
| US07936847B2 |
Removal of matched waveform interference
Methods and systems of signal cancellation/separation for use in multi-signal communication environments are provided herein. Embodiments of the present invention use a feedback-optimized multi-signal multi-stage estimator with data-aided signal parameter estimation. Embodiments of the present invention require minimal information about the received signals and can be used to separate a desired signal from an interfering signal or two desired signals received on the same frequency. In the latter case, embodiments of the present invention effectively double the capacity of the communication system. Embodiments of the present invention are suitable for environments with intentional and/or unintentional jamming or interference. System embodiments of the present invention can be used as in-line solutions that can be inserted at different points in a receive chain. |
| US07936846B2 |
Low gate count sequential multitap correlator
A system and method of achieving a reduced time for first fix in a global positioning system receiver (GPS). The GPS receiver includes a low gate count sequential multitap correlator (102) in combination with a digital signal processor (106) and a down converter (101). The low gate count sequential multitap correlator (102) conducts sequential correlation on the incoming GPS signals using a multitapping and pipelining scheme. The multitapping process involves tapping the shift register and simultaneously correlating the signal samples and tapped chips. The pipelining process includes sampling data, mapping incoming samples, shifting carrier acquisition code, multiplying and accumulating the code and signal products. The digital signal processor conducts the frequency search. |
| US07936845B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer-readable recording medium for setting signal correction-magnitude
Equal-length group data obtained by grouping together slot pairs connected by a wiring pattern of equal length is stored in advance. Error rate is determined while changing a pre-emphasis (PE) setting value and an equalizer (EQ) setting value of a signal transmitted between a specified slot pair. The slot pairs belonging to the same equal-length group as the specified slot pair are selected based on the equal-length group data, and optimum PE and EQ setting values, determined based on the error rate, are set for the signals transmitted between the selected slot pairs. |
| US07936838B2 |
Wireless communication system, receiving apparatus, modulating method for use therein, and program therefor
It is an object to provide a receiving apparatus which is capable of demodulating signals with a very simple arrangement. Receiving apparatus 1 has N reception antennas 11-1-11-N, and reception antennas 11-1-11-N receive signals. Channel coefficient estimator 12 estimates and outputs channel coefficients from the signals received by respective reception antennas 11-1-11-N. QR decomposer 13 is supplied with a channel matrix having the channel coefficients as its elements, performs QR decomposition on the channel matrix, and outputs a Q matrix and an R matrix. A QH processor 14 is supplied with the Q matrix and the received signals, multiplies the received signals by a complex conjugate transposed matrix of the Q matrix, and outputs converted signal z. A transmitted sequence estimator 15 is supplied with converted signal z and the R matrix and estimates transmitted sequences. |
| US07936833B2 |
Method and system for efficient transmission and reception of RF energy in MIMO systems using polar modulation and direct digital frequency synthesis
Aspects of a method and system for efficient transmission and reception of RF energy in MIMO systems using polar modulation and direct digital frequency synthesis are provided. A plurality of carrier signals in a MIMO system may be polar modulated utilizing polar modulation. One or more direct digital frequency synthesizer may be utilized to phase modulate the plurality of carrier signals. The direct digital frequency synthesizer may be modulated utilizing a single reference clock. The clock may be a single fixed-frequency reference clock. The plurality of carrier signals may be amplitude modulated by controlling a gain of a power amplifier. |
| US07936830B2 |
Active rectifier with load impedance switching
Active rectification with load impedance switching for communication across a pulse transformer is presented. Load impedance switching is used for communicating data from the secondary side of the transformer to the primary side during data frames. During power frames, the load impedance is switched to a capacitor for the storage of charge from received power pulses, which may then be converted into a power source. The active rectifier circuit is configurable to accommodate different power requirements and transformer characteristics, and may be implemented with half-wave or full-wave configurations. In active mode, switches are enabled to short out diodes such that diode voltage losses are overcome in the recovered power supply voltage. |
| US07936827B2 |
Information processing apparatus having receiving device that receives video data
An information processing apparatus includes a receiving device and a control unit. The receiving device includes a plurality of processing unit containing an interface unit. The control unit includes an input source detection module, a transfer instruction detection module and a power-saving control module. The input source detection module detects an input source necessary for execution of a video reproduction program. The transfer instruction detection module detects a video data transfer instruction from the video reproduction program. When the video data transfer instruction is detected, the power-saving control module enables some of the processing units except the interface unit and sets the others of the processing units in power-saving mode. The enabled processing units receive a video signal from the input source detected by the input source detection module and convert the video signal into video data of given format. |
| US07936825B2 |
Moving image coding method and moving image decoding method
A moving picture coding apparatus (10a) according to the present invention includes a level analyzer (100a) that decides the maximum number of intra frame pixels which can be coded (Nfpx) and the maximum number of storage pixels which can be stored in a picture memory of a decoding apparatus (Nspx) on the basis of a level identifier (Lst) indicating a coding level that is designated by the user, thereby judging whether coding of an input image is possible or not and calculating the maximum number of reference pictures (Nrpn) as the number of reference candidate pictures which can be referred to at inter picture prediction coding, on the basis of the maximum number of intra frame pixels (Nfpx) and the input image size (the number of vertical pixels (Nhpx) and the number of horizontal pixels (Nwpx)). A decoding apparatus to which a bit stream from the moving picture coding apparatus (10a) is supplied can always decode the bit stream satisfactorily, and perform inter picture prediction decoding corresponding to the inter picture prediction coding on the coding end. Consequently, memory areas of a coding apparatus and a decoding apparatus that are adapted to a coding method in which there is no restraint on the capacity of the memory area can be designed. |
| US07936824B2 |
Method for coding and decoding moving picture
Provided is a method of coding and decoding a moving image, which can optimize the coding rate and reduce the time required for decoding the first image frame during an operation of displaying the image. The coding method includes receiving an image, determining the number of frames in a GOP to be decoded with respect to the image, performing a 3D wavelet transformation on the GOP, and coding the results of the 3D wavelet transformation. |
| US07936823B2 |
Moving picture encoding method and decoding method
A moving picture decoding method, which generates a predicted image using information on motion vectors and information on reference images, the moving picture decoding method having a prediction mode including a mode without motion vector decoding, including: selecting a frame(s) to be referenced to in the prediction of each prediction direction in the prediction mode from among multiple candidate reference frames; and selecting motion vector information used in the prediction mode, wherein the selecting of a motion vector information is performed based on whether candidate blocks including the block adjacent to the left side of or the upper side of a current block have a motion vector; and moving picture decoding is performed by generating the predicted image using the information on the selected reference frame and the information on the selected motion vectors in the prediction mode. |
| US07936821B2 |
Moving picture encoding method and decoding method
A moving picture encoding method which generates a predicted image using information on motion vectors and information on reference images, the moving picture encoding method having multiple prediction modes including a mode without motion vector encoding, including: a step of selecting a frame(s) to be referenced to in the prediction of each prediction direction in the prediction mode from among multiple candidate reference frames, and a step of selecting motion vector information used in the prediction mode, wherein said step of selecting motion vector information is performed based on whether blocks adjacent to a current block have a motion vector; and moving picture encoding is performed by generating said predicted image using the information on said selected reference frame and the information on said selected motion vectors in said prediction mode. |
| US07936818B2 |
Efficient compression and transport of video over a network
Provided is an enhancement to the Video Encoder component of the MPEG standard to improve both the efficiency and quality of the video presentation at the display device. |
| US07936814B2 |
Cascaded output for an encoder system using multiple encoders
Plural encoders operating in parallel to achieve a desired data rate have their respective outputs combined by an autonomously operating arrangement for transfer of data to a direct memory access arrangement from respective encoders in order in response to a signal asserted upon completion of encoding and output of encoded data corresponding to a predetermined portion of input data. Buffering of encoder output can be either internal or external to the encoders. Zero bytes which may be inherently generated at the beginning and end of an encoder output stream may be suppressed to improve encoded signal quality and efficiency. |
| US07936811B2 |
Modulation apparatus, modulation method, and demodulation apparatus
A modulating device capable of generating an OFDM signal and having a drastically improved frequency use efficiency. The modulating device has modulators (6, 8 (11, 13, 106, 108, 111, 113)) for modulating a signal to be modulated and having a Nyquist roll-off frequency characteristic with a carrier frequency having a difference two times the Nyquist frequency and combiners (10(15, 110, 115)) for generating modulation output having a speed two times that of the signal to demodulated and the same Nyquist roll-off slope as the signal to be modulated by combining the outputs of the modulators (6, 8 (11, 13, 106, 108, 111, 113)). Thus a double speed wave can be superposed on the same frequency without varying the roll-off slope of the Nyquist characteristic, and therefore an OFDM signal (19) having a drastically improved frequency use efficiency is provided. |
| US07936806B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiplexing frequency hopping in a communication system
A method and apparatus for multiplexing frequency hopping in a wireless communication system using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) is provided. The frequency hopping multiplexing method and apparatus efficiently indicates time division multiplexing for global hopping and local hopping by indicating and using the number and positions of slots for global hopping and local hopping to time-division-multiplex global hopping and local hopping in a reverse link, depending on information the number of Distributed Resource CHannels (DRCHs), provided from a transmitting side over a Forward link Secondary Broadcast Control CHannel (F-SBCCH), which is one of the forward common channels. |
| US07936803B2 |
External cavity semiconductor laser
An external cavity semiconductor laser including a first and second input-output section disposed on a common end surface via a center axis, and a semiconductor laser device emitting a first and second laser light from the first and second input-output sections in two directions. The laser device includes a first reflecting unit for reflecting the first laser light emitted from the first input-output section and returning the reflected first laser light to the first input-output section, a second reflecting unit for reflecting the second laser light emitted from the second input-output section and returning the reflected second laser light to the second input-output section, a third reflecting unit provided to a second end surface disposed opposite a first end surface having first and second input-output sections for reflecting laser light returned to one of the input-output sections so as to be emitted from the other one of the input-output sections. |
| US07936802B2 |
Co-extruded multilayer polymers films for all-polymer lasers
A polymer film laser is provided that comprises a plurality of extruded polymer layers. The plurality of extruded polymer layers comprises a plurality of alternating dielectric layers of a first polymer material having a first refractive index and a second polymer material having second refractive index different than the first refractive index. |
| US07936801B2 |
Two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser light source
An objective of the present invention is to provide a surface emitting laser capable of selectively generating a laser oscillation in the fundamental mode and thereby emitting a single-wavelength laser light. In a surface emitting laser including an active layer and a two-dimensional photonic crystal provided on one side of the active layer, a reflector 45 or 46 is provided at least at a portion of the circumference of the two-dimensional photonic crystal. The reflector has a reflectance distribution in which the reflectance has a maximum value at a position where the amplitude envelope of the fundamental mode of an internal resonance light created within the two-dimensional photonic crystal. This design strengthens the fundamental mode while suppressing the second mode, thus enabling the laser oscillation in the fundamental mode to be selectively obtained, so that a single-wavelength laser light can be emitted. |
| US07936800B2 |
Light source device and projector
A light source device includes a plurality of light emission sections disposed in parallel with an interval, wherein the interval for the light emission sections near each end portion in an array of the light emission sections is narrower than the interval near a center portion in the array. |
| US07936797B2 |
Laser apparatus and output control method of laser apparatus
A laser apparatus includes: a laser light source; an output member for receiving and transmitting a laser light flux generated by the laser light flux, and outputting a laser light flux; an optical aligning member for positioning the laser light flux generated by the laser light source to the output member; a drive for driving the optical aligning member; a drive controller; an output detector for outputting a detected output representing an intensity of a laser light flux outputted from the output member; and an output controller. The drive controller controls the drive to drive the optical aligning member and the output controller changes a power of the laser light flux generated by the light source, based on the detected output. |
| US07936796B2 |
Apparatus for providing optical radiation
In one embodiment, a photo-darkening resistant optical fiber includes a waveguide having a numerical aperture less than 0.15. The waveguide includes a core having a refractive index n1 and a pedestal having a refractive index n2, and wherein the fiber includes a first cladding having a refractive index n3 surrounding the pedestal, wherein n1 is greater than n2, n2 is greater than n3. The core includes silica, a concentration of alumina of between approximately 0.3 to 0.8 mole percent, a concentration of phosphate of substantially 15 mole percent, a concentration of ytterbium substantially in the range 20000 to 45000 ppm. The pedestal can include silica, phosphate and germania. The core can have substantially zero thulium dopant. |
| US07936791B2 |
Frame transmission system and frame transmission apparatus
A frame transmission apparatus collects a plurality of frames supplied via multiple cables forming a single logic path based on link aggregation setting and outputs the collected frames to a single output line. The frame transmission apparatus includes a delay information storage unit which stores delay information indicating a transmission delay of each of the multiple cables, a reception timing correcting unit which corrects reception timings of the plurality of frames supplied via the multiple cables for the delay information corresponding to the multiple cables through which the plurality of frames have been supplied, and a data recovery unit which collects the plurality of frames supplied via the multiple cables in an order of the reception timings corrected by the reception timing correcting unit and outputs the collected frames to the output line. |
| US07936790B2 |
Synchronizing related data streams in interconnection networks
A method and apparatus for synchronizing related data streams in interconnection networks. Some embodiments of an apparatus include a transmitter to transmit a data stream to a second apparatus, where the transmitter transmits a data packet to the second apparatus. The apparatus further includes a clock, with the apparatus providing a first timestamp for the data packet using the clock upon transmission of the data packet. The apparatus includes a receiver to receive responses from the second apparatus, with the apparatus providing a second timestamp upon receiving a returned packet from the second apparatus, with the returned packet containing timestamps for the receipt and transmission of the packet by the second apparatus. The apparatus includes a network unit to direct the operation of the apparatus, the network unit to determine a start time for decoding of the data stream by the second apparatus based at least in part on the timestamps for the packet. |
| US07936789B2 |
Disparate clock domain synchronization
Disparate clock domains are resynchronized after circuits in one of the clock domains awake from a reduced power state. Parallel test data is routed from a core circuit to a parallel-to-serial converter in an input/output (I/O) circuit. The parallel-to-serial converter clocks the parallel test data in response to a load signal. The load signal is varied until the clock domains are synchronized. |
| US07936787B2 |
Technique for data compression by decoding binary encoded data
This disclosure relates to the transmission of binary data over a network between a transmission host and a receiving host. The transmission host receives packets of data including data in a first format which may be ASCII formatted and contain 6 bits-per-byte words, and including data which had an original binary format containing greater than 6 bits-per-byte words (such as 8 bits-per-byte) and which has been encoded (such as Uuencoded) to 6 bits-per-byte words. The transmission host searches the packets and identifies the encoded data and reverse codes the encoded data to its original binary format, before transmitting the data on a suitable network transmission media that can transmit both ASCII formatted data and data having greater than 6 bit-per-byte formats. The transmission host also includes an application packet demultiplexer for separating the incoming data according its application such as HTTP, NNTP, FTP, etc. The transmitting host includes an identifier in the packets for identifying the reverse coded data. The receiving host responds to the identifier and may encode the previously reverse coded data. |
| US07936786B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
