| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08091143B2 |
Atomic force microscopy probe
A probe for atomic force microscopy (SM) comprising a micromechanical resonator (RMM) and a tip for atomic force microscopy (P1) projecting from said resonator, the probe being characterized in that: it also includes means (EL1) for selectively exciting a volume mode of oscillation of said resonator (RMM); and in that said tip for atomic force microscopy (P1, P1′) projects from said resonator substantially in correspondence with an antinode point (PV1) of said volume mode of oscillation. An atomic force microscope including such a probe (SM′). A method of atomic force microscopy including the use of such a probe. |
| US08091141B2 |
Parental controls for entertainment content
Parental controls for entertainment digital media are provided that allow a parent to restrict multiple user's access to entertainment content. One or more updatable rating definition files with dynamic data are used to define rating levels and content descriptors for a regional rating system. Entertainment content definition files define the rating level and content descriptors for entertainment content. User permission settings define a particular user's access rating level and content descriptors. The rating definition file can be used to compare the entertainment content definition file and user permission settings in determining if a user is allowed access to particular entertainment content. |
| US08091139B2 |
System and method for masking arbitrary Boolean functions
A method is disclosed for protecting secret data, which is intended to be processed by an original function, from being deduced by a side-channel attack upon execution of the original function by an electronic computing device. The method includes creating hardware circuitry which replaces the original function with one or more pairs of replacement functions, by applying a predetermined masking algorithm which performs a recursive protection process. Further disclosed is an apparatus for protecting secret data, which is intended to be processed by an original function, from being deduced by a side-channel attack upon execution of the original function by an electronic computing device. |
| US08091138B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling the presentation of confidential content
A computer implemented method and apparatus for controlling the presentation of information. In response to receiving a request to present the information, a process confirms that conditions for presentation of the information are satisfied using a set of presentation policies, wherein the conditions are specified in the set of presentation policies, and wherein the conditions comprise a status of a user and a setting of the user. The process then determines whether confidential content is present in the information. Responsive to the confidential content being present, the process redacts the confidential content before presenting the information to a user, and then updates a presentation history with metadata describing the presentation of the information comprising the confidential content. |
| US08091134B2 |
System and method for autonomic peer-to-peer virus inoculation
A system, method, and program product is provided that communicates virus information between a computer that detects a virus in a file (the detecting computer system) and the computer that sent the infected file (the infected computer system). When the infected computer system sends an infected file to the detecting computer system the detecting computer system detects the virus in the infected file, retrieves virus information corresponding to the virus (such as the name of the infected file, the identifier, or name, of the virus, the virus definitions used to identify the virus, and any instructions needed to eradicate the virus), and automatically sends the virus information back to the infected computer system over the network. |
| US08091131B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating intrusion-related information between internet service providers
Disclosed is a system and method for the sharing of intrusion-related information. The sharing of intrusion-related information occurs via a peering relationship between a first Internet Service Provider (ISP) and a second ISP. A first node associated with a first ISP transmits intrusion-related information to a second node associated with a second ISP. The first node identifies intrusion-related information meeting a first criteria. The first node then transmits the intrusion-related information to the second node. The intrusion-related information includes one or more of a list of attackers that previously probed the first node, the protocol used, the time of the probes, and the individual alarms raised. |
| US08091120B2 |
Adaptive authentication methods, systems, devices, and computer program products
A method of providing data communications between first and second computing devices over a data network may include receiving a request for data communication at the first computing device from the second computing device over the data network. After receiving the request for data communication, a request for a credential according to an authentication standard may be transmitted from the first computing device to the second computing device, and the request for the credential may identify the authentication standard. After transmitting the request for the credential according to the authentication standard, a credential according to the authentication standard may be received, and the credential maybe verified. Responsive to receiving the request for data communication and responsive to verifying the authentication credential, the requested data communication may be allowed. |
| US08091115B2 |
Device-side inline pattern matching and policy enforcement
