| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07984581B2 |
Projectile accelerator and related vehicle and method
An unguided projectile-accelerator system includes an enclosure, first and second charges, first and second projectiles, and a recoil-absorbing mechanism. The enclosure has an open first end and a closed second end, and the first and second charges are disposed within the enclosure. The first projectile is disposed within the enclosure between the first charge and the first end and is operable to exit the enclosure via the first end and to generate a first recoil in response to detonation of the first charge. The second projectile is disposed within the enclosure between the first charge and the second charge and is operable to exit the enclosure via the first end and to generate a second recoil in response to detonation of the second charge. The recoil-absorbing mechanism is disposed adjacent to the enclosure and is operable to absorb at least a respective portion of each of the first and second recoil. |
| US07984576B2 |
Coupler
Couplers for attaching an accessory to an excavator arm of an excavator. Couplers having a first side for attaching the coupler to the excavator arm and a second side onto which the accessory will be coupled. The coupler includes a latch for selectively securing and releasing an attachment pin of the accessory in a jaw, groove, hook or slot in the second side of the coupler. The coupler is fully controllable from within the cab of the excavator and it allows improved security in the securement of the accessory to the coupler, i.e. preventing accidental decouplings, but while still allowing intentional decoupling operations to be carried out without undue burden. |
| US07984572B2 |
Snow shoes of the type whose webbing includes a stretched fabric in the interior of a frame
A snowshoe (1) whose webbing includes a flexible wall (4) maintained in tension inside a framework (2) by portions of the flexible mounting wall which define flexible mounting projections. Supplemental protection parts (8) are disposed surrounding the mounting projections to protect them from wear and impact. |
| US07984569B2 |
Modular footwear system
A modular sole assembly system for footwear and components thereof. |
| US07984565B2 |
Measuring instrument
A measuring instrument includes a ruler unit including an elongated plank portion extending along a first direction, two spaced apart positioning members disposed fixedly on the elongated plank portion, and a first measuring portion extending from the elongated plank portion along a second direction. A movable seat is movably mounted on the elongated plank portion and is movable relative to the elongated plank portion along the first direction between a reset position, where the movable seat abuts against one of the positioning members, and a normal position, where the movable seat abuts against the other one of the positioning members. The movable seat has a second measuring portion. A resilient member is mounted between the movable seat and the ruler unit, and biases the movable seat toward the normal position. |
| US07984560B2 |
Minimum clearance bore gauge
A method of measuring an interior diameter of a bore with an expandible gauge having relatively movable first and second components and placing an adhesive on at least one of the first and the second components for adhesively bonding the first and the second components to one another. Inserting the expandible gauge into a tool hole in a bore bar and sliding the bore bar into the bore so that the tool hole is located within the bore. Allowing the expandible gauge to expand to a diameter of a bore to be measured and adhesively bond the first and the second components to one another. Removing the expandible gauge and determining the diameter of the bore by measuring a length of the expandible gauge. |
| US07984558B2 |
Coordinate measuring machine with rotatable grip
A portable coordinate measuring machine (PCMM) can have one or more rotatable grip assemblies to provide a locations for an operator to grasp the PCMM. A rotatable grip assembly can include a rotatable sleeve, a grip portion disposed over the sleeve, and one or more retaining rings to prevent the rotatable grip from axially sliding along one or more members of an articulated arm PCMM. A PCMM can include two rotatable grips to allow an operator to grasp the PCMM with both hands for positioning and repositioning operations. One rotatable grip can be positioned on an arm member most distant the PCMM base, and another rotatable grip can be positioned on a housing at least partially encasing an articulating joint assembly coupled to the arm member most distant the PCMM base. Other numbers of and locations of rotatable grip assemblies can be used in PCMMs. |
| US07984553B1 |
Cable preparation tool
A cable preparation tool having a main body, with a cable receiving end, a cable receiving area and a manipulation end. There is a center conductor support shaft guide channel in the manipulation end to receive a center conductor support shaft. The center conductor support shaft guide channel allows for the center conductor support shaft to enter a hollow center conductor of the cable and be removed from the hollow center conductor of the cable while the cable is within the cable receiving area. There is a jacket strip slot on the main body. There is a jacket strip blade attached at the jacket strip slot. There is a blade holder slot on the main body which receives a blade holder. There is a cable cutting blade attached to the blade holder. There is a cable slug slot on the main body. |
| US07984552B2 |
Axle housing assembly and method
A method of forming a joint includes providing a first member made of cast iron having an exterior surface and a first end. A pocket is formed in the exterior surface of the first end. An insert made of steel is connected to the pocket. A second member made of cast iron is provided with an aperture. The method includes positioning the first end of the first member within the aperture and positioning a plug made of steel in the second member proximate the aperture. The plug is fixedly connected to the insert. |
| US07984551B2 |
Fabricated vehicle wheel and method for producing same
This invention relates to a fabricated vehicle wheel and method for producing the same. The wheel includes a rim and a disc secured to the rim. The disc includes a plurality of outwardly extending spokes, an outer rim connecting flange defining a side edge surface and a window formed therein between adjacent pairs of spokes and having a predetermined shape defined by the adjacent pairs of spokes and the side edge surface of the rim connecting flange such that each of the windows extends to an outermost periphery of the wheel disc, at least one of the windows includes at least a first window portion and a second window portion, the first window portion being formed by a first piercing operation and the second window portion being formed by a second piercing operation. |
| US07984550B2 |
Fuel injector remanufacturing method and remanufactured fuel injector
A remanufacturing and salvaging strategy for fuel injector tips such as high flow fuel injector tips includes blocking a first set of spray orifices in the fuel injector tip, including at least partially filling the first set of spray orifices with a material, for example by laser welding. New spray orifices are formed in virgin material of the fuel injector tip, offset from the former spray orifices, also for example via a laser. A remanufactured fuel injector tip includes blocked former spray orifices as well as new spray orifices configured to permit spraying of fuel from the fuel injector tip. |
| US07984545B2 |
Approaches for manufacturing a head gimbal assembly
Approaches for helping to decrease the amount of inactive gas necessary for reflow to interconnect connection terminals of a head slider and a suspension. Inactive gas is blown from a nozzle of a reflow apparatus toward interconnection joints of a head slider and a suspension. The head slider is bonded onto a gimbal tongue. The nozzle comprises a duct through which the inactive gas passes and a porous member fitted in an ejection outlet of the tube. Placing the porous member close to the head slider achieves effective reduction of oxygen concentration around solder balls. |
| US07984539B2 |
Chamber replacing method
When a chamber of an oscillator and one or more amplifiers is to be replaced at the timing when a predetermined period elapses, one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit is detached and this chamber is attached in place of one of the chambers of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. Thus, the chamber which has been used in one of the oscillator and amplifiers having a low allowable deterioration limit and has not reached the limit of deterioration is reused in one of the oscillator and the amplifiers other than the one having the low allowable deterioration limit. This enables efficient use of oscillator and amplifier chambers in a multistage amplification laser apparatus, minimizing the labor and parts consumed for replacement thereof. |
| US07984532B2 |
Hinge with variable torque
A hinge with variable torque is disclosed to include a first part, which has a shaft at one side thereof and recessed portions on the peripheral wall of the shaft, and a second part, which has a sleeve disposed at one side thereof and grooves on the inside wall of the sleeve. The sleeve is pivotally coupled to the shaft of the first part. A first contact area and a first friction force are produced between the peripheral wall of the shaft and the inside wall of the sleeve when the first part is turned to a first angle relative to the second part, and a second contact area and a second friction force are produced between thereinbetween when the first part is turned to a second angle relative to the second part. |
| US07984531B2 |
Rachet hinge for a knee or elbow orthosis
A ratchet hinge for a knee or elbow orthosis having a pair of struts, connected to one strut is a pair of plates in spaced relation to one another. The other strut is pivotably connected between the plates and has a slot formed therein for receiving a locking assembly. The plates have a plurality of ratchets on their outer periphery and a locking slot formed in the edge of the plates. The locking assembly has a spring biased locking pin disposed between two plats such that the pin engages the plates to lock the hinge or allow limited movement. |
| US07984529B2 |
Robotic pet waste treatment or collection
A method and apparatus for the detection, treatment or collection of a quantity of solid animal excrement from a surface, particularly a grassy surface. The method includes the steps of autonomously or semi-autonomously detecting the presence of the excrement on the surface, moving a collection/treatment device into position over the detected excrement, and, thereupon, subjecting the detected excrement to one or more of deodorization, disinfection, enhancement of deterioration, dispersal and/or collection of the detected excrement. The apparatus of the present invention operates without the immediate or continued intervention of a human. Preferably, the device us robotic in nature, is readily portable, and preferably includes a rechargeable power source. |
| US07984528B2 |
Cleaning implement
A cleaning implement that includes a connector for connecting a handle to a base block. The connector prevents the handle from rotating relative to the base block and, thus, the connector prevents the handle from unscrewing or otherwise loosening or disconnecting from the base block. The base block can include a headpiece supported between oppositely arranged shoulders, a generally cylindrical flange projecting from the headpiece, and a generally cylindrical opening extending through the cylindrical flange. A slot may be formed in an inner surface of the cylindrical flange. A ferrule that can have a generally dovetail-shaped projection provided on its outer surface can be secured to an end of the handle. The projection and the slot can form a joint when the handle is connected to the base block. This joint substantially prevents the handle from rotating relative to the base block. |
| US07984521B2 |
Device for actuating the drainage valve of a sanitary article
The device has a housing (5) which can be fastened on the sanitary article (2) and in which is mounted a pushbutton (7) for actuating the drainage valve (A). A pulling element (16) connects the pushbutton (7) to a closure body (33) which is mounted in a displaceable manner in a housing (22) of the drainage valve (A). A changeover device (26) is mounted on the housing (22) of the drainage valve (A) and can be changed over under tension in each case for opening and closing the drainage valve (A). By virtue of the changeover device (26) being arranged on the housing (22) of the drainage valve (A), the actuating part which contains the pushbutton (7) can be designed in a more space-saving and compact manner. |
| US07987514B2 |
Systems and methods for retrofitting electronic appliances to accept different content formats
Systems and methods are disclosed for using an arbitrary fixed channel to carry third-party information. In one embodiment, the present invention provides systems and methods for enabling existing content rendering devices to accept content encoded in a proprietary format, such as an encoding format used by a digital rights management system. The encoded content is rendered by the device in the normal manner, and decoded by a retrofitting appliance connected to the device's output. The retrofitting appliance may apply decoded rules and controls to the decoded content, thereby managing use of the content. |
| US07987508B2 |
Copy protection system for data carriers
A copy-protected compact disc includes, within a single session, a table of contents (TOC) and a Video CD index (VI). Each track (T) is prefaced by unrecoverable data (UD) at a track start position (ATOC) indicated by the table of contents (TOC). However, the Video CD index (VI) indicates the actual position (AP) of the tracks. DVD players use the Video CD index (VI) to locate the tracks, while CD-ROM drives use the table of contents (TOC) and read the unrecoverable data (UD), which prevents them from reading the subsequent track (T). The unrecoverable data (UD) may be prefaced by data pointers (DP) which cause the CD-ROM drive to load a player program in response to the error condition. The player program can be used to play the tracks (T), but restricts copying. Subchannel data (P; DX) causes audio CD players to ignore the Video CD index (VI) and the unrecoverable data (UD), and to play the tracks (T) at their actual start positions (AP). |
| US07987498B2 |
Personal data management system and nonvolatile memory card
It is an object to provide a personal data management system which overcomes a problem of data leakage and a nonvolatile memory card applied to the personal data management system. A personal data management system includes a personal data storage medium including a communication control unit which transmits and receives data to/from a terminal, an encoding unit which encodes the received data, and a nonvolatile memory which stores the encoded data; a terminal including a communication control unit which transmits and receives data to/from the personal data storage medium and a server, a display portion which displays the received data, and an input unit; and the server including a communication control unit which transmits and receives data to/from the terminal, a decoding unit which decodes the encoded data, an identification data storage portion, and a unit which compares the decoded data with data in the identification data storage portion. |
| US07987497B1 |
Systems and methods for data encryption using plugins within virtual systems and subsystems
Several embodiments of the present invention provide a means for improving data access security in computer systems to support high-security applications, and certain of these embodiments are specifically directed to providing sector-level encryption of a virtual hard disk in a virtual machine environment. More specifically, certain embodiments are directed to providing sector-level encryption by using plug-ins in a virtual machine environment, thereby providing improved data access security in a computer system that supports high-security applications. Certain embodiments also use encryption plug-ins associated with standard encryption software for exchanging data between a virtual machine (VM) and its associated virtual hard drive(s) (VHDs). Moreover, several embodiments of the present invention are directed to the use of plug-in encryption services that interface with, and provide services for, a VM via a VM Encryption API (or its equivalent). |
| US07987495B2 |
System and method for multi-context policy management
The system and method described herein provides multi-context security policy management in a networked computing infrastructure. The system and method may generate a plurality of security contexts regarding different security characteristics of the communication between a computing device and the networked computing infrastructure. The computing device then requests access to at least one specific element of the computing infrastructure. The security policy definitions of the at least one specific element are compared with one or more of the security contexts to determine whether access to the specific elements should be granted. |
| US07987490B2 |
System and method to acquire, aggregate, manage, and distribute media
A media content manager residing at a user premises having a tuner coupled to at least one media source operable to selectively receive at least one media stream of at least one type of media content. The media content manager also including a media processor coupled to the tuner and operable to receive the at least one media stream and convert the media stream to a predetermined data format, the at least one media stream comprising metadata. Additionally, the media content manages has a media manager coupled to the media processor and operable to receive the at least one media stream in the predetermined data format and direct the media stream to a selected media player device coupled to the media processor. Furthermore, the media content manager includes a storage device coupled to the media manager and operable to receive and store the at least one media stream in the predetermined data format. |
| US07987488B2 |
System for transmitting and receiving data
A system for transmitting and receiving image and audio data that is information on any of image and audio has a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus. The transmission apparatus transmits the image and audio data using a multi-channel communication system and includes a first protocol conversion device. The reception apparatus receives the image and audio data using the multi-channel communication system and includes a second protocol conversion device. The transmission apparatus performs data conversion processing on the image and audio data by the first protocol conversion device using a protocol to produce parallel image and audio data, and transmits it to the reception apparatus using the multi-channel communication system. The reception apparatus receives the parallel data to perform data conversion processing on the parallel data using the protocol by the second protocol conversion device to return to the image and audio data. |
| US07987486B2 |
System architecture for control and signal distribution on coaxial cable
A signal distribution and control system where signals are distributed and control signals transmitted via a single coaxial cable. Integrated Receiver/Decoder (IRD) units communicate with a Frequency Translation Module (FTM) for construction of a custom data signal for delivery to all IRDs coupled to a given FTM. The commands sent by the IRDs to control the FTM inform the FTM which signals are of interest and should be placed on the custom data signal, also called the combined IRD channels. Previously installed IRDs that cannot generate the new commands are still supported in the system via legacy ports in the multiswitch. |
| US07987483B1 |
Inserting branding elements
Techniques are described that permit the flexible introduction of branding elements into or around video rendered by a media player. One or more sets of metadata related to the presentation of branding elements may be collected, and then one or more sets of the metadata may be selected based on business rules when the media player requests a particular piece of content. The selected metadata may indicate what branding element is to be displayed, and how it is to be displayed (e.g., position of element in video rendering window). The media player is then instructed based on the metadata to access and appropriately place the branding elements in or outside of the video rendering window (e.g., overlayed on top of the video content). |
| US07987478B2 |
Methods, devices, and computer program products for providing unobtrusive video advertising content
A method of advertising during sequences of video images includes alerting a viewer of available video advertising content associated with an object displayed in a sequence of video images. A viewer selection of the object is received during the sequence of video images responsive to alerting the viewer, and an end of the sequence of video images is detected. The video advertising content is displayed responsive to receiving the viewer selection and after the end of the sequence of video images such that viewing of the sequence of video images is not interrupted. Related devices and computer program products are also discussed. |
| US07987477B2 |
Technique for identifying favorite program channels for receiving entertainment programming content over a communications network
A favorites list of program channels which a cable TV user likely prefers is generated automatically from which the user may select a program channel to watch. Each program channel in the favorites list is identified based on a measure of the duration in which the program channel is continuously tuned to. In an embodiment, this measure varies nonlinearly with such a duration. The favorites list may further comprise sublists of program channels which may correspond to different periods of a day, week, etc. The favorites list may be generated from programs watched on multiple viewing devices. |
| US07987476B2 |
Apparatus for clamping large and small disks
An apparatus for clamping both large and small disks is provided, including a disk tray inside a base, an upper case and two clamping mechanisms above the disk tray and the base. Each clamping mechanism includes a slider and a gripper structure. The gripper structure further includes a first gripper, a second gripper, and a resilient element located between the first and the second grippers. The second gripper includes a first belt-ring and a second belt-ring. When the disk is loaded, under the force of the resilient element, the first belt-ring and the second belt-ring hold the disk onto the disk tray firmly. When the first gripper moves to a specific position of the groove on the upper case, the first gripper causes the second gripper to rotate so that the resilient element stops to exert the force. Hence, the first belt-ring and the second belt-ring rotate upwards so as to complete the loading process. On the other hand, to eject a disk, the resilient element re-exerts force on the first gripper to cause the first belt-ring and the second belt-ring to rotate downwards to hold the disk until the disk is completely ejected to complete the ejecting process. |
| US07987474B2 |
Disc ejecting device for slot-in type disc drive
A slot-in type disc drive is provided by comprising a disc entrance slot for loading a disc into the disc drive along a first direction; a bottom casing; a crossing driving member; and a disc loading device. The crossing driving member has at least a disc driving groove and is moved along a second direction vertical to the first direction. The disc loading device comprises two disc loading levers and two connecting levers. Each of the disc loading levers has a first end close to the disc entrance slot and a second end pivoted on a rotating shaft. Each of the connecting lever having a third end and a fourth end, wherein the third ends are respectively pivoted on the disc loading levers, and the fourth ends are pivoted together on a vertical guiding pin. When the crossing driving member moves along the second direction, the vertical guiding pin is moved along the first direction and moved related to the crossing driving member in the disc driving groove. |
| US07987473B1 |
Accelerated class check
Determining a class of an object is disclosed. A pointer of the object is obtained. One or more bits that are not implemented as address bits are extracted from the pointer. The one or more bits are interpreted as an identifier of the class of the object. The class of the object is determined to correspond to the identifier. |
| US07987472B2 |
Computerized network administration of remote computer resources
A system and method is provided for remote administration and management of a computer network, by installation of distributed software agents in remote network components, such as software agents implemented using encapsulated reusable interfaces such as COM or CORBA interfaces. Remote network management is effected by communication with the distributed agents using a structured language-independent parsable text document, such as a markup language; e.g. XML. |
| US07987468B2 |
Inter process communications in a distributed CP and NP environment
A lightweight, low cost solution provides inter process communications (IPC) in a network processing environment. A method of inter process communication (IPC) between General Purpose Processors in a network processing environment uses software based functions (Application Program Interfaces (APIs)) that enable inter process communication between processors in a network processing environment. The software enabled functions open and close inter process communication paths for transmitting and receiving of inter process communication frames and allow the inter process communication frames to be transmitted to one or several processors in said network processing environment. The software has the capability of selecting either data or control path in said network processing environment to transmit or receive said inter process communication frames. |
| US07987465B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic allocation of processing resources
A method and apparatus for dynamic allocation of processing resources and tasks, including multimedia tasks. Tasks are queued, available processing resources are identified, and the available processing resources are allocated among the tasks. The available processing resources are provided with functional programs corresponding to the tasks. The tasks are performed using the available processing resources to produce resulting data, and the resulting data is passed to an input/output device. |
| US07987460B2 |
Automation tool for application installations
Methods, apparatuses, articles, and systems for identifying, by a state machine, a first module installation of a first module of a plurality of modules of one or more applications, at least a subset of the modules each having one or more installation relationships with one or more other modules of the plurality of modules, and the identifying being based at least in part on the first module's installation relationship(s), if any, with the other modules as described by a data structure describing the installation relationships of the plurality of modules, are described herein. In various embodiments, the state machine may further execute the first module installation and repeat the identifying and the executing for at least a second module installation of a second module of the plurality of modules. |
| US07987457B2 |
Targeted patching for native generation images
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed that provides targeted patching for native generation images. Changed binaries are updated with information that indicates whether or not they contain safe changes. A servicing process can then be provided for a client machine. For any compatible binaries with changes that have been identified as safe, a native generation update is performed that includes recompilation of the compatible binaries with the safe changes, and an updating of binding information for any dependent binaries. For any non-compatible binaries with changes that have been identified as unsafe, a native generation update is performed that includes recompilation of any non-compatible binaries and any dependent binaries. |
| US07987451B1 |
System, method and computer program product for verifying invocations of interfaces
A verification system, method and computer program product are provided. In one embodiment, one of a plurality of call instruction formats is selected. In addition, it is verified whether an invocation of an interface was attempted by code utilizing the selected call instruction format. Further, the selection and the verification are repeated for each of the plurality of call instruction formats. In another embodiment, a return target address is identified. Still yet, it is determined whether return of contra to the return target address would result in invocation a one of a plurality of interfaces. |
| US07987449B1 |
Network for lifecycle management of firmware and software in electronic devices
Disclosed herein is an electronic device network for lifecycle management of firmware and software in electronic devices. The electronic device network may also be adapted to manage configuration parameters in the electronic devices. Lifecycle management provided by the electronic device network may include firmware and software downloading, firmware and software updating, and remote locking and remote enabling of electronic device capability. An update store module in the electronic device network may be adapted to dispense update packages to requesting electronic devices. The electronic devices may employ one or a plurality of update agents to update software and firmware therein. |
| US07987448B2 |
Conversion of a first diagram having states and transitions to a graphical data flow program using an intermediate XML representation
A system and method for programmatically generating a graphical program in response to state diagram information. The state diagram information may specify a plurality of states and state transitions, wherein each state transition specifies a transition from a first state to a second state. A graphical program generation program (GPG program), may receive the state diagram information and automatically, i.e., programmatically, generate a graphical program (or graphical program portion) based on the state diagram information. |
| US07987445B2 |
Comparing a configuration diagram to an actual system
System and method for determining differences and/or matches between a configuration diagram and an actual system. First information is received regarding a configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a first system, and second information is received regarding an actual system comprising a plurality components. At least a portion of the nodes may correspond to hardware devices, programs, and/or configuration data of the first system, and may be interconnected. The first and second information is analyzed to determine differences and/or matches between the configuration diagram and the actual system, e.g., between hardware, software, configuration, and/or connectivity, e.g., by traversing the configuration diagram or a data structure representing the diagram, and/or traversing the actual system or a data structure representing the actual system. An indication of the differences and/or matches is displayed on a display device, e.g., textually, or graphically, e.g., via a merged configuration diagram. |
| US07987444B2 |
Determining and merging differences between configuration diagrams
System and method for determining and/or merging differences between configuration diagrams. First information is received regarding a first configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a first system, and second information is received regarding a second configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a second system. At least a portion of the nodes may correspond to hardware devices, programs, and/or configuration data of the respective systems, and may be interconnected. The first and second information is analyzed to determine and/or merge differences between the first configuration diagram and the second configuration diagram, e.g., differences between hardware, software, configuration, and/or connectivity, e.g., by traversing the configuration diagrams or data structures representing the diagrams. An indication of the differences and/or a merged configuration diagram may be displayed on a display device, e.g., where the differences are indicated graphically, e.g., via highlighting. |
| US07987443B2 |
Declarative association of dialog fields
A computer-based user interface comprises a dialog control element for usage in creating a dialog. The dialog control element acts upon a data model containing an object defined by one or more properties and modifiable by one or more controls. The dialog control element can associate object properties with controls recursively whereby properties can contain objects which further contain properties. |
| US07987442B2 |
Fault dictionaries for integrated circuit yield and quality analysis methods and systems
Methods, apparatus, and systems for testing, analyzing, and improving integrated circuit yield and quality are disclosed herein. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, one or more fault dictionaries are generated for identifying one or more defect candidates from corresponding observation point combinations. In this exemplary method, the observation point combinations indicate the observation points of a circuit-under-test that captured faulty test values upon application of a respective test pattern. Further, the one or more fault dictionaries in one embodiment are generated by: (a) for a first defect candidate, storing one or more first indicators indicative of test patterns detecting the first defect candidate, and (b) for a second defect candidate, storing at least a second indicator indicative of the test patterns that detect the second defect candidate, the second indicator comprising a bit mask that indicates which of the test patterns detecting the first defect candidate also detect the second defect candidate. |
| US07987438B2 |
Structure for initializing expansion adapters installed in a computer system having similar expansion adapters
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for at designing, manufacturing, and/or testing a design is disclosed for initializing expansion adapters installed in a computer system having similar expansion adapters that include detecting an expansion adapter installed in a computer system having a plurality of expansion adapters, the detected expansion adapter having an option ROM containing initialization code, identifying similar expansion adapters installed in the computer system that correspond to the detected expansion adapter, each of the identified similar expansion adapters having an option ROM containing initialization code, disabling the option ROM of each of the identified similar expansion adapters, and initializing the plurality of expansion adapters installed in the computer system without executing the initialization code of the identified similar expansion adapters. |
| US07987437B2 |
Structure for piggybacking multiple data tenures on a single data bus grant to achieve higher bus utilization
A design structure for piggybacking multiple data tenures on a single data bus grant to achieve higher bus utilization is disclosed. In one embodiment of the design structure, a method in a computer-aided design system includes a source device sending a request for a bus grant to deliver data to a data bus connecting a source device and a destination device. The device receives the bus grant and logic within the device determines whether the bandwidth of the data bus allocated to the bus grant will be filled by the data. If the bandwidth of the data bus allocated to the bus grant will not be filled by the data, the device appends additional data to the first data and delivers the combined data to the data bus during the bus grant for the first data. When the bandwidth of the data bus allocated to the bus grant will be filled by the first data, the device delivers only the first data to the data bus during the bus grant. |
| US07987436B2 |
Sub-resolution assist feature to improve symmetry for contact hole lithography
A method of making a mask design having optical proximity correction features is provided. The method can include obtaining a target pattern comprising a plurality of target pattern features corresponding to a plurality of features to be imaged on a substrate. The method can also comprise generating a mask design comprising mask features corresponding to the plurality of features to be imaged on the substrate and controlling the aspect ratio of at least one of the features of the plurality of features to be imaged on the substrate by positioning a sub-resolution assist feature proximate to the corresponding mask feature. |
| US07987434B2 |
Calculation system for inverse masks
A system for calculating mask data to create a desired layout pattern on a wafer reads all or a portion of a desired layout pattern. Mask data having pixels with transmission values is defined along with corresponding optimal mask data pixel transmission values. An objective function is defined that compares image intensities as would be generated on a wafer with an optimal image intensity at a point corresponding to a pixel. The objective function is minimized to determine the transmission values of the mask pixels that will reproduce the desired layout pattern on a wafer. |
| US07987431B2 |
System and method for simultaneous display of multiple information sources
A computerized method of presenting information from a variety of sources on a display device. Specifically the present disclosure presents a graphical user interface for organizing the simultaneous display of information from a multitude of information sources. In particular, the present technology comprises a graphical user interface which organizes content from a variety of information sources into a grid of tiles, each of which can refresh its content independently of the others. The grid functionality manages the refresh rates of the multiple information sources. Both a grid and individual tiles may be communicated independently of one another to other devices or users. According to some embodiments, the method of the present invention allocates refresh rates to tiles according to priorities that are assigned based on identifiers such as quality of service (QoS) tags associated with one or more of the information sources. The present invention is intended to operate in a platform independent manner. |
| US07987430B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for customizing a graphical user interface
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for customizing a graphical user interface. A rendition module renders a base GUI to provide an operator with tools for managing Data Processing Devices (DPD). A tag module communicates interface tags to the base GUI. The interface tags describe added functionality for managing a specified DPD, wherein the added functionality is not supported by the base GUI and the base GUI is not configured to employ the interface tags. A translation module translates the interface tags into interpreted display code. The rendition module is further configured to render the interpreted display code with previously rendered display code for the base GUI to provide the added functionality for managing the specified DPD. The operator may manage the specified DPD with the added functionality. |
| US07987429B2 |
Data management apparatus and method, recording medium recording data management program, and camera
There is disclosed a data management apparatus having a display screen, which includes (1) a first area for displaying a list of title information representing data belonging to a specified category and capable of changing the list in response to changing the category specification, and (2) a second area in which no display content is changed despite changing the category specification, wherein at least either of copying and moving of any title information can be performed at least from the first area to the second area. In addition to the data management apparatus, the present invention can be understood as the invention of a camera including the data management apparatus, a data management method, and a recording medium recording a data management program. |
| US07987428B2 |
Dashboard editor
A user interface programmed to create a digital dashboard includes a dashboard workspace including one or more zones, and a dashboard elements area including a plurality of dashboard elements. A dashboard element of the dashboard elements is dragged and dropped onto one of the zones to add the dashboard element to the digital dashboard. |
| US07987423B2 |
Personalized slide show generation
A personalized slide show generation system is comprised of a script generator and a personalized slide show generation engine. The script generator is configured for employing a user interaction associated with an image to generate an interaction script. The personalized slideshow generation engine is coupled to the script generator and configured for utilizing the image and the interaction script to generate a personalized slide show. |
| US07987422B2 |
Systems, methods and computer program products for automatic dissemination of spelling rules within working groups
Systems, methods, and computer program products for automatic dissemination of spelling rules within working groups. Exemplary embodiments include a method for automatic dissemination of spelling rules within working groups having a sender computer and a recipient computer, the method including composing a document on the sender computer, performing a spell check on text within the document, identifying a word flagged by the spell check as being absent from a dictionary associated with the spell check and with the sender computer, adding the flagged word to the dictionary associated with the sender computer, tagging the flagged word with an indication that the flagged word is to be added to a dictionary associated with the recipient computer in response to the document being received in the recipient computer, storing the indication within the document and sending the document to the recipient computer. |
| US07987414B2 |
Rate matching device and method for a data communication system
A device and method for rate matching channel-encoded bits in a data communication system. The rate matching device includes a plurality of rate matching blocks, the number of the rate matching blocks being equal to a reciprocal of a coding rate of a channel encoder. The rate matching device can rate match the bits encoded with a non-systematic code or the bits encoded with a systematic code, by changing initial parameters including the number of input bits, the number of output bits, and the puncturing or repetition pattern determining parameters. |
| US07987412B2 |
Reed Solomon decoding of signals having variable input data rates
A method and apparatus to achieve a resource optimized, class of Reed Solomon decoders, featuring balanced pipelined stages and parallel algorithmic components. The Reed Solomon decoder has two pipeline stages, with one stage implementing syndrome computation and the second stage implementing error locator polynomial evaluation, error location and error correction. Since the second pipeline stage performs several tasks, these tasks can share resources with each other, resulting in a compact implementation. In addition, we present a technique that can be used to compute the level of parallelism required of two key algorithmic components (syndrome computation, error location) so that the RS decoder can handle inputs of variable rates, with minimal latency and resource consumption. We show that low latency, in itself, is an important consideration for Reed Solomon decoders, and can lead to reduced buffering, resulting in significant hardware savings. |
| US07987408B2 |
Data buffering method
In a data processing and buffering method, at least one read cycles are asserted to obtain at least one data, respectively, wherein each of the data includes at least one sub data and each data is specified with an address pointer and an enable bit array. When a certain sub data is received, the corresponding bit of the enable bit array is enabled. The corresponding sub data of the enabled bit is indicated by the address pointer. |
| US07987406B2 |
Wireless communications apparatus and method
A wireless communications apparatus according to the present invention includes a scheduler which allocates, to a user apparatus, at least one resource block included in a system bandwidth; an interleaver which rearranges an order of bits within a bit sequence according to a specified pattern; a unit which creates a transmit symbol including the interleaved bit sequence; and an interleaving-pattern determining unit which determines a range of the bit sequence to be rearranged based on a number of the resource blocks, a data modulation scheme, and a channel encoding rate, determines a rearranging pattern according to the range, and communicates the determined pattern to the interleaver. |
| US07987403B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding feedback signal
A method and apparatus for encoding feedback signals is provided. The method includes: encoding feedback signals of three carriers to output a bit sequence; and transmitting the bit sequence on a High Speed-Dedicated Physical Control Channel (HS-DPCCH). The step of encoding the feedback signals of the three carriers may specifically include: mapping the feedback signals of the three carriers into a codeword, in which the codeword can be selected from a codebook, and codewords in the codebook satisfy a particular code distance relationship. The method for jointly encoding feedback signals of three carriers in a Ternary Cell (TC) mode is provided. Feedback signals are transmitted over a single code channel. Therefore, power overhead is reduced, and system performance is improved. |
| US07987401B2 |
System and method for generating self-synchronized launch of last shift capture pulses using on-chip phase locked loop for at-speed scan testing
Presented herein are system(s) and method(s) for generating self-synchronized launch of last shift capture pulses using on-chip phase locked loop for at-speed scan testing. In one embodiment, there is presented a system for scan testing. The system comprises an ATE clock and a phase lock loop. The ATE clock shifts scan data. The phase lock loop generates capture pulses. The ATE clock or the capture pulses are selected based on an external synchronization signal. |
| US07987400B2 |
Method for optimizing scan chains in an integrated circuit that has multiple levels of hierarchy
A method for optimizing scan chains in an integrated circuit that has multiple levels of hierarchy addresses unlimited chains and stumps and separately all other chains and stumps. Unlimited chains and stumps are optimized by dividing an area encompassed by the chains and by a start point and an end point of the stump into a grid comprised of a plurality of grid boxes, and determining a grid box to grid box connectivity route to access all of the grid boxes between the start point and the end point by means of a computer running a routing algorithm. All other chains and stumps are optimized randomly assigning to a stump a chain that can be physically reached by that stump and adding an additional chain to that stump based on the number of latches in the additional chain, its physical location, and the number of latches already assigned. |
| US07987397B2 |
Testing mobile wireless devices during device production
A system and method of testing a wireless communication device during device production comprises designating as a data log buffer when the device is being produced, at least part of random access memory (RAM) of the device that is allocated for virtual machine and/or application usage when the device is operational; and testing the device and storing test log data in the buffer. After testing, the data can be obtained from the buffer and processed using a debugging and log analysis tool. |
| US07987395B2 |
Evaluation method of random error distribution and evaluation apparatus thereof
A degree of conformity of error distribution of a digital signal to the Poisson distribution is quantitatively determined. The digital signal including error data, which is randomly generated at a predetermined error rate, is divided into data number of measurement units, wherein the data number is determined on the basis of the error rate. A sample number of the measurement units are acquired from the measurement units, and the number of errors contained in each measurement unit is measured as a measurement value. Further, the number of times of occurrence of each measurement value is calculated, a Poisson distribution function is calculated, and a degree of a bond between the Poisson distribution and the distribution of the number of times of occurrence is determined by using the chi-square goodness-of-fit test method. |
| US07987393B2 |
Determining operating context of an executed instruction