A digital broadcasting system and a data processing method are disclosed. A receiver receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and main service data. A known data detector detects known data from the broadcast signal. An equalizer performs channel equalization on the mobile service data received by means of the detected known data. An RS frame decoder acquires an RS frame from the channel-equalized mobile service data. A management processor extracts a Generic Stream Encapsulation (GSE) packet from a GSE Base Band (BB) constructing one row of the RS frame, and calculates an IP datagram from the extracted GSE packet. A presentation processor displays broadcast data using data contained in the calculated IP datagram. |
| US07936784B2 |
Method and system for offloaded transport layer protocol switching
A method for using offloaded transport layer protocols involves signaling a network interface controller (NIC) with a signal to use one of multiple transport layer protocols embedded in the NIC, and transmitting a data packet via the NIC using the transport layer protocol. |
| US07936783B1 |
Load balancing with unequal routing metrics in a meshed overlay network
In general, the invention is directed to techniques of load balancing network traffic among paths on a point-to-multipoint overlay network. In load balancing the network traffic, the techniques take into consideration costs associated with paths through the overlay network and costs associated with paths beyond the egress points of the overlay network, even when such costs may be unequal. |
| US07936781B2 |
Bandwidth control apparatus, bandwidth control method, and bandwidth control system
The present invention provides a bandwidth control apparatus, a bandwidth control method, and a bandwidth control system for effective utilization of bandwidths resource in data transmission. The bandwidth control apparatus measures downstream effective bit rate of own access lines and notifies downstream effective bit rate information of each access line to a remote bandwidth control apparatus which communicates with the bandwidth control apparatus via a network. The bandwidth control apparatus allocates and controls upstream bandwidths of own access lines on the basis of corresponding downstream effective bit rate information of access lines notified from remote bandwidth control apparatus via the networks. |
| US07936778B2 |
Method and system for 10GBASE-T start-up
Certain aspects for the start-up procedure of transceivers supporting higher data rates over twisted-pair copper cabling are provided for 10 Gbit/sec Ethernet links (10GBASE-T). During a PMA (physical medium attachment) training period of the start-up procedure, long PMA training frames are exchanged periodically between link partners. A significant portion of each PMA training frame consists of known pseudo random sequences simultaneously transmitted over four wire pairs. PMA training frames include an InfoField for exchanging parameters and control information between link partners. For example, the InfoField's payload comprises fields for indicating current transmit power backoff (PBO), next PBO, requested PBO, transition count, control information, and for communicating precoder coefficients. Information in InfoFields is repeated and is not necessary that a link partner decodes every InfoField. For example, by occasionally reading the transition count, a link partner can determine when a change in transmit PBO and/or a state transition is to occur. |
| US07936776B2 |
Smooth capacity expansion method and system for data communication products
This invention discloses a method for smooth capacity expansion of data communication product, and a smooth capacity expandable system of data communication. Architecture of the system at least comprises circuit card and switched network card; and further comprises interface card of switched network, interface transfer card and connection optical fiber. Based on these, it provides one kind of multiple frameworks structure with interconnection between frameworks. When the capacity is expanded, the original circuit cards and switched network cards keep unchanged, only smoothly increases the switched network cards and numbers of circuit card frameworks. Therefore, it implements smooth capacity expansion and client investment protection at the same time. With adding backup cards, it also implements capacity expansion without interrupting the service. |
| US07936773B2 |
Communication channel establishment method and system
The present invention provides a communication channel establishment method that establishes a communication channel used particularly when a cipher communication is carried out. Where a packet indicative of an ISAKMP message transmitted from a second communication device to a first communication device is awaited when a communication channel between the first and second communication devices is established via an IP network, the time taken to wait for the packet is counted by a corresponding packet waiting timer at random intervals. When a packet other than the sequence of each packet expected to be transmitted from the second communication device is received, the packet is accepted to establish the communication channel. |
| US07936772B2 |
Enhancement of end-to-end network QoS
A network endpoint system and related method and computer program product for use in a network to support enhanced end-to-end QoS in the network. The network endpoint system is adapted to receive network data of varying priority on behalf of a data consumer operating at the application layer of a network protocol stack implemented by the network endpoint system. The network endpoint system includes a network interface controller adapted to receive network frames containing the network data, plural network data handling channels each having an associated priority, and priority processing logic adapted to transfer the network data from the network interface controller to the plural data handling channels on a prioritized basis according to the network data priority. Also disclosed are a network interface controller and a network node to support enhanced end-to-end QoS in a network. |
| US07936770B1 |
Method and apparatus of virtual class of service and logical queue representation through network traffic distribution over multiple port interfaces
A method and apparatus are provided that allows for the representation of a larger number of classes of network traffic and logical queues than is physically available on a per port basis within a network device. A number of logical queues, whose number can match the number of classes of network traffic a network device handles, may be supported across an aggregated set of ports even though the network device has fewer physical queues per port than there are classes of network traffic. The method and apparatus improve the management of network traffic sensitive to time delay and jitter, and further facilitates the operation of these applications in a simultaneous or near simultaneous manner. |
| US07936768B2 |
Method for operating a decentralized data network
A decentralized data network contains a plurality of network nodes. The network nodes are able to direct requests into the data network with the aid of checking values. The network nodes are each assigned one or more table entries in a value table distributed between the network nodes, with each table entry containing a checking value and the data associated with the checking value. Each of the plurality of network nodes are monitored to determine the frequency with which requests for the checking values assigned to a respective network node are directed to the respective network nodes. If it is found that the frequency of the requests for one or more checking values to a respective network node exceeds a predetermined threshold value, at least the table entry or entries for this or these checking values is or are assigned to at least one other network node. |
| US07936767B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring high speed network traffic via sequentially multiplexed data streams
Systems and methods for monitoring high-speed network traffic via sequentially multiplexed data streams. Exemplary embodiments include a switch module system, including a first switch module configured to be coupled to a first server chassis, a first data port disposed on the first switch module and a set of first port data links configured to be coupled to a set of data port data links, each data link configurable to channel at least one of a normal data stream and a monitored data stream. |
| US07936765B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically allocating bandwidth by hierarchical weight round robin
Provided are method and apparatus for dynamically allocating unlink bandwidth in Ethernet PON. In the method and apparatus, report value, which are received for each logical link identifications (LLID), is controlled to be less than a maximum gate value set for each LLID in sequence for all of LLIDs without a predetermined interval. A gate having a length corresponding to the restricted report value is generated. LLIDs are grouped into classes and processing is done class by class. For each class processing, if maximum processing time is reached or maximum total allocation is reached, the processing is switched to a lower class. Also each class processing, if any higher class has its maximum yield processing time or maximum yield allocated gate reached, the processing is switched to that higher class. |
| US07936764B1 |
Method for optimizing IP route table size through IP route aggregation
A subset of route entries having the same next hop is identified in a route table. The subset of entries falls within a range of prefixes. Gaps in the subset of route entries that prevent the subset from being contiguous are identified. The gaps in the subset are filled with route entries to make the subset contiguous. All of the route entries in the contiguous subset of route entries have the same next hop, thus the contiguous subset can be aggregated into a single route entry in a forwarding table. For each gap-filling entry added to the route table, an additional route entry having forwarding priority over the gap-filling entry is added to the forwarding table. |
| US07936758B2 |
Logical separation and accessing of descriptor memories
A packet header processing engine includes a memory having a number of distinct portions for respectively storing different types of descriptor information for a header of a packet. A packet header processing unit includes a number of pointers corresponding to the number of distinct memory portions. The packet header processing unit is configured to retrieve the different types of descriptor information from the number of distinct memory portions and to generate header information from the different types of descriptor information. |
| US07936757B2 |
Packet fragment reassembly
An apparatus for packet fragment reassembly includes a memory and a fragment processing block coupled to the memory. The memory caches information contained in the headers of a plurality of packet fragments, wherein the plurality of packet fragments are identified as belonging to a particular packet. The fragment processing block directly performs operations to each packet fragment according to the information cached in the memory and a predetermined standard, wherein the information cached in the memory is used to track whether all packet fragments associated with the particular packet have been received at the apparatus. |
| US07936753B1 |
Method and system for reliable multicast
Method and system for transmitting a multicast message with one or more packets to a plurality of destinations is provided. The system includes an adapter including an entry port to receive the multicast message from a source for transmission to the plurality of destinations; one or more egress ports of the adapter that transmit one or more packets of the multicast message to the plurality of destinations and receives acknowledgement for the one or more packets from the one or more destinations; and a message manager that monitors the delivery status for one or more packets to the plurality of destinations without using a plurality of dedicated individual connections between each of the plurality of destinations and the source. |
| US07936748B2 |
Method and apparatus for connecting a network device to a daisy chain network
A network device configured to allows the connection of the network device to a network in a daisy chain configuration using a single cable. The network device is connected to a cable with two conductors by a socket that is adapted to receive a plug connected to the end of the cable. When the plug on the end of a cable is inserted into the socket, a first conductor in the cable is connected to an input port of a network component and a second conductor of the cable is connected to an output port of a network component. A signal from the network is transmitted down a first conductor in a cable to a network device and the signal is then transmitted back from the network device down a second conductor in the same cable. |
| US07936747B1 |
Communication system
A method and an arrangement are provided for actuating and operating a heterogeneous transport network which includes connection elements, such as ATM and Ethernet connections, by controlling a TDM-based switching system. In the area of the transport network, there are gateways and routers which are actuated by the central control device for the purposes of setting up and clearing down a connection. Information relating to the accessibility of specific communications subscribers by a communication medium and communications protocol is either stored in the area of a central control mechanism or is available locally in the area of local access devices for subscriber terminals. |
| US07936744B2 |
Network telephony system
The present invention includes a network telephone having a microphone coupled to provide voice data to a network, a speaker coupled to facilitate listening to voice data from the network, a dialing device coupled to facilitate routing of voice data upon the network, a first port configured to facilitate communication with a first network device, a second port configured to facilitate communication with a second network device and a prioritization circuit coupled to apply prioritization to voice data provided by the microphone. |
| US07936742B2 |
Digital signal demultiplexing device and multiplexing device
A frequency digital signal demultiplexing apparatus including: demultiplexing filter bank units connected in a multistage manner to form a demultiplexing filter bank, wherein each unit includes at least one filter for filtering an input signal in series with a down-sampler, and frequency conversion and decimator part to receive at least one of the received signal and output signals of each unit demultiplexing filter bank, which includes a frequency conversion part, for each input signal, to shift a frequency of an input signal, and at least one decimator part serially connected to an output of each frequency conversion part, the decimator part including a filter for performing band limitation of an input signal and a down-sampler for down-sampling an output signal of the filter and output a down-sampled signal. |
| US07936741B2 |
Dynamic uplink control channel gating to increase capacity
The specification and drawings present a new method, system, apparatus and software product for dynamic gating of an uplink (UL) control channel, e.g., dedicated physical control channel (DPCCH) for increasing capacity of communications, e.g., wireless communications, wherein said gating is defined, using a predetermined criterion, by instructions provided by a network and by a transmission gap in a discontinuous data signal, e.g., transmitted on an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH). |
| US07936734B2 |
Portable cellular enhancer
An apparatus for sharing user-defined media content with a peer. The apparatus comprises a repository for storing media content inputted by a user of the apparatus and a wireless interface for establishing a wireless personal area network (WPAN) with a first communication entity of the peer in a proximity to said apparatus. The WPAN allows the peer to access the media content using the first communication entity, thereby allows the user to share said media content with the peer. |
| US07936731B2 |
Method of processing HARQ by considering measurement gap
A HARQ processing method is disclosed, by which a measurement gap is considered. In particular, as a terminal performs an inter-measurement operation, if HARQ feedback information reception is impossible, the terminal determines HARQ feedback information, which is not received for a next HARQ operation, as ACK or NACK by itself and is then able to perform the next HARQ operation. Specifically, in case that the terminal operates by determining the non-received HARQ feedback information as ACK, a corresponding uplink signal keeps being stored in an HARQ buffer and can be retransmitted according to a new UL grant reception from a base station. |
| US07936727B2 |
Transmission device, transmission method, system LSI, and program
One transmission rate of a physical layer (PHY rate) is selected from among a plurality of PHY rates of a protocol stack by calculating one or more effective values of transmission rates of an upper layer of the protocol stack with respect to one or more PHY rates of the plurality of PHY rates respectively, and making a comparison with use of the calculated one or more effective values. Each of the one or more effective values is calculated based on (i) an ideal value of corresponding one of the transmission rates and (ii) a retransmission ratio via the physical layer that corresponds to a reception power value detected in the reception apparatus. |
| US07936724B2 |
Adaptive beamforming configuration methods and apparatus for wireless access points serving as handoff indication mechanisms in wireless local area networks
In one illustrative example, a wireless access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN) includes an antenna array, a wireless transceiver array coupled to the antenna array, and one or more processors which are coupled to the wireless transceiver array. The one or more processors are adapted to operate the wireless access point in a configuration mode and a handoff indication mode. In the configuration mode, the one or more processors are adapted to operate the wireless access point to receive, via the wireless transceiver array, RF signals from one or more communication devices and determine and set wireless transceiver parameters for adjusting boundaries of an RF coverage region of the wireless access point based on these RF signals. In the handoff indication mode, the one or more processors set the wireless access point with the adjusted RF coverage region (adjusted from the configuration mode), where handoff indications are communicated in response to mobile devices leaving the WLAN coverage region through the adjusted RF coverage region for handoff to a wireless wide area network (WWAN). |
| US07936717B2 |
Apparatus and method for performing initial network entry in broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for performing initial network entry in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. A communication method includes broadcasting, by a Base Station (BS), a Downlink Channel Descriptor (DCD) message including information on a different Frequency Allocation (FA) of the BS using all FAs; connecting, by one of a plurality of Media Access Control (MAC) processors of a Mobile Station (MS), using an arbitrary FA of the BS; obtaining, by the MS, information on the different FA of the BS by analyzing the DCD message received using the arbitrary FA; and performing, by one or more of the remaining MAC processors of the MS, a network entry process using the different FA of the BS according to the different FA information. Accordingly, when an MS having a plurality of MAC addresses connects to a system that performs communication through multiple FAs, different MAC processors of the MS can perform initial network entry using different FAs in the same cell (or sector or BS) without collisions. |
| US07936715B2 |
Method and a device for reconfiguration in a wireless system
A method and a device for reconfiguration in a wireless system utilizing flexible layer one (FLO). In proposed solution one TFC (Transport Format Combination) is selected and reserved (504) exclusively for signalling use. The TFC may contain only one active transport channel and always utilize the same CRC and transport block size in order to unambiguously define the proper settings for signalling. Considering uplink transmission in a wireless system and special case of TFCI (Transport Format Combination Identifier) size change due to the TFCS (Transport Format Combination Set) reconfiguration that also generates a need to switch to a new dedicated basic physical subchannel (DBPSCH); whenever the network notices that the mobile station does not switch to the new DBPSCH (518), it concludes that the TFCS reconfiguration message sent was lost and stays with the existing configuration (520). Otherwise the new configuration is taken into use (514). |