Inline pattern matching and policy enforcement may be implemented by a memory storage device. In an example embodiment, a device-implemented method includes acts of receiving, intercepting, and performing and conditional acts of invoking or permitting. A request from a host to perform a memory access operation is received at a memory storage device. Data flowing between an I/O channel and physical storage of the memory storage device is intercepted. A pattern matching procedure is performed on the data with reference to multiple target patterns in real-time while the data is being intercepted. If a pattern match is detected between the data and a target pattern, a policy enforcement mechanism is invoked. If a pattern match is not detected between the data and the multiple target patterns, the request from the host to perform the memory access operation is permitted. |
| US08091112B1 |
System and a method for transmitting and receiving a program with improved efficiency
A method of transmitting programs from a source of programs to a user location divides a program into a plurality of program streams, wherein each program stream represents a temporal segment of the program. The method adds identification data to the plurality of program streams and multiplexes the plurality of program streams comprising the identification data into a transport stream. The transport stream is transmitted to a user location. The program represented by the plurality of program streams is transmitted in a reduced amount of time. The amount of time decreases with the number of program streams used. |
| US08091109B2 |
Set-top box-based TV streaming and redirecting
A method for redirecting video content includes receiving a video signal at the set-top box and decoding the video signal to produce unrendered video data. The unrendered video data is encoded and provided to the remote device via a wide area network. By encoding unrendered, rather than rendered, video data for transmission to the remote device, the need for an encoding device external to the set-top box is obviated. |
| US08091106B1 |
Method and apparatus for using DVD subpicture information in a television receiver
A method and apparatus for using DVD subpicture formatted information within a MPEG data stream to provide data channel information to a television receiver. More particularly, the television receiver comprises a MPEG decoder and a DVD subpicture processor. The MPEG decoder decodes the MPEG stream and extracts the DVD subpicture formatted signal and the DVD subpicture decoder processes one or more DVD subpicture bitstreams to produce DVD graphics. The DVD subpicture bitstream is used to carry and display data channel information such as stock quotes, electronic program guide information, advertisement information, and the like as well as provide interactive menuing functions. |
| US08091105B2 |
Method and apparatus for reproducing contents based on electronic program guide
Provided are a method of and an apparatus for reproducing contents based on an Electronic Program Guide (EPG), the method including receiving a plurality of EPGs which are provided by a plurality of content providers, receiving a first EPG generated by a third party using the plurality of EPGs, generating a second EPG using at least one of a list of contents stored in an external storage device, a list of contents retrieved through the Internet, the plurality of EPGs, and the first EPG, and generating the contents based on the second EPG. |
| US08091104B2 |
Method and apparatus for storing broadcast program
A method and apparatus for storing a broadcast program are provided. The apparatus includes: a signal processing unit which generates an audio/video (A/V) file, an application file, and a first electronic program guide (EPG) file by appropriately processing a plurality of A/V signals, application information, and EPG information, respectively, which are included in an input broadcast program transport stream; a synchronization unit which receives the A/V file, the application file, and the first EPG file from the signal processing unit, generates storage information for the A/V file and storage information for the application file, and converts the first EPG file into a second EPG file comprising the storage information for the A/V file and the storage information for the application file; and a storage unit which stores the A/V file, the application file, and the second EPG file. |
| US08091103B2 |
Server providing content directories of video signals and linkage to content information sources
An overlay server for illustrative video streaming constitutes a central part of a distributed system for linking content of video recordings to relevant information sources. The overlay server maintains a global object directory including information pertinent to a set of objects and network addresses of external servers providing information relevant to the set of objects. The overlay server further maintains a video-content directory having several overlay directories. Each overlay directory identifies content of a respective video recording from among a set of video recordings and includes a network address of a video-streaming server providing the video recording. The overlay server stores an authoring tool for constructing the overlay directories and an augmented display tool for associating content of a video recording with respective information. |
| US08091098B2 |
Slot-in disk drive
A disk drive includes an insert-and-eject device and a disk guide unit. The insert-and-eject device is used for inserting and ejecting a disk. The disk guide unit includes a rack and a slide member connected to the insert-and-eject device in such a manner that reciprocal movement of the disk guide unit along a first direction permits the slide member to drive the insert-and-eject device to insert and eject the optical disk from the disk drive. An emergency release device is mounted on the slide member, and includes a horizontal element movable along a second direction. The rack is formed with a retention groove such that the movement of the horizontal element along the second direction permits a the horizontal element to extend within or exit the retention groove so as to couple the slide member with the rack or to disengage the slide member from the rack. |