Determining operating context of an executed instruction. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are a computer-readable medium storing a debug-trace program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to display trace data on a display device (the trace data comprising a plurality of addresses of instructions executed by a target processor), enable a user of the debug-trace program to select an address of the plurality of addresses to create a selected address, and display data based on an operating context proximate in time to when the instruction of the selected address was executed on the target processor. |
| US07987380B2 |
Methods and apparatus to detect voltage class of a circuit
A method including monitoring whether an externally originating signal reaches a predetermined threshold value in a host, producing an output value based on the monitoring, and identifying a power environment for the host based on the output value is described. Also described is a method for determining the power environment of a host. Systems and hosts for implementing the methods are also described. |
| US07987378B2 |
Automatic power-off of bluetooth device from linked device
Methods and systems for powering-off a Bluetooth device from a linked device are provided. A device can transmit a Bluetooth signal to a linked device to instruct the linked device to power-off. In this manner, the user need only turn off one device manually which results in all linked devices being powered off. This process can be initiated by a user through a device directly linked with the device to be powered-off or through a device that is indirectly connected, through one or more Bluetooth networks, with the device to be powered-off. This process can also be automatically initiated by a device when a set of predetermined conditions exist. Once instructed to do so, a device can initiate a predetermined power-off process which can involve terminating any ongoing functions and turning off various subsystems. In accordance with the present invention, a user can initiate a power-off of all the devices on a Bluetooth network through a single device. |
| US07987373B2 |
Apparatus and method for licensing programmable hardware sub-designs using a host-identifier
Methods and apparatuses for enforcing terms of a licensing agreement between a plurality of parties involved in a particular hardware design through the use of hardware technologies. According to one embodiment, a hardware sub-design includes a license verification sub-design that is protected from user modification by encryption. In one embodiment, a license is generated based on a trusted host identifier within an external hardware device. In one embodiment, each trusted host identifier is unique, and no two integrated circuits share the same trusted host identifier. In another embodiment, the integrated circuit is a field programmable gate array or an application specific integrated circuit. In one embodiment, a license determines how long the hardware sub-design will operate when the hardware sub-design is implemented within an integrated circuit having a trusted host identifier. |
| US07987372B2 |
Method for managing the access to a memory, by using passwords
A method for managing the access to a memory space shareable by several users, by using passwords, comprises: defining a maximum number of passwords, providing a password storage zone, dividing the shareable memory space into a plurality of blocks greater in number than the maximum number of passwords, providing in each block a parameterization field for parameterizing the protection of the block, providing in each parameterization field a binary index smaller in size than a password and designating a password assigned to the protection of the block, and allocating, to each block, access rights requiring a password to be presented corresponding to the password designated by the index present in the block parameterization field. Application is provided particularly but not exclusively to multi-user integrated circuits. |
| US07987369B2 |
Using watermarking to reduce communication overhead
A method for reducing overhead when transmitting an Internet Protocol (IP) packet begins by selecting a watermarking signature based on the IP address of the packet. The watermarking signature is applied to the packet and the IP address is removed from the packet. The packet is sent to a receiver, which looks up the IP address of the packet by using the watermarking signature. The watermarking signature can be a radio frequency watermarking signature or a digital watermarking signature. A similar method employing watermarking can be used to reduce medium access control header overhead. |
| US07987368B2 |
Peer-to-peer networks with protections
In a peer-to-peer environment, copyrights and users' privacies can be protected by a tracking mechanism. In described implementations, tracking mechanisms can use certificates that are produced using random numbers to protect the privacy of users and/or certificates that are produced responsive to at least one hardware identifier to enable uploader to be identified to protect copyrights. |
| US07987367B2 |
Method and apparatus for key agreement between devices using polynomial ring
Provided is a method of key agreement between devices. Using the method, two devices on a network can exchange information using polynomials of a polynomial ring, authenticate each other using the exchanged information, and generate a shared key. Accordingly, an authenticated key agreement protocol, which has better security and a faster processing speed than a conventional encoding system, can be realized. |
| US07987365B2 |
Subscription-based computing implemented in hardware of computing device
A subscription-based computing device has hardware and a subscription enforcer implemented in the hardware. The enforcer has an accumulator that accumulates a usage value as the computing device is being used and an expiration value register that stores an expiration value. The enforcer allows the computing device to operate in a subscription mode without hindrance and with full use when the usage value is less than the stored expiration value, and allows the computing device to operate in an expiration mode with hindrance and without full use when the usage value reaches the stored expiration value to signal that the subscription for the computing device has expired. |
| US07987359B2 |
Information communication system, information communication apparatus and method, and computer program
In an information communication system, information communication devices exchange an IP packet over IP networks. When performing a predetermined packet exchanging procedure in which the number of router hops is limited to a predetermined control value or less, each of the information communication devices monitors Time-To-Live values designated in the headers of IP packets received over a period of time from the start of the predetermined packet exchanging procedure to immediately before the end of the predetermined packet exchanging procedure to continuously update the maximum Time-To-Live value of the monitored Time-To-Live values, and checks whether the maximum Time-To-Live value does not exceed the control value. |
| US07987358B1 |
Methods of authenticating a user design in a programmable integrated circuit
Methods of authenticating a user design in a programmable integrated circuit. The methods utilize an identifier unique to the programmable IC and a data word taken from the user design. The data word can be unique to the design and can include a string of data taken from the configuration data for the design, or the values of circuit nodes read from selected points throughout the design. A function is performed on the identifier and the data word, producing a key specific to the user design as implemented in that programmable IC. The key is compared to an expected value. When the key matches the expected value, the user design is enabled. When the key does not match the expected value, at least a portion of the user design is disabled. Circuitry for performing the steps of the method can be implemented in the programmable resources of the programmable IC. |
| US07987356B2 |
Programmable security platform
A dynamically programmable security device. The device includes: a secure nonvolatile read only memory (NVMROM) for securely storing a unique device cipher key; a secure interface for dynamically loading authenticated application code; a cryptographic engine for encrypting, decrypting data and authenticating the application code; a secure random access memory (RAM) for storing the authenticated application code and application data; and a processor for executing the authenticated application code. |
| US07987352B2 |
Booting with sub socket partitioning
A method of booting up a computer system comprising a first multi-cored processor comprising a first plurality of cores and a second multi-cored processor comprising a second plurality of cores is disclosed. The method may comprise configuring a first partition comprising a first one or more cores from the first plurality of cores and from the second plurality of cores, configuring a second partition comprising a second one or more cores from the first plurality of cores and from the second plurality of cores, and configuring a third partition comprising a third one or more cores from the first plurality of cores and one or more cores from the second plurality of cores. |
| US07987351B2 |
Method and system for enhanced boot protection
A secondary boot code may be copied to memory during execution of a primary boot code, and executing the copied secondary boot code after completion of execution of said primary boot code. Access to the primary and said secondary boot code may be restricted during execution of the primary boot code and the copied secondary boot code. The copied secondary boot code may be verified after the secondary boot code is copied to the memory. Access to the primary boot code may be blocked or barred during execution of the copied secondary boot code. Access to the secondary boot code may also be blocked or barred after completion of execution of the copied secondary boot code. The memory may comprise double-data-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR). The primary and/or the secondary boot code may reside or be stored in FLASH memory. |
| US07987348B2 |
Instant on video
In some embodiments, the invention involves speeding boot up of a platform by initializing the video card early on in the boot process. In an embodiment, processor cache memory is to be used as cache as RAM (CAR). Video graphics adapter (VGA) card initialization uses the CAR instead of system RAM to perform initialization. A portion of the firmware code, interrupt vector tables and handlers are mirrored in the CAR, from flash memory to mimic the behavior of system RAM during the video initialization. VGA initialization may occur before system RAM has initialized to enable early visual feedback to a user. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07987345B2 |
Performance monitors in a multithreaded processor architecture
A system comprising a plurality of execution units configured to execute, at least in part, a plurality of instruction threads; a plurality of performance monitors, each performance monitor being configured to collect performance information related to the execution of at least one instruction thread; a selected thread identifier configured to provide, during operation, the selection of at least one instruction thread; and a performance manager configured to filter, utilizing the selected thread, the information collected by the plurality of performance monitors. |
| US07987344B2 |
Multithreaded programmable processor and system with partitioned operations
A programmable processor and method for improving the performance of processors by incorporating an execution unit configurable to execute a plurality of instruction streams from the plurality of threads, wherein each instruction stream includes a group instruction that operates on a plurality of data elements in partitioned fields of at least one of the registers to produce a catenated result. |
| US07987343B2 |
Processor and method for synchronous load multiple fetching sequence and pipeline stage result tracking to facilitate early address generation interlock bypass
A pipelined processor including an architecture for address generation interlocking, the processor including: an instruction grouping unit to detect a read-after-write dependency and to resolve instruction interdependency; an instruction dispatch unit (IDU) including address generation interlock (AGI) and operand fetching logic for dispatching an instruction to at least one of a load store unit and an execution unit; wherein the load store unit is configured with access to a data cache and to return fetched data to the execution unit; wherein the execution unit is configured to write data into a general purpose register bank; and wherein the architecture provides support for bypassing of results of a load multiple instruction for address generation while such instruction is executing in the execution unit before the general purpose register bank is written. A method and a computer system are also provided. |
| US07987342B1 |
Trace unit with a decoder, a basic-block cache, a multi-block cache, and sequencer
An instruction processing circuit for a processor, where the instruction processing circuit is adapted to provide one or more sequence of operations, based on one or more sequence of instructions, to an execution circuit of the processor. The instruction processing circuit includes a cache circuit operable to store a second type of sequence of operations that represents at least a portion of a first type of sequence of operations, where the sequence of operations of the second type includes at most one control transfer that, when present, ends a first portion of a sequence of instructions, where the cache circuit is further configured to store a third type of sequence of operations that represents a set of at least two sequences of operations. |
| US07987340B2 |
Communications in a processor array
Data is transmitted from a sending processor over a network to one or more receiving processor in a forward direction during an allocated slot, and acknowledge signals are sent in a reverse direction during the same allocated slot, to indicate whether the receiving processor is able to receive data If one or more of the receiving processors indicates that it is unable to receive the data, the data is retransmitted during the next allocated slot. This means that the sending processor is able to determine within the slot period whether a retransmission is necessary, but that the slot period only needs to be long enough for one-way communication. |
| US07987338B2 |
Processing system with interspersed processors using shared memory of communication elements
A processing system comprising processors and the dynamically configurable communication elements coupled together in an interspersed arrangement. The processors each comprise at least one arithmetic logic unit, an instruction processing unit, and a plurality of processor ports. The dynamically configurable communication elements each comprise a plurality of communication ports, a first memory, and a routing engine. For each of the processors, the plurality of processor ports is configured for coupling to a first subset of the plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements. For each of the dynamically configurable communication elements, the plurality of communication ports comprises a first subset of communication ports configured for coupling to a subset of the plurality of processors and a second subset of communication ports configured for coupling to a second subset of the plurality of dynamically configurable communication elements. |
| US07987334B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for adjusting memory hold time
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for adjusting memory hold time. A detection module detects a hold time violation for a memory. An adjustment module increases a first voltage of a voltage controller in response to the hold time violation. The voltage controller supplies electrical current at the first voltage to a memory controller and at a reference voltage to the memory. The first and reference voltages are set independently. |
| US07987332B2 |
Methods for storing memory operations in a queue
A method for operating a non-volatile memory storage system is provided. In this method, a queue that is configured to store memory operations associated with two or more types of memory operations. Here, memory operations are associated with the maintenance of the non-volatile memory storage system. A memory operation is scheduled for execution in response to an event and the memory operation is stored in the queue. |
| US07987331B2 |
Method and circuit for protection of sensitive data in scan mode
A reset generator for resetting at least one register in a register bank. The register generator comprises a scan mode input terminal configured to input a scan mode signal, a system reset input terminal configured to input a system reset signal, a secure reset output terminal configured to output a secure reset signal and a combination logic unit configured to combine the scan mode signal and the system reset signal. The combination is such that when the scan mode of the at least one register is activated, the secure reset signal is immediately activated for resetting the at least one register. The activation of the secure reset signal is independent of the system reset signal. The secure reset signal is deactivated when the system reset signal is deactivated and the secure reset signal follows the activation/deactivation cycles of the system reset signal after deactivation. |
| US07987329B2 |
Storage system and method of controlling the same
A storage system is utilized to its fullest storage capacity by setting a write inhibitive attribute to a desired storage area of the storage system. The storage system has a logical volume in which data is stored and a control device which controls access to the data stored in the logical volume. A first area of a desired size is set in the logical volume, and an access control attribute is set to the first area. In response to a request made by a computer to perform access to the logical volume, the control device notifies the computer that the control device does not perform the access when an area designated by the access request contains at least a part of the first area and the access control attribute set to the first area inhibits the type of the access requested. |
| US07987328B2 |
Data archive system
In a virtual disk library device access of data stored in a tape can be conducted at a high speed with a high-speed archiving process from a disk to the tape in units of LUs maintained. The efficiency of update of the data stored in the tape can be improved. In this system, when the data stored in the tape is to be accessed with a high-speed archiving process in units of LUs from the disk to the tape maintained, a disk staging process is performed in the unit of a page that is smaller than the unit of an LU, and accordingly, high-speed access can be implemented. In addition, when an update process for the data (LU) stored in the tape is performed, the host can be responded by only staging an update target page of the LU, and a prior disk staging process is performed for the remaining pages of the LU in the background. Accordingly, when the data is re-stored in the tape, immediately storing the data in the tape can be performed without performing a staging process. |
| US07987321B1 |
Caching in multicore and multiprocessor architectures
A multicore processor comprises a plurality of cache memories, and a plurality of processor cores, each associated with one of the cache memories. Each of at least some of the cache memories is configured to maintain at least a portion of the cache memory in which each cache line is dynamically managed as either local to the associated processor core or shared among multiple processor cores. |
| US07987320B2 |
Cache mechanism and method for avoiding cast out on bad victim select and recycling victim select operation
A method, apparatus, and computer for identifying selection of a bad victim during victim selection at a cache and recovering from such bad victim selection without causing the system to crash or suspend forward progress of the victim selection process. Among the bad victim selection addressed are recovery from selection of a deleted member and recovery from use of LRU state bits that do not map to a member within the congruence class. When LRU victim selection logic generates an output vector identifying a victim, the output vector is checked to ensure that it is a valid vector (non-null) and that it is not pointing to a deleted member. When the output vector is not valid or points to a deleted member, the LRU victim selection logic is triggered to re-start the victim selection process. |
| US07987318B2 |
Data storage system and method
Disclosed are a redundant data storage system (e.g., a RAID system) and a method of operating such a redundant data storage system that provides significant power savings with minimal reduction in reliability. The system and method allow up to half of the memory devices in any of the memory arrays in the system to be placed in standby without significantly impacting the read accesses. The system and method further designate reserved areas in the active memory devices as write-journals, which have at least the same level of protection as the main arrays. The write-journals allow data to be written without powering up a standby memory device. Thus, power consumption is minimized without impacting reliability. |
| US07987317B2 |
Data recording device and control method of same
Embodiments of the present invention provide a data recording device that allows swift data access even under the state that data access is difficult, and a control method for the device. According to one embodiment, when receiving a data reading command from an external host in the state that a reading-difficult state is being detected, a Microprocessing Unit/Hard Disk Controller (MPU/HDC) of a magnetic disk device reads data related to the reading command from a magnetic disk for transmission to an external host and recording into a memory. Thereafter, when receiving another reading command from the external host for the same data, the data is read from the memory for transmission to the external host. |
| US07987311B2 |
Storage router and method for providing virtual local storage
A storage router and method for providing virtual local storage on remote storage devices to devices are provided. Devices are connected to a first transport medium, and a plurality of storage devices are connected to a second transport medium. In one embodiment, the storage router maintains a map to allocate storage space on the remote storage devices to devices connected to the first transport medium by associating representations of the devices connected to the first transport medium with representations of storage space on the remote storage devices, wherein each representation of a device connected to the first transport medium is associated with one or more representations of storage space on the remote storage devices and controls access from the devices connected to the first transport medium to the storage space on the remote storage devices in accordance with the map and using native low level block protocol. |
| US07987304B2 |
Association using USB video adapter
Certified Wireless USB 1.0 (CWUSB) defines two different types of association: cable association and numeric association. In the numeric association, the CWUSB host and device use a specific protocol to exchange the security information. At final stage of this information exchange, both host and device need to display a number asking user's feedback. Once this is done, both host and device will be able to generate the connection key as the shared secret for the following secured communication. One problem of this numeric association method is that device needs to be able to display the numbers. For certain class of device that has capability to display an image, there is a natural way to add this function to them. A method for this class of devices is described. Another kind of association, which is not defined in the CWUSB 1.0, is manual association. User needs only to manually type in the Connection Key coming from the CWUSB device. There are many ways to delivery the key, but it is very easy for device that can display an image. |
| US07987302B2 |
Techniques for managing priority queues and escalation considerations in USB wireless communication systems
In one embodiment, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) system assigns a first priority level to a first USB endpoint and a second priority level that is lower than the first priority level to a second USB endpoint. The USB system has memory that stores first USB data packets corresponding to the first priority level and second USB data packets corresponding to the second priority level. The USB system also has a controller that manages transfers of (i) the first USB data packets to the first USB endpoint and (ii) the second USB data packets to the second USB endpoint. If the memory concurrently stores first and second USB data packets, then the controller determines an order for transferring the first and second USB data packets based on the second priority level being lower than the first priority level and/or detection of a starvation condition for the second endpoint. |
| US07987298B2 |
System and method for detecting the status of a universal serial bus port of a mobile phone
A system and method are provided for detecting connection status of a universal serial bus (USB) port of a mobile phone and a terminal device from among connecting, connected, disconnecting, or disconnected status. A voltage of the USB port is the same as a voltage of a charging interface of the mobile phone. The voltage of the charging interface is detected. The connection status of the mobile phone stored in a storage system is updated according to the voltage status of the charging interface. |
| US07987295B2 |
Information processing device, information processing method and information management system
An information processing device according the invention includes: a first interface used for communication via a network; a second interface used for communication with an information display device; an identifier acquisition unit that acquires an identifier specifying the information display device; an address storage unit that stores an address indicating location of a management device on the network; a mode information acquisition unit that acquires mode information indicating whether an operation mode of the information display device specified by the identifier acquired by the identifier acquisition unit is a server-linked mode or a stand-alone mode; a first transmission unit that transmits a request including a request to transmit management information specifying a content displayed in the information display device and the identifier, to the management device via the first interface when the mode information indicates the server-linked mode; a first receiving unit that receives the management information transmitted from the management device in response to the request transmitted by the first transmission unit, via the first interface; a second transmission unit that transmits a request to transmit the management information, to the information display device via the second interface when the mode information indicates the stand-alone mode; and a second receiving unit that receives the management information transmitted from the information display device in response to the request transmitted by the second transmission unit, via the second interface. |
| US07987293B2 |
Dynamic content conversion
A method of display modification in a client server web system, comprising, intercepting, by a web intermediary, a response to a client request, sent by a server in response to the request, the response including client side active content adapted to execute at a browsing software on a client computer; replacing at least one display-related code section in said response by a wrapper section that includes code for modification of at least one display element and code for executing the original display-related code section; and executing said wrapper section as client side active content at said client to generate a display, modified from a display that would have been generated by executing the response. |
| US07987290B2 |
Security modes for a routing table distributed across multiple mesh nodes
A mesh is joined by a node, wherein the mesh includes a Distributed Routing Table (DRT) for determining addresses of nodes in the mesh. A DRT message is processed in accordance with a security mode of the DRT. |
| US07987289B2 |
Participating in cloud as totally stubby edge
A Totally Stubby Edge (TSE) participates in a cloud under the condition that the TSE may select paths for frames that the TSE introduces to the cloud, but may not transit frames between nodes in the cloud. The edge submits, to an administrator of the cloud, a request to join the cloud. If the administrator allows the request, then the edge is given access to the address tables that define the structure of the cloud, and may insert itself into the structure. The edge may use the address tables to select paths for frames that the edge introduces to the cloud. Normally path decisions are made by devices that the administrator trusts and controls. However, since the TSE selects paths for its own frames but does not transit frames between other nodes in the cloud, the TSE may select paths even if it is untrusted by the administrator. |
| US07987287B2 |
Method and system for routing data repository messages between computing devices
A message router for routing data repository messages between a plurality of computer systems, wherein the computer systems include data repositories having disparate syntaxes. The message router can include a conversion engine for translating content in a received message from a syntax corresponding to a data repository of an originating computer system to a syntax corresponding to a data repository of at least one target computer system. |
| US07987282B2 |
Audiovisual distribution system for playing an audiovisual piece among a plurality of audiovisual devices connected to a central server through a network
An audiovisual distribution system includes a central server and a plurality of audiovisual units. Each unit includes structure for interactively communicating with the user for selecting a piece or a menu, a payment device, a computer network card, and a permanent semiconductor memory containing a multitask operating system comprising at least a hard disc access management task. The order for performing a selected piece is processed as a hard disc sequential access task. The hard disc is declared as a peripheral corresponding to the network card of the unit, enabling a request to be sent through the network to the server for processing. |
| US07987279B2 |
Control-relay apparatus
A control-relay apparatus that controls a device to be controlled, according to a control request received from a management device includes a request receiving part that receives, from the management device, control request data containing data indicating a condition that a device to be controlled should satisfy, and data indicating contents of control with respect to a device that satisfies the condition, and stores the control request data in a recording part accessible from the control-relay apparatus, an information obtaining part that obtains device data relating to a device communicable with the control-relay apparatus; and a device control part that, when the device data obtained by the information obtaining part satisfy the condition indicated by the control request data recorded in the recording part, performs control including the contents indicated by the control request data, with respect to the device. |
| US07987277B2 |
Safety information transmission device
A safety information transmission device includes a reception unit that receives, via a network, safety information indicating whether or not a user is safe, the safety information being received by an information processing terminal if biometric authentication of the user is successful, and a control unit that determines, when a contact method is a contact by an electronic message and a contact destination address is an electronic message address, to transmit the electronic message containing the safety information to the electronic message address. |
| US07987274B2 |
Method for establishing secure communication link between computers of virtual private network
A technique is disclosed for establishing a secure communication link between a first computer and a second computer over a computer network. Initially, a secure communication mode of communication is enabled at a first computer without a user entering any cryptographic information for establishing the secure communication mode of communication. Then, a secure communication link is established between the first computer and a second computer over a computer network based on the enabled secure communication mode of communication. The secure communication link is a virtual private network communication link over the computer network in which one or more data values that vary according to a pseudo-random sequence are inserted into each data packet. |
| US07987269B1 |
Administrative grouping of network resources
A domain manager establishes an administrative domain for a network that has an associated set of assets and an associated set of users. The domain manager identifies at least one asset of the set of assets to be included in the administrative domain. An asset can be a hardware resource (e.g., computer, router, etc.) and/or a software resource (e.g., word processing application). In addition, the domain manager identifies at least one user of the set of users to be included in the administrative domain. The domain manager also establishes a set of roles within the administrative domain. For example, each role can define permissions (e.g., levels of accessibility) between a user and an asset (or group of assets) in the administrative domain. |
| US07987262B2 |
Cloud computing assessment tool
A system is described for providing a cloud computing assessment tool. The system may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The processor may receive a data center configuration from the user. The data center configuration may include a compute and storage capacity. The processor may determine a cloud computing configuration equivalent to the data center configuration. The processor may identify a time period for transitioning from the data center to cloud computing. The processor may identify a plurality of trend values representing changes in the compute capacity and storage capacity over the period of time. The processor may generate a strategy to transition from the data center to cloud computing over the period of time. The strategy may account for the changes in the compute capacity and the storage capacity. The processor may provide a graphical output and a numerical output of the strategy to the user. |
| US07987258B2 |
Network measurement configuration apparatus
An object of the present invention is to provide a network measurement configuration apparatus which selects an IP meter for measurement traffic of a network, and sets a measurement rule in the IP meter.In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a network measurement configuration apparatus connected to a network having a plurality of measurement devices arranged therein, which measures traffic data of the network based on a measurement rule, comprising, a receiving means which receives a user request including path information and a measurement type, a measurement device selecting means which selects a measurement device responsible for a measurement based on the user request, and a measurement rule setting means which sets a measurement rule in the measurement device thus selected. |
| US07987256B2 |
Storage network system, managing apparatus, managing method and program
A storage network system includes computers, storage systems, connection devices that control connection relations between the computers and the storage system, and a managing device that manages the computers, the storage system and the connection devices. The managing device includes a control section that specifies connection ports of the computers, the storage system and the connection devices that compose the storage network system. Further, the control device of the managing device displays on a display section a data traffic amount at each of the connection ports for each connection path from the computer to the storage system. |
| US07987253B2 |
Determining an applicable policy for an incoming message
Provides methods, apparatus and systems for determining an applicable policy for an incoming message having a service-level addressing element. A method includes the following steps: a) applying a potentially applicable policy (P1) on the incoming message to make the service-level addressing element of the incoming message visible, b) if the service-level addressing element of the incoming message gets visible and is the one to which the currently applied policy (P1) is associated, the currently applied policy (P1) is determined to be the applicable policy, and if not associated c) repeating steps a) and b) with a further potentially applicable policy (P2 . . . Pn). |
| US07987248B2 |
Self-configuring IP addressable devices utilizing two ethernet protocol IP ports
The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling devices comprising connecting an external manager to a communication protocol, connecting a first device to the external manager, assigning an IP address to said first device publishing a second IP address from the first device, connecting a second device to said first device such that it obtains the said second IP address, publishing a third IP address from said second device. |
| US07987247B2 |
BACnet protocol MS/TP automatic MAC addressing
A Building Automation System (BAS) includes at least one Direct Digital Control (DDC) controller operating as a BACnet MS/TP master considered to be an “Anchor”. The Anchor operates an algorithm or method which automatically assigns BACnet Protocol MS/TP Media Access Control (MAC) addresses to other BAS components (considered Nomads) being installed into the network. The Anchor gathers MAC addresses existing on the MS/TP network, and issues an available MAC Pool Announcement. Each Nomad randomly picks a temporary MAC address. When the Anchor verifies singular communication at the temporary MAC address, the Anchor assigns a permanent MAC address to the Nomad, which can later be locked into flash memory. Using the preferred algorithm and method, Nomad devices are automatically assigned unused MAC addresses to join the MS/TP network in a non-conflicting, orderly way, with all communications occurring within the confines of BACnet MS/TP Protocol. |
| US07987245B2 |
Internet linking from audio
An internet linking method includes providing plural-bit sampled values representing media content at a user's computer. This digital data is passed to a processing system, and an identifier of the media content derived from the sampled values is returned from that system. This derived identifier is used to index a database, from which a corresponding URL address is obtained. A link can then be established to that URL address, and information obtained from that address can be presented to the user. A steganographic decoding technique can be used in the processing system to derive the media content identifier. A variety of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US07987226B2 |
Internet small computer systems interface (iSCSI) software target boot and dump routing driver
A method, a system and a computer program product for mapping a client's request to perform boot and/or dump operations to a set of backing files which enable boot and dump operations in a data processing system. A Target Routing Driver (TRD) utility creates multiple Network Installation Management (NIM) objects and/or Network Dump Management (NDM) objects including (1) an Internet Small Computer Systems Interface (iSCSI) boot station and (2) an iSCSI dump collection point. The boot station exports a single iSCSI software (S/W) target from which a set of Diskless Servers obtain a boot image which enables a boot operation. The dump collection point exports a single iSCSI S/W target which is used by Diskless Servers as a dump location. The TRD utility uses the single target (exported from a particular NDM object type) to utilize the minimal resource allocation which allows listening on a single connection. The TRD utility enables block range mapping of the request to the backing files on a remote/separate storage device for the associated Diskless Server. |
| US07987219B2 |
Incremental umbrella sampling
The present invention is an incremental umbrella sampling method to improve the performance of established sampling methods. It is sampling the state space by iteratively generating states xi,t and their weighting factors represented by Formula (a) by fitting the sampling distribution function ρj(x) of the next iteration to at least one weighted property of the already sampled states. This means that ρj(x) is fitted to the product represented by Formula (b), in which Formula (a) is the weighting factor and O(x,i) is a function respectively a property of the states xi,t. The number of states xi,t and the number of weighting factors (see Formula (a)) is incremented with each iteration. In order to have a consistent set of weighting factors (see Formula (a)), the weighting factors are recalculated in each iteration for all, respectively for a set of selected, states. By fitting ρj(x) in the state space it is possible to use all the information of Formula (a) and O(xi,t) for the states xi,t generated so far. The fitting step allows to use different fitting strategies. For example the fitting can bias the sampling away from areas where intensive sampling has been done in the preceding iterations, or the sampling can be directed along local gradients respectively towards local minima or maxima of one or several weighted properties. In each of the iterations, the sampling distribution function is fitted in a way to improve the overall sampling of the state space. The method supports multi-objective optimizations. State space integrals can be solved. It reduces the probability that the system is trapped. The invention is general. It can be used with different sampling methods, in particular with Monte Carlo sampling, Metropolis Monte Carlo sampling, or dynamic simulations. It can be combined with the concepts of simulated annealing and multicanonical sampling. It provides a general framework that can be adapted to the system and the observables of interest. |
| US07987218B2 |
Method and system for establishing a spatial street address data set
A method for establishing a spatial street address data set including: First, in no particular order: (1) providing street address data; (2) providing postal data; (3) providing community translation data; and (4) providing a spatial layer base map. Second, establishing a first data base containing once-translated address entries, each relating to a selected community entry from the street address data or a selected community entry from the community translation data. Third, establishing a second data base containing twice-translated address entries, each relating to a selected street name entry from the postal data or a selected street name entry from the street address data. Fourth, treating the second data base with a geocoder routine to create geocoded address entries in a geocoded data set. Fifth, situating the geocoded data set in a spatial layer. Sixth, orienting the spatial layer with known loci in the spatial layer base map. |
| US07987217B2 |
Transaction-aware caching for document metadata
Techniques are provided for performing transaction-aware caching of metadata in an electronic file system. A mechanism is described for providing transaction-aware caching that uses a cache hierarchy, where the cache hierarchy includes uncommitted caches associated with sessions in an application and a committed cache that is shared among the sessions in that application. Techniques are described for caching document metadata, access control metadata and folder path metadata. Also described is a technique for using negative cache entries to avoid unnecessary communications with a server when applications repeatedly request non-existent data. |
| US07987213B2 |
Storage profile generation for network-connected portable storage devices
A data storage system comprises a plurality of portable data storage devices (12) coupled via a network (10). Each of the portable data storage devices (12) has an associated storage profile, which defines a which data objects will be stored in the storage device. A recommended profile for at least one of the portable data storage devices us automatically generated, using the steps of—collecting profile information about storage profiles for portable data storage devices (12) other than the at least one of the portable data storage devices (12) and/or data object information about properties of data objects stored by the portable data storage devices (12) other than the at least one of the portable data storage devices (12), —using the profile information and/or data information to guide generation of the recommended storage profile. |
| US07987199B2 |
Dynamic enterprise javabeans
An apparatus, program product and method utilize dynamic EJB's capable of being dynamically reconfigured in a runtime environment. An EJB may be dynamically instantiated in a runtime container during execution of an EJB application that uses the EJB. Moreover, a deployment descriptor associated with an EJB may be parameterized such that at least one descriptor element in the deployment descriptor identifies a variable in a value field therefor. Then, when the deployment descriptor is parsed during instantiation of the EJB, the value for the variable may be determined, and the EJB instantiated using the determined value for the variable as the value for the descriptor element. By doing so, information that is not known at development time can be provided when the EJB is being instantiated. |
| US07987196B2 |
Fast identification of complex strings in a data stream
A method for detecting and locating occurrence in a data stream of any complex string belonging to a predefined complex dictionary is disclosed. A complex string may comprise an arbitrary number of interleaving coherent strings and ambiguous strings. The method comprises a first process for transforming the complex dictionary into a simple structure to enable continuously conducting computationally efficient search, and a second process for examining received data in real time using the simple structure. The method may be implemented as an article of manufacture comprising at least one processor-readable medium and instructions carried on the at least one medium. The instructions causes a processor to match examined data to an object complex string belonging to the complex dictionary, where the matching process is based on equality to constituent coherent strings, and congruence to ambiguous strings, of the object complex string. |
| US07987195B1 |
Dynamic determination of location-identifying search phrases
A computer-implemented method includes providing location factors for first phrases in a collection of phrases, where each location factor for a first phrase is associated with a likelihood that a second phrase of a search query is associated with a location when the first phrase and the second phrase are used in the search query. A search query is received, where the received search query includes a first phrase from the collection of phrases and a second phrase. Whether the second phrase of the received search query refers to a location is determined based, at least in part, on the location factor for the first phrase of the search query. |
| US07987193B2 |
System and method for setting status flags for mobile data distribution based on distribution rules
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems and methods for setting status flags for mobile data distribution based on the subscription rules. A mobile middleware manages several objects between the mobile device and the backend system. The mobile data distribution happen based on subscription rules set up on the object. A status flag is assigned to each such subscription rule and any change in the subscription rule triggers updating of that corresponding status flag. The mobile middleware distributes data to the backend system and to the mobile devices based on the subscription rule evaluation. For updating the subscription rule, it is sufficient to evaluate only the status flags that have changed. |
| US07987188B2 |
Domain-specific sentiment classification
A domain-specific sentiment classifier that can be used to score the polarity and magnitude of sentiment expressed by domain-specific documents is created. A domain-independent sentiment lexicon is established and a classifier uses the lexicon to score sentiment of domain-specific documents. Sets of high-sentiment documents having positive and negative polarities are identified. The n-grams within the high-sentiment documents are filtered to remove extremely common n-grams. The filtered n-grams are saved as a domain-specific sentiment lexicon and are used as features in a model. The model is trained using a set of training documents which may be manually or automatically labeled as to their overall sentiment to produce sentiment scores for the n-grams in the domain-specific sentiment lexicon. This lexicon is used by the domain-specific sentiment classifier. |