| US07936714B1 |
Spectrum allocation system and method for multi-band wireless RF data communications
A dual band spectrum allocation system and method for wireless data communications uses discrete bands for upstream and downstream data communications. A preferred embodiment uses unlicensed UNII bands for license-free data transmissions from a subscriber to a hub, and uses relatively interference free licensed bands for data transmissions from a hub to subscribers, thereby allowing use of greater bandwidth, simplifying system licensing and reducing filtering requirements for subscribers. |
| US07936712B2 |
Signal processing apparatus, signal processing method, and program
In a signal processing apparatus adapted to process a signal transmitted via a transmission path, an acquisition unit acquires a signal value of a specific symbol from a signal transmitted via the transmission path, and a prediction unit predicts a signal value of the specific symbol for each of values allowed to be taken by the specific symbol, on the basis of values taken by a plurality of symbols transmitted before the transmission of the specific symbol and on the basis of characteristics of influences of the signal values of the plurality of symbols transmitted before the transmission of the specific symbol on the signal value of the specific symbol. A determination unit determines the value taken by the specific symbol, on the basis of the signal value of the specific symbol acquired by the acquisition unit and the predicted values for respective values allowed to be taken by the specific symbol. |
| US07936709B2 |
Distributed beacon enabled wireless networks
In a wireless network that includes multiple nodes, each periodic announcement cycle of a communication schedule is partitioned into a set of time slots, including a set of management time slots, a set of beacon time slots, and a set of superframe time slots. Management frames are broadcast during the management slot to specify beacons. Beacons are transmitted during the beacon slots to specify when to transmit the superframes during the superframe time slots. |
| US07936706B2 |
Method of addressing messages and communications system
A method of establishing wireless communications between an interrogator and individual ones of multiple wireless identification devices, the method comprising combining tree search and Aloha methods to establish communications between the interrogator and individual ones of the multiple wireless identification devices without collision. A system comprising an interrogator, and a plurality of wireless identification devices configured to communicate with the interrogator in a wireless fashion, the respective wireless identification devices having a unique identification number, the interrogator being configured to employ tree search and Aloha techniques to determine the unique identification numbers of the different wireless identification devices so as to be able to establish communications between the interrogator and individual ones of the multiple wireless identification devices without collision by multiple wireless identification devices attempting to respond to the interrogator at the same time. |
| US07936694B2 |
Sniffing-based network monitoring
A method is provided of monitoring a packet-switched network via which real-time data is transmitted. Data packets containing real-time data are sniffed by a monitor subagent to monitor a quality-of-service parameter. A monitor agent is notified in response to a breach of the threshold of the quality-of-service parameter about the breach. A network node manager is notified about the breach, and a root cause analysis is performed. |
| US07936690B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling transmit power of multiple channels in a CDMA communication system
Techniques to support independent power control of multiple channels in CDMA systems (e.g., a W-CDMA system) that define a single power control feedback stream on the uplink, which is to be used for downlink power control. In one aspect, the single feedback stream is “time shared” among multiple channels requiring individual power control. Various time-sharing schemes may be used to implement multiple (substantially parallel) feedback substreams based on the single feedback stream, and different combination of feedback rates may also be achieved for the substreams. Each feedback substream may be assigned to, and used for power control of, a respective channel. In another aspect, multiple feedback substreams are implemented based on multiple fields in newly defined slot formats. |
| US07936689B2 |
System and method for the measurement of service quality in a communication network
A system and method for the measurement of communication network performance over a secondary communication channel sends an inquiry signal containing information pertaining to network performance from a near end communication device to a far end communication device. From the inquiry signal the far end communication device can determine the number of packets of information lost through the network. Once received the inquiry signal, a reply signal with additional information is sent to the near end communication device. The near end communication device receives the reply signal and can determine therefrom various network performance parameters. |
| US07936685B2 |
Intelligent fast switch-over network tap system and methods
An intelligent fast switch-over network active tap system enables active monitoring of a network segment connected between network devices. A fail-safe relay subsystem is coupled between a pair of network ports, enabling transmission of network communications signals through a passive cross-connect between the network ports or through an active bridge subsystem. The active bridge subsystem is capable of independently establishing network links with the network devices, and a separate network link with a monitoring device. A controller manages operation of the relay and active bridge subsystems, including switches between passive and active network transmission through the tap system and to determine and establish the active network links subject to symmetric network link parameters and state. Thereby, the network link status of the connected network devices is preserved on switch between active and passive transmission and correctly reflected in the presence of link and power failures. |
| US07936681B2 |
Cross-layer design techniques for interference-aware routing configuration in wireless mesh networks
Methods, apparatuses and systems directed to facilitating increased throughput in wireless mesh networks. Generally, according to one implementation of the present invention, routing nodes in a wireless mesh network combine metrics corresponding to the link and network layers to select a route to a root node in the wireless mesh network. In one implementation, for each neighbor, a given routing node computes a routing metric, which is based on the computed route cost and hop count, and selects a preferred neighbor as the parent routing node based on the best routing metric. |
| US07936678B2 |
Energy aware early detection
An incoming data packet is received, and a rate of change of residual capacity of a portable power supply is determined. From the determined rate of change it is decided to enqueue or drop the incoming data packet. If the decision is to enqueue, the packet is transmitted. If the decision is drop, the packet is deleted without transmitting. Additional factors may be considered in the decision, such as total energy capacity, residual energy capacity, and first and second derivatives of the residual energy capacity. Real time traffic may be treated differently than non real time traffic, and video enhancement layer packets can be weighted to drop more frequently than video base layer packets for the same flow. If used in the network, congestion probe packets are dropped at a rate matched to the rate at which data packets are dropped to give other nodes an accurate view of link quality. |
| US07936676B2 |
Autonomic load balancing in wireless local area networks
A wireless network access point is described which provides the resources of a backbone network to wireless clients. The access point is able to balance loads by deferring association of new clients and thereby directing clients to associate with alternative access points having improved backbone connectivity. Where the client is unable to find an alternative access point, the client will eventually make a second association request to the access point. The access point, in identifying the second association request of the client, proceeds to associate the client in response to the second association request. Specific time limits can be imposed relative to the second association request. |
| US07936675B2 |
Bandwidth packing rate controller for optimizing resource utilization
A bandwidth packing rate control technique includes altering bandwidth allocations of existing flows on a link depending on a current utilization of a current bandwidth allocation for a flow. A disclosed example decreases the bandwidth allocation for flows that are utilizing a current bandwidth allocation below a selected target utilization rate. Flows with higher utilization can receive increased bandwidth allocation, which provides increased throughput for such flows. One overall result of a disclosed example is increased utilization and increased throughput using existing bandwidth resources. |
| US07936672B2 |
System and method for buffer management in a packet-based network
A communication system for use with a packet-based network is disclosed. A first node is configured to transmit circuit data in data packets across the network. A second node is configured to receive the data packets from the network and serialize the synchronous data. The second node comprises a configurable buffer, the buffer being configurable to adjust to network packet delay variance through analysis of packet delay variance as measured over at least one period of time. |
| US07936670B2 |
System, method and program to control access to virtual LAN via a switch
System method and program for controlling access to a VLAN via a port of a VLAN switch system. In response to receipt of a message packet at the port, the switch system determines if a MAC address of the packet matches a MAC address for which the port has been programmed to recognize as a MAC address of a device authorized to communicate with the port. The MAC address of the packet does not match a MAC address for which the port has been programmed to recognize as a MAC address of a device authorized to communicate with the port. In response, the switch system blocks the packet if a rate of ill-formed packets and/or packets from an unrecognized MAC address exceeds a threshold pass rate. The threshold pass rate can be adjusted based on the rate of change of receipt of ill-formed packets and/or packets from an unrecognized MAC address. |
| US07936669B2 |
Systems and methods for flow control and quality of service
Various embodiments of methods and systems for pausing and shaping data flow while supporting both parameterized and prioritized Quality of Service are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system for pausing and shaping data flow comprises an input buffer, a first pause controller coupled to the input buffer and an output buffer for flow control messages. Various embodiments also include a hop-1 buffer coupled to the input buffer and a hop-2 buffer comprising a plurality of queues coupled to the hop-1 buffer. Additionally, in some embodiments, a second pause controller is coupled to the queues. The second pause controller selects a queue or queues that will cause a pause to be generated based on a predetermined condition. A two-hop process controller controls the data packet flow from the input buffer to the hop-1 buffer and from the hop-1 buffer to the hop-2 queues based on packet classification. |
| US07936667B2 |
Building backup tunnels for fast reroute in communications networks
In one embodiment, a method includes identifying at a node, a destination for which a primary path is defined between the node and the destination, transmitting a request message to a neighbor node for routing information for a backup path between the node and the destination, receiving a reply message containing an address identifying the backup path, and building a backup tunnel to the address. The request message includes at least one node identified as a node to be avoided in the backup path and a request cost. An apparatus for building backup tunnels is also disclosed. |
| US07936663B2 |
Protection of clear channel connections in communications networks
A method for protection of STM-n/OC-n clear channel connections calls for a protection diagram allowing protection of STM-n/OC-n clear channel signals transmitted from a source point to a destination point. This protection allows overcoming a fall along the path between source point and destination point. It can be used in different types of network structure, for example “ring” or “mesh”. The method calls for duplication of STM-n/OC-n signals at the transmitting end of the subnetwork and transmission over two different routes which can be defined as work and protection paths. To ensure success of the protection diagram the work and protection channels follow different routes. At the receiving end, the signal is selected from the work path or the protection path depending on the quality of the received signals, the protection state and the external commands. |
| US07936661B2 |
Optical information recording medium
Provided is an optical information recording medium that can be recorded with data with only a special recording apparatus and the recorded data can be read out with a general recording/reproducing apparatus. The optical information recording medium includes a disc-like light-transmissive substrate having a surface provided with a spiral groove WB having a wobble and a land LN between adjacent segments of the groove WB, a light-absorbing layer disposed on the surface of the light-transmissive substrate, and a light reflection layer disposed on the light-absorbing layer. The groove WB has a depth Ds of about 140 nm≦Ds≦155 nm, the light-absorbing layer has a recess with a depth Dd of about 95 nm≦Dd≦105 nm in the groove, and a push-pull signal before recording has a value of about 0.3 or less. The optical information recording medium may include an anti-illegal copy measure. |
| US07936656B2 |
Optical disc apparatus, focus position control method and optical disc
An optical disc apparatus and a focus position control method can highly accurately record recording marks representing information on or reproduce such recording marks from an optical disc. A blue light beam is irradiated onto the target depth to be irradiated by driving an objective lens to focus a red light beam in a reflection/transmission film formed in the optical disc and displacing a movable lens, which is a focus moving section, of a relay lens. A blue light reflection region is formed as part of the reflection/transmission film and the position of the blue light reflection region where the red light focus and the blue light focus are aligned is defined as reference position. The movable lens is displaced by an arbitrarily selected quantity from the reference position according to the target depth. |
| US07936655B2 |
Read circuit of a disk drive system and method of signal processing thereof
A read circuit of a disk drive system that adaptively reduces signal-dependent noise including a sequence detector, a signal-dependent adaptive engine and a signal-dependent post-processor. The sequence detector recovers a data sequence from equalized data. The signal-dependent adaptive engine generates signal-dependent coefficients, a mean value and a standard deviation of a signal-dependent error. The signal-dependent post-processor corrects the signal-dependent error. |
| US07936645B2 |
Optical disc device
This optical disc drive can read and/or write data from/on an optical disc 20 with multiple information layers including first and second information layers. The drive includes: a light source 3, 4 that emits the light beam; an objective lens 1; an actuator 2 for moving the objective lens perpendicularly to the information layers; a focus error generator 7 for generating a focus error signal representing how much the light beam has been converged on a target one of the information layers; and focus control means for forming a focal point of the light beam on the target information layer by driving the actuator in accordance with the focus error signal. According to the present invention, while a focus jump is being made to shift the focal point of the light beam from the first information layer of the optical disc 20 to the second information layer thereof by moving the objective lens 1, wavelengths and/or numerical apertures for the light beam are changeable while the objective lens 1 is moving. |
| US07936644B2 |
Optical pickup device and information processing apparatus incorporating the optical pickup
A highly reliable optical pickup which is not likely to collide with an optical disk is provided. Relative positions of two objective lenses 100 and 101 (along a focus direction) on a lens holder 102 are determined so that, while the objective lens 101 having a longer working distance is focused on an optical disk 200, the objective lens 100 having a shorter working distance and a protective member 103 are at positions which are more distant from the optical disk 200 than a height h of a protrusion which is present in an inner peripheral region of the optical disk optical disk 200. |
| US07936641B2 |
Engine and technique for generating an acoustic signal
An embodiment of a device for generating an acoustic signal in a fluid includes an engine operable to repeat a thermodynamic process to vibrate a membrane of the engine to generate an acoustic signal having more than one period. The thermodynamic process includes heating mass inside a chamber of an engine to generate pressure inside the chamber; in response to generating the pressure, moving in a first direction a portion of a membrane of the engine; removing mass from inside the chamber to decrease the pressure inside the chamber; and in response to decreasing the pressure inside the chamber, moving the membrane portion in a second direction. In an embodiment, because the engine repeats the thermodynamic process, the engine can generate and sustain an acoustic signal for a significant amount of time. |
| US07936638B2 |
Enhanced programmable pulsewidth modulating circuit for array clock generation
A pulsewidth modulation circuit uses a plurality of programmable paths to connect its output line to ground connections. The paths have different numbers of serially-connected NFETs to provide different pulldown rates. A desired programmable paths is selected based on encoded control signals, with decode logic integrated into the programmable paths. The decode logic includes, for each path, at least two transistors controlled by one of the encoded signals or their complements. A default path to ground may also be provided for use when none of the programmable paths is selected. For example, two encoded signals may be used to select 1-in-4 among the default path and three programmable paths. Integration of the decode logic into the programmable paths results in smaller overall circuit area, leading to reduced power usage, while still retaining the orthogonal benefit of encoded control signals. |
| US07936634B2 |
Memory control circuit and memory accessing method
A control circuit applied in a memory that comprises a first memory block and a second memory block, and each of the first and the second memory blocks includes a boundary cell. The control circuit comprises an address decoder, a first Y-multiplexer, and a second Y-multiplexer. The address decoder provides a plurality of column selection signals capable of being a boundary value. The first Y-multiplexer corresponds to the first memory block and provides a first boundary data channel for a boundary cell of the first memory block. The second Y-multiplexer corresponds to the second memory block and provides a second boundary data channel for a boundary cell of the second memory block. The first and the second boundary data channels are enabled simultaneously in response to the boundary value for outputting boundary data stored in the boundary cell of the first memory block and that of the second memory block. |