| US08091096B1 |
Minimizing plug-in DLL repeat instantiation
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for ensuring that plug-in DLLs are not unloaded and reloaded repeatedly during the course of a single user-initiated operation. A base driver process loads a plug-in DLL. If a manager thread responsible for this plug-in does not exist then a reference count for the plug-in DLL is incremented. Incrementing the system reference count ensures that the plug-in DLL remains loaded between base driver calls for all of the user-initiated operation by preventing the operating system from unloading the plug-in DLL. A manager thread is then created. The manager thread monitors active COM objects and checks if the base driver is still in memory. If no COM objects are found to be in use after a predetermined amount of time or if the base driver is no longer loaded in memory, the system reference count is decremented. The manager thread then exits. |
| US08091089B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for dynamically allocating and adjusting meta-data repository resources for handling concurrent I/O requests to a meta-data repository
An apparatus, system, and signal bearing medium are disclosed for dynamically allocating meta-data repository resources. In one embodiment, the present invention includes tracking resources allocated to a meta-data repository, evaluating repository usage of the resources allocated to a meta-data repository to ascertain whether a resource adjustment is desirable, determining the desirable adjustments to the resources allocated to a meta-data repository, and adjusting the allocated resources in accordance with the determined amount. In one embodiment dynamically allocating meta-data repository resources, strings and buffers from volatile memory, will efficiently use necessary resources thereby not misusing essential system memory. By dynamically allocating meta-data repository resources, system and work performance are enhanced increasing productivity. |
| US08091084B1 |
Portable virtual machine
A system, method and computer program for launching an application into a host OS, include storing a snapshot/image of a Virtual Execution Environment (VEE) on a portable device, wherein the VEE snapshot is packed into a self-extracting file; launching the VEE from the portable device on a computer connected to the portable device; and starting a user application within the VEE. The VEE snapshot can be restricted in one of its total usage time or absolute time. The VEE can be, e.g., a Virtual Private Server or a Virtual Machine. The user application is a non-native application for a host OS of the computer. The VEE is launched from an icon on the portable device. The portable device can be, e.g., an iPod, a flash memory card, a digital player, a mobile phone device, a portable gaming device, rewritable CD/DVD/HD DVD/Blu Ray disk and write-once CD/DVD/HD DVD/Blue Ray disk. Alternatively, some of the data (such as user-specific data) can be stored on the portable device, while other data (such as OS executables, DLLs, etc.) can be downloaded from a network. |
| US08091081B2 |
Method, system, and product for upgrading software objects using inherency
Techniques for identifying “relevant” objects for upgrading a repository of objects in a computer system. The relevant objects to be used for upgrading may include any combination of (1) “corresponding” objects in a prior and a new standard repository, (2) “ancestor” objects in the prior and new standard repositories, and (3) ancestor objects in a prior custom repository. A corresponding object typically has the same name as, and an ancestor object is referenced by, the object to be upgraded. In one scheme, objects in the prior custom repository are upgraded based on (1) their corresponding objects, if these exist, and (2) their ancestors in the prior and new standard repositories, otherwise. In another scheme, the objects are additionally upgraded based on their ancestors in the new standard repository. In yet another scheme, the objects are further upgraded based on their ancestors in the prior custom repository. |
| US08091079B2 |
Implementing shadow versioning to improve data dependence analysis for instruction scheduling
A method for implementing shadow versioning to improve data dependence analysis for instruction scheduling in compiling code, and to identify loops within the code to be compiled, for each loop initializing a dependence a matrix, for each loop shadow identifying symbols that are accessed by the loop, examining dependencies, storing, comparing and classifying the dependence vectors, generating new shadow symbols, replacing the old shadow symbols with the new shadow symbols, generating alias relationships between the newly created shadow symbols, scheduling instructions and compiling the code. |
| US08091076B2 |
Dynamic native binding
A native binding technique is provided for insetting calls to native functions during translation of subject code to target code, such that function calls in the subject program to subject code functions are replaced in target code with calls to native equivalents of the same functions. Parameters of native function calls are transformed from target code representations to be consistent with native code representations, native code calling conventions, and native function prototypes. |
| US08091071B2 |
Method and system for template-based code generation
A method and a system for template-based code generation. The method easily renders executable code using reusable customizable templates. The method further checks the templates for syntax errors prior to use. The system provides a memory and a processor for implementing template-based code generation. |
| US08091066B2 |
Automated multi-platform build and test environment for software application development