| US07987186B1 |
Method and system for wavelet-based representation and use of cartographic data
Cartographic data is represented using wavelet coefficients. Specifically, a cartographic shape point database consisting of shape points and nodes stored on a per geographic feature basis is converted to a cartographic wavelet database consisting of wavelet and scaling coefficients also stored on a per geographic feature basis. The shape of each geographic feature can be reconstructed from the stored wavelet and scaling coefficients for that geographic feature. The wavelet transform organizes the information in a function according to scale, a concept which is related to resolution. The wavelet-based representation facilitates operations such as line simplification (generalization) and zooming. Multi-resolution error metrics are defined using the wavelet representation for assessing the accuracy of sampled cartographic databases with respect to a ground truth database. |
| US07987179B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing queries over vertically stored database
A method and device for optimizing queries over a vertically stored database. Items in the database are partitioned into several partitions each having a partition signature. The method includes decomposing a first query received from a user into multiple first subqueries; generating a signature for each first subquery in a way corresponding to the way of generating the partition signature; comparing the signature of each first subquery with partition signatures of all partitions respectively to obtain all partitions matching the first subquery; rewriting a second subquery translated from the first subquery based on the matching partitions to obtain a rewritten second subquery; and composing rewritten second subqueries for all first subqueries to form a second query so that queries are executed over the database using the second query. |
| US07987177B2 |
Method for estimating the number of distinct values in a partitioned dataset
The task of estimating the number of distinct values (DVs) in a large dataset arises in a wide variety of settings in computer science and elsewhere. The present invention provides synopses for DV estimation in the setting of a partitioned dataset, as well as corresponding DV estimators that exploit these synopses. Whenever an output compound data partition is created via a multiset operation on a pair of (possibly compound) input partitions, the synopsis for the output partition can be obtained by combining the synopses of the input partitions. If the input partitions are compound partitions, it is not necessary to access the synopses for all the base partitions that were used to construct the input partitions. Superior (in certain cases near-optimal) accuracy in DV estimates is maintained, especially when the synopsis size is small. The synopses can be created in parallel, and can also handle deletions of individual partition elements. |
| US07987172B1 |
Minimizing visibility of stale content in web searching including revising web crawl intervals of documents
A method and system is disclosed for associating an appropriate web crawl interval with a document so that the probability of the document's stale content being used by a search engine is below an acceptable level when the search engine crawls the document at its associated web crawl interval. The web crawl interval of a document is determined through an iterative process and updated dynamically by the search engine after every visit to the document by a web crawler. A multi-tier data structure is employed for managing the web crawl order of billions of documents on the Internet. The search engine may move a document from one tier to another if its web crawl interval is changed significantly. |
| US07987169B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for searching content
Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for searching contents, including structured search are described herein. Embodiments of the present invention use tree structures (or more generally, graph structures), layout structures, and/or content category information to capture within search results relevant content that would otherwise be missed, to reduce the incidence of false positives within search results, and to improve the accuracy of rankings within search results. Embodiments of the present invention further use tree structures (or more generally, graph structures), layout structures, and/or content category information to extend search results to include sub-document constituents. Embodiments of the present invention also support the use of distribution properties as criteria for ranking search results. And embodiments of the present invention support search based on structural proximity, search expressions with recursively embedded operators, predicates, and/or quantifiers, and applications to selection of advertisements. |
| US07987166B2 |
Atomic renaming and moving of data files while permitting lock-free look-ups
Atomic renaming and moving of data files, while permitting lock-free look-ups to the data files, is disclosed. A temporary record may be created within a hash chain encompassing a record for a data file and corresponding to a location of the data file within a computer file system. The temporary record is linked within the hash chain so that the temporary record points to the same records to which the record for the data file points. The record for the data file is renamed with a new name, and/or moved to a new location within the computer file system, and the temporary record is removed from the hash chain. Before the temporary record is removed, look-ups of the data file resolve to the temporary record, the temporary record causing the look-ups to wait until the record for the data file has been renamed and/or moved and the temporary record removed. |
| US07987162B2 |
Data compression in a file storage system
Embodiments of the present invention provide for compression of files in a filesystem. In embodiments of the present invention, a file is logically partitioned into chunks and each chunk is compressed, such that a request involving a portion of a file can be satisfied by reading and decompressing only the compressed chunk(s) corresponding to that portion. |
| US07987161B2 |
System and method for data compression using compression hardware
A system and method for data compression using compression hardware is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving a data set in a data stream. The data set includes a set of data descriptor fields. Using the set of data descriptor fields included in the data set, one or more tabular slices and an index are generated. The one or more tabular slices are compressed into a compressed data block by a data compression scheme using a hardware compressor. A compression data file is generated using the compressed data block and stored in a database. |
| US07987158B2 |
Method, system and article of manufacture for metadata replication and restoration
Data and metadata are generated in a computational device, wherein the generated data is stored in a first physical storage device coupled to the computational device, and wherein the generated metadata is stored transiently in the computational device. The data and the metadata are replicated to a second physical storage device. The replicated data and the replicated metadata in the second physical storage device are used to recover from a failure of at least one of the computational device and the first physical storage device. |
| US07987156B1 |
Method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for taking and managing snapshots of a storage volume
A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium are provided for taking snapshots of a storage volume. According to aspects of one method, each snapshot is represented as a unique sequence number. Every fresh write access to a volume in a new snapshot lifetime is allocated a new section in the disk, called a provision, which is labeled with the sequence number. Read-modify-write operations are performed on a sub-provision level at the granularity of a chunk. Because each provision contains chunks with valid data and chunks with invalid data, a bitmap is utilized to identify the valid and invalid chunks with each provision. Provisions corresponding to different snapshots are arranged in a linked list. Branches from the linked list can be created for storing writable snapshots. Provisions may also be deleted and rolled back by manipulating the contents of the linked lists. |
| US07987152B1 |
Federation of clusters for enterprise data management
The present invention provides a federation of clusters for uniform and consistent enterprise-wide data management. The federation is an affiliation of clusters, dispersed over different locations that provide a comprehensive solution to the management of all types of data stored in different devices. Each cluster owns data sources connected to the same network it is attached to. Devices connected to the network, and the cluster for managing data accessible through the network constitute an autonomous area. Results from different locations are consolidated to produce unified results and reports. The enterprise-wide data management allows enterprises to validate compliance with federal regulations and insures that data management objectives are being met in all departments within an organization. In addition to enterprise-wide data management, a member cluster of a federation can perform data management local to its autonomous area and execute policies formulated for that area. |
| US07987149B2 |
Configuration mapping using a multi-dimensional rule space and rule consolidation
A configuration mapping system and method increase the effectiveness of mapping of information from an established product line to a new product offering. In at least one embodiment, the configuration mapping system herein uses configuration mapping rules to map individual product features and entire configurations from established products to a new product offering. The configuration mapping system also provides a way to appropriately map, for example, demand and sales information for the purpose of demand estimation and sales prediction. Conventionally, mapping can be ineffective because the configuration mapping rules usually focus on one part of the product at a time, and, if applied in isolation, the impact on other parts is missed. The systems and method herein provide a way to integrate configuration mapping rules across feature parts, time periods, and product lines into a unified, holistic view, allowing for new insights. |
| US07987144B1 |
Methods and apparatus for generating a data classification model using an adaptive learning algorithm
A data classification method and apparatus are disclosed for labeling unknown objects. The disclosed data classification system employs a learning algorithm that adapts through experience. The present invention classifies objects in domain datasets using data classification models having a corresponding bias and evaluates the performance of the data classification. The performance values for each domain dataset and corresponding model bias are processed to identify or modify one or more rules of experience. The rules of experience are subsequently used to generate a model for data classification. Each rule of experience specifies one or more characteristics for a domain dataset and a corresponding bias that should be utilized for a data classification model if the rule is satisfied. The present invention dynamically modifies the assumptions (bias) of the learning algorithm to improve the assumptions embodied in the generated models and thereby improve the quality of the data classification and regression systems that employ such models. The disclosed self-adaptive learning process will become increasingly more accurate as the rules of experience are accumulated over time. |
| US07987143B2 |
Methods and systems for multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based engineering desgin optimization
The present invention discloses systems and methods of conducting multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) based engineering design optimization of a product (e.g., automobile, cellular phone, etc.). Particularly, the present invention discloses an archive configured for monitoring the progress and characterizing the performance of the MOEA based optimization. Further, an optimization performance indicator is created using the archive's update history. The optimization performance indicator is used as a metric of the current state of the optimization. Finally, a stopping or termination criterion for the MOEA based optimization is determined using a measurement derived from the optimization performance indicators. For example, a confirmation of a “knee” formation has developed in the optimization performance indicators. The optimization performance indicators include, but are not limited to, consolidation ratio, improvement ratio, hypervolume. |
| US07987141B2 |
Dynamically changing label size during mail processing
The present subject matter relates to a method and system for labeling a mail piece, and more specifically, to the application of variable sized labels to mail pieces based on the contents of the label and real-time mail processing information. More particularly, the present approach involves calculating expected label preparation time based on configuration of a labeler and printer timing information and/or real-time performance measurements to determine execution of information content printing, label feeding and cutting. |
| US07987135B2 |
Out of band credit control
Systems and method for mediating risks associated with orders in an electronic trading system are provided. A front end component includes a plurality of trading engines that receive orders from traders. A back-end component includes a credit control module that communicates with the plurality of trading engines. The credit control monitors aggregate risk parameters for the trading engines and requests credits from trading engines. |
| US07987134B1 |
Hybrid auctions and methods and systems for conducting same over a computer network
A two phase auction for an item includes a first phase in which an asking price for the item decreases at predetermined intervals when the auction is a seller's auction and increases at predetermined intervals when the auction is a buyer's auction, and a second phase after the first phase wherein the asking price starts at a level equal to a first bid placed by a first bidder during the first phase and periodically increases when the auction is a seller's auction and decreases at predetermined intervals when the auction is a buyer's auction until no additional bids are received from the first bidder and/or additional bidders, the auctioned item being awarded to a last bidder in the second phase. |
| US07987131B2 |
System, method, and computer readable medium for allocating dividends to a block of common stock shares
A system, a method, and a computer readable medium for allocating dividends to a block of common stock shares are provided. The method includes selling a plurality of Class A common stock shares and a plurality of Class No-Dividend common stock shares associated with the company, that form the block of common stock shares. The method further includes determining a total dividend amount for the block of common stock shares. The method further includes allocating a first percentage of the total dividend amount to the plurality of Class A common stock shares, and allocating a second percentage of the total dividend amount to the plurality of Class No-Dividend common stock shares. The method further includes performing a share buyback of a predetermined number of Class No-Dividend common stock shares of the plurality of Class No-Dividend common stock shares equal to the second percentage of the total dividend amount. |
| US07987129B2 |
Convertible financial instruments with contingent payments
A convertible financial instrument provides incentives to holders to keep the instruments outstanding so that issuers maintain flexibility and control over the maturity date of the instrument and the manner in which it is settled. The instrument may provide issuers with the ability to deduct an amount for tax purposes that approximates the true economic cost of the financial instrument. The instrument may contain a provision calling for contingent payments (which may include, for example, contingent interest, preferred distributions, contingent principal, dividends, and other pay-outs) to the holder in some circumstances, which may be based on formulae calculations. For example, this may occur when the trading value of the convertible instrument exceeds a pre-determined value such as, for example, a certain percentage of the accreted value of the convertible instrument, or, for example, another circumstance that may trigger a contingent payment may be when the price of another financial instrument (e.g., the underlying security, the reference security, etc.) is below, higher than, or equal to a pre-determined value. |
| US07987128B2 |
Computer implemented and/or assisted methods and systems for detecting, tracking and responding to toxic, or likely toxic, orders in an equities order flow using toxicity and/or profit analyzers
Methods and systems are provided which enable equities broker-dealers to execute an equity trade order while simultaneously eliminating (or at least reducing) exposure to the negative consequences associated with toxic (or likely toxic) orders in the equities market. By using toxicity and/or profit analyzers, for example, to detect, track and respond to the level of toxic (or likely toxic) orders present in an equities order flow, a broker dealer can reduce the level of risk inherent in serving as counter-party to order flows, such as anonymous equities order flows. Various alternative embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US07987124B1 |
Method of and system for evaluating an appraisal value associated with a loan
A method of and system for evaluating an appraisal value associated with a loan are disclosed. The method includes receiving an appraisal value and at least one of foreclosure sale data and purchase money transaction data associated with a loan in a computerized system. The method also includes estimating the accuracy of the appraisal value based the at least one of foreclosure sale data and purchase money transaction data. The system includes memory configured to store an appraisal value and at least one of foreclosure sale data and purchase money transaction data associated with the loan. The system also includes a processor coupled to the memory and operable to execute programmed instructions, wherein the programmed instructions are configured to estimate the accuracy of the appraisal value based on the at least one of foreclosure sale data and purchase money transaction data. |
| US07987120B2 |
Method and portable device for management of electronic receipts
A system for managing electronic receipts is provided. According to one aspect, the system includes a portable device, a base device, a user device and an electronic receipts administration system. The electronic receipts administration system provides the base device with the appropriate data to allow the base device to generate, store and manage electronic receipts accordingly. A user uses the portable device to conduct a transaction with the base device. The base device uses a variety of information to generate an electronic receipt for the transaction. Such information includes, for example, information stored on the portable device, information stored locally on the base device and information stored on another device such as an electronic cash register. The electronic receipt is then stored on the portable device. The user device allows the user to subsequently retrieve the electronic receipt for management purposes. |
| US07987119B2 |
Inventory management for postage supplies
A mailpiece inventory management system. The system includes a franking machine, a mailpiece identification system coupled to the franking machine and a administration system adapted to communicate with the franking machine. There can be at least one mailpiece counter in the franking machine with each mailpiece counter associated with a type of mailpiece and incremented when a particular type of mailpiece as identified by the mailpiece identification system is franked by the franking machine. |
| US07987118B1 |
Method, system, and computer readable medium for identifying erroneous duplicate orders
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for assisting in automatically identifying and handling erroneous orders is described. In some situations, an automatic identification is made of received orders from users that are duplicates of one or more other orders recently placed by those users. When orders are identified as being potentially erroneous, fulfillment of those orders may be delayed while automatically querying the users to obtain manual confirmation to continue with the order fulfillment. In other situations, other types of orders are analyzed, orders are identified as being potentially erroneous in other ways, and such orders are handled in ways other than based on querying for a manual confirmation or rejection response. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US07987115B2 |
Advertisement selection systems and methods for internet articles
Advertisement selection systems and methods for internet articles are provided. A personal advertisement agent generates an article characteristic value according to an internet article edited by a content editor. An advertisement server selects at least one of the advertisements according to the article characteristic value, a specialty characteristic value, and advertisement characteristic values of respective advertisements, wherein the specialty characteristic value is generated according to historical articles published by the client. The selected advertisement is integrated and published with the internet article. |
| US07987110B2 |
Managing organizational resources
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing organizational resources. The process combines social group data with management information data to form social network data, wherein social group data is derived from interactions among a plurality of users of a social group. The process analyzes the social network data to identify associations among the plurality of users, and generates a multidimensional social network model using the associations among the plurality of users. Thereafter, the process presents a set of recommendations for allocation of the organizational resources, wherein the set of recommendations are derived from the social network model. |
| US07987102B2 |
Healthcare provider performance and utilization analytics
Disclosed herein is a computer implemented method and system that addresses the need for utilization analysis and performance evaluation of providers in a health care organization. The health care data comprising health plan information of consumers, providers, claims, and hospitals is collected, translated, and organized in a structured relational format and stored in standard tables. The organized health care data is analyzed by calculating consumer statistics for a health plan using the health plan information of the consumers. The claims of the consumers are processed to classify the claims based on age, gender, disease, and comorbid conditions of the consumers. A plurality of costs of the health care organization is determined using one or more of the health plan information. The performance of the providers is assessed using the determined plurality of costs. The providers comprising primary care physicians are analyzed based on entire population of the associated consumers. |
| US07987096B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for encoding and decoding object-based audio signals
Provided are an audio encoding method and apparatus and an audio decoding method and apparatus in which audio signals can be encoded or decoded so that sound images can be localized at any desired position for each object audio signal. The audio decoding method generating a third downmix signal by combining a first downmix signal extracted from a first audio signal and a second downmix signal extracted from a second audio signal; generating third object-based side information by combining first object-based side information extracted from the first audio signal and second object-based side information extracted from the second audio signal; converting the third object-based side information into channel-based side information; and generating a multi-channel audio signal using the third downmix signal and the channel-based side information. |
| US07987094B2 |
Audio encoding to convey auxiliary information, and decoding of same
The present claims relate generally to steganographically encoding and decoding of audio signals. One claim recites a method of embedding auxiliary information in data representing audio. The method includes acts of: using at least a programmed electronic processor, altering data representing audio to include a sequence of bits of auxiliary information, said altering based on a carrier signal and corresponding to the sequence of bits, and said altering based on a local gain that varies within the data representing audio, the sequence of bits of auxiliary information including at least one fixed registration sequence for registration of the auxiliary information within the data representing audio and at least one message sequence, and in which the fixed registration sequence and the at least one message sequence are interleaved in at least some portions of the data, and in which the fixed registration sequence is provided in the data representing audio so as to allow determination of threshold levels associated with the auxiliary information; and repeating the altering of the data representing audio to include redundant instances of at least some of the auxiliary information including at least the fixed registration sequence. Of course, other combinations and claims are provided as well. |
| US07987093B2 |
Speech synthesizing device, speech synthesizing system, language processing device, speech synthesizing method and recording medium
A speech synthesizing device, the device includes: a text accepting unit for accepting text data; an extracting unit for extracting a special character including a pictographic character, a face mark or a symbol from text data accepted by the text accepting unit; a dictionary database in which a plurality of special characters and a plurality of phonetic expressions for each special character are registered; a selecting unit for selecting a phonetic expression of an extracted special character from the dictionary database when the extracting unit extracts the special character; a converting unit for converting the text data accepted by the accepting unit to a phonogram in accordance with a phonetic expression selected by the selecting unit in association with the extracted special character; and a speech synthesizing unit for synthesizing a voice from a phonogram obtained by the converting unit. |
| US07987092B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program for certifying a voice profile when transmitting text messages for synthesized speech
A mechanism is provided for authenticating and using a personal voice profile. The voice profile may be issued by a trusted third party, such as a certification authority. The personal voice profile may include information for generating a digest or digital signature for text messages. A speech synthesis system may speak the text message using the voice characteristics, such as prosodic characteristics, only if the voice profile is authenticated and the text message is valid and free of tampering. |
| US07987089B2 |
Systems and methods for modifying a zero pad region of a windowed frame of an audio signal
A method for modifying a window with a frame associated with an audio signal is described. A signal is received. The signal is partitioned into a plurality of frames. A determination is made if a frame within the plurality of frames is associated with a non-speech signal. A modified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) window function is applied to the frame to generate a first zero pad region, where the region has a length of (M−L)/2, where L is an arbitrary value, and a second zero pad region if it was determined that the frame is associated with a non-speech signal. The frame is encoded. The decoder window is the same as the encoder window. |
| US07987086B2 |
Software entity for the creation of a hybrid cycle simulation model
Disclosed is a software entity for constructing a Hybrid Cycle Simulation model comprising Compiled Data Units (CDUs) for use in design verification. The simulation model may contain a plurality of 1-cycle CDUs, optimized for simulation throughput, and 2-cycle CDUs, optimized for simulation accuracy, or a mixture thereof. Utilizing a netlist tool extracting hierarchical design source components for use, the construction checks that all inputs and outputs of any hierarchical design source components bind, and employs Object Traversal Directives for incorporating the selected CDUs into the simulation model. A data management method is used for tracking the validity of the components in the model. Additionally, a software entity (FACDDR) permits high bandwidth simulation of design components normally requiring cycle accurate simulation. FACDDR provides linkages for standard logic elements for abstracting one or more design interface components out of a cycle simulation environment and design interface emulation of an interface which interacts with a cycle simulation model through an API to extract present value of driving side signals of an interface and to set the cycle simulation model on the receiving side. |
| US07987085B2 |
Method of accurate prediction of electrostatic discharge (ESD) performance in multi-voltage environment
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer fabrication and more particularly but not exclusively to predictive, pre-fabrication methodologies for determining inefficiencies in an integrated circuit (IC) design. The present invention, in one or more implementations, provides an effective pre-production methodology for predicting the efficiency and behavior of a designed ESD protective circuit and testing the ESD protective circuit with a simulated IC. The method of the present invention yields predictive results that have been comparatively tested. |
| US07987082B2 |
System and method for efficient computation of simulated thermodynamic property and phase equilibrium characteristics using comprehensive local property models
A method of estimating a thermophysical property of a fluid using a local model is disclosed herein. The method includes generating, for use within the local model, a series expansion of thermodynamic equations relating to the thermophysical property and one or more derivatives involving the thermophysical property. The method further includes evaluating, based upon a set of specified values of parameters of the fluid, a first order term of the series expansion and a second order term of the series expansion. The values of the first order term and the second order term are then compared. A value of the thermophysical property is then automatically updated when the values of the first order term and the second order term are found to differ by more than a predefined amount. |
| US07987078B2 |
Dynamic modeling of an internal combustion engine operating with multiple combustion modes
A method of modeling a diesel engine that is capable of multiple combustion modes and equipped with a turbocharger and EGR loop. The model comprises a set of equations, each equation representing one of the following as a time derivative: pressure at the intake manifold, pressure between the turbine and an intake manifold throttle, pressure at the exhaust manifold, the compressor power, and the fresh air fraction (the ratio of fresh air to EGR). The model is used to determine what engine conditions (such as throttle positions and turbocharger output) will result in desired pressures and fresh air fraction. |
| US07987076B2 |
Electromagnetic field simulator and electromagnetic field simulation program storage medium
The electromagnetic field simulator includes a discrete model setting section which sets a space grid width and a time step in a simulation of the electromagnetic field, a coefficient setting section which sets coefficients of equations for the simulation at various positions in a simulation space based on electromagnetic physical properties, a wave source setting section which sets a position and amplitude of a wave source of the electromagnetic wave as a boundary condition with respect to a spatial distribution of the electromagnetic field, and an amplitude calculation section which calculates amplitude of an electromagnetic field component given to the position of the wave source in the simulation space based on the space grid width and the time step and the electromagnetic physical properties at the position of the wave source to reproduce the electromagnetic wave having the set position and amplitude of the wave source in simulation results. |
| US07987075B2 |
Apparatus and method to develop multi-core microcomputer-based systems
A method and apparatus for developing multicore microcomputer-based systems. A dual core controller model having at least one parameter is simulated and, similarly, a plant model having at least one parameter and controlled by the controller model is also simulated. The user interface then has access to the parameters of the controller model and plant model and optionally suspends execution of the controller model and plant model in response to a trigger event. The user interface determines the status of the various controller model parameters for both cores and/or plant model parameters at the time of the trigger without altering the controller model parameters or the plant model parameters. The core parameters for both cores are displayed on a display device. |
| US07987074B2 |
Efficient computation method for electromagnetic modeling
Method for efficient processing of controlled source electromagnetic data, whereby Maxwell's equations are solved [107] by numerical techniques [109] such as finite difference or finite element in three dimensions for each source location and frequency of interest. The Reciprocity Principle is used [103] to reduce the number of computational source positions, and a multi-grid is used [105] for the computational grid to minimize the total number of cells yet properly treat the source singularity, which is essential to satisfying the conditions required for applicability of the Reciprocity Principle. An initial global resistivity model [101] is Fourier interpolated to the computational multi grids [106]. In inversion embodiments of the invention, Fourier prolongation is used to update [120] the global resistivity model based on optimization results from the multi-grids. |
| US07987072B2 |
Defect analyzer
The present invention provides methods, devices, and systems for analyzing defects in an object such as a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment, it provides a method of characterizing defects in semiconductor wafers during fabrication in a semiconductor fabrication facility. This method comprises the following actions. The semiconductor wafers are inspected to locate defects. Locations corresponding to the located defects are then stored in a defect file. A dual charged-particle beam system is automatically navigated to the vicinity defect location using information from the defect file. The defect is automatically identified and a charged particle beam image of the defect is then obtained. The charged particle beam image is then analyzed to characterize the defect. A recipe is then determined for further analysis of the defect. The recipe is then automatically executed to cut a portion of the defect using a charged particle beam. The position of the cut is based upon the analysis of the charged particle beam image. Ultimately, a surface exposed by the charged particle beam cut is imaged to obtain additional information about the defect. |
| US07987069B2 |
Monitoring patient support exiting and initiating response
The present invention relates to systems and methods for monitoring patient support exiting and initiating a response. Movement data is accessed from sensors (e.g., cameras) that are monitoring a patient resting on a support platform. A motion capture pattern summary is generated from the accessed movement data. The motion capture pattern summary is compared to one or more movement pattern data sets in a library of movement pattern data sets. It is determined that the motion capture pattern summary is sufficiently similar to one of the one or more movement pattern data sets in the library of movement pattern data sets. From the determined similarity it is determined that the patient is attempting to exit the support platform. Remedial measures are initiated to prevent the detected platform support exiting attempt. |
| US07987066B2 |
Components and configurations for test and valuation of integrated optical busses
An apparatus and method is provided for the testing of an optical bus, that method having: loading transmission test data and address information for at least one receiving cell via an electronic bus in a first register; setting a clock rate for the optical bus; employing the optical bus to transmit the test data from the first register to the at least one receiving cell; reading out received test data from the receiving cell via the electronic bus; correlating the received test data from the first register with the transmission test data; analyzing errors in the received data and handling of the received data by the bus. |
| US07987064B2 |
Dynamic determination of a minimal configured product to achieve desired test coverage
The present disclosure is directed to a method for determining dynamic test coverage for a product. The method may comprise: receiving a customer order, the customer order comprising at least one product configuration; receiving a rule set associated with the at least one product configuration; analyzing the rule set to determine a proxy part to add to the at least one product configuration; providing the proxy part an indicator; adding the proxy part to the at least one product configuration; iteratively comparing the product configuration to the rule set until the product configuration meets the rule set; providing a test associated with the at least one product configuration; receiving at least one signal from at least one indicator; and removing at least one proxy part from the at least one product configuration. |
| US07987063B2 |
Fast, low power formatter for automatic test system
Automated test equipment (ATE) used to test semiconductor components during the manufacturing process. The ATE generates and measures signals at test points of a device under test. The ATE includes a signal formatter with an SR latch having set an reset inputs each connected through or coupled to a number of signal channels. Each signal channel may receive a long pulse from a timing generator and generate a short pulse. Each signal channel has a current steering circuit that couples the short pulses to the set or reset ports of the latch. Because the outputs of each current steering circuit have a high impedance when not sending a pulse, multiplexing circuitry and/or circuitry to logically OR the outputs of separate signal channels are unnecessary. The hardware eliminated by this design simplifies and improves the ATE. Additionally, the latch can be set and reset in quick succession with good timing resolution. |
| US07987059B2 |
Real-time power system oscillation detection using modal analysis
A power system oscillation detection device is provided for use in an electric power system. A plurality of sample signals are acquired from the electrical power system via a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) in communication with the power system. The power system oscillation detection device includes a real-time modal analysis module, a real-time mode identification module, and real-time decision and control logic. The real-time modal analysis module calculates modes of at least one of the signals, each mode including mode information. The real-time mode identification module together with the real-time decision and control logic determines, from the mode information, whether there is an undesirable oscillation in the electric power system and activates a remedial action. |
| US07987057B1 |
Intelligent stitching boundary defect inspection
A method of inspecting a pattern on a substrate, by extracting boundary locations from design data for repeating blocks within the pattern, inspecting the substrate at only the boundary locations of the repeating blocks, detecting alignment errors at the boundary locations, comparing the alignment errors to a threshold, and flagging the alignment errors that exceed the threshold. In this manner, the alignment errors that were of no consequence in larger design rule devices can be detected, and a determination can be made as to whether they adversely impact the proper operation of the integrated circuit that will eventually be formed from the pattern. By performing the inspection only on the boundary locations, a much higher magnification can be used than what would be reasonably possible for an inspection of the entire substrate. |
| US07987055B2 |
Body fat measurement device and body fat measurement result providing method
A body fat measurement result providing method includes maintaining a body fat information database having stored therein at least one particular person's body fat information, which includes local body fat information for at least one body part of the at least one particular person, providing a user with a particular person list including the at least one particular person, and receiving a selection from the user of a first particular person selected from the particular person list, and generating a measurement result information by comparing the user's local body fat measured for at least one body part of the user, with corresponding local body fat information for the at least one body part of the first particular person. |
| US07987050B2 |
Material handling vehicle location system
A system for detecting actual position of a material handling vehicle in a warehouse in which a plurality of racks composed of upright frame members and lateral frame members connecting the upright members are installed so that material handling vehicles can travel along the passageway between the racks so that current position of the material handling vehicle in the warehouse can be detected with increased reliability even if some of the reflections fail to be received by the sensors. Reflector plates are attached to each of the upright frame members and the lateral frame members along longitudinal direction thereof, sensors are attached to the vehicle, and a controller is installed on the vehicle to estimate current location of the vehicle based on combination of the number of reflections actually received by the reflector plates and counted by the controller. |
| US07987045B2 |
Method for stitching multiple converging paths
A method of stitching converging path segments to aesthetically label Y-intersections, path bifurcations or splits in roads or the like entails determining which pair of adjacent path segments subtend the largest angle. The path segments subtending the largest angle are reconstructed (stitched together) and a single instance of the label is then rendered along the reconstructed path. Although this stitching can be performed on the client device, pre-stitching server-side is even more efficient in terms of economizing over-the-air bandwidth and onboard processing resources. |
| US07987037B2 |
Vehicle motion control apparatus
A vehicle motion control apparatus includes a first means applying a first braking force to an outer wheel, relative to a turning direction, for suppressing oversteer when the vehicle is judged to be skidding in vehicle turning movement, a second means obtaining a state of a driver's steering operation in the vehicle turning movement, a third means applying a second braking force, set to be smaller than the first braking force, to a wheel located at a horizontally opposite side of the outer wheel to which the first braking force is applied, when the state of the driver's steering operation is judged to be in a steering turning back state, in which a steering wheel is turned from a turning direction to a reverse direction of the turning direction, based on the state of the driver's steering operation obtained by the second means. |
| US07987036B2 |
Method of managing the braking of an aircraft by predicting its movements on an airport
The invention relates to a method of managing the braking of an aircraft while taxiing on an airport, the method comprising, on the basis of characteristics for a sequence of movements of the aircraft along at least one given path to be followed by the aircraft on the airport, the step of deducing information concerning the braking to be performed so that the aircraft does indeed travel in application of said sequence of movements. |
| US07987035B2 |
Method of operating a vehicle and apparatus comprising the same
An engine management system and a method of operating the same within a vehicle. The system uses a plurality of software modules one of which communicates with the vehicle engine to communicate information and additionally communicates with at least one other software module that provides information regarding auxiliary device operations and parameters such that the first software module produces an input torque curve signal for the vehicle engine. Additionally, secondary software modules are able to provide reduced power requirements signals to a plurality of auxiliary devices in order to ensure optimum fuel economy and noise reduction. |
| US07987032B2 |
Driver feeling adjusting apparatus
A driver feeling adjusting apparatus includes a seat that is fixed to a vehicle and on which a driver is seated, a movable portion that is provided in the seat and that can be displaced in a vehicle lateral direction or a yaw direction, and a control unit that displaces the movable portion in an opposite direction to a direction of centripetal acceleration or a yaw rate in turning, and enables the driver to feel easy steering. |
| US07987029B2 |
Vehicle control device
A control input for operating an actual vehicle actuator and a control input for operating a vehicle model are determined by an FB distribution law based on a state amount error which is a difference between a reference state amount determined by a vehicle model and an actual state amount of an actual vehicle such that the state amount error is approximated to zero. An actuator device of the actual vehicle and the model vehicle, respectively, are then operated based on the control inputs. The FB distribution law estimates an external force acting on the actual vehicle due to a control input for operating an actual vehicle actuator, and determines a control input for operating the vehicle model on the basis of the estimated value and a basic value of a control input for operating the vehicle model for approximating the state amount error to zero. |
| US07987028B2 |
Method and apparatus for reading and erasing diagnostic trouble codes from a vehicle
A method and apparatus is provided that allows a technician to retrieve diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) and remove any duplicates. The diagnostic tool can retrieve DTCs from the various diagnostic systems in the vehicle, remove any duplicates and display a unique list of DTCs. The diagnostic tool can also erase all DTCs including any duplicates from the vehicle after repairs have been completed. The tool can retrieve the DTCs without the user selecting the system to retrieve from. |
| US07987022B2 |
Methods and systems for control of microfluidic devices
The present invention provides control methods, control systems, and control software for microfluidic devices that operate by moving discrete micro-droplets through a sequence of determined configurations. Such microfluidic devices are preferably constructed in a hierarchical and modular fashion which is reflected in the preferred structure of the provided methods and systems. In particular, the methods are structured into low-level device component control functions, middle-level actuator control functions, and high-level micro-droplet control functions. Advantageously, a microfluidic device may thereby be instructed to perform an intended reaction or analysis by invoking micro-droplet control function that perform intuitive tasks like measuring, mixing, heating, and so forth. The systems are preferably programmable and capable of accommodating microfluidic devices controlled by low voltages and constructed in standardized configurations. Advantageously, a single control system can thereby control numerous different reactions in numerous different microfluidic devices simply by loading different easily understood micro-droplet programs. |
| US07987021B2 |
Environment map generating method and mobile robot