| US07936633B2 |
Circuit and method of generating voltage of semiconductor memory apparatus
A circuit for generating a voltage of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a control unit that outputs a driving control signal in response to an enable signal and a burn-in signal, a first voltage generating unit that generates and outputs a first voltage in response to the enable signal, and a voltage maintaining unit that maintains the first voltage in response to the driving control signal. |
| US07936630B1 |
Method and apparatus for calibrating a read/write channel in a memory arrangement
Embodiments of the present invention provide channel estimation for multi-level memories using pilot signals. A memory apparatus includes a memory block comprising a plurality of memory cells and adapted to operate with at least two levels of signals for writing data into and reading data from the memory cells. At least two memory cells are employed as reference cells to output a plurality of pilot signals. The memory apparatus also includes a channel block operatively coupled to the memory block, and adapted to facilitate the writing and reading of data into and from the memory cells. The channel block is also adapted to receive the pilot signals and determine one or more disturbance parameters based at least in part on the pilot signals and to compensate the read back signals based at least in part on the determined one or more disturbance parameters during said reading of data from the memory cells. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US07936624B2 |
Reduced power bitline precharge scheme for low power applications in memory devices
A method and system are described for a two step precharging of bitlines in a memory array. In the first step a partial precharge of the bitline is accomplished with a lower power supply, the second step completes the bitline precharge with the higher power supply. Since the higher power supply must ultimately supply the final bitline precharge voltage achieving a partial bitline precharge with a lower power supply will result in lower sram and system power. |
| US07936620B2 |
Receiver of semiconductor memory apparatus
A receiver of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a first input transistor configured to be turned ON when an input signal is equal to or more than a predetermined level; a second input transistor configured to be turned ON when the input signal is equal to or less than the predetermined level; a first output node voltage control unit configured to increase a voltage level of an output node when the first input transistor is turned ON; a second output node voltage control unit configured to decrease the voltage level of the output node when the second input transistor is turned ON; a third input transistor configured to increase the voltage level of the output node when an inversion signal of the input signal is equal to or less than the predetermined voltage level; and a fourth input transistor configured to decrease the voltage level of the output node when the inversion signal of the input signal is equal to or more than the predetermined voltage level. |
| US07936618B2 |
Memory circuit and method of sensing a memory element
The memory circuit comprises at least one memory element (T1), a sense amplifier (SA) for sensing a state of the memory element (T1), a switching device (T2) for selectively coupling the sense amplifier (SA) to the memory element (T1), The sense amplifier (SA) comprises a first module (M1) and a second module (M2). The first module (M1) provides a first current limited to a maximum value (Iref+Ibias). The second module (M2) provides a second current which decreases from a value higher than the maximum value at the start of a sensing operation until a value lower than the maximum value at the end of the sensing operation. The memory circuit has a third module (CS2) for sinking a third current (Ibias) at a side of the switching device (T2) coupled to the memory element (T1). |
| US07936614B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and driving method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes a data input driver and a data output driver for receiving an external power supply voltage, and for inputting and outputting data, respectively; and a voltage detector for detecting the external power supply voltage to generate a detection signal, wherein a drive current of each of the data input driver and the data output driver is controlled by the detection signal. |
| US07936613B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A charge driving circuit and a discharge driving circuit occupy a relatively small area and maintain driving force in a semiconductor memory device having a plurality of banks. The semiconductor memory device includes multiple banks, a common discharge level detector configured to detect a voltage level of internal voltage terminals on the basis of a first target level in response to active signals corresponding to the respective banks, and a discharge drivers assigned to the respective banks. The discharge drivers are configured to drive the internal voltage terminals to be discharged in response to the respective active signals and respective discharge control signals outputted from the common discharge level detector. |
| US07936612B2 |
Phase change memory device generating program current and method thereof
A phase change memory device may include a memory cell array, a write driver, and/or a control unit. The memory cell array may include a plurality of memory cells. The write driver may be configured to provide a program current to the memory cell array for setting a state of a phase change material to program a selected memory cell. The write driver may be configured to provide the program current such that the program current has a plurality of steps. The control unit may be configured to receive step information for adjusting a magnitude and a width of each step of the program current during a test operation and provide the step information to the write driver during a normal operation. |
| US07936606B2 |
Compensation of back pattern effect in a memory device
In one or more of provided embodiments, a read operation is compensated for back pattern effect. A bit line current is generated by a read operation that biases the word lines. As part of a back pattern effect measurement phase, at predetermined time intervals an indication of the discharge status of the bit line is stored in a latch of a set of N latches coupled to each bit line. At the end of the measurement phase, the set of latches contains a multiple bit word that is an indication of the back pattern effect experienced by that particular series string of memory cells. This back pattern effect indication is used in subsequent read operations to adjust the timing of the operation. |
| US07936603B2 |
Purge operations for solid-state storage devices
A storage system that comprises multiple solid-state storage devices includes a command set that enables a host system to initiate one or more types of purge operations. The supported purge operations may include an erase operation in which the storage devices are erased, a sanitization operation in which a pattern is written to the storage devices, and/or a destroy operation in which the storage devices are physically damaged via application of a high voltage. The command set preferably enables the host system to specify how many of the storage devices are to be purged at a time during a purge operation. The host system can thereby control the amount of time, and the current level, needed to complete the purge operation. In some embodiments, the number of storage devices that are purged at a time may additionally or alternatively be selectable by a controller of the storage system. |
| US07936600B2 |
Methods of programming data in a non-volatile memory device with a fringe voltage applied to conductive layer
Methods of programming data in a non-volatile memory cell are provided. A memory cell according to some embodiments may include a gate structure that includes a tunnel oxide layer pattern, a floating gate, a dielectric layer and a control gate sequentially stacked on a substrate, impurity regions that are formed in the substrate at both sides of the gate structure, and a conductive layer pattern that is arranged spaced apart from and facing the floating gate. Embodiments of such methods may include applying a programming voltage to the control gate, grounding the impurity regions and applying a fringe voltage to the conductive layer pattern to generate a fringe field in the floating gate. |
| US07936597B2 |
Multilevel magnetic storage device
The present invention includes a memory configured to store data having a pinned layer and a plurality of stacked memory locations. Each memory location includes a nonmagnetic layer and a switchable magnetic layer. The plurality of stacked memory locations are capable of storing a plurality of data bits. |
| US07936596B2 |
Magnetic tunnel junction cell including multiple magnetic domains
In a particular embodiment, a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure is disclosed that includes an MTJ cell having multiple sidewalls that extend substantially normal to a surface of a substrate. Each of the multiple sidewalls includes a free layer to carry a unique magnetic domain. Each of the unique magnetic domains is adapted to store a digital value. |
| US07936591B2 |
Magnetoresistive random access memory
A word line voltage is applied to a plurality of word lines. A read/write voltage is applied to a plurality of bit lines. The read/write voltage is applied to a plurality of source lines. A word line selector selects the word line and applies the word line voltage. A driver applies a predetermined voltage to the bit line and the source line, thereby supplying a current to the memory cell. A read circuit reads a first current having flowed through the memory cell, and determines data stored in the memory cell. When performing the read, the driver supplies a second current to second bit lines among other bit lines, which are adjacent to the first bit line through which the first current has flowed. The second current generates a magnetic field in a direction to suppress a write error in the memory cell from which data is to be read. |
| US07936586B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage apparatus and data programming method thereof
The semiconductor storage apparatus includes a memory cell array including memory cells each having a rectifying element and a variable resistive element connected in series, the memory cells being arranged in crossing portions of a plurality of first wires and a plurality of second wires, and a control circuit configured to control charging to the first wire. The control circuit charges the first wire connected to a selected memory cell up to a first potential, and then set the first wire in a floating state. Then it charges another first wire adjacent to the first wire connected to the selected memory cell to a second potential. The potential of the first wire connected to the selected memory cell is thereby caused to rise to a third potential by coupling. |
| US07936585B2 |
Non-volatile memory cell with non-ohmic selection layer
A non-volatile memory cell and associated method is disclosed that includes a non-ohmic selection layer. In accordance with some embodiments, a non-volatile memory cell consists of a resistive sense element (RSE) coupled to a non-ohmic selection layer. The selection layer is configured to transition from a first resistive state to a second resistive state in response to a current greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold. |
| US07936583B2 |
Variable resistive memory punchthrough access method
Variable resistive punchthrough access methods are described. The methods include switching a variable resistive data cell from a high resistance state to a low resistance state by passing a write current through the magnetic tunnel junction data cell in a first direction. The write current is provided by a transistor being electrically coupled to the variable resistive data cell and a source line. The write current passes through the transistor in punchthrough mode. |
| US07936580B2 |
MRAM diode array and access method
A memory unit includes a magnetic tunnel junction data cell is electrically coupled to a bit line and a source line. The magnetic tunnel junction data cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by passing a write current through the magnetic tunnel junction data cell. A first diode is electrically between the magnetic tunnel junction data cell and the source line and a second diode is electrically between the magnetic tunnel junction data cell and the source line. The first diode and second diode are in parallel electrical connection, and having opposing forward bias directions. |
| US07936578B2 |
Read only memory cell for storing a multiple bit value
A read only memory cell for storing a multiple bit value is disclosed. The read only memory cell comprises: at least three output lines, each of the at least three output lines representing a different multiple bit value; a switching device connected between a single one of the three output lines and a voltage source. The switching device provides an electrical connection between the voltage source and the single one of the three output lines in response to a switching signal, a voltage of the connected output line switching value in response to connection to the predetermined voltage and the multiple bit value represented by the output line is thereby selected. There is also an output device provided for outputting the selected multiple bit value. |
| US07936577B1 |
Match line precharge circuits and methods for content addressable memory (CAM) device
A content addressable memory (CAM) may include a plurality of precharge circuits, each coupled to a group of CAM cells and comprising a first precharge path that is temporarily enabled in response to an activated first control signal, and a second precharge path that is temporarily enabled in response to an activated second control signal and a valid indication that indicates whether or not the corresponding group of CAM cells stores valid data, the valid indication being different than the first and second control signals. |
| US07936576B2 |
Power controller
A power controller (10) includes a controller (11) and a trigger circuit (12). When the voltage of a power supply received at terminals T1 exceeds a threshold, for example 120 V RMS, reverse-connected Zener diodes Z1 to Z3 conduct and switch on a transistor Q1. This results in a transistor Q2 being switched off and a normally open relay SW1 remaining open. The switching or triggering phase angle of a triac THY1 thus is determined by the speed at which a capacitor C4 is charged to a triggering voltage by current flowing through resistors R6, R7, R8 and VR1. In this situation, the triggering phase angle is such that a 240 V AC input supply provides an effective 110 V AC output at terminals T3 when VR1 is at maximum power setting (zero Ohms). When the voltage of the received power supply is less than the threshold, the transistor Q1 is switched off and the relay SW1 is activated. This bypasses resistor R6 and causes the switching or triggering phase angle to adopt a value of about zero degrees when VR1 is at maximum power setting, such that the voltage of the output power supply terminals T3 is substantially the same as that received at terminals T1. |
| US07936572B2 |
Distributor connection module for telecommunication and data technology
The invention relates to a distribution box connection module (1) for telecommunications and data technology, comprising a housing in which externally accessible input and output contacts (10, 20, 30, 40) are arranged for the connection of cables and cores, with the housing having a cavity in which at least one printed circuit board (50) is arranged, with the input and output contacts (10, 20, 30, 40) being arranged on the opposite end faces of the housing, and with the input contacts (10, 20) being associated with one input side and the output contacts (30, 40) being associated with one output side, with the input contacts 10, 20) being in the form of at least two mutually opposite rows of contacts, and the output contacts (30, 40) being in the form of at least one plug connector, with at least two input contacts (10) in the first row and at least two input contacts (20) in the second row being connected to the output contacts (30; 40) in the at least one plug connector, and with the input contacts (10, 20) in the first row and in the second row being connected via the at least one printing circuit board (50) to the output contacts (30; 40) in the plug connector. |
| US07936570B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can establish the reliable connection between a printed circuit board and a semiconductor device in spite of the simple constitution thereof. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel, a printed circuit board arranged close to the liquid crystal display panel, and a semiconductor device arranged between the liquid crystal display panel and the printed circuit board in a striding manner. The semiconductor device includes a flexible printed circuit board and a semiconductor chip. The flexible printed circuit board includes a plurality of first terminals connected to the printed circuit board and a plurality of second terminals connected to a liquid-crystal-display-panel side. The printed circuit board includes a solder resist film, an opening portion formed in the solder resist film, and a terminal portion arranged in the opening portion and consisting of a plurality of terminals connected to the first terminals of the flexible printed circuit board. The terminal portion of the printed circuit board and the first terminals of the semiconductor device are connected with each other by way of an anisotropic conductive film. The anisotropic conductive film overlaps with at least the respective terminals of the terminal portion of the printed circuit board and the solder resist film. |
| US07936569B2 |
Circuit device and method of manufacturing the same
In a hybrid integrated circuit device that is a circuit device of the present invention, a conductive pattern including pads is formed on a surface of a substrate. A first pad is formed to be relatively large since a heat sink is mounted thereon. A second pad is a small pad to which a chip component or a small signal transistor is fixed. In the present invention, a plated film made of nickel is formed on a surface of the first pad. Therefore, the first pad and a solder never come into contact with each other. Thus, a Cu/Sn alloy layer having poor soldering properties is not generated but a Ni/Sn alloy layer having excellent soldering properties is generated. Consequently, occurrence of sink in the melted solder is suppressed. |
| US07936568B2 |
Capacitor built-in substrate and method of manufacturing the same and electronic component device
A capacitor built-in substrate of the present invention includes; a base resin layer; a plurality of capacitors arranged side by side in a lateral direction in a state that the capacitors are passed through the base resin layer, each of the capacitors constructed by a first electrode provided to pass through the base resin layer and having projection portions projected from both surface sides of the base resin layer respectively such that the projection portion on one surface side of the base resin layer serves as a connection portion, a dielectric layer for covering the projection portion of the first electrode on other surface side of the base resin layer, and a second electrode for covering the dielectric layer; a through electrode provided to pass through the base resin layer and having projection portions projected from both surface sides of the base resin layer respectively; and a built-up wiring formed on the other surface side of the base resin layer and connected to the second electrodes of the capacitors and one end side of the through electrode. |
| US07936567B2 |
Wiring board with built-in component and method for manufacturing the same
A method for manufacturing a wiring board with built-in component. The method provides a secure connection between a component and interlayer insulating layers so that the wiring board with built-in component has excellent reliability. The wiring board is manufactured through a core board preparation step, a component preparation step, an accommodation step and a height alignment step. In the core board preparation step, a core board having an accommodation hole therein is prepared. In the component preparation step, a ceramic capacitor having therein a plurality of protruding conductors which protrudes from a capacitor rear surface is prepared. In the accommodation step, the ceramic capacitor is accommodated in the accommodation hole with the core rear surface facing the same side as the capacitor rear surface. In the height alignment step, a surface of a top portion of the protruding conductor and a surface of a conductor layer formed on the core rear surface are aligned to the same height. |