A system, method and program product for implementing an automated multi-platform build and run operation for a software application. A system is provided that comprises: a control process loadable on a host platform, wherein the control process causes the software application to be built and run on both the host platform and a set of remote platforms; and a results manager that captures build and run results from the host platform and the set of remote platforms, and stores the build and run results in a centralized database. |
| US08091064B2 |
Supporting system, design supporting method, and computer-readable recording medium recorded with design supporting program
An optimum target system is designed by implementing software modules and hardware modules, without discriminating between the software modules and the hardware modules. An external storage stores the software modules including namespace identifiers for identifying the software modules, and the hardware modules including namespace identifiers for identifying the hardware modules. A module selector specifies a process of a target system to be built, and selects the software modules and the hardware modules that execute the specified process. A namespace manager acquires the namespace identifiers for identifying the software modules, and the namespace identifiers for identifying the hardware modules. A module mapping processor implements either one of the software modules and the hardware modules in the target system, based on the namespace identifiers. |
| US08091059B2 |
Method for diffusion based cell placement migration
A method for cell placement in an integrated circuit design that uses a calculated diffusion velocity determined from a density value in order to relocate the cells until the cell placement reduces the density below a predetermined threshold. The method acts to control the movement of different cells to reduce the density of the cells prior to legalization of the cell placement. |
| US08091055B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing violations and error classifications during physical verification
Some embodiments provide a system for managing violations during physical verification. The system may identify a design-rule-check (DRC) violation by applying a set of DRC rules to a layout. The system can then receive an error classification from the user which specifies how the DRC violation is to be handled. Next, the system can store the DRC violation, the user-selected error classification, and a user identifier associated with the user in a database. If the user is not authorized to approve the error classification, the database can indicate that the error classification has not been approved. Later, a user who is authorized to approve the error classification can approve the error classification. The system can determine if a cell is known, and if so, the system can use the violations and error classifications stored in the database to speed up the verification process. |
| US08091051B2 |
Behavioral synthesis apparatus, method, and program having test bench generation function
Disclosed is a behavioral synthesis apparatus for generating a test bench where the same test vector can be used in both the behavioral simulation and the RTL simulation. The apparatus includes input application/output signal observation timing signal generation means that generates an input application timing signal, an output observation timing signal, and logic circuits for the input application timing signal and the output observation timing signal; and test bench generation means that generates a test bench that observes the signals, applies inputs, and observes outputs. |
| US08091047B1 |
System and method for implementing image-based design rules
Systems and methods for creating and implementing two-dimensional (2D), image-based design rules (IBDRs) are disclosed. Techniques for creating 2D IBDR can include identifying a search pattern that is representative of a 2D pattern of interest of a design, creating a pattern representation based on the search pattern, defining an anchor point for the pattern representation, and assigning weights to elements of the pattern representation. The 2D MDR can be used in systems and method for searching a design by comparing the 2D IBDR to the design. A number of 2D IBDRs can be merged into a subset of similar 2D IBDRs by characterizing desired rule geometries, sorting the 2D IBDRs into groups according to the desired rule geometries, merging the groups of 2D IBDRs into a single representative search pattern. Additionally, standard design rules can be created from the disclosed 2D IBDRs. The standard design rule can be created from a 2D pattern of interest by defining an origin of a shape within the 2D pattern of interest, identifying features within the 2D pattern of interest, deriving parameters relative to the origin for each of the identified features, and writing the standard design rule script using the derived parameters. |
| US08091036B1 |
GUI builder tool for designing cross platform layout
A GUI builder tool in which input of a layout of one or more components in a container component is received and a new cross platform layout of the one or more components in the container component is generated. The cross platform layout includes at least one automatically sized autopad and/or container autopad that defines spacing to properly position the one or more components within the container component. The size of the autopad and/or container autopad is determined upon execution of the cross platform layout on a software platform using a visual guideline for that software platform. In some embodiments, some or all of the components are automatically positioned in the cross platform layout such that a contents of each of the components, such as text, is laid out within the container component along the same baseline. |
| US08091035B2 |
System and method for sharing data
A method and computer program product for establishing a trust relationship between a first user of a collaboration platform and at least a second user of the collaboration platform. Information concerning calendar-related events for the at least a second user is automatically forwarded to the first user. |