To reduce a calculation time required for generating an environment map in a mobile robot. A mobile robot (100) generates a three-dimensional position data set representing an external environment using measurement information obtained from a range sensor (10). Next, based on an old environment map which is the environment map generated in the past and an amount of movement of the mobile robot (100), at least three-dimensional position data belonging to an area determined as the obstacle area in the old environment map, and three-dimensional position data belonging to an unobserved area which is not included in the old environment map are selected as plane-detection target data from among three-dimensional position data included in the three-dimensional position data set. Then, plane detection is executed using the plane-detection target data. Then, the movable area and the obstacle area which are included in the plane-detection target data are recognized using the results of the plane detection. Lastly, a new environment map is generated by integrating the movable area and obstacle area, which are recognized using the results of the plane detection, with an area determined as the movable area in the old environment map. |
| US07987020B1 |
Key storage and dispensing assembly and a method for storing and dispensing keys
A key storage and dispensation assembly 10 which selectively and securely stores keys, such as key 144 and which allows access to a stored key, such as key 144, without allowing access to the remaining key, and to a method which uses such a technique. |
| US07987019B2 |
Substrate transfer method and substrate transfer apparatus
The present invention is a substrate transfer apparatus including a transfer arm for transferring a substrate and a mounting portion for receiving the substrate transferred by the transfer arm from the transfer arm, including: a mounting portion detector provided at the transfer arm for detecting the mounting portion; a moving means for raising and lowering and moving in a horizontal direction the transfer arm; and a controller for controlling the moving means based on a detection signal from the mounting portion detector. When the substrate transferred by the transfer arm is delivered to a spin chuck, the mounting portion detector detects the mounting portion of the spin chuck, and then the moving means is driven based on a control signal from the controller to lower the transfer arm in an oblique direction to thereby mount the substrate on the mounting portion. Accordingly, it is possible to perform stable transfer and delivery of the substrate to the mounting portion at a high speed and with a high accuracy. |
| US07987012B2 |
Control device of substrate processing apparatus and control program therefor
A control device is provided that flexibly controls a substrate processing apparatus for each product process. Four process recipes PM 1 to PM 4 are stored in a first storage unit 255a. Corresponding to each of the process recipes, a high temperature, a medium temperature, and a low temperature pre-recipe are stored in a second storage unit 255b. A process recipe determination unit 260 determines, in response to a recipe specified by the operator, a process recipe corresponding to the specified recipe from the first storage unit 255a. A stage temperature acquisition unit 265 acquires, from the determined process recipe, a stage temperature. A pre-recipe selection unit 270 selects, from the three types of pre-recipes stored in the second storage unit 255b, one pre-recipe corresponding to the stage temperature. Before the wafer W is deposition-processed, therefore, the PM may be well-conditioned according to the selected pre-recipe. |
| US07987011B2 |
Imaging encoded medium and recording audio for playback
A method of integrating audio and an encoded medium using a handheld interactive apparatus. The method comprises activating an audio recording mode of the interactive apparatus, the handheld interactive apparatus having a housing containing an optical image sensor, an audio input device, and an audio output device; and imaging the encoded medium with the optical sensor to create a playback-enabling audio annotation corresponding to the recorded audio. The encoded medium comprises a printed coded data pattern enabling identification of the encoded medium and of a location on the encoded medium during the imaging. |
| US07987009B2 |
Apparatus and method of encoding and decoding audio signals
In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an audio signal having configuration information and multi-channels, and reading an indicator from the configuration information. The indicator indicates whether or not channel mapping information is included in the configuration information. The method further includes reading the channel mapping information from the configuration information if the indicator indicates that the channel mapping information is included in the configuration information. The channel mapping information indicates to which speaker in a reproduction device to map each channel in the audio signal. Channel rearrangement information is read from the configuration information. The channel rearrangement information indicates the rearrangement of the multi-channels. The multi-channels are decoded based on the channel mapping information and channel rearrangement information. |
| US07987002B2 |
Arrangement for distributed measurement system for measurement and simulation in distributed control systems
A first unit (200, 303, 304) works with analog and digital signals in physical sequences referring to one or several measurement objects (200′, 305, 307), which work with one or several functions (200″, 211, 302, 308, 309) and detectors (201, 202, 205) and/or control devices (212/214) detecting these functions. A distributed control system (206) works with a first protocol (218). The first unit (200) is connected to the control system (206) and is arranged, through its compatibility with the first protocol (218), to receive and/or send messages from/to the control system. The first unit (200) receives and sends physical signals for measurement and/or control of various types and combinations of functions and/or detectors or control devices, and processes the physical signals. The first unit is connected to a second connection (209) working with a second protocol (418). The second connection is in a link in a tool arrangement. The first unit communicates with a second unit (450 and/or 201, 221) via the second connection (209). The first unit van be set up via a connection that works with the first and/or the second protocol(s) or variant(s) thereof. In this way, more complex and simpler tasks can be dealt with separately, and can be divided up between different pieces of equipment and different people. |
| US07987001B2 |
Surgical navigational and neuromonitoring instrument
The invention relates to a surgical instrument capable of applying an electrostimulation to a neural structure. The surgical instrument also has a tracking system associated therewith to provide navigational tracking during a surgical procedure. |
| US07987000B2 |
Multiple tunable central cathodes on a paddle for increased medial-lateral and rostral-caudal flexibility via current steering
A neurostimulation paddle lead, method of neurostimulation, and neurostimulation system are provided. The neurostimulation paddle lead carries a plurality of electrodes comprising at least four columns of electrodes having a spacing between two inner electrode columns less than a spacing between the inner electrode columns and adjacent outer electrode columns. The inner electrode columns may also be longitudinally offset from the outer electrode columns. The methods and neurostimulation systems steer current between the electrodes to modify a medial-lateral electrical field created adjacent spinal cord tissue. |
| US07986998B2 |
Methods and devices for detection of context when addressing a medical condition of a patient
Methods and devices detect context related to a patient when monitoring a physiological condition of the patient and/or when applying one or more modes of therapy. The context may be a patient context such as posture or an environmental context such as ambient conditions. The context may be used in various ways in relation to the physiological measurement, such as to control when the physiological measurements are made, to appropriately flag physiological measurements, to be recorded in association with the physiological measurements, and/or to correct the physiological measurements based on a reference context. A device such as a beacon transmitter is used in detecting the context and a measurement device such as an implantable cardiovascular device is used to capture the physiological measurements. |
| US07986997B2 |
Communication module and method of operation thereof
A method of making a wireless communication connection between a patient device and an electromedical implant as communication partners is disclosed, wherein a transmitting unit of the patient device is continually switched on and off, so that the transmitting unit is alternately in an activity phase and an activity pause and during its activity pause at least once sends a recognition signal and wherein a receiving unit of the electromedical implant is continually switched on and off so that the receiving unit is alternately in an activity phase and an activity pause and during its activity phase checks whether the transmitting unit is just then in its activity phase and sends a recognition signal, wherein switching on and off of the receiving unit is so effected that an activity phase and an activity pause of the receiving unit together give an overall duration which differs from the overall duration of an activity phase and an activity pause of the transmitting unit so that within a foreseeable period of time the activity phases of the transmitting unit and the receiving unit overlap and a wireless communication connection between the two communication partners occurs. |
| US07986996B2 |
Passive monitoring of bioelectical signals and active electrical anesthesia stimulation
Passive monitoring of bioelectric signals is made in the presence of active electrical anesthesia stimulation signal such that the bio-electric signals have interference artifacts from the active signal. The interference artifacts are determined and suppressed to produce a processed bio-electric signal from which can be derived quantitative values for evaluating the neurological state. |
| US07986995B2 |
Bulimia treatment
At least one of a plurality of disorders of a patient characterized at least in part by vagal activity innervating at least one of a plurality of organs of the patient is treated by a method that includes positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity by an amount selected to treat the disorder. In some embodiments, the disorder is bulimia. The signal may be a blocking or a stimulation signal. In some embodiments, the signal is selected to, at least in part, downregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve. |
| US07986994B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting change in intrathoracic electrical impedance
A method and apparatus for detection of changes in impedance a patient that includes generating measured impedances, generating an adaptive baseline trend of the measured impedances corresponding to a first time period, generating a short term trend of the measured impedances corresponding to a second time period less than the first time period, and generating a metric of impedance change between the adaptive baseline trend and one of a most recent measured impedance and the short term trend of the measured impedances. |
| US07986993B1 |
Implantable cardiac device providing AV interval hysteresis to promote intrinsic conduction while providing PMT avoidance and method
An implantable cardiac stimulation device provides AV interval hysteresis to promote intrinsic conduction while providing PMT avoidance. The device comprises a pulse generator that provides atrial and ventricular pacing stimulation pulses on demand separated by an AV interval, an AV hysteresis circuit that extends the AV interval from a base AV interval to an extended AV interval to promote intrinsic heart activity, and a refractory circuit that establishes a PVARP following each provided ventricular pacing pulse including a lengthened PVARP longer in duration than a normal PVARP responsive to the AV hysteresis circuit extending the AV interval from the base AV interval to the extended AV interval. |
| US07986990B2 |
System and method for detecting extremely low frequency electric fields in the human body
A sensor, such as an antenna, detects an electrical sinoatrial signal produced by the human heart. A spectrum analyzer then processes the electrical sinoatrial signal to generate a frequency spectrum comprising a plurality of frequency components associated with different organs. A diagnostic unit then analyzes the frequency spectrum and compares the frequency spectrum to a standardized normal spectrum to determine the condition of the organs. In particular, the amplitude and the bandwidth of the frequency components may be compared to the standardized normal spectrum. The system monitors the relationship between the electromagnetic energy of the heart, organs, limbs, and the brain. |
| US07986989B2 |
Phosphorescence and fluorescence spectroscopy for detection of cancer and pre-cancer from normal/benign regions
The present application is directed to methods for detecting cancerous, pre-cancerous and benign/normal tissue using phosphorescence or the combination of fluorescence and phosphorescence emission from the tissue excited in 280 to 340 nm range. In particular, the application describes methods using a ratio of intensity of fluorescence emission to intensity of phosphorescence emission to provide a rapid cancer, pre-cancer and benign detection method. Normal human breast and prostate tissue, excited in 270 to 300 nm range, express the emission signatures at 340 nm, 440 nm and 500 nm. Cancerous tissue shows only minor emissions at 500 nm, thus the ratio of 340 nm peak to 500 nm peak emission intensities provides information about malignancy of a tissue. Fiber optic based instrumentation can be used to collect the luminescence signal from an area of a tissue less than 1 mm in diameter and using the described method can be screened to determine the state of the tissue sample taken. The combination of fiber optics and 2D translation stage provides 2D maps of intensity's ratio of the tissue surface and aids in localizing the malignancy region of the tissue. |
| US07986986B2 |
System and methods for processing analyte sensor data
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor. |
| US07986984B2 |
Electronic device with protection cover
An electronic device including a main body, a cap body, a flexible printed circuit board and a protection cover is provided. The cap body disposed on the main body is capable of moving between a first position and a second position on the main body and rotating with respect to the main body in the second position. The flexible printed circuit board connects to the main body and the cap body. The protection cover is slidably disposed on the cap body and has a receiving space. When the cap body rotates in the second position, part of the flexible printed circuit board is within the receiving space and protected by the protection cover. |
| US07986983B2 |
Methods and slider form factor devices with continguous surfaces when open
Disclosed are methods and devices of a slider form factor device including two housings. The top surface of a lower housing may include a QWERTY keypad, or a display screen of any type. The top surface of an upper housing may include a display screen. The device is configured to allow the bottom face of the upper housing to slide with respect to the top face of the lower housing until a limit of travel is reached. At the end of travel, the lower housing and the upper housing do not overlap. The upper housing drops down so that its top face is contiguous with the top face of the lower housing. Moreover, the upper housing is tilted with respect to the lower housing by a predetermined angle. In this way, the upper housing and the lower housing may abut to form substantially contiguous surfaces. |
| US07986977B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating the acquisition of content
The present invention provides systems and methods for acquiring content (e.g., a ring tone or a ring view) for a communication device. |
| US07986970B2 |
Systems and methods for maintaining data integrity of removable media of an electronic device
The described embodiments relate generally to methods, systems and devices for maintaining data integrity of a removable media card of a handheld electronic device, particularly when such media card is removed from such device. |
| US07986969B2 |
Radiotelephone terminal with chip card provided with browser
This invention improves the intelligence of chip cards (SIM) in mobile radiotelephone terminals, so that a subscriber may, through the terminal, easily access databases (DB), attached to a server of services (SV). It facilitates the dialog between a subscriber who owns a mobile radiotelephone terminal and a server of services through the medium of an exchange of request and response messages. The card comprises a browser (NV) which interacts with the server and which can be triggered by selection in the mobile terminal or remotely by the server. The card and the server exchange short messages. Libraries of supplementary functions (BI), stored in the card, can be triggered by the server through the browser. The invention also relates to communications between the card that is equipped with the browser and the server. |
| US07986963B2 |
Wireless communication device
The invention relates to a wireless communication device comprising an electrically operated radio module for wireless communication by receiving and/or transmitting communication signals in a transmitting and/or receiving mode; an electrically operated processor unit for controlling wireless communication via the radio module; a motion sensor for detecting movements and/or accelerations of the communication device, wherein the motion sensor outputs at least one detection signal to the processor unit in the event of the occurrence of movements and/or accelerations of a predetermined magnitude, wherein the processor unit is coupled to the motion sensor and the radio module in such a manner that it occasionally puts the radio module into the transmitting and/or receiving mode when outputting the at least one detection signal of the motion sensor. |
| US07986955B2 |
Low layer paging indicator processing system and method for multi-layer communication equipment used in a wireless communication system
A wireless communication system implements wireless communications between a base station and a plurality of User Equipments (UEs) including paging of UEs by initially processing paging indicator information. A first embodiment involves a UE's physical layer L1 being configured for interpreting a paging indicator (PI) to activate a preset decoding configuration to process paging data in a pre-specified paging channel (PCH). A second embodiment involves the physical layer control of a next higher level, L2, interpreting the paging indicator and configuring the physical layer L1 to process paging data in a pre-specified PCH. |
| US07986954B1 |
Wireless communication network having a broadcast system for information distribution
A communication network (100) includes a two-way communication system (101) having a number of base stations (102-108) providing corresponding coverage areas (110-116) for one or more mobile terminals (148 and 150). In order to minimize congestion of the two-way communication system (101) a broadcast system (118) is included which allows for messages to be transmitted to the mobile terminals (148 and 150). Provision of such a broadcast system frees-up network resources that would otherwise be required to support the transmission of such messages. In one embodiment, the communication network (100) includes a number of information gathering devices such as traffic cameras (126-136) that collect information on traffic conditions within the communication network (100). By determining the location of the mobile terminals (148 and 150) and their intended journey routes, or based upon travel information previously provided to the network, the communication network (100) can transmit via the broadcast system (118) images of traffic conditions along one or more particular travel routes to the mobile terminals (148 and 150). The mobile terminals (148 and 150) include receiver sections for receiving both the messages transmitted by the two-way communication system (101) and the one-way broadcast system (118). |
| US07986952B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting position data using control channels in wireless networks
A cellular telephone for use with a cellular telephone network includes a GPS receiver section. Position determination related information is transmitted to and from the cellular telephone using a control channel. |
| US07986951B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling transmissions in communication systems
In a bandwidth allocation protocol for a mobile communications network, mobile terminals indicate the total quantity of data awaiting transmission, the maximum delay time of the most urgent portion of the data, and the maximum delay time of the least urgent portion. If a collision occurs between transmission by two mobiles, the mobiles wait for an interval controlled by the network before attempting another contention-based access transmission. The network periodically varies the contention-based access capacity available according to the observed usage level and/or collision rate in the previously allocated contention-based access capacity. The network analyses the forward traffic to individual mobiles and predicts likely return bandwidth requirements. The network stores associations between forward and return frequency channels, so that when a mobile receiving a forward frequency channel request return capacity, the network preferentially assigns return bandwidth to the mobile in one or more of the associated return channels. |
| US07986948B2 |
Wireless handoffs between multiple networks
The disclosure is directed to a mobile communication device, and method for handing off a mobile communications device between two networks. A processor in the mobile device may be used to establish a network connection with a server in a first network while supporting a call in a second network. The mobile device may also include a transceiver that receives information from the server relating to the network connection. The processor may use the information, local measurements, or both to determine whether to handoff the call to the first network. |
| US07986945B2 |
Mobile terminal device and program selection method
A portable terminal apparatus which can select terminal operations such as the activation of programs, the switching of the programs and the ending of the programs with a reduced number of times of operation of the operation buttons is provided.The portable terminal apparatus includes link information storage means 14 for storing therein a linkage table containing information about the linkage between operation buttons to be selected by a user and programs to be activated by the selection of the operation buttons, and an activation program monitor part 14 for dynamically monitoring the operation states of two or more programs activated at a terminal end, wherein the operation button having emitted its backlight according to the monitoring result obtained by the activation program monitor part 14 can be selected by the user, so that the programs linked to the respective operation buttons can be easily activated, switched and ended. |
| US07986944B2 |
Apparatus and method for receiving content rights through multimedia message in mobile communication terminal
Provided are an apparatus and a method for receiving content rights through a multimedia message in a mobile communication terminal. The apparatus includes a content server transmitting contents and a Right Object (RO) of the contents to a Multimedia Messaging System (MMS) server; the MMS server receiving the contents and the RO from the convent server, attaching the RO to a protection part of the multimedia message including the contents, and transmitting the RO along with the contents; and a mobile communication terminal receiving the multimedia message including the contents and the RO from the MMS server and decoding and executing the contents using the RO. |
| US07986941B2 |
Mobile communication device with silent conversation capability
A system and method for providing silent conversation capability in a mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise establishing a wireless communication link between the mobile communication device and a second communication device. A user input may be received at the mobile communication device. A voice message may be determined from a plurality of voice messages based, at least in part, on the user input. Such determination may, for example, comprise selecting a voice message from a plurality of prerecorded voice messages and/or determining a voice message to be synthesized. The determined voice message may then be communicated to the second communication device. For example, the determined voice message may be communicated to the second communication device in such a way that people in the proximity of the mobile communication device might not hear the determined voice message. |
| US07986938B1 |
Configuring wireless devices
Techniques are provided for the configuration of a home-networking system. Home-networking configuration information may be stored on a host system in a manner accessible to the home-networking system and migrated to a home-networking gateway or router that has not yet been configured. Wireless configuration information may be stored on a home-networking gateway or router and used to configure one or more wireless access points through the use of a physical connection, such as a wired communications pathway. One or more wireless home-networking devices may be configured based on wireless configuration information stored in a central repository on a host system or a home-networking system. The wireless configuration information may be accessible only through the use of a security code. |
| US07986930B2 |
IQ imbalance image suppression in presence of unknown phase shift
A wireless communication system receiver compensates a received signal containing an IQ gain imbalance prior to performing frequency correction. The IQ gain imbalance in the signal is estimated after frequency correction, providing an IQ gain imbalance estimate for subsequent IQ gain imbalance compensation. The IQ gain imbalance estimation includes formulating a plurality of hypotheses of phase error between I and Q signal components, and taking as the actual phase error the hypothesis that yields the maximum power ratio between I and Q signal components. The maximum power ratio is differentiated with respect to the IQ imbalance estimate. The IQ gain imbalance estimate is updated as a function of its prior value(s), the maximum power ratio, and the derivative of the maximum power ratio. |
| US07986926B2 |
Integrating an FM transmitter into a cellular telephone
A system includes a cellular radio and an FM transmitter that are fabricated in the same semiconductor. The FM transmitter includes at least one mixer, a filter and an antenna tuning network. The mixer(s) translate an intermediate carrier frequency of an input signal to generate a second signal that has an FM carrier frequency. The filter removes spectral energy from the second signal to generate a third signal. The antenna tuning network is separate from the filter and produces a fourth signal to drive an antenna in response to the third signal. |
| US07986917B2 |
Method and system for data transfer from a hand held device
A method of transferring data from a hand held electronic device to a target electronic device includes establishing a wireless interface between the hand held electronic device and the target electronic device. A transfer motion that includes rotation of the hand held electronic device is detected. Upon detection of the transfer motion, the data is transmitted from the hand held electronic device to the target electronic device over the wireless interface. The wireless interface may be initiated and configured using a localized communication link. |
| US07986916B2 |
Demodulation communication signals in a near field radio frequency (RF) communicator
A near field RF communicator has an IQ demodulator and a demodulator processor that identifies a transition between logical states on the basis of either: 1) a magnitude obtained by adding a first value representing a difference between positive and negative peaks in the in-phase modulation and a second value representing a difference between positive and negative peaks in the quadrature phase modulation; or 2) whether a combined value representing a rate of change in the in-phase modulation and in the quadrature phase modulation exceeds a threshold. |
| US07986914B1 |
Vehicle-based message control using cellular IP
Architecture for playing back personal text-based messages such as email and voicemail over a vehicle-based media system. The user can use a cell phone that registers over a cellular network to an IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) to obtain an associated IP address. The personal messages are then converted into audio signals using a remote text-to-voice (TTV) converter and transmitted to the phone based on the IP address. The phone then transmits the audio signals to the vehicle media system for playback using an unlicensed wireless technology (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.). Other alternative embodiments include transmitting converted message directly to the media system, via a satellite channel, converting the messages via a TTV converter on the cell phone, and streaming the converted messages to the phone and/or the media system for playback. |
| US07986912B2 |
Sheet conveyance apparatus and image forming apparatus with rollers to correct sheet misalignment
A sheet conveying apparatus which conveys a recording sheet fed from a sheet feeding section toward a transfer position with controlled timing, including: a pair of registration rollers; a pair of loop rollers to form a loop of the recording sheet, the loop rollers being disposed upstream of the registration rollers in a sheet feeding direction; and a movable conveying unit configured such that the registration rollers and the loop rollers move as a unified body when correcting at least a lateral misalignment, which is a misalignment in a vertical direction to the sheet feeding direction, and inclination of the recording sheet. |
| US07986909B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus using the same
A fixing device includes an endless belt member and a rotating body that are arranged to come in pressure contact with each other, the endless belt member and the rotating body having a source of heat generation; a pressing member that is arranged within the endless belt member and comes in pressure contact with the endless belt member to the rotating body; and a lubricant reservoir that is provided in the pressing member and reserves a semisolid or solid state lubricant, wherein a width in a central portion of the lubricant reservoir is wider than that in both ends of the lubricant reservoir, and widths along a length direction of the lubricant reservoir narrows from the central portion toward the both ends. |
| US07986907B2 |
Positional misalignment correcting device and image forming apparatus
A positional misalignment correcting device includes a pattern forming unit that forms a correction pattern and a detecting unit that detects the correction pattern. The detecting unit includes one light emitting element and one light receiving element. The pattern forming unit forms the correction pattern on a transfer member such that a formation area in which the correction pattern is to be formed along a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction of the transfer member is smaller than a light-receiving area of the light receiving element. |
| US07986902B2 |
Image forming apparatus and regulating member and container
An image forming apparatus includes a container that contains a visualizing agent consumed with an operation of forming a visual image on a recording medium; a holding unit that detachably holds the container; and a regulating unit that is disposed in a packing member for packing the image forming apparatus and engages with a part of the container so as to prevent the container from departing from the holding unit. |
| US07986899B2 |
Development unit, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A development unit includes a developer accommodating part that accommodates a developer therein, a developer stirring-transporting member that transports the developer in the developer accommodating part while stirring the developer, a bearing part that receives a rotating shaft of the developer stirring-transporting member, a magnetic member that is located between the bearing part and the developer accommodating part and fixed around the rotating shaft, and a stirring member that is spaced apart from the magnetic member so as to be opposed to the magnetic member and that is arranged at the rotating shaft of the developer stirring-transporting member. |
| US07986893B2 |
Electrophotographic apparatus having belt fuser and corresponding methods
Disclosed are an electrophotographic apparatus for forming images on sheets, and corresponding methods. The electrophotographic apparatus includes an endless fuser belt for fusing toner particles to the sheets to form the images, a sensor for detecting a defect position of at least one defect in the endless fuser belt, and a controller that receives the defect position of the at least one defect on the endless fuser belt from the sensor, wherein the controller positions the endless fuser belt relative to the sheets to avoid the at least one defect from coming into contact with the toner on the sheets during fusing of the toner particles to the sheets. |
| US07986891B2 |
Image forming apparatus with image density detection unit
An image forming apparatus includes an image supporting member for forming a developer image; a developing unit for forming a developer layer and forming the developer image on the image supporting member using developer of the developer layer; a developer supplying unit for supplying the developer to the developing unit; an image density detection unit for detecting an image density of the developer image; and a control unit for controlling a voltage applied to the developing unit and the developer supplying unit. The control unit corrects the voltage applied to at least one of the developing unit and the developer supplying unit according to the image density detected with the image density detection unit. |
| US07986883B2 |
Solar blind ultraviolet communication system for unattended ground sensor network
The systems and methods described herein allow a user to communicate using a ground sensor network that is capable of both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communication. In particular, the systems and methods herein described transmit and receive ultraviolet radiation having a wavelength within the solar blind region from a plurality of sensing nodes arranged both in a LOS network, which communicates via LOS communication, and in a NLOS network, which communicates via NLOS communication. The ultraviolet radiation is then transmitted from the plurality of sensing nodes to a remote receiver, via LOS communication. |
| US07986880B2 |
Method and system for providing a return path for signals generated by legacy terminals in an optical network
A return path system includes inserting RF packets between regular upstream data packets, where the data packets are generated by communication devices such as a computer or internet telephone. The RF packets can be derived from analog RF signals that are produced by legacy video service terminals. In this way, the present invention can provide an RF return path for legacy terminals that shares a return path for regular data packets in an optical network architecture. |
| US07986879B2 |
System and method for polling in ethernet passive optical network
Disclosed is a system and a method for polling in an Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON). The system includes: multiple Optical Network Units (ONUs) for sharing optical channels of the EPON with one another and transmitting traffic; and an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) for discriminating a plurality of ONUs gaining access to the EPON among the multiple ONUs and then collecting routing information on the plurality of ONUs gaining access to the EPON, and for classifying the plurality of ONUs gaining access to the EPON into two or more ONU groups according to the collected routing information and then carrying out forming a polling cycle and allocating bandwidth on each ONU group. Therefore, a transmission idle period in a traffic channel is not only minimized, but an availability ratio of traffic channels can also be maximized. |
| US07986878B2 |
Adjustable bit rate optical transmission using programmable signal modulation
Techniques, apparatus and systems to provide adjustable bit rate optical transmission using programmable signal modulation in optical communication systems. |
| US07986874B2 |
Camera device and method for taking photos
A method and a camera device that includes a proximity sensor that senses a current distance between a user and the camera device. The method and camera device acquires the current distance sensed by the proximity sensor, and triggers the camera device to take a photo of an object when the current distance is less than a preset distance of the camera device. |
| US07986872B2 |
Protective covering for hand-held camera
At least one embodiment of the inventive technology may be a removable protective covering for a camera, where the protective covering comprises a sleeve that has a first opening and a second opening. One or more of the openings may be defined by elastically deformable cuff(s) having unstretched and maximally stretched cross-sectional areas that are smaller and larger than certain cross-sectional areas of the camera. As such, the camera may be removable from the covering through such opening(s) as desired in order to shoot a photograph. |
| US07986871B2 |
Processing multilayer semiconductors with multiple heat sources
A method of adjusting the heat transfer properties within a processing chamber is presented. Chamber properties may be determined and adjusted by adjusting the thermal mass of an edge ring disposed in the processing chamber. |
| US07986870B2 |
Method and device for providing a gaseous substance mixture
A device and a method for providing a gaseous substance mixture including at least one of a reducing agent and/or a reducing agent precursor, include a reservoir for an aqueous solution including at least one reducing agent precursor, from which the aqueous solution can be delivered into at least one metering line having a dispensing opening by a delivery device, and a device for heating the metering line above a critical temperature greater than the boiling temperature of water. Complete evaporation of an aqueous solution including urea and subsequent hydrolysis to form a substance mixture including ammonia, are carried out. The substance mixture is metered as a reducing agent into an SCR catalytic converter. Carrying out the evaporation outside the exhaust system uses considerably smaller hydrolysis catalytic converters, which is space-saving and cost-saving compared to conventional devices for providing a reducing agent for selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides. |
| US07986867B2 |
Video downloading and scrubbing system and method
A video downloading and scrubbing system for use with a web-based video editing system is provided. The downloading and scrubbing system includes: a scrubbing subsystem configured to: receive a user request for a portion of a video at a particular time index; create a data stream beginning containing video data relating to that time index in the video; and transmit the data; and a preview subsystem configured to provide a preview of video data to the user prior to the user completing the download of the video. |
| US07986866B2 |
Reproduction device and program
A playback device plays back a digital stream and executes an application. A Java™ module is a platform unit, executes the application, and performs playback control based on a result of the execution. When performing this playback, the playback device has a plurality of real parameters specific to the playback device, for the playback control. The Java™ module provides a function using a real parameter to the application, in response to a method call from the application. |
| US07986864B2 |
Modular cable head for optical networks
A modular cable head (1) for use with a distributor in the field of optical telecommunications comprises a mounting frame (10) in which a plurality of plates (20) are pivotally mounted. The plates comprise an excess cable portion (21) for storage of excess fiber-optic cable length and a holding portion (22) for removably receiving and securely holding optical modules (30). |
| US07986861B2 |
Optical fiber connector and endoscope system using the same
An optical fiber connector has a first ferrule holding an end of a first optical fiber, a first fiber stub connected to the first ferrule, a second ferrule holding an end of a second optical fiber, and a second fiber stub connected to the second ferrule. The first fiber stub enlarges the beam diameter of light transmitted through the first optical fiber, and produces the collimated light. The second fiber stub reduces the beam diameter of the collimated light, and leads the converging light into the second optical fiber. The first and second fiber stubs are detachably connected inside a connection sleeve across a predetermined gap. First and second GI fibers contained in the first and second fiber stubs satisfy L1≧L2 and L1+L2≅½ pitch, wherein L1 and L2 represent the lengths of the first and second GI fibers, and one pitch is a sinusoidal period of the light transmitted therethrough. |
| US07986858B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image enlarging apparatus includes: a luminance data calculation unit configured to set a reference frame from a video image, and to calculate first luminance data for a high resolution video image; a position calculation unit configured to set target pixels in at least one of frames included in the video image except the reference frame, and to calculate corresponding positions to the target pixels in the reference frame with decimal accuracy; a correction amount calculation unit configured to parallelly calculate correction amounts of the first luminance data for the corresponding positions based on the first luminance data, third luminance data of the target pixels, and the corresponding positions; an addition unit configured to calculate sum of correction amounts from the correction amounts; and a luminance data correction unit configured to correct the first luminance data based on the sum of the correction amounts. |
| US07986857B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating image using multi-channel filter
Provided are an apparatus and method for generating an image using a multi-channel filter. More particularly, provided are an apparatus and method for generating an image using a multi-channel filter, wherein images input into a plurality of image sensors are allowed to pass through different filters, each of which includes a plurality of channels, and segmented images passed through the filters are combined to produce a desired image. The apparatus includes a filter unit including a plurality of filters having different patterns with respect to a plurality of image channels and filtering images input into the filters, an image sensing unit including a plurality of image sensors sensing images filtered through the plurality of the filters, an interpolation unit calculating image channel values of pixels of the sensed images, and an image combination unit assigning the calculated image channel values to corresponding pixel positions to generate a single desired image. |
| US07986856B2 |
Method and apparatus for increasing brightness of image captured in low light
An exemplary method for increasing brightness of an image captured in low light includes: transforming the captured image into an original image that has a brightness component; copying the brightness component of the original image as a brightness image; inverting the brightness image into a negative image; and incorporating the negative image into the original image such that a predetermined percentage of gray scale values of pixels of the negative image corresponding to pixels in a dark portion of the original image are respectively added to gray scale values of the pixels in the dark portion of the original image to produce a processed image. |
| US07986855B2 |
Block noise detector and detection method, and block noise reducer and reduction method
A block noise detector has a spatial difference calculator that calculates differences between values of adjacent pixels. A spatial difference comparator detects edges by comparing the calculated differences. Eight counters count edges detected at different groups of positions spaced eight pixels apart in each horizontal line. The maximum count and the group of positions at which it occurs are detected at the end of each horizontal line to detect block noise and the positions of the block boundaries. The block noise detector is small in size because it only has to count edges in one line at a time, and detects edges accurately by comparing the difference at a given position separately with differences to the left and differences to the right. |
| US07986853B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image taking apparatus and program
An image processing apparatus, which obtains a synthesized image whose exposure is corrected by synthesizing a first image and a second image, is disclosed. The image processing apparatus comprises a detection section which detects an amount of displacement of the second image with respect to the first image which is a reference image, a coordinate conversion section which performs coordinate conversion to the second image so as to conform to the first image, and a synthesis section which synthesizes the second image having been subjected to the coordinate conversion with the first image. |
| US07986851B2 |
Spatial scan replication circuit
In an image replication circuit, the improvement of replicating a given element at a certain location with the most similar of surrounding sets of image elements. |
| US07986840B2 |
Tracking workflow in manipulating media items
A computer-implemented method is described including receiving input specifying an image frame from among a series of image frames, and automatically detecting one or more points in the specified image frame that would be suitable for tracking a point in the series of image frames. In addition, a computer-implemented method is described including choosing a first position of a point on a first image frame of a plurality of image frames, and displaying in a bounded region on the first image frame content relating to a second image frame of the plurality of image frames, wherein the content displayed in the bounded region includes a second position of the point at a different time than the first position of the point. |
| US07986837B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image distributing apparatus, image processing method, computer program product, and recording medium
An image processing apparatus includes a binarizing unit, a determining unit, a counting unit, and a correcting unit. The binarizing unit binarizes image data based on density of the image data. The determining unit determines a pixel with high density as a character pixel and a pixel with low density as a non-character pixel in the binarized image data. The counting unit counts the number of a sequence of character pixels in a scanning direction. The correcting unit corrects, when the number of the sequence of the character pixels exceeds a threshold value, the character pixels to non-character pixels. |
| US07986836B2 |
Method, a system and a computer program for segmenting a surface in a multidimensional dataset
The invention relates to a method of segmenting a surface in a multi dimensional dataset comprising a plurality of images. In accordance with the method of the invention, at step 4 shape parameters and topology parameters for the object under consideration are acquired. Preferably that the multi-dimensional data set imaging the object is acquired at an acquisition step 1 and is subsequently stored in a computer-readable file 2. At step 5 the default shape parameters and topology parameters of a suitable segmentation algorithm 3 based on a deformable model are adapted with the value of the actual shape parameters and the topology parameters 4 for the given object. Subsequently, at step 6 the images constituting the multi-dimensional dataset are segmented using deformable model algorithm 6a with the adapted shape parameters and the adapted topology parameters yielding respective portions of the sought surface. After all sub-portions of the segmented surface are obtained for all images, the surface is tracked using per se known tracking algorithms 8a resulting in establishing spatial correspondence between said surface portions. Preferably, the method according to the invention is followed by the step of reconstructing 9 wherein for a given viewing angle the surface is reconstructed in virtual space. At step 11 the reconstructed surface is visualized on a suitable display means for user's analysis. |
| US07986834B2 |
Method and apparatus for color image correction