| US07936566B2 |
Electronic control unit and waterproof case
An electronic control unit has a respiratory filter mounted on a waterproof case. Raised protective walls formed in the case surround the portion of the case at which the respiratory filter is arranged. At least two concave portions are provided for drainage that each extend through different positions of the protective walls. |
| US07936561B1 |
LED heat dissipation aluminum bar and electricity conduction device
A light-emitting diode (LED) heat dissipation aluminum bar and electricity conduction device includes a heat dissipation aluminum bar having a structure formed of multiple sections each having multiple heat dissipation fins. The heat dissipation aluminum bar forms a LED circuit board receiving slot and power channels and each power channel receives therein an insulation that encloses an electrically conductive bars. When an LED circuit board is received and secured in the LED circuit board receiving slot by fasteners, the fasteners, which are made electrically conductive, penetrate the insulations to contact the electrically conductive bars so as to supply electricity to the LED circuit board at the same time of fixing the LED circuit board. The LED circuit board has a structure formed of multiple sections interconnected to each other to allow for adjustment of the overall length thereof. |
| US07936557B2 |
Portable electronic device
The portable electronic device according to the present invention comprises a cabinet including an opening defined in a front surface thereof, a cover body opening and closing the opening of the cabinet, and a pivoting mechanism for pivotally supporting the cover body to the cabinet, the pivoting mechanism comprises a shaft and a pair of bearings supporting the shaft, the cabinet has an attaching part for attaching a string-like member, and the attaching part projects from the front surface of the cabinet. In this portable electronic device, the attaching part is disposed adjacent to the pivoting mechanism, the shaft which is a component of the pivoting mechanism includes a projecting part projecting toward the attaching part from one of the bearings closer to the attaching part, and the projecting part extends along a back surface which is a reverse side of the front surface of the cabinet. |
| US07936555B2 |
Method for fabricating flexible super capacitor
A flexible super capacitor including a pair of flexible electrodes and a separator film is disclosed. Each flexible electrode includes a carbon fiber layer and a collector formed on a surface of the carbon fiber layer. The pair of flexible electrodes has two outer surfaces, and the collector layers are formed on the outer surfaces of the pair of the flexible electrodes. The separator film is disposed between the flexible electrodes. The collector layer would be formed on the carbon fiber layer with surface metalizing the carbon fiber layer. A method for fabricating the flexible electrode of the flexible super capacitor is also disclosed. |
| US07936550B2 |
Fastening assembly including washer for sealing the assembly for lightning strike protection in composite structures
A fastening assembly for a composite structure including a washer sealing the assembly for internal lightning strike protection. The washer includes one or more concentric ribs that are dielectric rings on both sides. When used (e.g., with a nut and bolt) internal to a structure, especially a composite structure, the washer seals the fastener hole (i.e., that the bolt passes through) and contains any sparking and hot gasses that may arise in the fastener hole from entering the structure. |
| US07936547B2 |
Circuit breaker electronic trip unit personality module
A method and apparatus providing automatic circuit breaker identification to an electronic trip unit includes a processor and a configuration module comprising configuration data identifying the particulars of a circuit breaker and that is in operable communication with the processor. |
| US07936540B2 |
DC-DC converters having improved current sensing and related methods
A DC-DC converter includes a chip including an error amplifier, a pulse width modulator (PWM), and an inductor driven by said PWM in series with an output node (VOUT), wherein a load current flows through the inductor. A circuit for sensing the load current includes a first operational amplifier and a sense resistor having resistance RSENSE; wherein a sense current related to the load current flows through the sense resistor. A reference resistor has a resistance RREFERENCE which is a fixed multiple of RSENSE. A set resistor has a resistance RSET. Tracking circuitry sets a voltage across the reference resistor to be equal to a voltage across the set resistor. A function block receives a current through the set resistor and a current through the reference resistor to find their ratio. A current multiplier provides a measurement current which is proportional to the load current divided by RSET. |
| US07936538B1 |
Controlled fly height slider with necked ABS
A slider that includes a necked ABS pad is disclosed. More specifically, the slider includes an ABS pad having a first ABS region and a second ABS region, where the second ABS region is disposed immediately in front of the first ABS region proceeding in the direction of a leading edge of the slider. A transducer and a thermal actuator each may be disposed within the first ABS region. The width of the second ABS region (a necked portion of the ABS pad) is less than a width of the first ABS region. |
| US07936537B2 |
Substrate for magnetic recording medium, magnetic recording medium, and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus
It is possible to improve the recording and reproducing S/N ratio, the reproduction signal intensity, and the degree of high density recording. There are provided a plurality of recording tracks formed on a substrate, each recording track being formed of a magnetic material, and non-recording sections formed on the substrate, each non-recording section separating adjacent recording tracks, each recording track including a plurality of recording sections and connecting sections for connecting the recording sections adjacent thereto in a track longitudinal direction, and each connecting section having a cross-sectional area in a track width direction that is smaller than a cross-sectional area in a track width direction of adjacent recording sections. |
| US07936534B2 |
Apparatus for supporting a disk drive about a rotation centre which is outside a disk drive receiving portion for reducing vibrations and a disk drive test apparatus using same
Apparatus for supporting a disk drive with a rotating disk about a disk axis and an arm which pivots over the disk about an arm axis. The disk axis and the arm axis are perpendicular to the plane of the disk. The apparatus includes a disk drive carrier having a disk drive receiving portion where disk drive can be received, and a housing in which the carrier can be received. A mounting arrangement is provided for supporting the carrier within the housing such that the center of rotation of the carrier is outside the disk drive receiving portion of the carrier. Additionally, a mounting arrangement is provided for supporting the carrier within the housing, comprising a forced pivot at or towards the opposite end of the disk drive carrier, and about which the carrier is fixed for pivotal movement in the housing. |
| US07936530B1 |
Method to write ramp-track
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to writing ramp-tracks on a computer readable medium. In some implementations, a trajectory is identified across previously written tracks on a surface of a machine-readable medium for a read-write head to move along and build up velocity. Identifying the trajectory includes identifying one of the previously written tracks as a launch location from which to launch the read-write head. Identifying the trajectory also includes identifying a start writing location near a blank region of the surface of the machine-readable medium at which to turn on a write gate. A current is applied to the read-write head to cause the read-write head to move along the trajectory. In addition, the identified launch location is adjusted until a target velocity is obtained at the start writing location. |
| US07936528B2 |
Graded order-sorting filter for hyperspectral imagers and methods of making the same
A graded order-sorting filter for hyperspectral imagers and methods of making the same are provided. The graded order-sorting filter includes a substrate wafer having a first side and a second side and is formed of a material that is substantially transparent to light photons. The graded order-sorting filter also includes an absorption filter deposited outwardly from the first side of the substrate wafer. The absorption filter is tapered along a taper direction and formed of a graded composition semiconductor material with a bandgap graded to decrease outwardly from the substrate wafer and/or graded along the taper direction. The graded composition semiconductor material is substantially transparent to the light photons for photon energies substantially less than the bandgap. The above filter can also be aligned to a two-dimensional array of pixels to form a hyperspectral imager. |
| US07936526B2 |
Lens driving apparatus
Disclosed is a lens driving apparatus. The lens driving apparatus includes a base formed at a center thereof with a first opening; a housing coupled with the base and having a second opening corresponding to the first opening; a yoke installed on the base and including a horizontal plate having a third opening corresponding to the first opening and a vertical plate protruding upward from the horizontal plate; a bobbin movably installed in the yoke and coupled with a lens module; a coil fixedly disposed around the bobbin; a plurality of magnets provided at the vertical plate of the yoke to face the coil; and a spring installed on at least one of upper and lower portions of the yoke to return the bobbin, which has moved up due to interaction between the magnet and the coil, to its initial position. |
| US07936521B2 |
Method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape
A method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, a method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape and a measuring apparatus for interferometrically measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape. The method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, each of which wave shaping elements has a diffractive measurement structure for adapting part of a wave front of incoming light to a respective portion of the target shape, includes: providing a first one of the wave shaping elements with a diffractive alignment structure, arranging the wave shaping elements relative to each other such that each of the diffractive measurement structures is traversed by a separate subset of rays of the incoming light during operation of the measuring apparatus, and aligning the first wave shaping element and a second one of the wave shaping elements relative to each other by evaluating alignment light having consecutively interacted with the diffractive alignment structure and with the second wave shaping element. |
| US07936520B2 |
Optical axis orientating device for liquid lens
The invention provides an optical axis orientating device for a liquid lens. The optical axis orientating device includes a transparent substrate, a symmetric electrode structure, and an insulating layer. The electrode structure is capable of supplying an electric field and defines a central axis. The insulating layer provides an optical axis orientating structure symmetric with respect to the central axis. In particular, at a rest state, an optical axis of the liquid lens and the central axis of electrode are substantially coaxial. |
| US07936519B2 |
Head mounted display
Disclosed herein is a head mounted display including: an eyeglasses frame-like frame to be mounted onto an observer's head; and two image display devices, each of the image display devices including an image generating device, and light guide means which is mounted to the image generating device, which as a whole is located on the side of the center of an observer's face relative to the image generating device, on which beams emitted from the image generating device are incident, through which the beams are guided, and from which the beams are emitted toward an observer's pupil. |
| US07936511B2 |
Single laser illuminating and pointing systems
Dual-function laser systems and methods are disclosed. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a laser source configured to emit a beam; an optical element spaced apart from the laser source; and a diffractive element positioned to diffract the beam to provide a diffracted beam to the optical element such that the optical element refracts the diffracted beam to form an approximately collimated central portion and a diverging outer portion. |
| US07936507B2 |
Screen for projector, process for producing screen for projector, and projector
The invention relates to a screen for projectors which comprises a screen base in which at least two kinds of colorants selected from a colorant having an absorption wavelength region in 400 nm to 440 nm, a colorant having an absorption wavelength region in 470 nm to 510 nm, and a colorant having an absorption wavelength region in 570 nm to 610 nm are carried on the whole image display area of the screen base. Also disclosed are processes for producing the screen and projectors having the screen. |
| US07936506B2 |
System and method for displaying images
System and method for projection display with slim cabinet depth. An embodiment comprises a collimating layer positioned in a light path of a display plane, and a diffusion layer positioned in the light path of the display plane after the collimating layer. The diffusion layer increases the viewing angle of the display plane. The collimating layer comprises a first lens having first and second axes orthogonal to each other and to the light path and a second lens positioned in the light path after the first lens, the second lens having first and second axes orthogonal to each other and to the light path. The first lens is configured along its first axis to redirect light towards the light path and the second lens is configured along its first and second axes to redirect light towards the light path so that the light is substantially parallel to the light path. |
| US07936504B2 |
Fully articulated periscope camera system
The camera or periscope system may include a taking lens, a beam steering device, a relay device, and an image rotation device. The camera or periscope system can be used to image in situations where the camera is not easily redirected to view a desired object of interest. The camera or periscope system is designed to be fixed to a mounting platform where the taking lens can be configured to point to the desired object of interest. |
| US07936503B2 |
Laser scanning microscope
A laser scanning microscope separates fluorescence signals of different fluorophores in accurate unmixing by eliminating positional pixels shifts between different fluorescence images obtained through irradiation of different-wavelength laser lights. The microscope includes a laser light source capable of emitting a wavelength-changeable laser light, a correction amount determination unit that determines a correction amount for correcting an optical axis shift of the laser light, an optical axis adjusting unit that adjusts an optical axis, a scanning unit that performs two-dimensional scanning, an objective lens that focuses the laser scanning light to a specimen and fluorescence emitted from the specimen, a light detector that detects the fluorescence, and a control unit that changes the wavelength of the laser light synchronously with the scanning by the scanning unit while controlling the optical axis adjusting unit based on the correction amount determined by correction amount determination unit. |
| US07936501B2 |
Contact microscope using point source illumination
The embodiments of the invention include a microscope having a transparent specimen holder and a digital imaging device positioned within the transparent specimen holder. The digital imaging device can include a wireless transmitter. The transparent specimen holder can have a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the transparent specimen holder is completely transparent between the top surface and the bottom surface. Thus, the transparent specimen holder is completely transparent above and below the digital imaging device. Furthermore, a processor is operatively connected to the digital imaging device, wherein the processor produces an image of a specimen positioned on the specimen holder. A display is operatively connected to the processor, wherein the display displays the image. |
| US07936500B2 |
Wavelength-specific optical switch
A wavelength-specific optical switch combines one or more tunable filters and bandblock reflectors such that the absorption or reflection of selected wavelength bands in the optical spectrum (visible, near infrared, or near ultraviolet) can be switched on and off. The wavelength switch is programmable, multifunctional, general-purpose, solid-state optical filter. The wavelength switch may serve as a tunable notch or bandblock filter, a tunable bandpass filter, a tunable highpass or lowpass filter, or a tunable band reflector. The wavelength switch has particular, but not exclusive, application in optics as a filter, band reflector, and as a means of isolating particular wavelengths or wavelength bands from a collimated light stream for transmission to, or rejection from, a sensor. |
| US07936499B2 |
Method and apparatus for driving EPD
A method and apparatus for driving an ElectroPhoretic Display (EPD) are provided, in which upon sensing a request for displaying data in a gradual graphic representation scheme, a plurality of segments for displaying the data are determined, a display changing order of the segments is determined, an inter-segment time interval is calculated, driving voltage pulses are applied to a first segment according to the display changing order, and driving voltage pulses are applied to each of the other segments at the inter-segment time interval after driving voltage pulses are applied to a previous segment according to the display changing order. |
| US07936493B2 |
Dot position correcting apparatus, optical scanning apparatus, imaging apparatus, and color imaging apparatus
An optical scanning apparatus that includes a light source unit having plural main light sources that are two-dimensionally arranged in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction, and plural sub light sources that are arranged between rows of the main light sources aligned in the main scanning direction. The optical scanning apparatus also includes an optical system configured to scan light emitted from the light source unit on a scanning object to form an image on the scanning object, and a control apparatus configured to adjust a main scanning direction image position by controlling two of the main light sources that are juxtaposed to each other with respect to the main scanning direction and adjust a sub scanning direction image position by controlling a main light source and a sub light source that are adjacent to each other. |
| US07936489B2 |
Holographic information display
In a holographic heads-up display, a first set of data and a second set of data are provided. A three-dimensional image or scenery displaying the first set of data in a first layer and the second set of data in a second layer are created. The first layer is separated from the second layer by a specified distance. A hologram is determined, which corresponds to a recording of the scenery via a reference beam. A plurality of controllable phase delay elements are set according to the determined hologram. The hologram is reconstructed by illuminating the plurality of phase delay elements using a coherent light source. The light of the reconstructed hologram is directed into the visual field of a driver via a wind screen of a vehicle. |
| US07936485B2 |
Image reading apparatus, image processing apparatus, and computer program product
An image reading apparatus includes a clamp-ratio controlling unit configured to change at least one of a clamp period and a line period for each read operation mode, wherein the clamp-ratio setting unit provides a control so that a clamp ratio that is a ratio between the clamp period and the line period is constant through all read operation modes. The clamp period is a period for performing clamp processing for setting a black level to a constant, which is an absolute black reference of an analog image signal output according to a quantity of light at a time of receiving reflected light from a document, and the line period is a read period of one line in the sub scanning direction. |
| US07936484B2 |
Internet-based synchronized imaging
A internet based method and apparatus is described for automatically processing a captured digital image taken by a smart device at a fixed-location, mobile or virtual event, and synchronizing the combination of that captured primary image with a secondary image, be it a picture frame, or a watermark to create a combined media image. If desired, the combined image may also contain an audio file. Once combined, the image may be stored for later viewing, and/or automatically returned to the user of the smart device or the PC of the user who captured the primary image, forwarded to an online print service website, posted to a photo sharing website, and/or forwarded to a distribution list. The automated post processing of said captured images is handled by a process engine hosted at an Application Provider's website, the process engine containing instructions for the media combining and metadata tagging of said images. |
| US07936483B2 |
Digital photo frame with rotatable screen
A digital photo frame for storing and displaying photos. The photo frame has a photo-sized display screen rotatably mounted on a support such that the display screen is configurable in landscape-viewing or portrait-viewing orientations by rotation of the screen. A memory stores photo image files tagged as either landscape orientation or portrait orientation and a user interface receives instructions to display photos stored in the memory. A processor is configured for receiving orientation data regarding an orientation of the display screen, retrieving only photo image files from the memory that are tagged with an orientation corresponding to the orientation of the display screen, and displaying the retrieved photo image files as photos on the display screen. |
| US07936478B2 |
Method of printing a compressed image having a bi-level black layer and a contone layer
Provided is a method of printing a compressed image. The method includes the steps of receiving, with a printer controller, the image, having a bi-level black data layer compressed in an Edge Delta and Runlength (EDRL) compression format and a continuous tone (contone) CMYK data layer, from a computer. The method includes the steps of expanding the image by simultaneously decompressing the two data layers in parallel, and halftoning the contone CMYK data layer into bi-level CMYK data layer. Also included are the steps of compositing the bi-level black data layer over the bi-level CMYK data layer to form a composited bi-level CMYK image, transmitting the composited bi-level CMYK image to a memory buffer of pagewidth printer for printing. |
| US07936475B2 |
Image display system
An image display system for reading and displaying an image includes an image display device and a scanner device that is connected to the image display device through a network. The image display device, when receiving instructions to read and display an image mounted on the scanner device from a user, specifies a predetermined reserved file name and transmits a file reading request to the scanner device. The scanner device, when receiving the file reading request, reads the image and transmits image data acquired by reading to the image display device using the reserved file name and makes the image display device display the image data. |
| US07936471B2 |
Image formation apparatus and image formation system for executing a charging procedure
An image formation apparatus is configured to communicate with a server apparatus. The server apparatus transmits image data to the image formation apparatus, and executes a charging procedure to determine an amount of money to be charged. The image formation apparatus includes an image data receiving unit configured to receive image data, an image output unit configured to output images in accordance with the image data, a display unit, an input unit configured to receive an input command, and an output control unit configured to control the image output unit in accordance with the input command. |
| US07936469B2 |
System and method for distributed printer processing
The invention provides a system and method for the distributed processing of print jobs using multiple printer processors and centralized printing. The method can include the operation of dividing the print job into a plurality of print job segments in a print distribution module. The plurality of print job segments is transmitted to one or more distribution responsive printers. A further operation can be processing the plurality of print job segments using the one or more distribution responsive printers. Another operation is receiving the plurality of print job segments from the one or more distribution responsive printers into the print distribution module. In addition, the plurality of print job segments is printed at a target printer. |
| US07936466B2 |
Information processing apparatus and its control method for managing distributed processing of at least one of the device information and operation states
An information processing apparatus manages distributed processing by a plurality of devices which are connected to a computer network and have a power-saving mode. The apparatus includes a retriever, arranged to retrieve device information and operation states of the plurality of devices, and a selector, arranged to select target devices of the distributed processing based on at least one of the device information and operation states. |
| US07936462B2 |
Optical coherence tomography imaging system and method
An optical imaging system includes an optical radiation source (410, 510), a frequency clock module outputting frequency clock signals (420), an optical interferometer (430), a data acquisition (DAQ) device (440) triggered by the frequency clock signals, and a computer (450) to perform multi-dimensional optical imaging of the samples. The frequency clock signals are processed by software or hardware to produce a record containing frequency-time relationship of the optical radiation source (410, 510) to trigger the sampling process of the DAQ device (440). The system may employ over-sampling and various digital signal processing methods to improve image quality. The system further includes multiple stages of routers (1418, 1425) connecting the light source (1410) with a plurality of interferometers (1420a-1420n) and a DAQ system (1450) triggered by frequency clock signals to perform high-speed multi-channel optical imaging of samples. |
| US07936459B1 |
Apparatus with probe
An apparatus adapted to obtain a profile of a density gradient sample independently of fractionation is provided. The apparatus includes a light source, a probe comprising a first probe needle actuatable to extend into a tube containing a sample, a first light-transmitting means to receive light from the light source and transmit light through the sample as the probe needle extends into the sample, a second light-transmitting means to receive light transmitted by the first light-transmitting means and transmit the received light to a signal-producing means capable of translating the received light into a recordable signal to produce a profile of the sample. The apparatus may additionally be adapted to fractionate the sample following generation of the gradient profile. |
| US07936458B2 |
Polariscope toy and ornament with accompanying photoelastic and/or photoplastic devices
A variety of toy polariscopes are simpler in design and less costly than precision instruments used in scientific research and stress analysis of materials and structures. The toy polariscopes are designed for a variety of objects that may exhibit photoelastic properties such as glass, plastic, Plexiglas, gel candle material and other gels, and even edible photoelastic objects. They are specially designed for objects of various sizes with a variety of purposes such as objects to enhance learning in a variety of conditions and experiences. Special objects are designed to go with the toy polariscopes such as edible and inedible photoelastic objects, photoelastic candle material, a variety of photoelastic/photoplastic stands capable of a variety of displays in interaction with other designed photoelastic objects capable of a variety of interaction and displays. Other optical phenomena may also be observed. |
| US07936454B2 |
Three mirror anastigmat spectrograph
A portable spectrograph including a primary mirror, a secondary mirror, and a tertiary mirror forming a TMA having a common vertex axis, a diffraction grating, and a dispersive prism, where the portable spectrograph can detect wavelengths between 150 nm and 1.1 μm. The portable spectrograph also may include a collimating mirror and an entrance aperture, which form an interchangeable module. Radiation received through the entrance aperture is reflected in a collimated pattern towards an aperture stop. The diffraction grating, located between the collimating mirror and prism, diffracts radiation passed through the aperture stop into multiple beams directed onto the prism. A flat mirror, located to one side of the vertex axis receives and reflects the multiple beams exiting the prism onto the primary mirror, where they are reflected onto the secondary mirror. The secondary mirror reflects the beams to the tertiary mirror where they are reflected onto an image plane located on the other side of the vertex axis. |
| US07936452B2 |
Inspection apparatus, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing device
An inspection apparatus includes a projecting unit, a first receiving unit, a second receiving unit, and a controller. The projection unit is configured to project linear light on a surface of an object. The first and second receiving units are configured to receive scattered light of the projected linear light. The controller is configured to scan the projecting unit, the first and second receiving units and determine the present or absence of a foreign substance on the surface based on intensity distribution signals output from the first and second receiving units. |
| US07936449B1 |
Method and system for fast calibration of three-dimensional (3D) sensors
Rapid calibration of a TOF system uses a stationary target object and electrically introduces phase shift into the TOF system to emulate target object relocation. Relatively few parameters suffice to model a parameterized mathematical representation of the transfer function between measured phase and Z distance. The phase-vs-distance model is directly evaluated during actual run-time operation of the TOF system. Preferably modeling includes two components: electrical modeling of phase-vs-distance characteristics that depend upon electrical rather than geometric characteristics of the sensing system, and elliptical modeling that phase-vs-distance characteristics that depending upon geometric rather than electrical characteristics of the sensing system. |
| US07936445B2 |
Altering pattern data based on measured optical element characteristics
A system and method are used to compensate for distortions or aberrations in an image formed in a projection system. Pattern data is generated corresponding to features to be formed on a substrate. At least one of aberrations and distortions of a projection optical system are measured. The pattern data is altered based on the measuring step. The altered pattern data is transmitted to a patterning device to control individually controllable elements coupled to the patterning device. Non uniformities in one or both of a field and pupil of an illumination system can also be measured and used to alter the pattern data. |
| US07936442B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device fabrication method
An exposure apparatus comprises an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle with a light beam from a light source, a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, a measurement unit configured to measure a light quantity distribution in an exposure area on an image plane of the projection optical system, and a detection unit configured to detect an existence of a foreign particle in the illumination optical system and the projection optical system based on the light quantity distribution measured by the measurement unit. |
| US07936441B2 |
Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and exposure method
An immersion projection optical system that prevents leakage of a liquid (immersion liquid) into the optical system and maintains satisfactory imaging capability. The projection optical system of the present invention is a projection optical system that projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through a liquid. The projection optical system includes an interface optical lens (Lb) having a side towards the first plane that contacts a gas and a side towards the second plane that contacts the liquid. The interface optical element includes a light entering surface (Lba), which has a convex shape facing towards the first plane, and a groove (Gr), which is formed to surround an effective region in a light emitting surface of the interface optical element. |
| US07936440B2 |
Exposure apparatus, supply method and recovery method, exposure method, and device producing method
The present invention provides an exposure apparatus that can prevent the degradation of exposure and measurement accuracies. An exposure apparatus (EX) exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating the substrate (P) with exposure light (EL) through a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (LQ), and comprises: a liquid supply mechanism (10) that supplies the liquid (LQ) between an optical element (2) at the image plane side tip part of the projection optical system (PL) and a substrate (P) that opposes the optical element (2); a timer (60) that measures the time that has elapsed since the supply of the liquid by the liquid supply mechanism (10) was started; and a control apparatus (CONT) that determines, based on a measurement result of the timer (60), whether a space(SP), which is between the optical element (2) and the substrate (P) and includes at least an optical path of the exposure light (EL), is filled with the liquid (LQ). |
| US07936435B2 |
Liquid crystal device, method for producing the same, and electronic apparatus
A liquid crystal device includes a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates; a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of pixel regions, each of the pixel regions having a reflective display region and a transmissive display region; a phase difference film provided in the reflective display region, the phase difference film being located at a side of one substrate of the pair of substrates adjacent to the liquid crystal layer; and a partition wall member having light-shielding properties, the partition wall member being provided at the side of the one substrate adjacent to the liquid crystal layer to partition the phase difference film. |
| US07936432B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a substrate, a display unit on the substrate, the display unit including a plurality of subpixels, a driver that applies a driving signal to the display unit, a pad unit that applies an electric signal received from the outside to the driver; a plurality of lines that connects the display unit to the driver or the pad unit to the driver; and a plurality of pad electrodes disposed at one ends of the lines connected to the driver. A width of one end of the pad electrode connected to the lines is narrower than widths of other areas of the pad electrode excepting the other end of the pad electrode. |
| US07936429B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display includes a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other with liquid crystal therebetween. One of the pair of transparent substrates has a plurality of drain signal lines and a plurality of gate signal lines, and a plurality of pixel regions defined by the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines. The pixel regions have a TFT element, a pixel electrode formed of a transparent electrode having a plurality of slits, and a counter electrode formed of a transparent electrode. The counter electrode is disposed between the pixel electrode and the one of the pair of transparent substrates in overlapping relationship with the transparent electrode of the pixel electrode and the gate signal line, and the counter electrode is connected with the counter electrode of an adjacent pixel region. |
| US07936427B2 |
Optical sensor for detecting peripheral light and liquid crystal display device using the same
An optical sensor for detecting peripheral light including: at least two first transistors coupled in parallel between an output line and base power supply for detecting an intensity of peripheral light; and at least two second transistors positioned at a side of the first transistors and between the first transistors and a voltage source. |
| US07936426B2 |
Transflective LCD comprising a patterned retardation film
The invention relates to a transflective liquid crystal display (LCD) with a polymerised LC film comprising at least one photoisomerisable compound and having a pattern of regions with different retardation and/or different orientation of the LC material. |
| US07936422B2 |
Optical element and display device using the same
An optical element is arranged in such a manner that a screen thereof can be hardly observed from a predetermined direction, and a deterioration of an image quality caused by moire does not occur. The optical element is constituted by a first polarizing layer, a second polarizing layer, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between these two polarizing layers. In the optical element, absorption axes of the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer are located parallel to each other; the liquid crystal layer is made of hybrid-aligned discotic liquid crystal; and an alignment axis of the liquid crystal layer is located parallel to, or perpendicular to both absorption axes of the first polarizing layer and of the second polarizing layer. |
| US07936416B2 |
Display device, a front frame used therein, and a method of manufacture thereof
A display device, a front frame used therein, and a method of manufacture thereof are provided. The display device includes a display panel and the front frame. The display panel has a display surface which is partially covered by the front frame. The front frame includes a side wall corresponding to the sides of the display panel, a top plate extending from the side wall towards the center of the display panel, and cushion filler. The top plate has an inner surface featuring a groove distributed along the side wall. The cushion filler is contained within the groove while its top protrudes from the groove and contacts the display surface outside an active area. |
| US07936412B2 |
Color filterless display device, optical element, and manufacture
A color filterless display device performing color display for expressing one pixel by three RGB sub-pixels includes: a light source; a diffraction grating for separating a light irradiated from this light source into lights of a plurality of wavelength regions; a cylindrical lens array for receiving the separated light and condensing the light while corresponding to each of the sub-pixels; and a liquid crystal cell including a structure portion for correcting an angle of the condensed light for all sub-pixels, wherein, in the structure portion of this liquid crystal cell, a side onto which a light from the cylindrical lens array is made incident is made of a high refractive index layer, an emitting side from which the light is emitted is made of a low refractive index layer, and a Fresnel-type microprism structure is formed by the high refractive index layer and the low refractive index layer. |
| US07936410B2 |
Array substrate, display apparatus having the same and method for repairing the same