A method and apparatus of image processing is disclosed. The method and apparatus accomplish image processing by separating a luma component and a chroma component of an image signal. Averaging of at least some of the image pixels of the luma component is done over a plurality of image pixels to provide a plurality of surround function values. Retinex-like processing of the luma component is done using the surround function values to provide a Retinex-like processed luma component. The Retinex-like processed luma component is added to the chroma component of the image signal to provide a processed image signal. |
| US07986833B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus for color enhancement and correction
An image processing method and an image processing apparatus for color correction are provided. The image processing method for color correction comprises the steps of: (a) determining an angle on a color space according to an image data of a basic color, (b) determining a first straight line on the color space according to the angle, (c) determining a second straight line on the color space according to an image data of a pixel, wherein the second straight line is parallel to the first straight line, (d) calculating a distance between the second straight line and the first straight line in order to obtain a color intensity difference value, (e) correcting the image data of the pixel according to the color intensity difference. |
| US07986829B2 |
Generating a transformed interim connection space for spectral data
Generation of a transformed Interim Connection Space for spectral data is provided. A first Interim Connection Space for spectral data in a full spectral space is accessed. A first map, which characterizes a linear transformation from the full spectral space to a first color space, is accessed. A second map, which characterizes a linear transformation from the first Interim Connection Space to the first color space, is determined. The first Interim Connection Space is decomposed into orthogonal subspaces, the orthogonal subspaces including a first subspace that is a null space of the second map and a second subspace that is an orthogonal complement of the null space in the first Interim Connection Space. The transformed Interim Connection Space is generated based on the first subspace and the second subspace. |
| US07986828B2 |
People detection in video and image data
A process identifies a person in image data. The process first executes a training phase, and thereafter a detection phase. The training phase learns body parts using body part detectors, generates classifiers, and determines a spatial distribution and a set of probabilities. The execution phase applies the body part detector to an image, combines output of several body part detectors, and determines maxima of the combination of the output. |
| US07986826B2 |
Method and system for correction of fluoroscope image distortion
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide for a system and method for modeling S-distortion in an image intensifier. In an embodiment, the method may include identifying a reference coordinate on an input screen of the image intensifier. The method also includes computing a set of charged particle velocity vectors. The method also includes computing a set of magnetic field vectors. The method also includes computing the force exerted on the charged particle in an image intensifier. Certain embodiments of the present invention include an iterative method for calibrating an image acquisition system with an analytic S-distortion model. In an embodiment, the method may include comparing the difference between the measured fiducial shadow positions and the model fiducial positions with a threshold value. If the difference is less than the threshold value, the optical distortion parameters are used for linearizing the set of acquired images. |
| US07986823B2 |
System and method for consistent detection of mid-sagittal planes for magnetic resonance brain scans
A method for finding consistent mid-sagittal planes (MSPs) in a pair of 3D image head scans of a same patient includes, for each image, selecting a 2D transverse localizer image from a middle slice along a transverse view of the 3D image, fitting an ellipse to the transverse localizer image to locate a head position (x, y), where the y-coordinate is indicative of a position of a 2D coronal localizer image in the 3D image, fitting an ellipse to the coronal localizer image to locate a head position (x, y) in the coronal localizer image, calculating a middle line in the transverse localizer image and a middle line in the coronal localizer image, calculating an MSP from the middle lines, and determining a new set of slope and intercept parameters for one MSP that maximizes a similarity measure between the one MSP and the other MSP. |
| US07986818B2 |
Method and apparatus to relate biometric samples to target FAR and FRR with predetermined confidence levels
At least two biometric measurements of a person are collected, then a statistical measure based on the measurements is computed. The statistical measure is a bounded estimate of the discriminative power of a test based on the measurements. While the discriminative power is less than a target value, additional biometric measurements are collected. When enough measurements have been collected, a biometric template is constructed from the measurements and stored for use in future identifications. Systems and software to implement similar methods are also described and claimed. |
| US07986817B2 |
Verification apparatus, verification method and verification program
A verification apparatus for checking a verification-target data against registrant's identification data, including: a storage section that stores a plurality of first checkup order data each of which defines an order of checking the verification-target data against a plurality of registrant's identification data that are divided in accordance with a predetermined condition into a plurality of first groups; a selection section that selects one of the first checkup order data that is associated with a first group corresponding to the condition; and a checkup section that checks, in accordance with the selected first checkup order data, the verification-target data against a plurality of registrant's identification data in the first group corresponding to the condition. |
| US07986811B2 |
Method of improving orientation and color balance of digital images using face detection information
A method of generating one or more new spatial and chromatic variation digital images uses an original digitally-acquired image which including a face or portions of a face. A group of pixels that correspond to a face within the original digitally-acquired image is identified. A portion of the original image is selected to include the group of pixels. Values of pixels of one or more new images based on the selected portion are automatically generated, or an option to generate them is provided, in a manner which always includes the face within the one or more new images. Such method may be implemented to automatically establish the correct orientation and color balance of an image. Such method can be implemented as an automated method or a semi automatic method to guide users in viewing, capturing or printing of images. |
| US07986805B2 |
Acoustic diaphragm
An acoustic diaphragm is disclosed having a plurality of acoustic elements supported by the diaphragm. In a preferred form, each element is coupled to a driver and extends radially at a uniform acute angle to a normal of the driver. In the preferred embodiment, a plural layer of the elements is arranged so that the direction of each element is out-of-phase relative to each other, preferably in the range of approximately ninety degree. An element is also supplemental to the conventional acoustic diaphragm. The improved acoustic diaphragm is used in electric acoustic and acoustic electric transducer systems having improved performance at wide frequency range. |
| US07986804B2 |
Audio speaker having a removable voice coil
An audio speaker having a removable voice coil, which may be a part of a voice coil assembly. The voice coil may be user-removable to facilitate replacement of a damaged voice coil or reconfiguration of a speaker system. Properly positioning the voice coil assembly may provide a solder-free electrical connection between the voice coil and leads that provide current to the voice coil. In some embodiments, the voice coil is user-removably attached to an inner circumferential surface of a diaphragm. In other embodiments, the voice coil is connected to the diaphragm, and the voice coil assembly and the diaphragm are both user-removably attached to a frame. |
| US07986798B2 |
Signal generating module
A signal generating module for an electronic apparatus is provided. The signal generating module includes a processor, a roller, a resistant film, a conducting member, a first lead and a second lead. The roller has a rotary center and is rotably connected to the electronic apparatus thereby. The conducting member is connected to the rotary center to rotate together with the roller. The conducting member has an end including a conducting contact point. The conducting contact point is configured to rotate around the rotary center along a motion path accompanying the rotation of the roller, wherein the motion path is disposed at a first area of the resistant film. The first lead is coupled to the processor and in contact with the resistant film. The second lead is coupled to the processor, and coupled to the conducting member via the rotary center. |
| US07986795B2 |
Method and apparatus for protecting media content against unauthorized duplication
Methods and apparatuses for media playback system are disclosed, including a signal source for providing electrical signal representing media content; a processing unit for processing signal from the signal source; a distorting unit for introducing distortion to signal from the processing unit; a transducer for converting the electrical signal from the distorting unit to energy representing the media content; and a connection link for transmitting the signal from the distorting unit to the transducer. The arrangement protects media content against unauthorized duplication by ripping-off the transmitting signal. |
| US07986794B2 |
Small array microphone apparatus and beam forming method thereof
The invention provides a beam forming method for a small array microphone apparatus to generate cone beam pattern by processing a combined bi-directional beam pattern of two virtual bi-directional microphones formed through at least three omni-directional microphones arranged in an L-shape. The invention also provides a small array microphone apparatus using the beam forming method according to the invention to suppress noise by processing a combined bi-directional beam pattern of two virtual bi-directional microphones formed through at least three omni-directional microphones arranged in an L-shape, thereby outputting a clear audio signal with cone beam pattern. |
| US07986792B2 |
Adapter connectable between audio amplifier and transmitter for cordless speaker
An adaptor is connectable between a signal processor and a transmission module. The signal processor has three audio channels for feeding respectively a first audio signal, a second audio signal, and a third audio signal having a frequency range lower than a frequency range of the first and second audio signals. The transmission module has two transmission channels capable of transmitting two audio signals to a codeless speaker. The adaptor has three input terminals for receiving the first, second and third audio signals from the signal processor. The adaptor filters at least one of the first and second audio signals for cutting therefrom a lower frequency range comparative to the lower frequency range of the third audio signal, and adds the third audio signal to the one of the first and second audio signals from which the lower frequency range is cut. The adaptor has two output terminals, one of which feeds the one of the first and second audio signals added with the third audio signal to one of the two transmission channels of the transmission module, and the other of which feeds the other of the first and second audio signals to the other of the two transmission channels of the transmission module. |
| US07986791B2 |
Method and system for automatically muting headphones
The illustrative embodiments provide a method and system for automatically muting a headphone. The headphone detects a sound external to the headphone. A volume threshold and a frequency threshold are received, wherein the volume threshold and the frequency threshold define a sound of interest. A determination is made as to whether the sound external to the headphone is the sound of interest. Responsive to a determination that the sound external to the headphone is the sound of interest, a signal is transmitted to automatically mute an active state of the headphone. |
| US07986789B2 |
Method for representing multi-channel audio signals
A multi-channel input signal having at least three original channels is represented by a parameter representation of the multi-channel signal. A first balance parameter, a first coherence parameter, or a first inter-channel time difference between a first channel pair and a second balance parameter, or a second coherence parameter, or a second inter-channel time difference parameter between a second channel pair are calculated. This set of parameters is the parameter representation of the original signals. The first channel pair has two channels, which are different from two channels of a second channel pair. Furthermore, each channel of the two channel pairs is one of the original channels, or a weighted combination of the original channels, and the first channel pair and the second channel pair include information on the three original channels. For multi-channel reconstruction purposes, the parameters are used in addition to down-mixing information to generate a selectable number of output channels in a scalable fashion. |
| US07986788B2 |
Method and an apparatus for decoding an audio signal
A method for processing an audio signal, comprising: receiving a downmix signal, an object information, and a mix information; generating a downmix processing information using the object information and the mix information; processing the downmix signal using the downmix processing information; and, generating a multi-channel information using the object information and the mix information, wherein the number of channel of the downmix signal is equal to the number of channel of the processed downmix signal is disclosed. |
| US07986787B2 |
System, method, and service for tracing traitors from content protection circumvention devices
A traitor tracing system generates a hypothesized model of the circumvention device that models a hypothesized set of device keys compromised by the circumvention device. The system iteratively invokes a subset tracing system to identify a compromised device key until substantially all the compromised device keys in the set of compromised device keys are identified so as to disable the circumvention device. A subset tracing system generates a circumvention device model that models behavior of a circumvention device using prior knowledge and The system iteratively selects and applies to the circumvention device a test based on the hypothesized model and the circumvention device model and receives a response from the circumvention device indicating a success of the test in playing protected content on the circumvention device. The system updates the hypothesized model using the received response, the selected test, a current version of the hypothesized model, and a current version of the circumvention device model to focus the test selecting process in determining the device keys obtained from the traitor. |
| US07986786B2 |
Methods and systems for utilizing cryptographic functions of a cryptographic co-processor
A computer platform is provided that comprises a processor and a cryptographic co-processor coupled to the processor. The computer platform further comprises a platform entity coupled to the processor. The platform entity establishes a secure relationship with the cryptographic co-processor that enables the platform entity to utilize cryptographic functions provided by the cryptographic co-processor. |
| US07986785B2 |
Data management
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, devices, and/or systems for data copyright management are described. |
| US07986783B2 |
Data transmitting apparatus
A data transmitting apparatus has improved security against eavesdropping for secret communication using Y-00 protocol. The multi-level code generation section generates, based on key information, a multi-level code sequence in which a signal level changes so as to be approximately random numbers. The multi-level processing section generates a multi-level signal having a level which corresponds to a combination between information data and the multi-level code sequence. The error signal generation section generates an error signal which changes randomly. The accumulation section accumulates the error signal, and outputs an accumulated error signal. The adding section adds the accumulated error signal to the multi-level signal, and outputs a variable multi-level signal. The modulator section modulates the variable multi-level signal, and outputs a modulated signal. |
| US07986780B2 |
Privacy-preserving substring creation
A system to contribute to creating a substring of a string may include a communication unit and a processing unit. The communication unit may be configured to receive an encrypted representation of a second share of the string. The string may be identical to the second share of the string combined with a first share of the string. The communication unit may be configured to send a rearranged representation of the encrypted representation of the second share of the string to a further system. The processing unit may be configured to rearrange a representation of the encrypted representation of the second share of the string using a first share of a start value of the substring. The start value may be identical to the first share of the start value added to a second share of the start value. |
| US07986778B2 |
Cryptographic method and apparatus
A cryptographic method and apparatus is provided in which an identifier-based encryption process is used to encrypt a message with an identifier string that specifies conditions to be checked by a trusted entity before providing a decrypted form of the encrypted message, or enabling its decryption. A further trusted entity is used to verify the identity of the message sender as indicated by a further identifier string, and to provide the sender with a secret key that the sender uses to generate complimentary signature components. These signature components are sent along with the encrypted message and are used, along with other data including the first identifier string and a public key of the further trusted entity, to authenticate the identity of the message sender. |
| US07986770B2 |
Method and apparatus for obtaining telephone status over a network
A system and method for monitoring the state of a structure over a network. The system and method provides for providing the status of a monitoring device to a status file. The status file is accessible over the Internet by computer so that a party can first determine the status of the device. The system operates over normal PSTN's, over cable systems, over wireless networks and over the Internet. |
| US07986765B2 |
Mammography system and method employing offset compression paddles, automatic collimation, and retractable anti-scatter grid
A mammographic imaging system is optimized for use with a single fixed size flat panel digital image receptor. It accommodates compression devices (paddles) of varying sizes, and positions them properly in the field of view of the image receptor. When a compression paddle with size smaller than the field of view of the image receptor is used, the compression paddle can be shifted laterally in the direction parallel to the chest wall, so as to facilitate different views of different size breasts, and permit the image receptor to image as much of the desired tissue as possible. An automatic x-ray collimator restricts the x-ray illumination of the breast in accordance with compression paddle size and location in the field of view. An anti-scatter grid, mounted inside the image receptor enclosure, just below the top cover of the enclosure, can be retracted out of the field of view of the image receptor for use in magnification imaging. |
| US07986763B2 |
Radiological imaging apparatus
A radiological imaging apparatus of the present invention comprises an image pickup device and a medical examinee holding device that is provided with a bed. The image pickup device includes a large number of radiation detectors and radiation detector support plates. A large number of radiation detectors are mounted around the circumference of a through-hole and arranged in the axial direction of the through-hole. The radiation detectors are arranged in three layers formed radially with respect to the center of the through-hole and mounted on the lateral surfaces of the radiation detector support plates. Since the radiation detectors are not only arranged in the axial direction and circumferential direction of the through-hole but also arrayed in the radial direction, it is possible to obtain accurate information about a γ-ray arrival position in the radial direction of the through-hole (the positional information about a radiation detector from which a γ-ray image pickup signal is output). The use of accurate information about γ-ray arrival increases the tomogram accuracy. As a result, the present invention enhances the tomogram accuracy, that is, the PET examination accuracy. |
| US07986762B2 |
Method for recording an examination object
A method is provided for recording an examination object using an x-ray recording system having an x-ray source and an x-ray detector rotatable about a common axis of rotation. X-ray detector is displaced in a first direction enclosing a first angle k between a perpendicular bisector from x-ray source to x-ray detector and a plane running through x-ray source and containing the axis, k≠0. First x-ray images are recorded in angular positions of x-ray source and x-ray detector displaced in the first direction in a first rotation. X-ray detector is displaced in a second direction enclosing a second angle m between the bisector and the plane, m≠0 and is on an opposite side from k. Starting points of the rotations are differed by an angle of displacement β 0 = k + m + d 2 , where d is the detector fan angle. Starting points and finishing points of the rotations are spanned by π+β0. |
| US07986760B2 |
Method and apparatus for permissive control of a mast and grapple
A method and apparatus for the permissive control of a mast and fuel grapple to be used in the movement of reactor fuel components, including fuel assemblies, single blade and double blade guides, to be used in a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) nuclear reactor. The Permissive Control System reduces the chance of human error associated with the movement of reactor components by assisting in controlling the location (plant coordinate) of the mast for picking-up and dropping-off reactor components, the sequence of reactor component movements, the orientation (angular rotation) of the mast and fuel grapple, the raising and lowering of the grapple, and the opening and closing of the fuel grapple. |
| US07986759B2 |
Data output method, data output apparatus and communication system
A data output apparatus accumulates received sound data in an accumulating unit (jitter buffer), and reproduces sound based on the accumulated sound data. Then, for a predetermined period of time from the time point at which reception of data starts, the data output apparatus restricts or prohibits discarding of data based on an upper accumulation limit amount as a basis for discarding the accumulated data. Moreover, prior to starting reception of sound data after a transfer of a transmission right, dummy data such as soundless data is accumulated in the accumulating unit. Further, the set values of the upper accumulation limit amount, etc. optimized in the previous communication are stored, and the settings stored in association with a transmitting source apparatus are set as the upper accumulation limit amount, etc. after the transfer of the transmission right. |
| US07986755B2 |
Method and apparatus for calibration for beamforming of multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) orthogonol frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transceivers
An embodiment of the present invention includes a calibration system employed in a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) system for beamforming and receiving a plurality of streams. The system includes a first calibration circuit responsive to inphase (I) and quadrature (Q) pairs of stream and operative to calibrate each I and Q pair and a second calibration circuit responsive to the calibrated I and Q pairs for all streams, wherein the first and second calibration circuits perform calibration in the time domain. |
| US07986751B2 |
Carrier frequency offset estimating device and system
A carrier frequency offset estimating device for estimating frequency offsets of a multi-carrier signal includes a transforming circuit, a cosine effect eliminating circuit, a model creating circuit, and an estimating circuit. The transforming circuit receives the multi-carrier signal and transforms the multi-carrier signal to single-carrier signals. The cosine effect eliminating circuit eliminates cosine effects in the single-carrier signals to form single-carrier signals without the cosine effects. The model creating circuit creates linear data models according to the single-carrier signals without the cosine effects. The estimating circuit estimates the frequency offsets of the multi-carrier signal according to the linear data models. A carrier frequency offset estimating system is also provided. |
| US07986742B2 |
Pilots for MIMO communication system
Pilots suitable for use in MIMO systems and capable of supporting various functions are described. The various types of pilot include—a beacon pilot, a MIMO pilot, a steered reference or steered pilot, and a carrier pilot. The beacon pilot is transmitted from all transmit antennas and may be used for timing and frequency acquisition. The MIMO pilot is transmitted from all transmit antennas but is covered with different orthogonal codes assigned to the transmit antennas. The MIMO pilot may be used for channel estimation. The steered reference is transmitted on specific eigenmodes of a MIMO channel and is user terminal specific. The steered reference may be used for channel estimation. The carrier pilot may be transmitted on designated subbands/antennas and may be used for phase tracking of a carrier signal. Various pilot transmission schemes may be devised based on different combinations of these various types of pilot. |
| US07986740B2 |
Wireless mobile communication system without pilot signals
Method and system for allowing abandoning pilot signals use and for increasing the immunity to Doppler Effect influence in OFDMA based wireless mobile communication systems and as a result, make them more efficient. This is carried out by transmitting N orthogonal I and Q values of symbols, N times on N frequencies, where N is a power of two. In order to be able to select the desired signal from a mixture of N signals, signs of symbol of each signal vary according to one of N-order Walsh functions. |
| US07986736B2 |
Ultra wideband baseband chip with intelligent array radio and method of use thereof
An ultra wideband receiver, based on multiband orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MB-OFDM), combines digital data from multiple channels after signal processing and before decoding. The receiver provides a master controller that synthesizes packet synchronization, frame synchronization, and sampling frequency offset information from multiple channels into signals that simultaneously control all channels of the receiver. |
| US07986735B2 |
Digital signal transmission apparatus and method, digital signal receiving apparatus and method, and digital signal transmission system
A digital signal transmission apparatus that transmits a digital signal to another apparatus via a coaxial cable connected therebetween includes a signal divider configured to divide a digital signal to be transmitted into a plurality of signal groups; a plurality of modulators configured to modulate each of the plurality of signal groups obtained by the signal divider by using an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing method; a plurality of frequency shifters configured to shift each of the frequency bands of a plurality of modulation signals generated by the plurality of modulators from a baseband to a mutually different frequency band; and a signal sender configured to combine a plurality of modulation signals whose frequency bands are shifted by the plurality of frequency shifters and to transmit the signals to the coaxial cable. |
| US07986722B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light emitting element
A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor light emitting element includes: forming a stacked layer body of a nitride semiconductor having a second conductive-type layer, a light emitting layer, and a first conductive-type layer stacked on a growth substrate in this order; forming a first Bragg reflector made of a dielectric multilayer film above the first conductive-type layer; forming a first electrode over the first Bragg reflector with the first electrode being electrically connected to the first conductive-type layer; bonding the stacked layer body to a supporting substrate via the first Bragg reflector and the first electrode; removing the growth substrate from the stacked layer body to expose the second conductive-type layer; and forming over the exposed second conductive-type layer a second electrode and a second Bragg reflector made of a dielectric multilayer film so that the second Bragg reflector faces the first Bragg reflector across the stacked layer body. |
| US07986720B2 |
Circuit and method for driving light-emitting element and optical transmitter
A circuit for driving a light-emitting element such as a laser diode LD has a boost circuit for boosting an input voltage to supply it to the light-emitting element, a photoreceptor such as a photodiode PD for monitoring light from the light-emitting element; and a boost control circuit for controlling a boost voltage of the boost circuit based on a monitored amount of the photoreceptor. In the method for driving a light-emitting element by boosting an input voltage to supply the voltage to the light-emitting element, light from the light-emitting element is monitored and its monitored amount is used as a basis to control a boost voltage to the light-emitting element. A control circuit may be provided to control a driving current that passes through the light-emitting element based on the monitored amount of the photoreceptor. |
| US07986718B2 |
Discovery phase in a frequency hopping network
The present technology relates to protocols relative to utility meters associated with an open operational framework. More particularly, the present subject matter relates to protocol subject matter for advanced metering infrastructure, adaptable to various international standards, while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field. The present subject matter supports meters within an ANSI standard C12.22/C12.19 system while economically supporting a 2-way mesh network solution in a wireless environment, such as for operating in a residential electricity meter field, all to permit cell-based adaptive insertion of C12.22 meters within an open framework. Particular present features relate to operation at the node level of a Discovery Phase in a frequency hopping network. |
| US07986712B2 |
Cellular communication system and method for broadcast communication
A cellular communication system comprises a management function having a broadcast mode function; a plurality of wireless serving communication units operably coupled to the management function; and a plurality of wireless subscriber communication units receiving signals from respective wireless serving communication units in an uni-cast mode of operation on a frequency channel comprising a plurality of downlink transmission resources. The broadcast mode function applies a common cell identifier associated with broadcast transmissions from the plurality of wireless serving communication units thereby signalling to the plurality of wireless subscriber communication units that part or all of the transmission resource is to be configured or re-configured for broadcast mode of operation. |
| US07986711B2 |
System and method for data communication over power lines
A system and method for broadband communications over power lines has a low-voltage transformer for the house connection unit and/or the electricity distribution inside the house. The system method allow for several parallel asynchronous data communications in different sub-channels with individual transmit power in each sub-channel. Sub-channel separation uses pass-band filters with high stop-band attenuation. High data rate in each sub-channel is achieved through the use of discrete wavelet multi-tone modulation. Coarse synchronization in each sub-channel and the optimization of the coefficients of the time-domain equalizer are carried out using a training sequence. |
| US07986705B2 |
Determining a transmission order for frames based on bit reversals of sequence numbers
In an embodiment, frames are received in an arrival order. Each of the frames has a target client and a sequence number that represents a relative position of the frame in the arrival order. A transmission order is determined based on bit reversals of the sequence numbers. Then frames are then sent to the respective target client in the transmission order. A frame is sent to the target client from its slot during a respective time period that is associated with the slot. If the slot is empty, no data is sent during the respective time period. In this way, the transmission of frames is spread over the available time. |
| US07986704B2 |
Simulcasting or multicasting of multimedia call sessions in a LAN/WLAN/PAN via a broadband access gateway
A method and system for simulcasting multimedia information via a broadband access gateway and a wireless wide area network, is disclosed. An access device such as, for example, a mobile multimedia handset engaged in a call served by a wireless wide area network may migrate to within the coverage area of an associated broadband access gateway with a wireless interface. The wireless wide area network may simulcast call content to the broadband access gateway via a broadband network. A user in the proximity of the broadband access gateway may be notified of the simulcasting of the call, and may elect to continue the call via a WLAN/PAN-enabled wireless handset or other access device that is compatible with the wired and/or wireless interfaces of the broadband access gateway. |
| US07986701B2 |
Wireless building control system bridge
A building control system is described that includes a building controller and a bridge. The building controller may control one or more portions of a building control system and may communicate with the bridge over a wired network. The bridge may be coupled to the building controller and may be configured to communicate with other remotely located building controllers via a wireless network. The bridge may provide a link between the wired communication of the local building controller and the wireless communication of the remotely located building controllers. The bridge may include a cache memory for storing data received from remotely located building controllers. In some cases, the data stored in the cache memory may be requested and received in advance of the data being requested by the local building controller. |
| US07986693B2 |
Data link layer switch with multicast capability
A data link layer switch includes a switching mechanism coupled to a plurality of port interface controllers. Each of the port interface controllers comprises a multicast address table, a multicast matcher, and a timer. The multicast address table stores multicast addresses for hosts attached to the port interface controller. The multicast matcher matches an incoming packet to a target pattern, generates a multicast address from the incoming packet if the incoming packet matches the target pattern, and stores the generated multicast address in the multicast address table. The timer determines an amount of time that the generated multicast address remains in the multicast address table. |
| US07986692B2 |
System and method for transmitting call information in a communication system with long link delays
A system and method for transmitting call information in a communication system having sites with long link delays. Upon a call being initiated within the communication system, a zone controller determines the participating sites that are to be involved in the call and assigns an IP multicast group address for the call. The zone controller also determines whether any of the participating sites have a long link delay. If any of the participating sites do have a long link delay, the zone controller also assigns an IP unicast address for each such site. The call information is then transmitted both on the IP multicast address as well as on each assigned IP unicast address to ensure that the call is received by each participating site without the loss of call information. |
| US07986691B2 |
Maintaining packet sequence using cell flow control
Packets out-of-sequence problem can be solved by using a window flow control scheme that can dispatch traffic at the cell level, in a round robin fashion, as evenly as possible. Each VOQ at the input port has a sequence head pointer that is used to assign sequence numbers (SN) to the cells. Also a sequence tail pointer is available at each VOQ that is used to acknowledge and limit the amount of cells that can be sent to the output ports based on the window size of the scheme. Each VIQ at the output port has a sequence pointer or sequence number (SN) pointer that indicates to the VIQ which cell to wait for. Once the VIQ receives the cell that the SN pointer indicated, the output port sends an ACK packet back to the input port. By using sequence numbers and the relevant pointers, the packet out-of-sequence problem is solved. |
| US07986688B2 |
Third party VPN certification
A virtual private network (VPN) over a telecommunications network is created by sending a request from a first VPN device to a second VPN device for establishing a VPN between the first and second VPN devices. The request includes a first signed certificate having a verified VPN parameter for the first VPN device. A reply is received at the first VPN device from the second VPN device that includes a second signed certificate having a verified VPN parameter for the second VPN device. The VPN is established between the first and second VPN devices based on each verified VPN parameter for each of the first and second VPN devices. |
| US07986685B2 |
Real-time XML messaging protocol
Described are a method and a system for using XML in a real-time message for transmission of data from a source to a destination over a network. The real-time XML message includes a header element and a body element. The header element includes one or more destination elements and one source element, each having a unique identifier and a set of pre-defined and user-defined real-time properties. The body element of the message includes the data to be carried to the destination in plain or encoded XML content. XML addresses are proposed as the identifier of the source and destination, and an XML naming service can look up an XML address from the canonical name of the source and destination. Advantageously, the real-time message can be transported through the network using XML addresses included in the destination and source elements of the message. |
| US07986684B2 |
Multi-mode endpoint in a communication network system and methods thereof
A method, apparatus, and communication network system that allows an endpoint to be simultaneously registered with more than one communications server is described. In one embodiment, the communication network system includes a network, a plurality of communications servers that are coupled to the network, and a plurality of endpoints coupled to the network. Each endpoint is capable of being simultaneously registered with more than one communications server. A communication method for an endpoint involves registering a first logical line of the endpoint with a first communications server, and registering a second logical line of the endpoint with a second communications server. Consequently, flexibility is obtained by allowing an endpoint to choose the registering communications server for each logical line of the endpoint. |
| US07986680B2 |
Transmit format selection with consideration for resource reuse
Techniques for selecting transmit formats in a manner to account for the degrees of resource reuse for multiple data streams sent simultaneously from multiple antennas are described. The degree of resource reuse for each data stream indicates the amount of reuse of resources (e.g., orthogonal codes or subcarriers) observed by that stream. Interference estimates for the multiple data streams are derived based on an initial resource assignment. The degrees of resource reuse are determined based on the interference estimates and are used to derive at least one correction factor. At least one transmit format is then selected for the data streams using the at least one correction factor. Each data stream is associated with a transmit format that indicates the amount of resources to use for the data stream and other parameters. Resources are assigned to each data stream in accordance with its transmit format. |
| US07986679B2 |
Signaling format for WLANs
A method for wireless communication begins by determining whether legacy devices are within a proximal region of the wireless communication. The method continues, when at least one legacy device is within the proximal region, formatting a frame to include: a legacy preamble; a signal field; an extended preamble; at least one additional signal field; at least one service field; an inter frame gap; and a data field. |
| US07986677B2 |
System and method for fast paging in a wireless mobile communication system based on internet protocol
A system is provided for performing location update in a wireless mobile communication system that uses an Internet protocol (IP) address and is classified as at least one paging group. A serving base station (BS) sends a message including an identifier of a paging group where the serving BS is located, determines whether there is a change in IP subnet of a mobile station (MS) upon receipt of a location update request from the MS, and upon recognizing a change in IP subnet of the MS, stores information on a new IP subnet and notifies the change in the IP subnet to the MS. Upon detecting a need for location update, the MS sends a request for location update to a serving BS, and receives a location update success notification and an allocated temporary IP address from the serving BS. |
| US07986674B2 |
Method and apparatus for call setup latency reduction
Techniques for minimizing call setup latency are disclosed. In one aspect, a channel assignment message is sent with a flag to direct the use of previously negotiated service parameters. This aspect eliminates the need for service negotiation messages. In another aspect, a channel assignment message is sent with an active set identifier instead of an active set and its parameters. This aspect reduces the transmission time of the channel assignment message. In yet another aspect, call setup without paging is facilitated by a mobile station (106) sending a pilot strength measurement message between active communication sessions, such that a channel assignment message can be used for mobile station terminated call setup without the need for mobile station paging and related messages. |
| US07986673B2 |
Systems and methods for reducing feedback overhead in wireless networks using channel characteristics
A method for reducing feedback overhead in a wireless communications system is described. Channel quality indicator (CQI) values corresponding to a measured channel quality are received from one or more mobile communications devices. The mobile communications devices to be scheduled at a future time are estimated. CQI values are requested from the mobile communications devices that are estimated to be scheduled at a future time. |
| US07986670B2 |
Dynamic configuration of IP for a terminal equipment attached to a wireless device
Techniques for dynamically configuring IP and providing IP connectivity for a terminal equipment attached to a wireless device are described. The wireless device obtains from a wireless network a dynamically assigned IP address, an IP gateway's IP address, a subnet mask, or none or any combination thereof. Wireless device determines a host IP address (which may be the dynamically assigned IP address), a router IP address (which may be the gateway IP address or a spoofed IP address), a server IP address (which may be the router IP address), and a subnet mask (which may be obtained from the wireless network or spoofed by the wireless device). Wireless device, acting as a DHCP server, provides IP configuration for the terminal equipment, acting as a DHCP client. Wireless device thereafter forwards IP packets exchanged between the terminal equipment and wireless network and processes DHCP packets from the terminal equipment. |
| US07986669B1 |
Communication type and congestion based switching of air interface protocols
To facilitate vertical handoff, a radio network will identify air interface protocols currently available for use by a wireless device and will then select one of the available air interface protocols based at least in part on the type of communication in which the device is currently engaged. The radio network may further take into consideration the current level of congestion under each available air interface protocol and may select an air interface protocol that has sufficient bandwidth available to support the type of communication in which the device is currently engaged. If the device is not currently operating under the selected air interface protocol, the radio network may then orchestrate a vertical handoff to the selected protocol. |
| US07986666B2 |
Creation and transmittal of add messages
Described herein are mechanisms and methods that facilitate enabling a first network module to “take over” for a second network module. An access router can be configured to act as a regional mobility agent with respect to a wireless terminal. The wireless terminal can then identify a different access router that is to act as a regional mobility agent, and transmit such request to a mobility agent. The mobility agent can create a tunnel with the access router that is acting as the mobility agent, and such access router can create an add message and transmit such message to other access routers associated with the wireless terminal. The add message informs the access routers that a particular access router is acting as a regional mobility agent and aids in creating tunnels between access routers. |
| US07986662B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing map channel overhead in a broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for reducing MAP channel overhead in a broadband wireless communication system. In a Base Station (BS), a traffic classifier classifies transmission data into a first group and a second group according to user channel information and packet sizes of the transmission data. A MAP channel configure configures a MAP channel to include information about users of the first group and positions of data for the users, information indicating whether users of the second group have succeeded in random access in a second uplink data region of a previous frame, and information about resource reservation for a current frame for the second group. A channel mapper maps the first group to a first downlink data region and maps the second group to a second downlink data region according to the MAP channel. |
| US07986660B2 |
Channel allocation for communication system
A communication system covering an area, including a plurality of first units. Each of the first units being configured to control the allocation of channels in a part of the area. At least one of the first units being configured to send information relating to channel allocation in the part of the area associated with the at least one first unit to at least one other of the first units. The at least one other of the first means units being configured to take into account the received information when controlling the allocation of channels in the part of the area associated with the at least one other first units. |
| US07986659B2 |
Notification equipment, terminal equipment, communication system and communication method
A notification equipment comprises a transmission data determination unit configured to determine whether transmission data to be transmitted to a terminal equipment is first transmission data or repeated transmission data, an instruction data generator configured to generate identification instruction data indicating that the transmission data is the first transmission data or the repeated transmission data based on a transmission data determination result by the transmission data determination unit, and an instruction data transmitter configured to transmit the identification instruction data to the terminal equipment. |
| US07986652B1 |
System and method for adjusting power used in transmission in a wireless packet network