In an array substrate, a display apparatus having the same and a method for repairing the same, a substrate includes a display area and a peripheral area that is adjacent to the display area. A plurality of signal transmitting lines are formed in the peripheral area of the substrate. A plurality of signal lines are formed in the display area of the substrate and connected to the signal transmitting lines. A repair part is formed in the peripheral area of the substrate. The repair part intersects and is insulated from the signal transmitting lines so as to repair a first opened signal transmitting line of the signal transmitting lines. Thus, the array substrate may be produced in high-yield and prevent signal distortion. |
| US07936399B2 |
Digital broadcast receiver and method for processing caption thereof
A digital cable broadcast receiver and a method for automatically processing caption data of various standards and types, is disclosed. The digital broadcast receiver includes: a demultiplexer for dividing a received broadcast stream into video data, audio data, supplementary information; a controller for determining whether caption data included in the video data is digital caption data or analog caption data on the basis of caption information included in the supplementary information, and outputting a control signal according to a result of the determining; a digital caption decoder for extracting and decoding digital caption data from the video data according to the control signal; and an analog caption decoder for extracting and decoding analog caption data from the video data according to the control signal. |
| US07936397B2 |
Method and process for electronically posting bulletin board messages
A method of electronically broadcasting messages to a general or targeted audience. A message sender can post messages on electronic bulletin boards by accessing a website or calling a phone number. The user has control of the design and content of the message including font, background, pictures and sound; there is no need to contact another person or organization such as a radio or TV station to post the message; and the user can target a specific audience if so desired. Messages are posted on user-specified electronic bulletin boards for a certain time slot and can be applied to a variety of services such as highway advertising boards, Amber Alerts, and campus message boards, to name a few. |
| US07936389B2 |
Solid-state imaging device
In a solid-state imaging device, bus lines are provided at both sides of an imaging area vertically to send vertical-transfer clock pulses to shunt wires disposed on or over the imaging area at both ends of the signal lines of the shunt wires. Bus lines disposed closer to a horizontal transfer register are placed at a boundary area of the imaging area and the horizontal transfer register. Since the bus lines pass through an upper layer of the boundary area, imaging performed by light receiving elements is not performed but dummy pixels having almost the same structure as the light receiving sections are disposed and vertical transfer registers are provided in the boundary area to just transfer signal charges by the vertical transfer registers with a characteristic similar to that in the imaging area to the horizontal transfer register. |
| US07936382B2 |
Image pickup device, projector including the image pickup device, and image pickup method
An image pickup device is provided. The image pickup device includes a pickup device that captures an image, a background image processor that determines a pickup object area to be captured to be an illumination image and displays the pickup object area as a background image, a display that displays the background image, and a main controller that generates a control signal that controls the pickup device, the background image processor, and the display. The image pickup device projects the illumination image instead of the background image on the screen, such that the person's image does not overlap with the background image during the image pickup action. A brightness level of the object image in the corrected pickup picture is adjusted according to a brightness level of the background image, such that the object image can be more naturally harmonized with the background image. |
| US07936381B2 |
Management and setting of photographing condition of image sensing apparatus
According to a method of managing photographing conditions for an image sensing apparatus, one of images photographed by the image sensing apparatus is selected. The selected image, photographing conditions such as the exposure value and shutter speed in photographing the image, and a separately input photographing status such as the photographing place are stored in association with each other. |
| US07936380B2 |
Imaging apparatus having groups with designated representative images
An imaging apparatus for recording image data picked up by an image pickup unit until a recording medium is presented. In response to an instruction from an instruction operation unit capable of arbitrary instruction, a first image data picked up by the image pickup unit is allocated to the same group as a second image data photographed immediately before the first image data so as to allocate the first image data to the same group as the image data picked up immediately before the first image data. In addition, management information containing group information that shows image data within the group is generated. |
| US07936379B2 |
Camera with automatic fluorescent lighting mode
A novel method and apparatus for controlling operation of a photosensor array in a portable electronic device to reduce flicker resulting from fluorescent light having a periodic intensity. The method comprises selecting a time zone in which the device is to be operated, correlating the time zone with a corresponding frequency of the fluorescent light, and signaling the photosensor array to operate in accordance with a mode optimized to reduce flicker based on the selected time zone. |
| US07936369B2 |
Endoscope
An endoscope includes an insertion unit having an inclined portion in a distal surface of the insertion unit; an illuminating unit provided in the inclined portion of the distal surface, and illuminating an inside of a body cavity; an observation window provided in the distal surface to observe the inside of the body cavity; and an air and water feeding nozzle provided in the distal surface to supply at least one of air and water to the observation window and the illuminating unit. A first contact distal portion and a second contact distal portion are formed in the distal surface. The first contact distal portion comes into contact with a flat surface and is provided in the air and water feeding nozzle, and the second contact distal portion is provided in except for at least one of the observation window and the illuminating unit. |
| US07936367B2 |
Image forming apparatus controlling the output level of the light source
An image forming apparatus includes an optical scanning device that scans a scan area on an image carrier with light flux containing image information and writes the image information onto an image area in the scan area. In the optical scanning device, a first light receiving unit receives light flux emitted from a light source and reflected by a reflecting optical unit; a second light receiving unit receives light flux that passes through an aperture of the reflecting optical unit, is deflected by a deflecting unit, and heads for outside the image area within the scan area; and a control unit controls a drive signal of the light source based on signals output from the first and second light receiving units. |
| US07936365B2 |
Printing method and apparatus using shuttle thermal print head
A printing method and apparatus using a shuttle thermal print head (TPH), which can print by moving the TPH in a transverse direction. The apparatus and printing method include (a) printing an image on a medium using the TPH while feeding the medium in a positive longitudinal direction; (b) moving the TPH in the transverse direction by a predetermined value; and (c) printing an image on the medium using the TPH while feeding the medium in a negative longitudinal direction. |
| US07936363B2 |
Data receiver circuit, data driver, and display device
Disclosed is a data receiver circuit including a differential pair having first and second transistors of a first conductivity type, which receives at first and second inputs thereof a binary signal by which data transfer is performed in a differential form, a load circuit composed of first and second diode-connected transistors of a second conductivity type, connected to the first and second inputs of the differential pair, respectively, an output circuit that charges and discharges an output terminal using currents corresponding to currents that flow through the first and second diode-connected transistors of the second conductivity type, respectively, and a current supply circuit with an output current thereof input to at least one of the first and second diode-connected transistors of the second conductivity type. |
| US07936362B2 |
System and method for spreading a non-periodic signal for a spatial light modulator
A method is disclosed for spreading a non-periodic color signal sent to a spatial light modulator across a frame period. The method can include the operation of dividing a frame period into a plurality of time slices. A further operation can be assigning a color to each of the plurality time slices. Another operation can be interleaving one or more colors assigned to the time slices across the frame period in a non-periodic manner. |
| US07936358B2 |
Integrated color management
In one embodiment, a display device comprises a timing controller, a first computer readable memory medium coupled to the timing controller and comprising a first color table, a video processor coupled to the timing controller via a communication link and comprising logic to request the first color table from the timing controller, and use data in the first color table to implement a color correction routine. |
| US07936354B2 |
Virtual trace-multiple view modeling system and method
A system for generating two-dimensional views of a three-dimensional model is provided. The system includes an active building model system generating one or more user-selected two-dimensional views of a three-dimensional building model. A floor plan view location system receives user control data and places a two-dimensional floor plan view in a user-selected location of a viewing window. An elevation view location system receives user control data and places a two-dimensional elevation view in a user-selected location of the viewing window. |
| US07936350B2 |
Display control circuit and display system
In a display control circuit for controlling a display of a display device, data which is stored in a memory is inputted to a FIFO circuit by a DMA controller, and the FIFO circuit transmits the stored data to the display device at a rising edge of an inputted clock PCLK. A clock mask circuit transmits the inputted clock PCLK to the display device as a display clock PCLK′ while the FIFO circuit is not underflow. On the other hand, the clock mask circuit masks the inputted clock PCLK while the FIFO circuit is underflow, and transmits the display clock PCLK′ whose level is kept high to the display device. As a result, a display position of display data does not shift even if underflow occurs in the FIFO circuit. |
| US07936349B2 |
Power supply apparatus and flat-screen television set
A safety circuit 16 for monitoring the waveform of a start signal outputted from a microcomputer 40a is provided in a power supply circuit. If a start signal inputted to the safety circuit 16 is not a pulse wave, a power supply cutoff section 16c cuts off the output of the start signal to a DC/AC circuit 13, thereby cutting off the supply of power by the DC/AC circuit 13 from a primary side to a secondary side. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the supply of power by the power supply circuit without providing an additional microcomputer or IC for monitoring a failure and a temporary malfunction of a control microcomputer and to safely prevent the supply of power at the time of a latch-up caused by noise or a breakage. |
| US07936347B2 |
Driving system for display device
A driving system of the present invention for use in a displaying device is provided with a pseudo bit-depth extension section. In the pseudo bit-depth extension section, a noise pattern is added to upper-n-bit data of an input signal D0 in m-bit, where (i) m is an integer of 9 or greater, and (ii) n is an integer of 8 or greater, but less than m. Then, upper-n-bit of data D1 thus obtained from the D0 is outputted, as output data D2, from the pseudo bit-depth extension section. The driving system is further provided with an overshoot-driving section for carrying out an overshoot-driving with respect to each of pixels. A noise amount of the noise pattern is 1 or less in 8-bit data, and a calculation in the overshoot-driving section is carried out with n-bit data. With this driving system which adopts a combination of (a) a overshoot-driving method for enforcing liquid crystal to respond at a high speed, and (b) a bit-depth extension technology in which a number of grayscales is increased by adding noise, it is possible to provide, at a low cost, a high-definition displaying device such as a liquid crystal display, having a high-response-characteristics and a high quality of grayscale reproduction. |
| US07936346B2 |
Liquid crystal display device implementing photodetector to control backlight
A liquid crystal display device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a liquid crystal display panel, a photodetector unit LS1 that is built into the liquid crystal display panel and has a TFT ambient light photosensor, an ambient light photosensor reader Re1 for reading a voltage due to photo-leakage from the TFT ambient light photosensor, and a control means 20 for controlling the photodetector unit and the ambient light photosensor reader, and a backlight 24, etc., according to an output from the ambient light photosensor reader. The photodetector unit has a switching element SW2 coupled between a source line coupled to the TFT ambient light photosensor's source electrode SL and a drain line coupled to the TFT ambient light photosensor's drain electrode DL. The control means 20 makes the source line and the drain line of the TFT ambient light photosensor be coupled to a common potential when changing a gate voltage of the TFT ambient light photosensor by keeping the switching element SW2 turned on. It is therefore possible to provide a liquid crystal display device that utilizes a thin film transistor as an ambient light photosensor and prevents degradation of an ambient light photosensor element due to a biased polarity voltage applied to the gate electrode. |
| US07936338B2 |
Display unit and its manufacturing method
The invention provides a display unit which can realize reduction in thickness and weight of the display unit by omitting a void between a touch panel and a display panel, and its manufacturing method. Whole faces of the touch panel and the display panel are directly bonded together with an adhesive layer in between. The display panel has a structure wherein a driving substrate in which organic light emitting devices are formed and a sealing substrate are bonded together with an adhesive layer in between. The touch panel has a structure wherein a lower plastic film in which a transparent electrode is formed and a touch-side plastic film in which a transparent electrode is formed are layered so that the transparent electrodes are placed opposite. The display panel is constructed with only the driving substrate, and the organic light emitting devices are sealed by the touch panel instead of the sealing substrate. Therefore, thickness and weight of the display unit can be further reduced. |
| US07936328B2 |
Display panel including amplifier with offset canceling by reversing polarity of amplifier offset
A data driver used for driving a display panel is provided with a grayscale voltage generator circuit generating a plurality of grayscale voltages; and a drive circuitry selecting a selected grayscale voltage from the plurality of grayscale voltages in response to input display data, and outputting a data signal having a voltage level corresponding to the selected grayscale voltage to the display panel. The grayscale voltage generator circuit comprises an amplifier generating a voltage bias; and a voltage generator circuit generating the plurality of grayscale voltages from the voltage bias. The amplifier is designed so that a polarity of an offset voltage of the amplifier is reversible. The polarity of the offset voltage of the amplifier is controlled so that the polarity of the offset voltage of the amplifier used for driving a specific pixel of the display panel in a certain frame period is opposite to that of the offset voltage of the amplifier used for driving the c specific pixel in another frame period. |
| US07936326B2 |
Apparatus and method for LCD panel drive for achieving time-divisional driving and inversion driving
A method is provided for driving a liquid crystal display panel including first and second data line sets each including an even number of arrayed data lines, and a plurality of pixels sharing a common electrode having a constant potential. The method is composed of: time-divisionally selecting data lines from each of the first and second data line sets; and providing data signals on the selected data lines to write the data signals into the pixels therethrough. An order of selecting the data lines from each of the first and second data lines and polarities of the data signals written into the pixels are determined so that polarities of the data signals on the data lines selected from the first data line set are opposite to those of the data lines selected from the second data line set. |
| US07936324B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
A driving method of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device including a light source controller controlling red, green, and blue lights to be sequentially transmitted through a pixel formed by a liquid crystal disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate. First grayscale data is applied to the pixel. Second grayscale data to be applied to the pixel is compensated by changing the second grayscale data to third grayscale data corresponding to the first grayscale data and the second gray scale data. Then the third grayscale data is applied to the pixel. |
| US07936320B2 |
Driving method of plasma display panel and display device thereof
A plasma display device includes a plasma display panel (PDP) and a driving method for driving the PDP. The PDP includes discharge cells that are formed by scan electrodes, sustain electrodes, and address electrodes. The driving method divides a frame of the plasma display panel into a plurality of subfields having respective weights in which gray scales are represented by a combination of the subfields. The plurality of subfields are divided into a first group and a second group. In an address period of a subfield of the first having a lowest weight subfield of the plurality of subfields, the method applies a scan voltage and an address voltage respectively to the scan electrode and the address electrode of a discharge cell to be selected from the discharge cells. The scan voltage is applied to the scan electrode and the scan electrode is floated. |
| US07936318B2 |
Antenna with multiple folds
A wireless device has a module with a communications port and an antenna electrically coupled to the communications port, the antenna having multiple folds. The antenna has a shunt stub connected to a ground plane and a radiating portion that has multiple folds, or wiggles, allowing good electrical performance to be achieved with a minimal size. |
| US07936314B2 |
Dual polarized antenna
To provide a dual polarized antenna capable of reducing correlation between antenna elements.A dual polarized antenna is constituted by a vertically polarized antenna and a horizontally polarized antenna formed on a printed circuit board and radiates two kinds of polarized waves. The vertically polarized antenna has a configuration in which: a first microstripline is extended along the longitudinal direction of the printed circuit board from the lower portion of the printed circuit board; a first conductive radiating element is disposed at one end of the first microstripline; a phase delay circuit is serially connected to the first conductive radiating element; a second conductive radiating element is added to one end of the phase delay circuit; and a third conductive radiating element is added to a ground conductor which is disposed on the rear side of the surface of the printed circuit board on which the first conductive radiating element and first microstripline are connected at a corresponding portion thereof. |
| US07936309B2 |
Antenna for satellite reception
There is disclosed an antenna for reception of circularly polarized satellite radio signals. The antenna comprises at least one two-dimensional or three-dimensional antenna conductor structure connected with an antenna output connector. The multi-dimensional antenna conductor structure is configured so that it comprises a plurality of antenna conductor sections, which, with reference to a spatial reference point (z) common to the antenna conductor sections, are disposed in pairs, symmetrically and extending in the same direction. The multi-dimensional antenna conductor structure is furthermore configured so that during reciprocal operation of the antenna as a transmission antenna, antenna currents having at least approximately the same size flow in the individual pairs of antenna conductor sections, and the arithmetical average of the current phases of these antenna currents, counted in the same direction, in each instance, in the antenna conductor sections of each pair, has at least approximately the same value in the case of essentially all the pairs of antenna conductor sections, with reference to a common phase reference point (B), during reciprocal operation of the antenna as a transmission antenna. Such an antenna receives left-rotating circularly polarized waves and right-rotating circularly polarized waves equally. The vertical radiation diagram can be filled up towards low elevation angles by means of a vertical, electrically short monopole disposed at the phase reference point (B), whose reception signal is superimposed on that of the antenna conductor structure. |
| US07936308B2 |
Low profile full wavelength meandering antenna
A low profile antenna has a meander length based on the full electrical wavelength of the signal being transmitted or received. The antenna can have either an open-loop structure or a closed-loop structure with a matching network. The low profile enables the antenna to be used in a card for a device such as a personal computer, personal digital assistant, wireless telephone and so on with minimal risk of the antenna breaking off, as compared with a prior art antenna having a higher height and thus more likelihood of being broken from its card. |
| US07936307B2 |
Cover antennas
The specification and drawings present a new apparatus, method and software product for using a cover antenna (e.g., conductive, metallic, etc.) in an electronic device, with multiple coupled feeds (e.g., dual feed) to the antenna and with one or more switches and a matching circuit. Then it is possible to use a metal plate as a metal cover, e.g., for mobile devices, which will act as an antenna with multiple feedings for cellular and non-cellular radios. |
| US07936304B2 |
Method and system for isolating and reducing grating lobe interference
This invention relates to the use of a sufficiently-sampled auxiliary array in combination with one or more under-sampled sub-arrays. The sufficiently-sampled auxiliary array is used to create a signal-free reference (SFR) beam that contains grating lobe interference. The SFR may be used to cancel the interfering grating lobe in an under-sampled main beam by coherently eliminating or subtracting the SFR from the main beam. Exemplary aspects of the invention thus support significant under population of the full aperture and avoid the problems and limitations of previous solution, with consequent savings in sensor hardware cost and weight. |
| US07936303B2 |
Methods and apparatus for obtaining GNSS time in a GNSS receiver
A method for obtaining GNSS time in a GNSS receiver includes: obtaining a time relationship between a first clock signal and the received GNSS time; obtaining a clock value B1 of a second clock signal and further obtaining an associated clock value A1 of the first clock signal to obtain a first pulse relationship at a first time point; calculating a GNSS time C1 corresponding to the clock value A1 according to the time relationship; obtaining a clock value B2 of the second clock signal and further obtaining an associated clock value A2 of the first clock signal to obtain a second pulse relationship at a second time point; and calculating a GNSS time C2 according to the GNSS time C1, the clock value B1, and the clock value B2. Exemplary values of A1, B1, C1, A2 B2, and C2 can be TTick1, FN1, TOW1, TTick2, FN2, and TOW2, respectively. |
| US07936302B2 |
Unwrapping of phase values at array antenna elements
A method and apparatus are described for the unwrapping of a set of phase values observed for an incoming signal on a phased array antenna. The difference between values observed on adjacent elements in the array forms a first data set. The differences between adjacent ordinates in the first data set forms a second data set. The values in the second data set are rounded to the nearest whole multiple of one complete cycle before the differencing process is reversed to provide the values (representing a whole number of complete cycles) which are added to the observed phase values to provide the unwrapped phase values. |
| US07936301B2 |
Stepped frequency radar
A multi-port junction is fed with a frequency-stepped source and has one of its ports connected to an antenna that can serve either as a transmit-and-receive antenna or as a receive antenna only, with the outputs of the multi-port junction being used to estimate a complex reflection coefficient for each frequency of interest. The subject system requires no IF stages, down-conversion mixers or oscillators, and therefore may be provided adjacent each antenna at low cost. An embodiment involving co-located separate transmit and receive antennas is used to minimize the power requirements for the multi-port junction, whereas in a third embodiment, an array of transmit/receive antennas is used, fed by the same RF source but in which digitally-controlled phase shifters are used for beam-forming purposes. |
| US07936300B2 |
Method for reducing multipath propagation effects during the processing of replies in mode “S”
The processing method according to the invention is a method of processing replies from targets interrogated by a surveillance radar according to a mode S interrogation of all the targets present in the receiving lobe of the radar, whereby the different targets present in the receiving lobe of the radar are interrogated at least once, the set of the mode S reply signals received for this lobe are collected after each interrogation, a reply detection processing operation is performed for each target and errors are detected and, if necessary, corrected then the corresponding blips are extracted, and this method is characterized in that said signal quality detection and determination processing operation consists in forming a synthetic message with the set of replies to each interrogation for each target, establishing, for each bit of the message, the value and the quality of this bit and performing the error detection and correction using this synthetic message, and the three variables Σ, Δ and monopulse of all the failed replies from the same target are exploited to construct the synthetic message.This processing operation is useful in highly polluted electromagnetic environments where the existing methods are inadequate: the same target may be asked the question again for reasons other than a reply failure. |
| US07936296B2 |
AD converter, data receiver and data reception method
An AD converter includes a first amplitude circuit, a second amplitude circuit, and a determination circuit. A control signal line controls a first amplitude gain of the first amplitude circuit and a second amplitude gain of the second amplitude circuit. |
| US07936292B2 |
Diode smart track
Systems and methods to achieve a logarithmic digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which is easy to be implemented, and requiring reduced chip space have been disclosed. The logarithmic DAC is created by a simple and easy to scale linear DAC, which is linearly scaling a predefined voltage range. The output voltage of the linear DAC is converted to a logarithmic current value directly by the voltage-current characteristic of an integrated diode. |
| US07936287B1 |
Interactive web-based codeset selection and development tool
An interactive, web-based codeset selection and development tool transmits hypertext documents from a web server to a web browser of a developer of microcontroller code for a new remote control device. The hypertext documents include selection criteria for groups of codesets stored in a central database of codesets. The developer selects the most appropriate codesets for the new remote control device using the selection criteria. The selection and development tool converts each of the selected codesets into a plurality of strings of timing information. The strings are encrypted and transmitted to the developer along with a signal engine. The developer loads the encrypted strings and the signal engine into a new microcontroller that has a factory-programmed decryption key. The microcontroller decrypts the encrypted strings of timing information and uses them and the signal engine to generate operational signals that control various functions of electronic consumer devices. |
| US07936286B2 |
Emergency information and transportation control system
A system for providing transportation information to passengers during an emergency, such as a terrorist attack. The system links emergency responders, public transportation operations (including subways, buses and other mass transit systems), and network operations in a coordinated evacuation of a crowded metropolitan area. Information is provided to the public via system of networked kiosks and displays provided strategically throughout a city. In another embodiment of the present invention, the system provides transportation and routing information to passengers during a non-emergency. |
| US07936277B2 |
Apparatus and method for width detection
An apparatus and method for detecting a difference in width of a strip of material from a desired width of material. The apparatus may comprise a light source, a light detector, an alarm, a first fiber optic cable coupled with the light source, a second fiber optic cable coupled with the light detector, and a housing. The housing may comprise a material slot for passing the strip of material therethrough such that edges of the strip of material may at least partially intersect a plurality of light fields directed from the first fiber optic cable to the second fiber optic cable. The amount of light detected by the light detector is dependant on the amount of light blocked by the strip of material. If the amount of light received is outside of a range of tolerance from the desired width of material, the alarm may be actuated. |
| US07936276B2 |
Method and apparatus to facilitate light source flashing
An apparatus (500) can be comprised of a light source interface (503), an animate object detector (502), and a controller circuit (501) that couples to the light source interface and the animate object detector. This controller circuit is configured and arranged to, upon detecting (101) an animate object via the animate object detector, cause (103) energy as is provided via the light source interface to be only temporarily temporally intermittent in order to cause a light source that is energized by the light source interface to flash and thereby draw attention to the animate object. |
| US07936274B2 |
Shield for radio frequency ID tag or contactless smart card
We have found that to effectively shield inductively coupled RFID systems, the shield does not have to be present on all the sides of the device. It is also not required that one side be covered completely. In fact, a shield of any shape that allows a current to flow in a closed loop may be enough to shield the RFID. The only requirement is that the back electromagnetic field (EMF) from the shield induces sufficient flux to cancel all or part of the magnetic flux coming from the reader. It is possible for the shield to work even if the induced flux is small: the shift in the self-inductance of the RFID or contactless card coil due to the presence of the material in the shield can be enough to cause a shift in a resonant frequency of the circuit and thus in the power delivered to the chip. The current invention is a shield that does not completely cover a smartcard or RFID tag and/or has a hole or void within the shield. The advantage of this invention is that it will allow optical and mechanical access to the surface and the body of the smartcard or RFID tag and/or to parts of the smartcard/RFID coil. It also leads to significant cost savings since less shielding material is used. |
| US07936271B2 |
Anti-tamper cargo container locator system
The present disclosure relates to location and communication systems that can be utilized for locating cargo containers using tags with a radio communication subsystem in the form of a transponder or micro-transponder. Each cargo container tag (CCT) is capable of communicating with either other cargo container tags or a base-station (BS) locator devices. The tags can be arranged for tracking the opening and closing of doors on individual cargo containers using radio communication methods. Lost cargo container can be located using communications from a base station and the cargo container tags. CCT devices can also detect intrusions and/or tampering with cargo containers, and store a variety of collected data for later retrieval. |
| US07936266B2 |
Shipping container seal monitoring device, system and method
A container seal device is provided that comprises a seal device for a shipping container, comprising a first unit that is affixed to a shipping container. A control system is contained in the first unit containing a control system. A second unit is provided that is configured to engage with an element of a door of a shipping container to which the first unit is affixed and to electrically connect with the control system in the first unit. The control system in the first unit is configured to detect a breach of the second unit indicative of access being made to the shipping container. |
| US07936263B2 |
Remote monitor system with radio dispatch
The present invention is directed toward systems and methods for providing a remote monitoring system with radio dispatch. In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a central monitoring unit for receiving a first event signal from a first remote monitoring device, identifying the first remote monitoring device as the originator of the first event signal, accessing a first prerecorded dispatch message associated with the first event signal, and transmitting the first prerecorded dispatch message. The present invention may also include multiple remote monitoring units for detecting events at a plurality of remote monitoring locations. Upon detection, the remote monitoring units transmit an event signal to the central monitoring unit. |
| US07936259B1 |
Alarm management system
The present embodiments generally relate to an alarm management system for providing a time to manage value enabling a user to respond to an abnormal situation for at least one device and prevent the at least one device from reaching a trouble point value. |
| US07936257B2 |
Emergency intervention system and appropriate method for automatically redressing malfunctions in means of transport
The invention proposes an emergency intervention system and a method for automatically redressing malfunctions in means of transport (41). A sensor system (401) in an emergency intervention system (80) is used to detect occurring malfunctions and an activation apparatus (203) is used to generate dedicated activation signal data on the basis of a detected malfunction. The activation signal data are transmitted to an appropriate, automated intervention means (40) which is used to redress the malfunction. A switching module (104) in the emergency intervention system (80) enables the activation apparatus (203) if a cumulative stack memory level value for two stack memories (102/202) reaches a defined cumulative stack memory level value. The two stack memories (102/202) are preliminarily incremented on the basis of activation parameters transmitted by network units and are decremented in line with the dedicated activation signal data during the enabling. When a predefinable time window has elapsed, the emergency intervention system (80) is reset using a clearing module and the enabling is interrupted by means of the switching module (104). |
| US07936255B2 |
Group analysis system and group analysis equipment
Face-to-face detection by infrared-ray communication is effective in grasping interaction between persons. However the problem here is that infrared rays have a high directivity and detection fails unless the persons face each other right in front. Sensor signals having a high directivity and sensor signals having a low directivity are obtained from a sensor terminal (TR) carried by a person. Firstly, information on relative position is obtained with a sensor (TRIR) of infrared rays or the like having a high directivity and an initial group is formed at an application server (AS). A feature amount such as sound that has a low directivity and can sense surrounding environmental information is extracted from among the terminals (TRs) belonging to the initial group by personal feature extraction (ASIF), correlation with terminals (TRs) not belonging to a group is obtained, and thereby whether or not those terminals (TRs) belong to an identical group is judged. |
| US07936254B2 |
System and method of communicating emergency alerts
A set-top box device is disclosed. The set-top box device includes a processor and a memory device accessible to the processor. The memory device includes instructions to communicate with a multi-cast alert server to receive a multicast emergency alert message. The multicast emergency alert message includes data related to a location code and data related to a set-top box action. The memory device stores location information and includes instructions to execute the set-top box action when the location code matches the location information. |
| US07936252B2 |
Adaptive control for improved RFID transponder read and write performance
System, methods and computer program product are provided for an adaptive control for adjusting the electromagnetic interrogation signal of an RFID transceiver where said signal is used to read and/or write to an RFID transponder, or to adjust the gain of the RFID transceiver, or adjust both the gain and the signal strength. The system includes a RFID transceiver having at least a transmitter portion and a receiver portion and capable of generating electromagnetic signals, a signal-to-noise ratio module, and an adaptive control module that adjusts the power of the electromagnetic signal of the transmitter portion or the gain of the receiver portion according to the signal-to-noise ratio of a first electromagnetic signal. In one embodiment the system may be employed in printer-encoder devices for reading or encoding RFID transponders during a printing process. |
| US07936248B2 |
Ti(N) thin-film resistor deposited on ALN substrate and attenuator using same
The present invention relates to a thin-film resistor for an attenuator that is utilized in the fourth generation mobile communication, and more specifically, to a thin-film resistor having a Ti(N) thin film formed on an aluminum nitride (ALN) substrate. The thin-film resistor of the invention has superior electrical characteristics, such as sheet resistance, and superior characteristics in change of attenuation and voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) with respect to changes of frequency and L/W, and thus the thin-film resistor can be utilized in a high frequency domain of up to 6 GHz. |
| US07936245B2 |
Stacked structure of a spiral inductor
A stacked structure of a spiral inductor includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, a first set of vias, and a second set of vias. The first metal layer includes a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment, wherein the layout direction of the third segment is different from the layout direction of the first and second segments. The second metal layer includes a fourth segment, a fifth segment, and a sixth segment connected to the fifth segment, wherein the layout direction of the sixth segment is different from the layout direction of the fourth and fifth segments. The first set of vias connects the first and fourth segments, and they construct a first shunt winding. The second set of vias connects the second and fifth segments, and they construct a second shunt winding. The third and sixth segments construct a crossover region. |