A system and method allows devices to send and receive packets while using power to do so in a manner that responds to events, such as receipt or other identification of different parameters that control how packets are sent and received. |
| US07986651B2 |
Event-driven, power optimized, link adaptation algorithm
An event-driven, power-saving method of controlling link adaptation for wireless transmission in battery powered stations through selectively controlled PHY parameters uses a PHY parameter controller for selectively changing the PHY parameters. The number of retransmissions required per time unit (herein ReTXrate), and missing ACK numbers (e.g., more than two) are used as first and second link quality metrics in the method, instead of the PER as in prior art. Also, the measured ReTXrate after each packet transmission is used for establishing lower and higher thresholds for the ReTXrate. Based on the lower and higher ReTXrate thresholds and based on said missing ACKs, link adaptation by way of changing the PHY parameters through the PHY parameter controller is triggered. The link adaptation method is especially suitable for VoIP traffic but applies to non VoIP traffic too (e.g., data,) including FTP and web browsing situations, and conserves battery power in mobile stations. |
| US07986648B2 |
Methods and apparatus for communicating information using different types of symbols
Methods and apparatus implementing communications using different types of symbols, e.g. different characteristic OFDM symbols, at different times for different purposes are described. A first type of symbol is used for control signaling including conveying transmission request signals and/or transmission request response signals. A second type of symbol is used for conveying user data, e.g., traffic signals. The symbol period for a first type symbol is larger than the symbol period for a second type symbol. The tone spacing for a first type symbol is larger than the tone spacing for a second type symbol. The methods and apparatus are well suited for peer to peer communications systems in which a peer to peer communications device operates in a half-duplex mode of operation. |
| US07986640B2 |
Technique for efficiently determining acceptable link-based loop free alternates in a computer network
A technique efficiently determines acceptable link-based loop free alternates (LFAS) in a computer network. According to the novel technique, a protecting network device configured to protect a link (“protected link”) distinguishes other network devices (e.g., of the same domain as the protecting network device) as either network edge devices (i.e., an end point for external network traffic) or network core devices (i.e., not an end point for external network traffic). The protecting network device may then determine whether a neighboring network device loops toward a network edge device. If not, the protecting network device may determine that the neighboring network device is an acceptable LFA (e.g., for external network traffic). Notably, traffic directed to core devices may still loop, however, this traffic is generally internal (e.g., signaling) traffic, and may not be subject to the same operational constraints (e.g., protection) as external traffic. |
| US07986637B2 |
On demand peer-to-peer video streaming with multiple description coding
A peer-to-peer novel video streaming scheme is described in which each peer stores and streams videos to the requesting client peers. Each video is encoded into multiple descriptions and each description is placed on a different node. If a serving peer disconnects in the middle of a streaming session, the system searches for a replacement peer that stores the same video description and has sufficient uplink bandwidth. Employing multiple description coding in a peer-to-peer based network improves the robustness of the distributed streaming content in the event a serving peer is lost. Video quality can be maintained in the presence of server peers being lost. The video codec design and network policies have a significant effect on the streamed video quality. The system performance generally improves as the number of descriptions M for the video increases, which implies that a higher video quality can be obtained with the same network loading. |
| US07986631B1 |
Scheme for randomized selection of equal cost links during restoration
The present invention relates generally to restoration of services in a network. More particularly, the invention encompasses a scheme for randomized selection of equal cost links during restoration in a communication network. The invention further includes multiple schemes for restoring services. The network could consist of optical, ATM, FR, or IP/MPLS switches and cross-connects. |
| US07986630B1 |
High performance architecture for fiber channel targets and target bridges
An embodiment of the present invention is disclosed to include a fiber channel target device for receiving information in the form of frames and including a controller device coupled to a microprocessor for processing the frames received from the host, at least one receive buffer for storing the frames and having a buffer size, the controller device issuing credit to the host for receipt of further frames in a manner wherein only one microprocessor is needed to process the frames while maintaining a buffer size that is as small as the number of first type of frames that can be received by the fiber channel target device from the host. |
| US07986624B2 |
Quality of service enhancements for adaptive coding and modulation
A process is described to build frames for transmission with a modcode adapted to the signal quality of a destination terminal. The order of transmission may be based, at least in part, on the age of a packet as defined by a timestamp. Data packets assigned to the same modcode may be grouped in the same frame, with precedence given to older timestamps. For data packets with certain quality of service designations, timestamps may be modified to expedite forwarding. The amount of modification may, for example, be based on factors related to delay and latency. |
| US07986623B2 |
System and method for rejecting a request to alter a connection
A method for rejecting a request to alter a connection includes establishing a first connection with a first node and a second connection with a second node. The second connection passes through the first node and has an associated first end-to-end state. The method also includes transmitting, for relay by the first node to the second node, a first request to alter the second connection with the second node so that the second connection will have an associated second end-to-end state. The method additionally includes receiving a rejection message from the first node indicating that the first request to alter the second connection failed. The method further includes transmitting a second request to alter the second connection with the second node to ensure that the second connection is again in the associated first end-to-end state. |
| US07986622B2 |
Method and system for physical layer aggregation
Aspects of a system for physical layer aggregation may include one or more switch ICs and/or physical (PHY) layer ICs that enable reception of data packets via a medium access control (MAC) layer protocol entity. Each of the received data packets may be fragmented into a plurality of fragment payloads. Each of the plurality of fragment payloads may be sent to a PHY layer protocol entity instance a physical layer protocol entity instance selected from a plurality of physical layer protocol entity instances. |
| US07986620B2 |
Radio base station
To improve accuracy for verifying reception in the data transmission utilizing the common channel. A radio communication apparatus for transmitting the data to the transmitting destination apparatus selected from a plurality of transmitting destination apparatuses using the shared channel, comprises a control unit for controlling data transmission and a path search unit for identifying the transmitting destination apparatus as the object of the path search in accordance with control of data transmission. |
| US07986617B2 |
System and method for providing network resiliency
The invention is directed toward an automated system and process to provide resiliency to a network infrastructure where traditional established methods tend to fail. The system analyzes the underlying physical characteristics of the network topology to identify physically diverse backup routing paths among nodes in the network. The system takes as input the number of diverse paths desired and a characteristic(s) used to choose the most desirable paths, such as delay, flow, or cost. The invention searches for multiple solutions for the selected number of diverse paths within the network. |
| US07986616B2 |
System and method for maintaining a layer 2 modification buffer
A network device for processing packets. The network devices includes a ingress module for performing lookups for layer 2 switching and performing operations for maintaining a layer 2 table. When the ingress module updates the layer 2 table, the ingress module records the operation performed on the layer 2 table in a modification buffer. Entries are added to the modification buffer when the layer 2 table is modified and in the order in which the layer 2 table was modified. The network device thus enables reconstruction of the layer 2 table by performing the operations in the modification buffer. |
| US07986606B2 |
Optical head device
An optical head device having a broadband phase plate of transforming at least three linearly polarized light beams having different wavelengths into circularly polarized light beams, is obtained.A broadband phase plate comprising two phase plates 9A and 9B laminated with e.g. an adhesive agent so that their optical axes are crossed, wherein provided that wavelengths of linearly polarized incident light beams are λ1, λ2 and λ3 (λ1<λ2<λ3), at least one or both of the two phase plates has such a phase difference characteristics that a ratio R(λ1)/R(λ3) and a ratio R(λ2)/R(λ3) between retardation values of the wavelengths are smaller than 1 and R(λ1)/R(λ3) is smaller than R(λ2)/R(λ3), is integrated in the optical head device. |
| US07986604B2 |
Optical element and optical pickup device
An objective lens causes birefringence, which causes wave aberration in outgoing light from the objective lens. A coated objective lens has a dielectric multilayer film that can reduce astigmatism component of the wave aberration to 5 mλ rms or smaller when 10 mλ rms or larger astigmatism component of wave aberration is generated. |
| US07986603B1 |
Spatial light modulator for holographic data storage
A holographic data storage (HDS) system and method are provided. Generally, the system includes: a light source for generating a coherent light; beam-forming optics for forming the light into collimated object and reference beams; holographic storage medium; a spatial light modulator (SLM) located in a path of the object beam from the beam-forming optics to the storage medium, the SLM having a number of pixels for encoding data to be stored in the medium into the object beam. Preferably, the SLM can modulate both the amplitude and phase of light from every pixel on the SLM. More preferably, the SLM is also located in a path of the reference beam to the storage medium to modulate the phase of the light to store multiple holographic pages of data in the same physical volume of medium through phase multiplexing. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US07986602B2 |
Apparatus and method to set a rotation rate for an optical and holographic data storage medium
A method to set a rotation rate for an optical holographic data storage medium by determining if the optical storage layer comprises an alternating series of lands and grooves. If the optical storage layer does not comprise an alternating series of lands and grooves, the method rotates the optical holographic data storage medium at a rotation rate based upon a data acquisition rate for pit-recorded information. If the optical storage layer comprises an alternating series of lands and grooves and the distance between alternating grooves increases as a function of the distance from said center point, then the method rotates the optical holographic data storage medium at a constant angular velocity. If the distance between alternating grooves does not increase as a function of the distance from said center point, then the method rotates the optical holographic data storage medium at a constant linear velocity. |
| US07986600B2 |
Optical recording apparatus and method for optimizing recording signal
An exemplary method for optimizing a recording signal of an optical recording apparatus to record data onto a disc, the recording signal having a first pulse-width parameter, the method includes selecting an initial value of the first pulse-width parameter; generating adjusted values based on the initial value to record test data onto the disc respectively; measuring mark lengths of lands; determining average lengths of the mark lengths of lands; determining differences between the average lengths and a predetermined standard length; linear curve fitting the adjusted values and the differences employing the following linear curve fitting equation: Y=AX+B to obtain the constants A and B, wherein X represents the adjusted values, Y represents the differences; determining and storing an optimum value of the first pulse-width parameter to be used for recording the data onto the disc, this optimum value equals to −B/A. An optical recording apparatus is also provided. |
| US07986599B2 |
Drive device
A drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section. The drive control section at least performs a process including: allocating a contiguous area to a specific location in the user data area other than the location specified by the recording instruction; controlling the recording/reproduction section to record the data in the allocated contiguous area; and generating new disc management information including first replacement management information for mapping a start location of the contiguous area specified by the recording instruction to a start location of the allocated contiguous area and second replacement management information for mapping an end location of the contiguous area specified by the recording instruction to an end location of the allocated contiguous area. |
| US07986591B2 |
Ultra high resolution timing measurement
An integrated circuit for high-resolution timing measurement includes a delay pulse generator, the first oscillator to generate the first clock with the first frequency, the second oscillator to generate the second clock with the second frequency, an oscillator tuner, a sampling module, a counter, wherein the delay pulse generator generated a delayed pulse from the second clock, the oscillator tuner controls the second frequency to be as close as possible to the first frequency without being the same as the second frequency, the sampling module samples the delayed pulse at the first frequency, the counter generates a digital counter value by counting a number of sampling by the sampling module, and a time width of the delayed pulse can be calculated by the digital counter value. The second oscillator can be a tunable ring oscillator with one or more coarse tune stages and one or more fine-tune stages. |
| US07986589B2 |
Apparatus for seismic data acquisition
A seismic exploration method and unit comprised of continuous recording, self-contained wireless seismometer units or pods. The self-contained unit may include a tilt meter, a compass and a mechanically gimbaled clock platform. Upon retrieval, seismic data recorded by the unit can be extracted and the unit can be charged, tested, re-synchronized, and operation can be re-initiated without the need to open the unit's case. The unit may include an additional geophone to mechanically vibrate the unit to gauge the degree of coupling between the unit and the earth. The unit may correct seismic data for the effects of crystal aging arising from the clock. Deployment location of the unit may be determined tracking linear and angular acceleration from an initial position. The unit may utilize multiple geophones angularly oriented to one another in order to redundantly measure seismic activity in a particular plane. |
| US07986587B2 |
Method for imaging the earth's subsurface using passive seismic sensing
A method of imaging the Earth's subsurface using passive seismic emissions includes detecting seismic signals originating from within the Earth's subsurface over a selected time period using an array of seismic sensors deployed proximate the Earth's surface. Hypocenters of seismic events in the subsurface are determined from the detected signals. Seismic signals detected at selected ones of the seismic sensors are cross-correlated to signals detected at other selected ones of the seismic sensors. The cross-correlated signals are processed to obtain a reflectivity series at a geodetic position of the selected one of the seismic sensors. A spatial distribution of at least one seismic property in the subsurface is determined using the determined hypocenters and the reflectivity series. |
| US07986586B2 |
Method for deghosting marine seismic streamer data with irregular receiver positions
Seismic data are obtained for each seismic source activation in a marine streamer and for each frequency, after being transformed to a spectral domain. An iterative conjugate gradient scheme, using a physically-based preconditioner, is applied to the transformed seismic data, to provide a least squares solution to a normal set of equations for a deghosting system of equations. The solution is inverse-transformed back to a space-time domain to provide deghosted seismic data. |
| US07986585B2 |
Reception of uplink data from sonobuoys
A method for improving the bit error rate in digital transmissions of sonobuoy sensor data from a sonobuoy to a receiver platform includes computing a send checksum on a frame of sonobuoy sensor data, copying the frame of data and checksum into a plurality of subframes, delaying one of the plurality of subframes for a predetermined period, multiplexing the delayed subframe with the plurality of subframes into a transmit frame; and transmitting the transmit frame. The invention is particularly suited to improving the reception of legacy sonobuoy receivers in littoral waters where radio frequency interference and signal propagation is a severe problem. |
| US07986582B2 |
Method of operating a memory apparatus, memory device and memory apparatus
A method for operating a memory apparatus which comprises at least two memory devices, each memory device containing at least one bank, comprising: activation of at least one word line in at least one bank on the basis of a row activation command; storage of bank information, the bank information indicating which banks per memory device contain a word line activated by the row activation command; reading/writing of memory contents from/to banks with activated word lines on the basis of the bank information. |
| US07986574B2 |
Data input circuit technical field
A data input circuit comprises a sensing control unit which delays an internal write command by a predetermined period and generates a sense amplifier enable signal in response to a first clock signal, and a data sensing unit which senses align data and transfers the sensed data to a global line in response to the sense amplifier enable signal, wherein the sense amplifier enable signal is enabled at a time point when the align data is inputted in the data sensing unit. |
| US07986571B2 |
Low power, single-ended sensing in a multi-port SRAM using pre-discharged bit lines
An apparatus and method for low power, single-ended sensing in a multi-port static random access memory (SRAM) using pre-discharged bit lines includes holding a bit line associated with the memory cell at a zero voltage potential when the memory cell is not being accessed; releasing the bit line from being held at a zero voltage potential when the memory cell is being accessed; charging the bit line to a first voltage potential greater in value than the zero voltage potential during an access of the memory cell, wherein charging the bit line to a first voltage potential occurs for a first predetermined period of time after access to the memory cell has begun; and sensing the memory cell contents during an access of the memory cell, wherein sensing of the memory cell contents occurs for a second predetermined period of time after access to the memory cell has begun. |
| US07986569B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a termination driver for driving a data line with a predetermined termination level by using an external power supply voltage and a drive current controller for controlling a drive current flowing into the data line from the termination driver in response to a voltage level of the external power supply voltage. |
| US07986568B2 |
Interleaving charge pumps for programmable memories
Systems and methods, including computer software for performing operations enable interleaving of charging operations in a charging pump. A first charge pump is charged to a predetermined level, and a first operation is performed using a charge stored in the first charge pump after it reaches the predetermined level. A second charge pump is charged during a time that overlaps with performing the first operation. A second operation is performed using a charge stored in the second charge pump as a result of charging the second charge pump. |
| US07986562B2 |
Controlling AC disturbance while programming
A system and methodology that can minimize disturbance during an AC operation associated with a memory, such as, program, read and/or erase, is provided. The system pre-charges all or a desired subset of the bit lines in a memory array to a specified voltage, during an AC operation to facilitate reducing AC disturbances between neighboring cells. A pre-charge voltage can be applied to all bit lines in a block in the memory array, or to bit lines associated with a selected memory cell and neighbor memory cells adjacent to the selected memory cell in the block. The system ensures that source and drain voltage levels can be set to desired levels at the same or substantially the same time, while selecting a memory cell. This can facilitate minimizing AC disturbances in the selected memory cell during the AC operation. |
| US07986558B2 |
Method of operating non-volatile memory cell and memory device utilizing the method
A method of operating a non-volatile memory cell is described, including pre-erasing the cell through double-side biased (DSB) injection of a first type of carrier and programming the cell through Fowler-Nordheim (FN) tunneling of a second type of carrier. |
| US07986554B2 |
Different combinations of wordline order and look-ahead read to improve non-volatile memory performance
For a non-volatile memory storing three or more bits per cell, pages of data are written in an order where more than one, but less than all of the logical pages that a physical page along a wordline can store are written concurrently. More than one, but less than all of the logical pages that a physical page along a wordline can store are then written concurrently on an adjacent wordline. The process then comes back to the first wordline and writes at least one more logical page. A process is also described where one or more logical pages are written into a physical page along a wordline, after which one or more logical pages are written into a physical page along an adjacent wordline. A read operation is then performed on the first wordline and the resultant read is corrected based on the result of programming the adjacent wordline. This corrected read is then used in writing at least one more logical page in a second programming operation on the first wordline. |
| US07986544B2 |
Electronic devices based on current induced magnetization dynamics in single magnetic layers
The present invention generally relates to magnetic devices used in memory and information processing applications, such as giant magneto-resistance (GMR) devices and tunneling magneto-resistance devices. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a single ferromagnetic layer device in which an electrical current is used to control and change magnetic configurations as well as induce high frequency magnetization dynamics. The magnetic layer includes full spin-polarized magnetic material, which may also have non-uniform magnetization. The non-uniform magnetization is achieved by varying the shape or roughness of the magnetic material. The present invention may be used in memory cells, as well as high frequency electronics, such as compact microwave sources, detectors, mixers and phase shifters. |
| US07986542B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory that includes a row decoder part, a first cell array placed on either side of the row decoder part, a second cell array placed on the other side of the row decoder part, and a wiring layer that short-circuits word lines corresponding to a specified row address on the first cell array with word lines corresponding to a specified row address on the second cell array. |
| US07986541B2 |
Integrated circuit device and electronic instrument
An integrated circuit device has a display memory which stores data for at least one frame displayed in a display panel which has a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines, the display memory includes a plurality of RAM blocks, each of the RAM blocks including a plurality of wordlines, a plurality of bitlines, a plurality of memory cells, and a wordline control circuit, each of the RAM blocks is disposed along a first direction in which the bitlines extend, each of the memory cells has a short side and a long side, the bitlines are formed along a direction in which the long side of the memory cell extends, and the wordlines are formed along a direction in which the short side of the memory cell extends. |
| US07986540B2 |
Controlling switching noise of an inductively loaded thyristor
Systems and/or methods that facilitate controlling a rate of voltage change across an inductively loaded thyristor when switched are presented. Based on a received control signal indicating a thyristor is to be switched, a control component controls the rate of voltage change across a thyristor associated with an inductive load when the thyristor is switched from a first state to another state to facilitate controlling noise emissions during switching based in part on a predefined noise criteria, without using a filter. A capacitor component is connected to the inductive load and thyristor. The control component employs a voltage-controlled current sink comprising a transistor to facilitate discharging voltage from the capacitor component until the capacitor component is discharged to a predefined voltage level, where at or near such point a gate component can send a signal to the thyristor gate to switch the thyristor to the desired state. |
| US07986536B2 |
Method of forming a power supply controller and structure therefor
In one embodiment, a switching controller uses an auxiliary winding voltage of a transformer to form a signal representative of current flow through a secondary winding of the transformer. |
| US07986535B2 |
Methods and apparatus for a cascade converter using series resonant cells with zero voltage switching
A method of providing power to a load is provided. A first series resonant converter is provided. A second SRC is operably coupled to the first SRC in a cascade connected arrangement. First and second zero voltage switching (ZVS)-assistance networks are operably coupled between the first SRC and the second SRC, such that the first and second ZVS-assistance networks are providing first and second ZVS-assistant currents flowing from each ZVS-assistance network to the cascade connected arrangement of SRCs. Power from a power source is received at the cascade connected arrangement of first and second SRCs, power from a power source. The cascade connected arrangement of first and second SRCs supplies an output voltage to the load in response to receiving power from the power source. |
| US07986531B2 |
Power system module and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a power system module allowing a user's requirements to be easily met, and having economic practicality and high integration, and a manufacturing method thereof. The power system module includes a plastic case, a molding type power module package, a control circuit board, and at least one external terminal. The plastic case defines a bottom and a side wall. The molding type power module package is fixed to the bottom of the plastic case and includes at least a power device therein. The control circuit board is fixed to the side wall of the plastic case, includes at least a control device mounted thereon which is electrically connected to the power module package. The external terminal protrudes to outside the plastic case and is electrically connected to the control circuit board. |
| US07986527B2 |
Laptop computer support
Articles for supporting a computer on a user's lap, for cooling the computer, and for isolating the user from heat from the computer. Different embodiments may include a top surface for contacting the computer, a bottom surface for contacting the user's lap, a hollow area, a top aperture through the top surface to the hollow area, a fan, or a combination thereof. The top surface may be at an acute angle to the bottom surface, the fan may include an electric motor powered through a USB cable, or both, as examples. Various embodiments may include at least one side opening or rear opening to the hollow area to allow air to circulate, a foam portion, fabric covering the foam, a plastic portion which provides increased stiffness, or a combination thereof. |
| US07986526B1 |
Acoustically absorptive apparatus for an electronics rack of a data center
An acoustically absorptive apparatus is provided which includes an acoustically absorptive panel and an attachment mechanism. The acoustically absorptive panel is configured to reside along a side of an electronics rack, and includes a multilayer structure to attenuate noise. The attachment mechanism slidably mounts the acoustically absorptive panel to the electronics rack and facilitates sliding of the panel relative to the rack between retracted and extended positions. In the refracted position, the panel is disposed along the side of the rack, and in the extended position, the panel extends beyond a front or back edge of the electronics rack to facilitate attenuating noise emanating from the rack or an aisle alongside a row of multiple racks. In addition, the acoustically absorptive panel hingedly couples along a vertical edge to the attachment mechanism such that the panel is also rotatable outward away from the side of the electronics rack. |
| US07986523B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a main body, a display screen, an orientation sensing module and a display controlling module. The display screen is arranged on the main body for displaying an image in an original orientation. The orientation sensing module includes a first elongated chamber, a first capacitor, a second capacitor and a flowing medium received in the first elongated chamber. The display controlling module is configured for deviating the displayed image at a given angle clockwise or counterclockwise from the first orientation of the image in response to the change of the capacitance of the first capacitor or the second capacitor. |
| US07986520B2 |
Electronic device
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a printed wiring board, a first heat generating part and a second heat generating part secured to one surface of the printed wiring board, a plurality of first heat pipes, a second heat pipe and a heat sink. The first heat pipes each include a first end portion, a second end portion on an opposite side to the first end portion and a middle portion located between the first and second end portions and thermally connected to the first heat generating part. The second heat pipe includes a third end portion connected to the second end portion and a fourth end portion provided on an opposite side to the third end portion and thermally connected to the second heat generating part. The second heat pipe has a width dimension larger than that of the first heat pipe. |
| US07986518B2 |
Optical disk drive with sliding bar
An optical disk drive includes a main body defining a receiving space and a pivotable cover. A latching mechanism that contacts the cover at two points distributes stresses better than where the latching mechanism only contacts the cover at one point. |
| US07986516B2 |
Engaging structure for electronic device
An engaging structure for an electronic device includes a first substrate, an engaging member, and a fixed reinforcing member. The first substrate defines at least one guiding slot. The engaging member includes at least one first latching protrusion extending therefrom. The at least one first protrusion engages in the at least one guiding slot. The fixed reinforcing member includes at least one abutting block extending therefrom. The at least one abutting block is configured for abutting against the at least one first latching protrusion. |
| US07986513B2 |
Battery holding mechanism and electronic device
The battery pack holding mechanism according to the present invention Includes: a battery pack housing portion 4 in which a terminal electrode that is connected electrically to an electrode 12b of a connector is disposed and into which a battery pack is housed by being inserted along a pair of side walls 25a and 25b; and a holding member 31 that holds a battery pack 5 housed in the battery pack housing portion 4. The holding member 31 is disposed inside the pair of side walls 25a and 25b in the vicinity of the terminal electrode and has a pair of pinching portions 35a and 35b that are orthogonal to an insertion/removal direction in which the battery pack is inserted/removed and protrude toward opposed surfaces constituting an outer periphery of the battery pack, respectively. According to this configuration, the occurrence of a contact failure in a state where the battery pack is housed can be reduced. |
| US07986510B1 |
Carbon electrodes and electrochemical capacitors
An electrochemical device having an operational voltage up to 4.5 V in combination with a high concentration of an electrolyte salt consisting of a tetrafluoroborate salt and a eutectic of two solvents in which ethylene carbonate is one and an improved carbon electrode a preferred electrochemical device is a capacitor. |
| US07986508B2 |
Niobium monoxide powder, niobium monoxide sintered body and capacitor using the sintered body
(1) A niobium monoxide powder for a capacitor represented by formula: NbOx (x=0.8 to 1.2) and optionally containing other elements in an amount of 50 to 200,000 ppm, having a tapping density of 0.5 to 2.5 g/ml, an average particle size of 10 to 1000 μm, angle of repose from 10° to 60°, the BET specific surface area from 0.5 to 40 m2/g and a plurality of pore diameter peak tops in the pore distribution, and a producing method thereof; (2) a niobium monoxide sintered body, which is obtained by sintering the above niobium monoxide powder and, having a plurality of pore diameter peak tops in a range of 0.01 μm to 500 μm, preferably, the peak tops of two peaks among the plurality of pore diameter peak tops having a highest relative intensity are present in the range of 0.2 to 0.7 μm and in the range of 0.7 to 3 μm, respectively, and a producing method thereof; (3) a capacitor using the above sintered body and a producing method thereof; and (4) an electronic circuit and electronic device using the above capacitor. |
| US07986505B2 |
Dual power source pulse generator for a triggering system
A dual power source pulse generator in power connection with a pair of electrodes having a first electrode, a second electrode and an air gap therebetween. The dual power source pulse generator includes a first pulse source producing a high voltage low current pulse across the pair of electrodes to allow dielectric breakdown, and a second pulse source electrically connected in parallel with an output of the first pulse source, and producing a low voltage high current pulse to thereby produce a current flow of high-density plasma between the same electrodes of the pair of electrodes in response to the high voltage low current pulse. |
| US07986503B2 |
Circuit protection system
A circuit protection system is provided that utilizes a single state definition for each of the zones of protection of the circuit to increase computational efficiency. Multiple zone protective functions can be performed on a single zone of protection and can reference the single state definition. |
| US07986498B2 |
TMR device with surfactant layer on top of CoFexBy/CoFez inner pinned layer
A high performance TMR element is fabricated by inserting an oxygen surfactant layer (OSL) between a pinned layer and AlOx tunnel barrier layer in a bottom spin valve configuration. The pinned layer preferably has a SyAP configuration with an outer pinned layer, a Ru coupling layer, and an inner pinned layer comprised of CoFeXBY/CoFeZ wherein x=0 to 70 atomic %, y=0 to 30 atomic %, and z=0 to 100 atomic %. The OSL is formed by treating the CoFeZ layer with oxygen plasma. The AlOx tunnel barrier has improved uniformity of about 2% across a 6 inch wafer and can be formed from an Al layer as thin as 5 Angstroms. As a result, the Hin value can be decreased by ⅓ to about 32 Oe. A dR/R of 25% and a RA of 3 ohm-cm2 have been achieved for TMR read head applications. |
| US07986497B2 |
Low resistance TMR read head fabricated by a novel oxidation method
The invention is a magnetoresistive read head with an MTJ configuration having an ultra-thin tunneling barrier layer with low resistance and high breakdown strength. The barrier layer is formed by natural oxidation of an ultra-thin (two atomic layers) Al or Hf—Al layer deposited on an electrode whose surface has first been treated to form an oxygen surfactant layer. The oxygen within the surfactant layer is first adsorbed within the ultra-thin layer and the layer is subsequently naturally oxidized to produce a uniform and stable Al2O3 stoichiometry (or HfO stoichiometry) in the tunneling barrier layer. |
| US07986495B2 |
Printed circuit board having a layered signal line pair, a suspension board
A first insulating layer is formed on a suspension body, and a write wiring trace and a read wiring trace are formed on the first insulating layer. A second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer so as to cover the wiring traces. A write wiring trace and a read wiring trace are formed on the second insulating layer. A third insulating layer is formed on the second insulating layer so as to cover the wiring traces. The width of the wiring trace is larger than the width of the wiring trace, and the width of the wiring trace is larger than the width of the wiring trace. |
| US07986494B2 |
Integrated lead head suspension with tapered trace spacing
An integrated lead flexure for a disk drive head suspension, comprising two or more spaced-apart traces extending between terminal connector pads and head connector pads, wherein the spacing between the traces substantially continuously decreases along at least a portion of the length of the traces. |
| US07986493B2 |
Discrete track magnetic media with domain wall pinning sites
A magnetic recording medium with domain wall pinning sites including a substrate, a soft magnetic underlayer, and a magnetic recording layer overlying the soft magnetic underlayer. In one embodiment the magnetic recording layer has at least two grooves providing a track having first and second sidewalls formed by the grooves. The sidewalls provide a plurality of pinning sites formed between the sidewalls for pinning magnetic domain walls in the track. At least one of the pinning sites includes a first indentation in the first sidewall and a paired second indentation in the second sidewall. In one embodiment data can be stored within the magnetic recording layer by positioning a write head adjacent the track and inducing at least two magnetic domains defining a domain wall. The domain wall migrates to one of the pinning sites in the track. |
| US07986492B2 |
Process for filling a patterned media of a hard disk with UV-cured lubricant
A patterned disk for a hard disk drive. The patterned disk includes a magnetic material over a substrate. The magnetic material includes a plurality of grooves. The grooves are filled with a lubricant that is hardened with UV exposure or some other hardening process. The lubricant provides a protective cover for the magnetic material exposed by the grooves. The use of lubricants in the fabrication of disks is known, thus the process does not introduce a process step that requires special equipment and/or process development. |
| US07986490B2 |
Reduce leakage of low-density gas during low-density gas injection into a disk drive
Embodiments of the present invention help to prevent leakage of low-density gas during low-density gas injection into a disk drive device and to perform low-density gas injection efficiently. In a hard disk drive (HDD) according to one embodiment of the present invention, an injection hole filter with a valve function is attached to a helium injection hole in order to inject helium gas in an enclosure. The injection hole filter has a valve member configured to operate in an open state or closed state. The open state is a state while the helium gas is being injected and the closed state is a state after the helium gas has been finished to be injected. The valve member is in the open state if the outside pressure is higher than the inside pressure and is in the closed state if the inside pressure is higher than the outside pressure. |
| US07986488B2 |
Magnetic recording disk and disk drive with alternating single-polarity position error signal (PES) blocks for read/write head positioning
A magnetic recording disk drive has a position-error-signal (PES) servo pattern divided into at least two circumferentially adjacent fields that extend radially across the data tracks and include PES blocks that are DC magnetized in one direction, with each PES block having a magnetization opposite to the magnetization of its radially adjacent neighboring PES blocks. Each PES field is contiguous with and shifted radially relative to its circumferentially adjacent neighbor PES fields. Each PES block has a single DC magnetization, and the length of the magnetization is substantially longer than the length of the magnetizations in the other fields of the servo pattern. |
| US07986486B2 |
Hard-disk drive, method of controlling the hard-disk drive, and method of manufacturing the hard-disk drive
A hard-disk drive. The hard-disk drive includes a magnetic-recording disk having a plurality of tracks formed thereon. The hard-disk drive also includes a magnetic-recording head configured to be positioned over a target track selected from the plurality of tracks and configured to write data to and to read data from the target track. Moreover, the hard-disk drive includes a range-definer configured to define an allowed range of a position error of the magnetic-recording head corresponding to the target track. In addition, the hard-disk drive includes a write-enabler configured to determine whether writing data by the magnetic-recording head is allowed based on the position error of the magnetic-recording head with respect to the target track and the allowed range that is calculated from data read out by the magnetic-recording head. |
| US07986483B1 |
Speed control systems and methods for decreasing power consumption in rotating storage devices
A speed control system for a rotating storage device including a mode selection module configured to select an operating mode or a standby mode to operate the rotating storage device based on use of the rotating storage device and to select the standby mode after a first predetermined period during which reading and writing to the rotating storage device is not performed. The first predetermined period is selected based on a type of device in which the rotating storage device is implemented. The speed control system includes a speed control module configured to select a predetermined operating speed to rotate a storage medium of the rotating storage device when the operating mode is selected and to select a predetermined standby speed to rotate the storage medium when the standby mode is selected. The predetermined standby speed is (i) less than the predetermined operating speed and (ii) greater than zero. |
| US07986480B2 |
Micro-journaling of data on a storage device
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method of preserving data on a hard disk drive. In one embodiment, a first copy of data is read from at least one sector of a hard disk drive and stored in a first location. A second copy of the data is stored in a non-volatile memory location of the hard disk drive. The first copy of the data is then modified to create a modified copy. The second copy of the data is then used to verify that the modified copy of data has been correctly written to the at least one sector of the hard disk drive. |
| US07986475B2 |
Lens module
An exemplary lens module includes a lens barrel, a first lens, and a second lens. The lens barrel includes an accommodating cavity defined therein. The first lens is received in the accommodating cavity of the lens barrel. The first lens has a first adjusting notch defined at a periphery thereof. The second lens is received in the accommodating cavity of the lens barrel and adjacent to the first lens. The second lens has a second adjusting notch defined at a periphery thereof. The second adjusting notch communicates with the first adjusting notch. |
| US07986473B2 |
System and method for focal length stabilization using active temperature control
An optical metrological system having a heat-generating light source coaxially mounted near a heat-sensitive lens. The system uses a temperature sensor to monitor the lens temperature and a heating element to heat the lens such that the lens operating temperature is greater than a maximum operating temperature of the light source in order to stabilize the focal length of the lens. |
| US07986467B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
This is addressed to provide a zoom lens which has a good optical performance for imaging device having a large number of pixels even with its simple construction, and which can also be small and thin in structure, and an imaging apparatus using the zoom lens. A zoom lens 1 is composed by arranging, in the following order from an object side, a first lens group GR1 having a weak refractive power, a second lens group GR2 having a negative refractive power, a third lens group GR3 having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group GR4 having a positive refractive power, and is configured to perform zooming by moving the second lens group and the third lens group. The first lens group is composed by arranging, in the order from an object side, a single lens G1 having a a negative refractive power, a prism G1 for folding an optical path, and a single lens G3 having a a positive refractive power. The second lens group is composed of one single lens G4 having a negative refractive power, and satisfies the following conditional formula (1): t2/fw<0.4 (1) where t2 represents the center thickness of the single lens having a negative refractive power constituting the second lens group, and fw represents the focal length of a whole lens system at a wide-angle position. |
| US07986463B2 |
Beam blocking and combining optic
A beam blocking and combining optic comprising a wedged optically transparent substrate with a hard dielectric coating applied to a beam combining side of the substrate. The coating has a high reflectance at a laser wavelength and high transmittance at visible wavelengths. The single optical component can combine laser beams into a viewing path and act as a laser safety filter to protect the viewer from reflected laser radiation while providing good color balance and very low astigmatism in the viewing path and very low astigmatism in the reflected laser beam. |
| US07986461B2 |
Device for shaping laser radiation
Device for shaping laser radiation which has sub-beams (3) spaced apart in a first direction (X) perpendicular to the propagation direction (Z) of the laser radiation, in particular for shaping laser radiation which is output by a laser diode bar (1), comprising a first refractive interface (8) which can differently deviate at least a multiplicity of the sub-beams (3) of the laser radiation to be shaped, so that they travel at least partially converging together after passing through the first interface (8) more than before passing through the first interface (8), and furthermore comprising a second refractive interface (9) through which the laser radiation can pass after having passed through the first interface (8), the second interface (9) being able to deviate at least some of the sub-beams (3) so that their convergence is reduced. |
| US07986460B2 |
Erect life-size lens array
An erect life-size lens array having a deep focal depth is realized. The erect life-size lens array includes a first lens array, a second lens array, a third lens array, a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein when a distance between a second principal plane of the second lens and a first principal plane of the third lens is ξ1, a distance between a second principal plane of the third lens and a design image surface is ξ2, a radius of a circular hole of the aperture is ra, and a defocus amount is ξ3, the erect life-size lens array is for causing an MTF at a spatial frequency ν to become MTFtarget or more and satisfies (J1(2π·ra·((1/ξ1)+(1/ξ2))·ν·ξ3))/(π·ra·((1/ξ1)+(1/ξ2))·ν·ξ3)≧MTFtarget, where J1 is a first type first-order Bessel function. |
| US07986459B2 |
Grid image and method for the production thereof
The present invention relates to a grating image (12) for depicting at least one unscreened halftone image having multiple brightness levels, the grating image exhibiting multiple grating fields (22-1, 22-2, 22-3) that include in each case an electromagnetic-radiation-influencing grating pattern composed of a plurality of grating lines and that, when illuminated, produce in each case an areal region of the halftone image having the same brightness level. |
| US07986456B2 |
Scanner arrangement and method for optically scanning an object
A scanner arrangement (50), in particular a scanning microscope, for optically scanning an object (101) in a sequence of scanning steps, has: a drivable moving object stage (40) and an objective assembly (4, 7-10), which has a front objective lens (9, 103) on an objective lens carriage (8) which can be moved parallel to the object stage (40) by a carriage drive (5, 6, 10, 11), wherein the object stage (40) can be driven during the sequence of scanning steps in order to achieve a continuous movement and the objective lens carriage (8) with the front objective lens (9, 103) can be driven in each of the scanning steps for a forward movement step, in which the front objective lens (9, 103) is moved synchronously with the object stage (40) out of an initial position, and in each case between successive scanning steps for a backward movement into the initial position, with the object (101) being able to be optically scanned during the continuous movement of the object stage (40). |
| US07986454B1 |
Tunable terahertz generator using a magnon gain medium with an antenna
An apparatus and method for tunable generation of terahertz waves at room temperatures are provided. The apparatus for tunable terahertz generation comprises: (A) a terahertz antenna further comprising a magnon gain medium; (B) a means for generating the nonequilibrium magnons in the magnon gain medium; wherein the terahertz antenna is configured to emit generated terahertz photons; and (C) a means for tuning frequency of terahertz photons emitted by the terahertz antenna. The magnon gain medium is selected from the group consisting of: {a ferromagnetic semiconductor; a dilute magnetic semiconductor (DMS); a half-metallic ferromagnet (HMF); and a ferromagnetic conductor, with a gap in the density of states of the minority electrons around the Fermi energy}. |
| US07986452B2 |
High-speed multiplied signal generating method and device
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can obtain a multiplied harmonic signal fast and with ease, and the method using the apparatus.The object is attained by the method for obtaining a multiple harmonic signal comprises, suppressing a different parity optical signal having parity different from fundamental optical signals; suppressing residual optical signals using an optical filter after suppressing the different parity optical signal; and obtaining the frequency difference component using the fundamental optical signals, and the device realizing the method. |
| US07986447B2 |
Color image scanning system, method and medium
A color image scanning system, method and medium that generates look-up tables for color data correction based on the type of printing paper and the kind of image on the printing papers, thereby improving color reproducibility upon scanning.A color image scanning system may include a storage unit to store look-up tables having correction values of first color data, obtained by scanning a first printing paper having a plurality of color patches, each of the look-up tables corresponding to a type of printing paper, and a final image generation unit to correct second color data, obtained by scanning a second printing paper, with reference to a look-up table of the look-up tables, the look-up table corresponding to the type of printing paper used by the second printing paper. |
| US07986446B2 |
Method and device for document scanning with line camera
A method and a device for the optical scanning of a document by means of a line camera in which the document may be scanned at variable speed. Since on the one hand a line frequency by which the individual lines are scanned is based on the speed of movement, and on the other hand binning is carried out automatically on the basis of the speed of movement, wherein the line frequency is multiplied by a binning factor n, it is possible for a document to be scanned very easily and simply over a wide speed range. Color values are preferably corrected by means of an amplification factor, so that the brightness of the images produced by this means is constant over the whole speed range. |
| US07986445B2 |
Print and scan sharing paper pick and paper motion control in a multi-function printer
A multi-function printer having a compact size and portable configuration while providing printing, scanning and copying functionalities is disclosed herein. The multi-function printer includes a printer assembly and a scanner assembly configured to cooperatively utilize the same pick and paper movement systems along a common feed or paper path to perform these printing, scanning and copying functions. Thus, the disclosed multi-function printer may require a less complex paper movement and control system which, in turn, reduces the printer's overall weight while increasing its flexibility and/or portability. |
| US07986444B2 |
Image processing device, control method therefor, image processing system, and computer readable medium storing a program
Provided is an image processing device (2), which accepts an input of a processing condition input by a user, executes image processing based on the accepted processing condition, transmits, when a failure occurs during the image processing, re-input request information for requesting a re-input of the processing condition to an information terminal (4), receives processing condition designation information designating the processing condition that has been re-input, from the information terminal (4), and re-executes the image processing based on the processing condition designated by the processing condition designation information. |
| US07986443B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and memory medium
An object of the present invention is to solve dissatisfaction of the user who can not take out the source data in a case where a code image in the original can not be decoded. In order to accomplish the above object, the invention provides an image processing apparatus comprising code image detection unit that determines whether or not an code image is included in the original image data, code image decoding unit that decodes the code image to extract source data if it is determined that the code image is included by the code image detection unit, and synthesizing unit that encodes information obtained by decoding a partial area of the code image and overlaying encoded information on the area where the code image is included, if the code image decoding unit is successful in decoding only the partial area of the code image. |
| US07986429B2 |
Printer and printing method
A program execution unit determines a kind of an error and an error recovery method referring to an error recovery content management table and an error recovery method setting table, which are previously stored in a memory, from a kind of an error detected in a print language analysis step of a RIP. Information that an error occurs is given to user via an information unit so that user selects and prints necessary page of a print job, which is not printed. |
| US07986428B2 |
Printer resource sharing in a media exchange network
A system providing printer resource sharing in a communication network is disclosed and may include a first communication device deployed in a first location, a second communication device deployed in a second location, and a communication network communicatively coupled to the first communication device and the second communication device. At least one personal printer resource may be communicatively coupled to the first communication device. The first communication device deployed in the first location may enable printing of information content on the at least one personal printer resource, at a request of a user of the second communication device. The user of the first communication device may receive a signal from the second communication device that authenticates the second communication device, prior to printing of the information content on the at least one personal printer resource at the request of the user of the second communication device. |
| US07986416B2 |
Detecting system and method for cutting tools
A size and position detecting system includes a laser sensor and a controller. The laser sensor includes an emitter emitting a laser beam to a receiver. The controller is configured to compute a first time of how long the emitter emits the laser beam and a second time of how long the receiver receives the laser beam when a cutting tool moves along a first direction perpendicular to and coplanar with a straight line connecting the emitter and the receiver. The controller is configured to record a first position of the cutting tool at a moment when the second time is less than the first time, and a second position of the cutting tool when the second time remains changeless for a predetermined amount of time, to determine whether the cutting tool is off-centered according coordinates difference between the first and second positions along the first direction. |
| US07986408B2 |
Apparatus and method for in-flight detection of airborne water droplets and ice crystals
A device for optically detecting and distinguishing airborne liquid water droplets and ice crystals includes an illumination portion and a detection portion. The illumination portion outputs a circularly polarized illuminating beam. The detection portion receives circularly polarized backscattered light from moisture in the cloud, in response to the illuminating beam. The circularly polarized backscattered light is passed through a circular polarizer to convert it into linearly polarized backscattered light, which is split into two components. Each of the two components is optionally subject to further linear polarization to filter out any leakage-type orthogonal polarization. The two components are then optically detected and the resulting detection signals are used to calculate one or more parameters reflective of the presence or absence of airborne ice crystals and/or water droplets. |
| US07986405B2 |
Foreign matter inspection method and foreign matter inspection apparatus
In a foreign matter inspection apparatus comprising: irradiating unit for irradiating inspection light to an inspection area of an article to be inspected; intensity detecting unit for detecting intensity of either reflected light or scattered light, which is generated from the inspection area by irradiating thereto the inspection light; position detecting unit for detecting a position of either the reflected light or the scattered light within the inspection area; and deciding unit for deciding whether or not a foreign matter is present within the inspection area; the foreign matter inspection apparatus is comprised of: display unit capable of displaying thereon both a threshold image in which the threshold value is indicated over an entire area of the inspection area, and a detection sensitivity image indicated by being converted from the threshold image. |
| US07986404B2 |
Inspection system employing illumination that is selectable over a continuous range angles
An illumination device and method for inspecting objects having microscopic features is provided. The device includes an illuminator which provides a solid angle of angularly specific illumination defining an illumination angle, selected by a user from among a continuous range of possible illumination angles. The device further includes an object inspector which inspects the object illuminated by the illuminator. The illuminator may include an illumination source, a light concentrator, an illumination angle selector, disposed along a light path between the illumination source and the object inspector. The illumination angle selector may have a first position in which directly-reflected light propagates toward the object plane and a second position in which no light both selected by the illumination angle selector and directly reflected from the object plane enters the collecting lens. Rather, in the second position, only scattered light from the object plane enters the collecting lens. |
| US07986400B2 |
Fingerprint imaging system
A fingerprint imaging system configured to capture an image of a friction ridge pattern of a subject (e.g., a fingerprint, a palm print, a hand print, a footprint, etc.). The system may include one or more components that reduce the impact of ambient light on the performance of the system. In some implementations, the system may reduce the impact of ambient light without requiring additional power (e.g., to generate an increased amount of radiation) and without including “external” hoods and/or covers designed to block ambient light prior to the ambient light entering system. Instead, the system may reduce the impact of ambient light on performance by blocking ambient light internally within the system along an optical path of radiation used to electronically capture an image of the friction ridge pattern. |
| US07986393B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate having a power supply line for supplying a power voltage to a counter electrode of a counter substrate. The power supply line connects a power pad arranged at a corner of the array substrate to a common line which is arranged between an active area and a seal portion, crossing the seal portion provided at a peripheral portion of the array substrate so as to surround the active area. The array substrate further includes at least two block elements with a convex shape for blocking the flowing out of the sealing element to the active area. The block elements are arranged so as to cross the power supply line and face the power supply pad. A gap between the block elements and the counter substrate is smaller than a gap between the slit formed by the adjacent block elements and the counter substrate. |
| US07986389B2 |
Adhesive composition for optical filter, adhesive layer having optical filter functions and composite filter
An adhesive layer attaining, in a single layer, both adhesiveness permitting direct attachment to a glass plate disposed on the front face of a display device and desired optical filter functions and hardly undergoing the change in spectral characteristics attributable to deterioration in a light absorbing agent, even during long-time use, particularly at high temperature under high humidity, as well as a composite filter using this adhesive layer. The adhesive layer has optical filter functions, containing a block copolymer having at least a specific triblock structure in its molecule and having a weight-average molecular weight of 50,000 or more and a molecular-weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of less than 1.5 and one or more light absorbing agents each having light absorption in a predetermined wavelength region, as well as a composite filter using this adhesive layer. |
| US07986385B2 |
LCD panel
A liquid crystal display panel is provided. The LCD panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate parallel to the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer disposed therebetween. The first substrate, having a plurality of sub-pixels, includes a first base, an array of switch units, a dielectric layer, and a reflective electrode. The switch units are disposed on the first substrate wherein a first switch unit of the array of switch units is located at one of the sub-pixels. The dielectric layer, formed on the array of switch units, has at least one contact. The dielectric layer has a rough structure with concave portions and convex portions. The convex portion has a height t, and a width d, as well as the side wall of the convex portion have a slant angle θ, wherein the width d, is not less than 2*t*cotθ. The reflective electrode is disposed on the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the first switch unit through the contact. |
| US07986382B2 |
Method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display having top gate thin film transistors wherein each gate electrode contacts an auxiliary electrode
An electrostatic discharge protection element, a liquid crystal display device having the same, and a manufacturing method. A first ESD organic TFT, a second ESD organic TFT, a third ESD organic TFT each have a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode in which the source electrode and drain electrode of the first and second ESD organic TFTs and the gate electrode of the third ESD organic TFT are electrically connected. The gate electrode and the source electrode of the first ESD organic TFT are electrically connected to a first array line and the gate electrode and the drain electrode of the second ESD organic TFT are electrically connected to a second array line. The source electrode of the third ESD organic TFT is electrically connected to a data line or a gate line and the drain of the third ESD organic TFT are electrically connected to a common voltage line. |
| US07986369B1 |
Web cam stand system
A lower portion has a lower end and an upper end. The lower end is enlarged for positioning on a floor. An upper portion is movable to any of a plurality of positions. The interior end of the upper portion is coupled to the upper end of the lower portion. Electrical components are coupled to one of the portions. A web camera is operatively coupled to the exterior end of the upper portion. An electrical cable supplies power and data. |
| US07986368B2 |
Digital photo frame with photographing function
A digital photo frame with photographing function includes a digital frame, a lens module, a bracket, and a copy stand. The digital frame may further include a display module, a frame, a memory module, a control module, an input module, a power supply module, and a sense module. The display module is framed within the frame, and the lens module is disposed at a predetermined location on the frame. A paper photo can be disposed on the copy stand that is pivotally connected to the bracket. The input module can input a control signal to operate and control the lens module to copy photograph the paper photo into a digital photo and store the digital photo in the memory module and further display the digital photo on the display module. |
| US07986365B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic system comprising an image pickup unit 1, a computer 2, and communication terminals for connecting the unit and the computer, such as infrared communication ports 6, 10, a card slot 8, and serial communication terminals 5,9 wherein the necessary image data is allowed to be produced from the unit 1 and transmitted to the computer through the communication terminals. The computer communicates with the image pick up unit by examining the port of each communication means in order to recognize whether a connected unit is the image pickup unit or a foreign unit and to determine and store the communication speed for each communication port. The image data and memory space information is then automatically transmitted to the computer and displayed on a device connected to said computer. |
| US07986360B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for generating a restoration image
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which can restore, from a color and sensitivity mosaic image acquired using a CCD image sensor of the single plate type or the like, a color image signal of a wide dynamic range wherein the sensitivity characteristics of pixels are uniformized and each of the pixels has all of a plurality of color components. A sensitivity uniformization section uniformizes the sensitivities of pixels of a color and sensitivity mosaic image to produce a color mosaic image, and a color interpolation section interpolates color components of the pixels of the color mosaic image M to produce output images R, G and B. The present invention can be applied to a digital camera which converts a picked up optical image into a color image signal of a wide dynamic range. |
| US07986356B2 |
System and method for determining a gamma curve of a display device
A method of determining a gamma curve of a display device includes identifying a region of interest of a display surface of the display device. A centroid of the region of interest is calculated. A plurality of input levels is applied to the display device to generate a corresponding plurality of displayed images on the display surface. At least one image of each of the displayed images is captured with a camera. A gamma curve of the display device is calculated based on the captured images and the centroid. |
| US07986355B2 |
Picture displaying method, picture displaying apparatus, and imaging apparatus
A picture displaying method is disclosed. In the picture displaying method, a first picture is displayed. A luminance distribution chart which represents a distribution of luminance levels of the first picture is displayed. A first luminance level and a second luminance level are selected on the luminance distribution chart. The second luminance level is higher than the first luminance level. Input and output characteristics defined by the first luminance level and the second luminance level are changed to correct a gradation of the first picture and obtain the second picture. The first picture changes to the second picture and the second picture is displayed. |
| US07986354B2 |
Method for correcting pixel defect of image pickup device
A method for correcting a pixel defect of a solid-state image pickup device includes acquiring deviation of image signals obtained by imaging respective spectral lights at specific image pickup position or at vicinities of the specific image pickup position by image pickup device; comparing the deviation with a reference value; detecting a pixel defect in an image pickup device which has imaged one of the spectral lights based on the comparing result; and correcting a pixel defect. For each detected pixel defect, at least address in an image frame, deviation, and information specifying one of the spectral lights are stored, and a determination on a pixel defect correction is made based on the above information. |
| US07986347B2 |
Determining image quality for improving object trackability
A method and system are provided. In one embodiment, a video image is preprocessed from a video camera to separate objects to be tracked from the rest of the video image. Statistics for the tracked objects and the rest of the video image are computed. Further, a quality measure based on the statistics for the tracked objects and the rest of the video image are generated. The quality measure indicates the suitability of the video image for use by an object tracking system. The generating of the quality measure maximizes saturation of each of the tracked objects. Further, the video camera is tuned to increase the quality measure beyond a threshold. |
| US07986346B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, control method therefor, program, and storage medium
An image capturing apparatus includes an image input unit which photo-electrically converts an object image to generate an image signal, a status determination unit which determines an object status in an image generated by the image input unit, an automatic image capturing instruction unit which starts an automatic image capturing operation as an operation to automatically store the image generated by the image input unit in the first storage unit when the object status determined by the status determination unit satisfies a predetermined automatic image capturing condition, and a shooting control unit which automatically stores the image generated by the image input unit in the second storage unit when the object status does not satisfy the automatic image capturing condition even upon the lapse of a predetermined time after the automatic image capturing instruction unit designates the automatic image capturing operation. |
| US07986339B2 |
Automated traffic violation monitoring and reporting system with combined video and still-image data
A system for monitoring and reporting incidences of traffic violations at a traffic location is disclosed. The system comprises one or more digital still cameras and one or more digital video cameras system deployed at a traffic location. The camera system is coupled to a data processing system, which comprises an image processor for compiling vehicle and scene images produced by the digital camera system, a verification process for verifying the validity of the vehicle images, an image processing system for identifying driver information from the vehicle images, and a notification process for transmitting potential violation information to one or more law enforcement agencies. The video camera system is configured to record footage both before and after the offense is detected. The video camera system includes a non-stop video capture buffer that records the preceding few seconds of violation. The buffer holds a number of seconds of video data in memory. When an offense is detected, a timer is started. At the end of the timer period a video clip of the current buffer contents is recorded. The resulting video clip is incorporated with the conventional evidence set comprising the digital still images of the offense with the identifying data of the car and driver. |
| US07986338B2 |
Microscope system and image production method
A microscope system and an image production method utilizing a microscope having one or more setting elements for modifying at least one microscope setting, and a camera for acquiring a microscope image, which camera is operable in predeterminable image modes. At least one of the setting elements of the microscope is operatively connected to the camera in such a way that a specific image mode of the camera is settable as a function of a modification of the microscope setting. Alternatively or additionally, a microscope setting can be modified as a function of an image mode of the camera that is present. |
| US07986335B2 |
Set top box videoconferencing system
A videoconferencing system may include a camera, microphones, speakers, and a codec. In some embodiments, the codec functionality may be incorporated in a set-top box (e.g., a cable box, a satellite box, or a gaming box). The codec functionality may also be split between different components of the videoconferencing system. The camera and speakers may be coupled to or placed around a display. The videoconferencing system may send/receive signals through a network coupled to the computer system. The various functions to support the videoconference (e.g., compression and decompression of video signals) may be performed by circuitry in the camera base, codec/set top box, and/or on the computer system. The computer system may be a laptop computer. In some embodiments, ported speakers may be used to maximize sound quality for the provided speaker size. |
| US07986333B2 |
Recording device
A recording device presses a thermal head, where heating elements are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the print medium, against a printing surface of the print medium at a printing portion on a transport path of a print medium transported by a transport means, controls the flow of current selectively applied to the heating elements, and performs desired printing at a printing area on the printing surface. The print medium has a shape having portions where the contact lengths of the printing surface coming in contact with the heating elements in a width direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the print medium are different in the transport direction. A pressing load of the thermal head is frequently adjusted according to the contact length of the printing surface of the print medium. |
| US07986331B1 |
Source lens for viewing and editing artwork
Techniques for implementing a source lens for viewing and editing artwork are described, including receiving input indicating selection of an object, receiving another input indicating positioning a source lens over a portion of the object, the source lens being configured to reveal at least one underlying source of the portion, and revealing at least one underlying source of the portion. |
| US07986330B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating gammacorrected antialiased lines
A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for generating antialiased lines for display in a data processing system. Graphics data is received for display, wherein the graphics data includes primitives defining lines. A gamma correction is applied to the graphics data on a per primitive basis to form antialiased lines. The antialiased lines are displayed. |
| US07986328B2 |
Graphics optimization system and method
A graphics optimization system comprises a graphics application adapted to render a data model for presentation via a graphics card using a plurality of different data rendering settings. The system also comprises an optimizer adapted to interface with the graphics application to automatically determine a time-optimized data rendering setting for the graphics application from the plurality of different data rendering settings. |
| US07986326B1 |
Interactive set-top box having a unified memory architecture
According to one embodiment, a graphics/video processor includes a memory controller. The memory controller includes a first arbiter that receives memory client requests to access a memory device, and a first memory buffer coupled to the first arbiter. The first arbiter stores client requests that are selected by the first arbiter. The memory controller also includes a second arbiter coupled to the first memory buffer and a second memory buffer coupled to the second arbiter. The second arbiter receives requests from the memory client requests stored in the first memory buffer. The second memory buffer stores the client requests selected by the second arbiter. Further, the memory controller includes a third arbiter coupled to the second memory buffer. The third arbiter provides access of the memory device to the client requests stored in the second memory buffer. |
| US07986323B2 |
Two dimensional user interface for multidimensional data analysis
Multiple two dimensional graphs are combined into a single two dimensional graph wherein correlations between dimensions are maintained. Dimensions in the graph can be superimposed on each other and displayed while maintaining the two dimensional format. This enables the two dimensional graph to be converted to three or more dimensions while maintaining the format and presentation in a two dimensional visual display. |
| US07986318B2 |
Volume management system for volumetric displays
The present invention is a system that manages a volumetric display using volume windows. The volume windows have the typical functions, such as minimize, resize, etc., which operate in a volume. When initiated by an application a volume window is assigned to the application in a volume window data structure. Application data produced by the application is assigned to the windows responsive to which applications are assigned to which windows in the volume window data structure. Input events are assigned to the windows responsive to whether they are spatial or non-spatial. Spatial events are assigned to the window surrounding the event or cursor where a policy resolves situations where more than one window surrounds the cursor. Non-spatial events are assigned to the active or working window. |
| US07986315B2 |
Integrated photonics module and devices using integrated photonics modules
An integrated photonics module includes at least one light source and a MEMS scanner coupled to and held in alignment by an optical frame configured for mounting to a host system. According to some embodiments, the integrated photonics module may include a plurality of light sources and a beam combiner coupled to the optical frame. According to some embodiments, the integrated photonics module includes a selective fold mirror configured to direct at least a portion of emitted light toward the MEMS scanner in a normal direction and pass scanned light through to a field of view. The selective fold mirror may use beam polarization to select beam passing and reflection. The integrated photonics module may include a beam rotator such as a quarter-wave plate to convert the polarization of the emitted light to a different polarization adapted for passage through the fold mirror. The integrated photonics module may include one or more light detectors. |
| US07986313B2 |
Analog boundary scanning based on stray capacitance
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to performing boundary scanning without using a pin which is exclusively dedicated for that purpose. The boundary scan can be performed by an integrated circuit by utilizing a pin which has an alternative use during ordinary operation of the integrated circuit and the device. This pin can be connected to an analog circuit configured to sense capacitance outside of the pin. The analog circuit may also have an alternative function in normal operation of the device. During a testing mode, the analog circuit can sense a stray capacitance present at the pin. The sensed capacitance can be compared to one or more stored expected capacitance values to determine an interconnection state of the system. |
| US07986311B2 |
Method of interacting with software using handwritten strokes
A method of enabling user interaction with computer software including, in a computer system, transferring print data to a printer, printing a form responsive to the print data by printing information indicative of a text field coincident with coded data indicative of the text field, so that when a sensing device is moved relative to the text field the sensing device can sense the coded data and generate the indicating data indicative of its movement relative to the text field, using the indicating data to determine the movement and then perform an action associated with the text field based on the movement. The indicating data is indicative of a stroke defining a sequence of sensing device positions determined from the sensed coded data. |
| US07986310B2 |
Three-dimensional contact-sensitive feature for electronic devices
An electronic device is formed at least partially from a deflectable material that generates an electrical signal in response to contact. The first material is integrated with a display module to provide a shaped feature on the exterior surface of the display module. The shaped feature detects contact with an external object on one or more contact points, where contact with the contact points corresponds to a defined input for a processor of the electronic device. |
| US07986308B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and interpreting path of designated position
A method of detecting and interpreting a path of designated positions is disclosed. The method concurrently detects a plurality of designated positions on a touch panel, again detects the plurality of designated positions subsequent to a travel of the designated positions, determines the distances between each of the current designated positions and the respective immediately preceding designated positions, treats an immediately preceding designated position, closest to the current designated position of interest, as the immediately preceding designated position of the current designated position of interest, and acquires the path of each designated position, thereby recognizing the paths of the plurality of designated positions that move concurrently. A combination of the paths of the plurality of designated positions is interpreted to identify a designation input by a user, and an operation thus designated is executed. |
| US07986307B2 |
Mechanism for allowing applications to filter out or opt into tablet input
A system for enabling a tablet input object is described. A tablet input object can take various inputs from touch, a mouse, and a pen and send their information to an application. |
| US07986303B2 |
Textures and other spatial sensations for a relative haptic interface device
Methods and systems for textures and other spatial sensations for a relative haptic interface device are described. One embodiment includes a method comprising the steps of receiving a signal from a sensor, the sensor signal associated with a change in a position of a haptic feedback device, transmitting sensor data to a host processor, the sensor data associated with the sensor signal, receiving force information from the host processor, the force information comprising a texture sensation having at least one parameter describing at least one force to be output based at least in part on an interaction of a graphical object with a texture field, the force information further comprising at least one characteristic of the texture sensation, parsing the force information, storing the at least one characteristic, and determining when to output the at least one force based at least in part on the interaction. |
| US07986301B2 |
Handheld wireless communication device
A handheld wireless communication device configured to send and receive text messages. The device is hand cradleable with an elongate body configured to be held in one hand by an operator during text entry. A display is located on a front face of the body and upon which information is displayed to the operator during text entry. A key field is also located on the front face of the elongate body and that includes a plurality of alphanumeric input keys and menu control keys. A trackball navigation tool is located on the front face of the elongate body. The alphanumeric input keys include several alphabetic keys with letters arranged in a traditional (QWERTY), but non-ITU Standard E. 161 telephone letter layout. A microprocessor is provided that receives operator commands from the keys and the trackball navigation tool and which affects corresponding changes to the display based on user input. |
| US07986300B2 |
Autonomic control of calibration for pointing device
A computer system includes a computer, a calibration module, an event detection module, and an application interface module. The computer executes one or more applications and receives pointing device events generated by a pointing device connected to the computer. The calibration module modifies a rate of movement of a cursor displayed by the computer in response to the pointing device events. The event detection module detects a less-than-optimal calibration indicator from the pointing device events and modifies the rate of movement of the cursor. The application interface module communicates with the application being performed on the computer. A storage module for storing calibration information may also be included. |
| US07986299B2 |
Remote control apparatus, remote control system and device-specific information display method
The present invention relates to a technique for acquiring information specific to a device via an imaging element and performing remote-control of a desired device based on the acquired information specific to the device, and an object thereof is to suspend information display of certain devices in order to suppress disorderliness of a screen and enable remote control of devices to be easily performed. By arranging displaying of the information specific to the device to be suspended according to device state information, the present invention can reduce the risk of remote control being impeded by specific information displayed in an indiscriminant and disordered manner, and efficient remote control operations may be achieved. |
| US07986296B2 |
Liquid crystal display and its driving method
A thin-film-transistor liquid crystal display comprises a display unit which contains a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of data lines arranged to cross the plurality of scanning lines and defining a plurality of pixels, and a data driving circuit providing pixel data signals to the plurality of data lines. The pixels of each scanning line are divided into groups of N successive pixels, where N is an integer greater than 1. A polarity of the respective pixel data signals for the data lines within each group is the same as each other. The polarity of the respective pixel data signals for each successive group along at least one of the scanning lines alternates between a first polarity and a second polarity. |
| US07986294B2 |
Method of adjusting a pulse-width modulation clock
A method for driving a planar light source device is provided. The planar light source device includes (a) a plurality of planar light source units to light a color LCD device from the back, each planar light source unit including a red LED, a green LED, and a blue LED; and (b) a driving circuit to perform ON/OFF control of the red LED, the green LED, and the blue LED included in each planar light source unit on the basis of pulse-width modulation. The method includes adjusting respective pulse-width modulation unit clocks CLR-unit, CLG-Unit, and CLB-Unit in each planar light source unit to long or short by increasing or decreasing the number of frequency division cycles of a system clock in the driving circuit. |
| US07986287B2 |
Display device and method of driving the same
When a light-emitting element emits light for a long time, characteristics thereof change and current flowing therethrough is reduced even in the same voltage is applied. In particular, in a case of a display device with light-emitting element, there is a problem such that burn-in is generated in a display screen. A burn-in correction period in which characteristics of a light-emitting element in each pixel are detected is provided in addition to a normal driving period in which an image is displayed. The light-emitting element can emit light which compensates the changes in the characteristics, by correcting video signals inputted to each pixel in the normal driving period according to the characteristics of the light-emitting elements obtained in the burn-in correction period. |
| US07986281B2 |
Multi-band antenna
A multi-band antenna includes a first radiating portion, a second radiating portion extending perpendicularly from the first radiating portion, a third radiating portion extending perpendicularly from the second radiating portion and located at a same side with respect to the second radiating portion as the first radiating portion, a fourth radiating portion extending perpendicularly from the third radiating portion towards the first radiating portion, a fifth radiating portion in alignment with the first radiating portion, with a feeding portion connecting with the first radiating portion and the fifth radiating portion, a sixth radiating portion extending perpendicularly towards the fourth radiating portion from the fifth radiating portion and spaced away from the fourth radiating portion, and a grounding portion spaced from the first radiating portion, the feeding portion and the fifth radiating portion with a grounding area disposed thereon, and connected with the first radiating portion by a connecting portion. |
| US07986280B2 |
Multi-element broadband omni-directional antenna array
A broad beam width antenna array, preferably having 360 degrees of azimuth coverage, which also has broad frequency bandwidth, for use in a wireless network system is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the antenna array comprises a planar dielectric substrate, micro strip elements on both sides of the dielectric substrate, and a corporate feed structure employing parasitic conductive beam width enhancing tubes as feed line conduits. The antenna array comprises dipole radiating elements formed on both sides of the dielectric substrate and a balanced feed network feeding each dipole arm. The shape of the dipole is symmetric and the overall structure, including feed network, preferably has a ┌-shape when viewed from either side of the dielectric substrate. Disposed proximate to each dipole arm are bandwidth enhancement coplanar micro strips which are parallel to each dipole arm and at least partially overlapping each other. |
| US07986273B2 |
Multi-band monopole antenna with improved HAC performance
A multi-band monopole antenna includes a first metal radiator and a second metal radiator extending in a same direction and arranged in parallel for exciting a high frequency band, and a detoured wire pattern connected between the feed end of the first metal radiator and the connection end of the second metal radiator for exciting a low frequency band. The detoured wire pattern has a, circuit path length longer than one half of the high frequency band λ/2 so that the phase difference on current between the feed end of the first metal radiator and the connection end of the second metal radiator is about π(180-degrees); the electric fields generated at the lower sides of the first metal radiator and the second metal radiator have approximately the same size but reversed phases and the magnetic fields have the same characteristics; when the reversed phases of electromagnetic waves excited by the first and second metal radiators reach the HAC test surface, they cause a destructive interference, thereby improving hearing aid compatibility performance of the multi-band monopole antenna. |
| US07986272B2 |
Antenna apparatus and electronic device
The present invention discloses an antenna apparatus including a dielectric substrate on which an element including a conductive material pattern is formed. The dielectric substrate is a film. |
| US07986271B2 |
Tracking of emergency personnel
Techniques are disclosed that allow for the detection, identification, direction finding, and geolocation of emergency personnel in a given multipath environment. For example, the techniques can be used to detect and identify multiple lines of bearing (LOBs) to an IEEE 802.11 emitter of an emergency responder that is inside a building or otherwise hidden from view. LOBs from multiple vantage points can be used to geolocate and/or track the emergency responder. The resulting geolocation can be plotted on a map display or model of the scene (e.g., building, etc) so the precise position of the emergency responder having the targeted wireless emitter can be known. |
| US07986270B2 |
Clock phase ranging methods and systems
A system and method for estimating the range between two devices performs two or more ranging estimates with subsequent estimates performed using a clock that is offset in phase with respect to a prior estimate. The subsequent estimate allows estimate uncertainties due to a finite clock resolution to be reduced and can yield a range estimate with a higher degree of confidence. In one embodiment, these additional ranging estimates are performed at n/N (for n=1, . . . N−1, with N>1 and a positive integer) clock-period offset introduced in the device. The clock-period offset can be implemented using a number of approaches, and the effect of clock drift in the devices due to relative clock-frequency offset can also be determined. To eliminate the bias due to clock-frequency offset, a system and method to estimate the clock-frequency offset is also presented. |
| US07986269B1 |
Enhancing reception of signals in global positioning system (GPS) receiver module
An antenna assembly for receiving the GPS signals in a global positioning system (GPS) receiver module automatically orients the antenna to better receive the GPS signals. The antenna is oriented by a positioner (e.g., a counterweight) that automatically rotates a frame on which the antenna is mounted. The GPS receiver module may also include multiple antennas oriented in different directions to maintain good reception of the GPS signals in any position. The multiple antennas are oriented in a manner so that the poor reception range an antenna is covered by other antennas. Signals from multiple antennas may be combined or chosen for processing by a GPS processor. Also, multiple GPS receiver modules may be deployed in close proximity so that wireless communication between the GPS receiver modules may be established. |
| US07986267B2 |
Method and system for customized full ephemeris compatible with standard AGPS network devices
Aspects of a method and system for customized full ephemeris compatible with standard AGPS network devices allows a GPS enabled handset to receive real-time full ephemeris from an AGPS server for calculating a position fix. The real-time full ephemeris may be generated at the AGPS server in response to one or more request for real-time full ephemeris from the GPS enabled handset. The AGPS server may be configured to provide fresh full ephemeris generated at smaller intervals such as every 10-15 minutes as approximated real-time full ephemeris. The generated real-time full ephemeris or fresh full ephemeris may be communicated to the GPS enabled handset periodically or aperiodically. Various predicted real-time full ephemeris or predicted fresh full ephemeris compatible with various standards may be generated via Short Term Orbits (STO) technology. |
| US07986264B2 |
Positioning system, IC chip for positioning, positioning method, and positioning program
A positioning system accurately estimates transmission times of signals from a signal transmitter and measures a position of a receiver on the basis of the transmission times. The receiver 10 comprises a velocity-vector calculating unit 12 calculating velocity vectors of GPS satellites 20 on the basis of signals from the GPS satellite; a satellite selecting unit 13 generating a combination of velocity vectors from the calculated velocity vectors and selecting a combination of GPS satellites from the GPS satellites on the basis of the combination of velocity vectors; a position calculating unit 15 calculating positions of the receiver 10 at a plurality of times, the times being signal transmission times, on the basis of signals from the selected GPS satellites; and a position-accuracy evaluating unit 17 evaluating the accuracy of the calculated positions of the receiver 10, setting one time selected from the plurality of times corresponding to the plurality of positions as a transmission time, and setting the position of the receiver 10 corresponding to the transmission time as an estimated position. |
| US07986261B2 |
Collision prediction system and collision predicting method
A collision prediction system includes a collision face determining unit that determines a collision face of the own vehicle which is presumed to collide with another vehicle, based on a travelling direction of the other vehicle relative to the own vehicle at an estimated collision time at which a collision is presumed to occur, a collision position estimating unit that estimates a collision position as a position of a potential collision between the own vehicle and the other vehicle, based on the collision face determined by the collision face determining unit, and a collision position correcting unit that corrects the collision position estimated by the collision position estimating unit, based on a preset size of the other vehicle. |
| US07986260B2 |
Circularly polarized antennas for active holographic imaging through barriers
Circularly-polarized antennas and their methods of use for active holographic imaging through barriers. The antennas are dielectrically loaded to optimally match the dielectric constant of the barrier through which images are to be produced. The dielectric loading helps to remove barrier-front surface reflections and to couple electromagnetic energy into the barrier. |
| US07986253B2 |
Method and apparatus for digital error correction for binary successive approximation ADC
An apparatus for digital error correction in a successive approximation (SAR) analog to digital converter (ADC) includes a binary weighted digital to analog converter (DAC) which can be virtually divided into multiple sub-DACs for redundancy insertion; and a comparator configured to compare the analog input with a DAC level corresponding to digital. The apparatus further includes a register and control logic unit configured to control a switching operation for DAC and to add output codes obtained from sub-DACs to output the added code as a final A/D converted code. |
| US07986248B2 |
Image recording apparatus and method
An image recording apparatus suitable for recording a traffic signal violation at an intersection controlled by a traffic light is described. The image recording apparatus includes a first camera focused on the intersection, and a second camera focused on a first lane of a street leading to the intersection. A first control circuit is coupled to the first camera causes the first camera to capture a first image at substantially an instant of time that the traffic light indicates a change of traffic control status. The apparatus also includes a detection circuit to detect when a portion of a vehicle crosses a trigger location in the first lane after the change in traffic control status. A second control circuit coupled to the second camera causes the second camera to capture a close-up image of the vehicle in the event that the detection circuit detects the portion of the vehicle at the trigger location after a change in traffic control status. |
| US07986244B2 |
Device and method for displaying measuring values as well as shrink tunnel for a packaging machine and packaging machine comprising such a device, respectively
A device for displaying measuring values is provided, comprising a device for displaying measuring values having a control unit (22) and having a digital display unit (21), which is controlled by the control unit (22), wherein the control unit (22) is embodied in such a manner that a measuring value detected by the measuring value detection unit are displayed on the display unit (21) as actual value (I) and as a preset set value (S) in such a manner that the position of the actual value (I) relative to the set value (S) is a function of the difference between the set value and the actual value. |
| US07986243B2 |
Sensor drive control method and sensor-equipped radio terminal device
A network system including: a first sensor device which includes a first sensor unit which detects an action of a detection object; and a first transmission unit which transmits first data regarding the action and first identification information to a server via a first base station: a second sensor device which includes; a second sensor unit which obtains sensing data; and a second transmission unit which transmits second data including the sensing data and second identification information to the server via a second base station; wherein the server is configured to: associate the first and second data based on the detection of the action; to access predetermined normal data correlating data; and, detect an abnormal condition if a combination of the action detected via the first sensor unit and the sensing data obtained by the second sensor unit conflict with the correlated normal data. |
| US07986238B2 |
Tracking location and realtime management system of a container using RF
Disclosed is a system for managing containers through RF communication and to a container position tracking and real-time management system employing RF, in which safety information and management information of a container are obtained by a sensor and a wireless terminal device attached to a container, the position of the container is tracked until it reaches its destination through a reader through RF communication, environments within the container are monitored in real-time for safe transportation, and security and crime prevention functions are carried out. |
| US07986236B2 |
RFID tag and method and apparatus for manufacturing same
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag using multiple microradios and inkjet printing techniques together with a method and system for manufacturing and applying the tag to an end item are disclosed. |
| US07986235B2 |
RFID receive-only system
A receive-only supplemental radio frequency identification (RFID) reader may receive response signals from RFID tags, digitize and interpret those signals, and transfer the resulting data to a primary RFID reader. By relieving the primary RFID reader of some or all of the tasks of receiving, demodulating, and decoding concurrent responses from multiple RFID tags, the primary RFID reader may be made less expensive and/or may devote its resources to other tasks. |
| US07986234B2 |
Wireless communication system and wireless communication apparatus
A low consumption power is realized in a communication type that a ratio of transmission between apparatus limited to a relatively short distance occupies most of communications.Upon reception of transmission data constituted of a bit series, a wireless transmission module unit performs an on/off operation of an antenna switch connected to an antenna, in accordance with a bit image of the transmission data, and transmits, by a back scattering scheme, the transmission data as reflected radio waves of radio waves from a transmission destination generated by a change in an antenna load impedance. The antenna switch is generally made of a gallium arsenide IC, its consumption power is several 10 μW or less, and it becomes possible to realize ultra low consumption wireless image transmission. |
| US07986233B2 |
Acceleration-based theft detection system for portable electronic devices
A theft prevention system for protecting portable electronic devices is disclosed. An acceleration sensor detects the acceleration of a portable electronic device, and a controller analyzes this acceleration to determine whether a theft condition is present. If so, an alarm can be initiated. The theft prevention system can include a filter for attenuating irrelevant acceleration frequencies and isolating those representative of theft, and comparison hardware/software for determining whether the detected acceleration matches a known acceleration profile characteristic of theft. Various parameters of the theft prevention system can also be set by a user through mechanisms such as a graphical user interface. |
| US07986225B1 |
Pluggable security device
A pluggable security device for protecting an electronic device, such as a laptop, is disclosed. The pluggable security device has a battery, a siren, and an optional accelerometer. The security device is triggered by unplugging from the electronic device, or by sensing acceleration, or by disconnecting the electronic device from AC power or from a network. Once the security device is triggered and its internal siren is activated, it can only be deactivated by reinserting the pluggable security device into the electronic device it has been disconnected from and by entering a password in the electronic device. |
| US07986216B2 |
Semiconductor device
In a case where an ASK method is used for a communication method between a semiconductor device and a reader/writer, the amplitude of a radio signal is changed by data transmitted from the semiconductor device to the reader/writer when data is not transmitted from the reader/writer to the semiconductor device. Therefore, in some cases, the semiconductor device mistakes data transmitted from the semiconductor device itself for data transmitted from the reader/writer to the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes an antenna circuit, a transmission circuit, a reception circuit, and an arithmetic processing circuit. The antenna circuit transmits and receives a radio signal. The transmission circuit outputs to the reception circuit a signal showing whether or not the antenna circuit is transmitting the radio signal. |
| US07986215B2 |
System and method for controlling a vehicle security system
A method for selectively controlling a security system comprises receiving a tag identification, determining a security identification based on the tag identification, and transmitting a message comprising the security identification and a security system command. A security system having a unique security identification comprises a control device for controlling the security system, wherein the control device transmits a message to the security system comprising the unique security identification and a function command, the control device comprising keypad for entering a tag identification corresponding to the unique security identification. |
| US07986212B2 |
Fuse
A fuse includes: a first connecting terminal to be connected to a power source; a second connecting terminal to be connected to a load; a third connecting terminal to be connected to a relay control circuit; a fuse element having one end to be connected to the first connecting terminal; and a semiconductor relay directly mounted on the second connecting terminal. The semiconductor relay is a relay circuit switching between conducting and non-conducting states of a connection between its own drain and source electrodes, according to control signals inputted to the own gate electrode. The drain, source and gate electrodes are electrically connected to the other end of the fuse element, the second connecting terminal and the third connecting terminal, respectively. The first to third connecting terminals, the fuse element and the semiconductor relay are formed in an integral structure with a mold resin sealing portion. |
| US07986211B2 |
Inductor
Provided is an inductor. The inductor includes a first to a fourth conductive terminals formed in one direction within a semiconductor substrate, a first conductive line formed on one side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the second and third conductive terminals interiorly positioned among the first to fourth conductive terminals, a second conductive line formed on the one side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the first and fourth conductive terminals exteriorly positioned among the first to fourth conductive terminals, and a third conductive line formed on the other side of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the first and third conductive terminals among the first to fourth conductive terminals. |
| US07986210B2 |
Inductor with a decreased surface area and an improved ability to conduct strong currents
An inductor formed in a stacking of insulating layers. The inductor comprises first and second access terminals, at least first and second interlaced loops on a first level, and at least third and fourth interlaced loops on a second level distinct from the first level. The third loop is the symmetrical of the first loop with respect to a plane. The fourth loop is the symmetrical of the second loop with respect to said plane. The internal ends of the first and second loops are connected to the internal ends of the third and fourth loops. The external ends of the first and third loops are connected to the first and second access terminals. The external ends of the second and fourth loops are interconnected. |
| US07986207B2 |
Method for making a high current low profile inductor
A high current, low profile inductor includes a conductor coil surrounded by magnetic material to form an inductor body. An inductor body is formed around the inductor coil and includes a resin and a magnetic material compressed while it is dry and surrounding the inside and the outside of the coil. |
| US07986202B2 |
Circuit breaker current transformer conductor location device for improved sensing accuracy and assembly
A circuit breaker includes a breaker housing, a transformer housing, and a plurality of conductor locators. The transformer housing is enclosed within the breaker housing and has an opening for receiving a plurality of conductors. The plurality of conductor locators is desirably located adjacent to the transformer housing and is movable between an open position and a closed position. The conductors are generally centered in the opening of the transformer housing when the conductor locators are in the closed position. |
| US07986201B2 |
Guiding devices for electromagnetic waves and process for manufacturing these guiding devices
The invention relates to electromagnetic wave guiding devices or waveguides (f<10 THz) and to processes for manufacturing these waveguides, which comprise at least one body (30) supporting at least one active wall (40). The body (30) of the waveguide is made from a volume of a ceramic selected from the following: silicon carbides, aluminum nitride, boron nitrides, and especially 3C cubic and 2H hexagonal varieties of boron nitride, diamond, beryllium oxide or assemblies of said materials. Applications: waveguides, filter cavities, reflectors and antennas for radiofrequency waves and microwaves, atomic clocks and particle accelerators. |
| US07986198B2 |
Frequency-variable acoustic thin film resonator, filter and communication apparatus using the same
An acoustic thin film resonator including: a first piezoelectric thin film 101; a pair of primary electrodes 103 and 104 for applying an electric signal, which are formed on the first piezoelectric thin film; a second piezoelectric thin film 102 that is disposed so that an oscillation generated in the first piezoelectric thin film propagates to the second piezoelectric thin film; a pair of secondary electrodes 104 and 105 for outputting an electric signal, which are formed on the second piezoelectric thin film; a load 108 that is connected between the secondary electrodes; and a control portion 109 that controls a value of the load. Thereby, an acoustic thin film resonator element is formed so that an electric signal inputted from the primary electrodes is outputted from the secondary electrodes by a piezoelectric effect, and a resonant frequency and an antiresonant frequency are made variable through the control of the value of the load. A resonant frequency and an antiresonant frequency are made variable at the same time without resonant characteristics being deteriorated. |
| US07986196B2 |
Method and apparatus for digital synthesis of long multi-cycle microwave pulses
Conductive segments (transmission line conductors) are positioned within a transmission line structure in order to generate multi-cycle microwave pulses. The conductor segments are switchably coupled to one or the other conductor of the transmission lines, inside the transmission line structure. Microwave pulses may be induced in the transmission line by closing the switches in a controlled manner to discharge successive segments, or successive groups of segments, into the transmission lines. The induced pulses travel uninterrupted along the transmission lines in a desired direction to the load. Efficiency of systems and energy delivered to the load in multi-section transmission lines is increased and/or maximized by adjusting the ratio of characteristic impedances associated with the transmission line conductor segments according to an optimum ratio. |
| US07986194B2 |
Oscillator
An oscillator, includes an amplifier circuit including a semiconductor element having a first constant potential as reference potential for a power supply voltage, a variable capacitance element, a piezoelectric resonator, and a capacitance circuit constituting a closed circuit with the piezoelectric resonator. The amplifier circuit and the variable capacitance element are connected in series to provide a series circuit. The capacitance circuit connects the capacitance elements in a plurality of numbers in series. A connecting midpoint of the series connection is connected to a circuit for the first constant potential. Two connecting midpoints other than the midpoint of the closed circuit are used as connecting points to connect the series circuit and the closed circuit in parallel. |
| US07986187B1 |
Versatile audio power amplifier
An audio power amplifier includes a first and a second amplification unit, each including a switching voltage amplifier, an output filter, a current compensator, an inner current feedback loop feeding a measurement of current measured at the output inductor back to a summing input of the current compensator, a voltage compensator coupled to the summing input of the current compensator, and an outer voltage feedback loop. A controlled signal path provides the output of the voltage compensator of the first amplification unit to the current compensator of the second amplification unit. The first and second amplification units are operable with separate loads, in parallel driving a common load, or across a bridge-tied-load. A second pair of amplification units may be added and operated together with the first pair to drive a single speaker with a parallel pair of amplifiers on each side of a bridge-tied-load. |
| US07986180B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having internal voltage generator and method for driving the same
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to provide an internal voltage generator of a semiconductor memory device for generating a predetermined stable level of an internal voltage. The semiconductor memory device includes a control signal generator, an internal voltage generator and an internal voltage compensator. The control signal generator generates a reference signal and a compensating signal which are corresponding to voltage level of the reference signal. The internal voltage generator generates an internal voltage in response to the reference signal. The internal voltage compensator compensates the internal voltage in response to the compensating signal. |
| US07986179B2 |
Circuit and method for reducing popping sound
A circuit for reducing popping sound comprises a waveform generator, a voltage accumulator, and a comparator. The waveform generator is configured for generating a periodic waveform, and the voltage accumulator is configured for generating an increased voltage. The comparator is configured for comparing the periodic waveform with the increased voltage for generating a successive pulse signal. A percentage of a duty cycle in the successive pulse signal is increased gradually. |
| US07986178B2 |
Pulse width modulation driver for electroactive lens
An electroactive lens driver generates a variable root-mean-square drive voltage for controlling an electroactive lens by controlling the duty cycle of a modified square wave. |
| US07986177B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device, includes a clock delay unit configured to include a plurality of delay units connected in series, where the delay amount of each delay unit varies depending on a level of a control voltage, for delaying a source clock to generate a feedback clock and mixing clocks outputted from the respective delay units to generate a frequency multiplication clock, a harmonic lock determination unit configured to determine whether a harmonic lock has occurred based on a frequency difference between the source clock and the frequency multiplication clock, and a control voltage generator configured to adjust a level of the control voltage based on a phase difference between the source clock and the feedback clock and a determination result of the harmonic lock determination unit. |
| US07986175B2 |
Spread spectrum control PLL circuit and its start-up method
A calibration circuit (19) adjusts at least one of one of a charging current of a charge pump circuit (12) and a capacitance value of a filter capacitor in a loop filter circuit (13) and a gain of a voltage controlled oscillator (14), depending on a frequency of a reference clock signal input to a calibration circuit (10). |
| US07986174B2 |
Output driver circuit
An output driver circuit includes a pre-driver unit and a first driving unit. The pre-driver unit is configured to generate a driving selection signal and a driving signal from a pre-driving signal in response to a group selection signal and a code signal. The first driving unit is configured to drive a data pad in response to the driving selection signal and the driving signal. |
| US07986172B2 |
Switching circuit with gate driver having precharge period and method therefor
A switching circuit includes first and second transistors, and a driver circuit. The first transistor has a first current electrode coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal, a second current electrode, and a control electrode. The second transistor has a first current electrode coupled to the second current electrode of the first transistor, a second current electrode coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal, and a control electrode. The driver circuit has an input for receiving an input signal, and an output coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor. The driver circuit precharges the control electrode of the first transistor to a first predetermined voltage, and in response to the input signal transitioning from a first logic state to a second logic state, the driver circuit provides a second predetermined voltage to the control electrode of the first transistor to cause the first transistor to be conductive. |
| US07986170B2 |
Sample-and-hold circuit and CCD image sensor
Noise is more effectively reduced in one circuit. When sampling and holding is performed, switching of an ON resistance of MOS transistors (MSH1 and MSH2) that are for sampling is made in two or more stages according to speed of sampling. Here, a level adjustment circuit (20) is provided that generates sample-and-hold pulse signals (φSH1S and φSH2S), which vary voltage to enable switching the ON resistance of the MOS transistors (MSH1 and MSH2), to be provided to gates of the MOS transistors (MSH1 and MSH2). |
| US07986167B2 |
Circuit configurations having four terminal devices
Circuits using four terminal transistors are disclosed. Such circuits can include various static and dynamic logic circuits, flip-flops, multiplexer, tri-state driver, phase detector, logic having variable speeds of operation, and/or analog circuit with such four terminal transistors operating in a linear or nonlinear mode. |
| US07986166B1 |
Clock buffer circuit
A clock buffer for a clock network that reduces leakage current and lowers power consumption. The clock buffer includes a first CMOS transistor, a second CMOS transistor, and a leakage current prevention circuit connected to the first and second CMOS transistors. The leakage current prevention circuit includes a first PMOS transistor, which is connected between the source of a PMOS transistor of the first CMOS transistor and a power supply line, and a second PMOS transistor, which is connected between the source of a PMOS transistor of the second CMOS transistor and the power supply line. The first and second PMOS transistors are deactivated in response to an enable signal generated when a circuit block does not require the clock signal. The first and the second PMOS transistors have predefined widths and lengths such that the addition of these transistors in series with the CMOS transistors does not increase the propagation delay of the clock buffer circuit. Deactivating the first and second PMOS transistors disconnects the CMOS transistors from the power supply line, which prevents current leakage. |
| US07986158B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, and products for a secure circuit
Methods, systems, apparatuses and products are disclosed for providing security circuits. Exemplary embodiments including semiconductor chips on circuit boards are shown, together with application in a movie stick/movie player pair.Such systems provide for and improve on the means for clocked logic security support beyond what is available in current security products while being capable of embodiment in low cost technologies such as programmable gate arrays. |
| US07986155B2 |
Method of manufacturing a heat sink pedestal device with interface medium chamber
A heat sink pedestal device allows for the use of generic thermal units such as heat sinks. An interposer configured to fit a specific device under test is mounted to a retainer. The retainer firmly holds the interposer in position. In addition, the retainer may be mounted to a thermal unit. An interface sealant with a diameter less than that of the interposer, creating the perimeter of an interface medium chamber, is positioned at the periphery of the interposer between the interposer and the thermal unit. Interface material, having high thermal conductive properties, is positioned within the interface sealant. The interface medium chamber provides a high thermally conductive interface between the interposer and the thermal unit. In addition, the heat sink pedestal device minimizes customization because it allows a single heat sink or thermal unit assembly to be used to accommodate a wide range of unit sizes. |
| US07986150B2 |
Calibration circuit
To include a first replica buffer that has substantially the same circuit configuration as a pull-up circuit which constitutes an output buffer and a second replica buffer that has substantially the same circuit configuration as a pull-down circuit which constitutes the output buffer. When a first calibration command ZQCS is issued, both a control signal ACT1 and ACT2 is activated, and a calibration operation is performed for both the first replica buffer and the second replica buffer in parallel. |
| US07986149B2 |
System and method for adaptive load fault detection
In one embodiment, a method for sensing an output fault condition is disclosed. The method includes monitoring an error signal that indicates an output fault condition, and monitoring an input signal having a duration. An error flag is set if a fast switching mode is detected and if the error signal is asserted within a specified time interval during the input signal duration. |
| US07986142B2 |
Apparatus for controlling an MRI antenna arrangement with elliptical polarization and equal amplitude signals at feed points
A cylindrical antenna arrangement in a magnetic resonance apparatus has two feed points to feed in two partial signals, the two feed points being arranged on a cross-section of the antenna arrangement. The cross-section has a center point. A first angle is formed by the connection of a first feed point with the center point relative to a horizontal axis of the cross-section while a second angle is formed by the connection of a second feed point with the center point relative to the horizontal axis of the cross-section. An apparatus for controlling such an antenna arrangement has a device for signal splitting with two outputs and an input. A radio-frequency magnetic resonance signal is connected at the input. This signal is divided by the device for signal splitting into two partial signals of equal amplitude that are respectively supplied to an associated output. Each output of the device for signal splitting is connected with precisely one associated feed point of the antenna arrangement. An ellipse position in space is set for an elliptical polarization via the selection of the two angles. A device for phase adjustment is interposed between precisely one output of the device for signal splitting and the associated feed point in order to set an elliptical semi-axis ratio via variation of the phase difference of the two partial signals. |
| US07986134B2 |
Power supplies, power supply controllers, and power supply controlling methods
A power supply controller is provided. The power supply controller includes a switching device, an inductor, a comparator, and a sensing device. The switching device is coupled to an input power source and switches according to a comparing result. The inductor is coupled between the switching device and an output terminal, and conducts an inductor current. The comparator is coupled to the output terminal, a reference power source and a bias voltage, compares the voltage level of the output voltage and the reference voltage, and outputs the comparing result according to the bias voltage. The sensing device is coupled to the inductor and the comparator, senses the inductor current, generates a sensed voltage according to the inductor current, and adjusts the bias voltage according to the sensed voltage. |
| US07986128B2 |
Charger
A battery charger includes an attachment portion capable of being connected to a plurality of battery packs; a connection unit for connecting one of the battery packs connected to the attachment portion to a charging path; a state detection unit for detecting a state of each of the battery packs; a remaining capacity detection unit; and a charging control unit. The remaining capacity detection unit detects a remaining capacity based on the state of the battery pack detected by the state detection unit after each of the battery pack is charged for a specified period of time. Further, the charging control unit assigns priorities to the battery packs such that one whose remaining capacity detected by the remaining capacity detection unit is closer to a fully charged state thereof has a higher priority, and controls the connection unit to charge the battery packs according to the assigned priorities. |
| US07986120B2 |
Pulse motor control device, control method, control program, and imaging apparatus
A pulse motor control device includes a drive pulse generator configured to generate a drive pulse in accordance with a set cycle, a pulse motor driver configured to generate an excitation current of a pattern corresponding to the number of division per one step of a pulse motor based on the drive pulse supplied from the drive pulse generator, the number of division being set in the pulse motor driver, the pulse motor driver supplying the excitation current to the pulse motor to thereby drive the pulse motor based on micro-step driving, and a controller configured to set the cycle in the drive pulse generator every time the drive pulse is supplied from the drive pulse generator. |
| US07986118B2 |
Open-loop torque control on joint position-controlled robots
A joint of a robot is controlled by a torque command. The joint has a position controller with a position feedback loop. The torque command is received for the joint, and a velocity feedforward command is determined for realizing the torque command using the position controller. The velocity feedforward command is sent to the position controller and the position feedback loop is canceled. The position feedback loop is canceled by sending a position command to the position controller, where the position command is an actual measured position of the joint. The position feedback loop is also canceled by setting the gain of the position feedback loop to zero. |
| US07986116B2 |
Apparatus for controlling torque of electric rotating machine
The apparatus is for controlling a torque of an electric rotating machine at a command torque by supplying command voltages in accordance with the command torque to a power conversion circuit driving the electrical rotating machine. The apparatus includes a detecting function of detecting an input voltage of the power conversion circuit to be power-converted and thereafter applied to the electric rotating machine as a drive voltage, and a control function of setting a command current corresponding to one of two current components in a 2-phase coordinate system of the electric rotating machine in accordance with a command torque directed from outside, and thereafter determining command voltages corresponding to two voltage components of the 2-phase coordinate system on the basis of the command current and the input voltage of the power conversion circuit. |
| US07986112B2 |
Thermally self-stabilizing LED module
An improved LED module that is thermally self-stabilizing, and that is able to be retrofitted into an existing flashlight is provided. In one embodiment, the LED module includes a light emitting diode, an amplifying circuit and a microchip. The amplifying circuit includes a temperature sensing device to sense heat from the light emitting diode. The output of the amplifying circuit is input to the microchip which output to a switching device that regulates energy that is delivered to the light emitting diode. The switching device may be part of a boosting circuit, a bucking circuit or an inverting circuit. |
| US07986111B2 |
Electronic ballast control circuit
A control circuit for use in a ballast configured for powering a first lamp set and a second lamp set. The second lamp set is operated via a controller and a second lamp driver circuit. The controller enables the second lamp driver circuit as a function of a monitored value corresponding to a current through a lamp of the second lamp set. The control circuit includes first and second input terminals for selectively connecting to the power supply. The control circuit reduces the monitored value as a function of a connection state of the first and second input terminals of the control circuit to the power supply. Thus, the control circuit causes the controller to selectively operate the second lamp driver circuit in order to energize the second lamp set in combination with the first lamp set. |
| US07986109B2 |
Load driving circuit and method of setting load current thereof
A load driving circuit is disclosed that allows a charge pump circuit to operate at an optimum step-up ratio without frequently changing the step-up ratio. The load driving circuit includes a step-up circuit; a current setting circuit that sets a value of an electric current to be supplied to a load; a constant current circuit generating a constant electric current having the set value; a determination circuit; and a control circuit. In response to a load current setting signal, the current setting circuit sets the electric current to be maximum, and decreases the electric current step by step down to a preset value. Each time the electric current is decreased by one step, the control circuit changes the step-up ratio according to the determination results of the determination circuit, until the constant current circuit supplies the set electric current. |
| US07986106B2 |
Protection circuit and discharge lamp driving device employing the same
A discharge lamp driving device includes a power stage circuit, a transformer circuit, a control circuit, a feedback circuit and a lamp protection circuit. The lamp protection circuit includes a current sensing circuit, a reference voltage selecting circuit, a comparing circuit and a protection signal generating circuit. The current sensing circuit senses current signals flowing through the lamps, and transforms the current signals to voltage signals. The reference voltage selecting circuit is connected to the current sensing circuit. The comparing circuit is connected to the current sensing circuit and the comparing circuit. The protection signal generating circuit is connected between the comparing circuit and the control circuit. The control circuit is connected to the comparing circuit. |
| US07986105B2 |
Backlight driving method and display apparatus using the same
A display and a method for driving a backlight thereof are provided. The display generates a control voltage and supplies the generated control voltage to a backlight driving unit in a step-wise manner. Accordingly, malfunctions of the backlight due to incomplete activation during initial driving, can be avoided. |
| US07986096B2 |
Display device with minimized infiltration of oxygen and moisture and manufacturing method thereof
A display device includes an insulating substrate on which a display element is disposed, a resin layer disposed on the display element and having a depressed portion formed along an edge of the insulating substrate, and a sealing layer formed on the resin layer, with a portion of the sealing layer extending into the depressed portion of the resin layer. A method of manufacturing a display element includes disposing a display element on an insulating substrate, disposing a resin layer on the display element, and partially curing the resin layer. A depressed portion in the resin layer is formed using a pressurizing member and a sealing layer is disposed on the resin layer. |
| US07986094B2 |
Electro-optical device with active matrix EL display
An electro-optical device for performing time division gray scale display and which is capable of arbitrarily setting the amount of time during which light is emitted by EL elements is provided. From among n sustain periods Ts1, . . . , Tsn, the brightness of light emitted by the EL elements during at least one sustain period is set to be always lower than the brightness of light emitted by the EL elements during the other sustain periods, and the sustain periods are extended by the amount that the brightness has dropped. In accordance with the above structure, the sustain periods can be extended by lowering the setting of the brightness of light emitted by the EL elements. |
| US07986093B2 |
Organic electroluminescent diode and diode panel with anti-reflective coating conducive to the emission of light
The diode comprises an organic electroluminescent layer interposed between a lower electrode and a partially transparent and semireflective upper electrode, which itself comprises a transparent conducting sublayer and a current-distributing metal sublayer, for example an opaque grid. A dielectric antireflection layer is deposited on the grid to improve the emission contrast in ambient light, which grid, according to an advantageous embodiment, is designed to optimize the semireflective properties of the upper electrode, thereby improving, by an optical cavity effect, extraction of the emitted light. |
| US07986092B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An OLED display including a first substrate on which a plurality of OLEDs are formed, a second substrate attached with the first substrate, a photo sensor formed on the second substrate and for detecting incident light generated by an external source, and a plurality of shield layers covering the photo sensor and for blocking (or preventing) light emitted from the OLED from being detected by the photo sensor. |
| US07986091B2 |
Organic light emitting diode having a resonant optical cavity and an extractor serving as a spatial light filter
According to the invention, the extractor is a reflection concentrator. The entry section of the extractor has a larger area than its exit section. The reflecting side walls of the extractor have a suitable shape so that it makes an angle called the cut-off angle θlim, which corresponds to a limiting wavelength λC-lim for transmission from this extractor for a given optical cavity. Applied to diode-based image displays, the invention broadens the viewing angles and improves the colour purity of the images displayed. |
| US07986090B2 |
Light-emitting component
The invention relates to a light-emitting component, in particular organic light-emitting diode, having an electrode and a counterelectrode and an organic region—arranged between the electrode and the counterelectrode—with a light-emitting organic region, which comprises an emission layer and a further emission layer and which, upon application of an electrical voltage to the electrode and the counterelectrode, is formed in a manner emitting light in a plurality of colour ranges in the visible spectral range, optionally through to white light, in which case the emission layer comprises a fluorescent emitter which emits light predominantly in the blue or in the blue-green spectral range; the further emission layer comprises one or a plurality of phosphorescent emitters emitting light predominantly in the non-blue spectral range; a triplet energy for an energy level of a triplet state of the fluorescent emitter in the emission layer is greater than a triplet energy for an energy level of a triplet state of the phosphorescent emitter in the further emission layer; and an at least 5% proportion of the light generated in the light-emitting organic region is formed in the visible spectral range as fluorescent light from singlet states of the fluorescent emitter in the emission layer. |
| US07986089B2 |
Light emitting device and electronic apparatus
A light emitting device includes a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements that is formed on the substrate, and a partition wall layer that is formed on the substrate so as to form a plurality of opening parts in the plan view. Each of the plurality of light emitting elements includes a pixel electrode, an opposing electrode, and a light emitting function layer interposed between the pixel electrode and the opposing electrode. One of the light emitting function layers is formed to be assigned to each of the plurality of opening parts, and a plurality of the pixel electrodes is formed to be fitted into each of the plurality of opening parts. One pixel of the light emitting device includes the light emitting element that includes at least one of the pixel electrodes fitted into one of the plurality of opening parts, and at least one of the pixel electrodes that is fitted into the one of the plurality of opening parts that is adjacent to each other. |
| US07986085B2 |
Light emitting apparatus and electronic equipment provided with the light emitting apparatus
A light emitting apparatus including a plurality of light emitting devices for different colors and having a simple structure with small variations in luminous brightness of each of the light emitting devices for the different colors is provided, and electronic equipment provided with such a light emitting apparatus is also provided. The light emitting apparatus is configured into a display apparatus 10 which comprises: a TFT circuit board (counter substrate) 20; red light emitting devices 1R provided on the TFT circuit board 20 and emitting a light of a red luminescent color (R); green light emitting devices 1G provided on the TFT circuit board 20 and emitting a light of a green luminescent color (G); and blue light emitting devices 1B provided on the TFT circuit board 20 and emitting a light of a blue luminescent color (B); and wherein roughness is formed on an interface between a hole transport layer 4 and a red light emitting layer 5R in each of the red light emitting devices 1R, while no roughness is formed on an interfaces between a hole transport layer and a light emitting layer in each of the green light emitting devices 1G and the blue light emitting devices 1B. With these structures, it is possible to make the luminous brightness in each of the light emitting devices 1R, 1G and 1B for the respective colors substantially equal to each other when substantially the same voltage is applied thereto. |
| US07986082B2 |
Fluorescent lamp with glass tube and protective layer, method for producing the same, and lighting system
A fluorescent lamp according to the present invention includes: a glass tube 1 in which mercury and a rare gas are enclosed; a protective film 3 that is attached so as to cover an inner face of the glass tube 1; and a phosphor layer 4 that is laminated on the protective film 3. The protective film 3 has a thickness of 0.5 μm to 3 μm. Further, the protective film 3 is formed of inorganic particles and has a volume ratio of 0.1 to 0.5. Preferably, the inorganic particles are of at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, cerium oxide, yttrium oxide, and calcium halophosphate. |
| US07986079B2 |
Light emitting diode lamp
A light emitting diode lamp includes a light emitting diode and a circuit board having a circuit layer and a heat conductive layer. The circuit layer includes at least one mounting area having a first electrode, a second electrode and a heat conductive section spaced from each other. A heat conductive pole is provided corresponding to the heat conductive section. Two opposite ends of the heat conductive pole are thermally attached to the light emitting diode and the heat conductive layer of the circuit board, respectively. A spacing between the heat conductive section and each of the first electrode and the second electrode ranges from 0.7 millimeter to 1.45 millimeters. |
| US07986075B2 |
Film bulk acoustic wave resonator, its fabrication method and film bulk acoustic wave resonator filter using the resonator
The film bulk acoustic wave resonator includes a laminate structure composed of a piezoelectric layer, and first and second electrode layers interposing at least part of the piezoelectric layer, in which the first metal electrode is dispersively formed on an electrode plane facing the second metal electrode, and a gap is formed in a substrate correspondingly to the laminate-structured resonance part. Except for an area of a wire electrode electrically connected to the first electrode layer and an area of a wire electrode electrically connected to the second electrode layer, the piezoelectric layer, first electrode layer and second electrode layer do not come in contact with the insulating substrate but are supported on a hollow. Also, a prop is formed in the gap to support the laminate structure. |
| US07986073B2 |
Micro-electro mechanical system using snapping tabs, comb and parallel plate actuation
The present invention combines electrostatic comb with parallel plate actuation in a novel design to create a robust low voltage MEMS Micromirror. Other unique advantages of the invention include the ability to close the comb fingers for additional reliability and protection during mirror snapping with over voltage. |
| US07986072B2 |
Stator core of electric rotating machine and method of manufacturing the core
A stator core of an electric rotating machine has steel sheets formed of a steel plate wound in the cylindrical shape. Each sheet has teeth disposed along the circumferential direction of the core on the inner side of the sheet, divided end portions disposed along the circumferential direction on the outer side of the sheet, slits alternately disposed with the divided end portions along the circumferential direction, and a boundary portion disposed between the group of teeth and the group of divided end portions. The teeth and the divided end portions substantially have the same constant thickness. The boundary portion has a changing thickness decreased toward the outer side. |
| US07986069B2 |
Brushless electric machine
A first member (40a) has a magnet assembly (20) that includes a plurality of permanent magnets (10) held with their homopoles contacting one another. A second member (50a) includes magnet coils (30), and is designed to be changeable in position relative to the first member. The magnet assembly (20) generates the strongest magnetic field in a magnetic field direction lying in the homopolar contact plane at which the homopoles contact one another, the magnetic field direction being oriented outward from the magnet assembly (20) along the magnetic field direction. |
| US07986063B2 |
Cylindrical coil and cylindrical micromotor using the same
A high-precision cylindrical coil having a high-precision fine coil pattern and a high mechanical precision such as fine roundness and no axial runout, and a cylindrical micrometer using the cylindrical coil are provided.In a cylindrical coil, a plurality of layers of coil patterns formed by filling the coil pattern grooves formed on a cylindrical substrate with a conductor and a plurality of insulating layers coating the cylindrical substrate are formed, the layers of coil patterns are electrically interconnected to each other by filling a through-hole formed by performing a hole forming process with a conductor, and the outmost layer is made of an insulating material. |
| US07986062B2 |
Electrical energy converter
An electrical energy converter (100) arranged to be connected to at least one source of electrical energy (114, 116) and to condition the energy generated by that source to be suitable for feeding to a network (110) to which the converter (100) may be connected, the converter (100) comprising an input conversion stage (104) having at least three input terminals (P1-6) and a controller, the controller (112) being arranged to configure each of the terminals (p1-6) to accept any one of the following input types: 1. a phase of a polyphase supply; 2. one side of a single phase supply; 3. one side of a DC supply; and 4. no-input. |