| US08091034B2 |
Tiered web conference
In a tiered web conference method and system, a presenter is able to add material of the presenter's presentation to the material of another presenter's presentation in real-time and is able to broadcast both presentations to a targeted audience. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a secondary presentation that adds material to an original presentation, wherein the original presentation is provided by a first user, and the secondary presentation is provided by a second user; and displaying the original presentation and the secondary presentation simultaneously to a target group of viewers. |
| US08091033B2 |
System for displaying search results along a timeline
In one embodiment, an apparatus may receive search results from a database. The search results may be from a search request that requests database entries associated with a project. The apparatus may display a timeline, where the timeline includes display regions that correspond to time periods. The apparatus may display a visual indicator in one of the display regions that corresponds to a given time period. The visual indicator may correspond to a result item included in the search results. The result item may be associated with a date, and the date is in the given time period. The apparatus may retrieve information from the database, where the information is limited to data stored in the database as of the date. The apparatus may display the information in addition to the timeline on a display. The information may include data other than the result item. |
| US08091031B2 |
System and method for computer-created advertisements
The invention relates to a computerized method for a user to create an advertisement by displaying a plurality of advertising formats for selection by a user; displaying a template corresponding to a selected advertising format; displaying a plurality of product references for selection by the user; displaying on the template a selected product reference to create a proposed advertisement; and creating a preview of the proposed advertisement, all of which may be implemented using the Internet. The invention further relates to a computerized system for creating an advertisement that comprises a template database for storing advertising formats; a product database for storing product references; and a computer to access the databases. Preferably, the user has a network interface such as Internet access that permits access via a remote location, software to permit a user to specify specifications such as quantity, printing information, ship date, paper type, pricing information, and payment information, and may be configured to receive images and text for new products. |
| US08091030B1 |
Method and apparatus of graphical object selection in a web browser
Various approaches for selection of graphical objects in a web browser-based application are described. In one approach, a selection overlay is stored in a web document. The selection overlay encompasses a plurality of user-selectable graphical objects in the web document occupies a highest position in layers of graphical objects in the web document and includes a plurality of selection regions. Each selection region is respectively associated with one of the plurality of graphical objects and defines a region of selectability for the associated graphical object. In response to the web browser-based application detecting entry of a user-directed pointer into one of the selection regions in the selection overlay, the graphical object associated with the one selection region is selected for user manipulation and displayed. |
| US08091029B1 |
Presenter-only meeting canvas for collaborative electronic meeting space
A collaborative electronic meeting environment is described that provides an additional presentation canvas to the active meeting canvas that is only accessible by meeting presenters. Using this presentation canvas, additional meeting objects may be established by the presenters or even created and staged by a presenter to be dragged onto the meeting canvas for use during the active meeting. The meeting participants who are not presenters may not view or interact with this presentation canvas or any of the objects located thereon. |
| US08091012B2 |
System and method for decreasing decoder complexity
A device including a minimal trellis decoder is disclosed. The device can receive an encoded codeword, which the minimal trellis decoder efficiently decodes. In a specific implementation, the device can include a Bluetooth receiver that, in operation, receives an encoded codeword from a Bluetooth transmitter, which is decoded by the minimal trellis decoder. |
| US08091010B2 |
Error correction circuit and method for reducing miscorrection probability and semiconductor memory device including the circuit
An error correction circuit and method for reducing a miscorrection probability and a semiconductor memory device including the circuit are provided. The error correction circuit includes an error check and correction (ECC) encoder and an ECC decoder. The ECC encoder generates syndrome data enabling h-bit error correction based on information data and a generator polynomial, where “h” is 2 or an integer greater than 2. The ECC decoder may operate in a single mode for detecting an error position with respect to a maximum of (h−j) bits in the information data based on encoded data including the information and the syndrome data, where “j” is 1 or an integer greater than 1. Alternatively, the ECC decoder may operate in a first operation mode for detecting an error position with respect to a maximum of “h” bits in the information data or in a second operation mode for detecting an error position with respect to a maximum of (h−j) bits in the information data based on encoded data including the information and the syndrome data. Accordingly, the miscorrection probability is reduced, and therefore, data reliability is increased. |
| US08091009B2 |
Symbol by symbol map detection for signals corrupted by colored and/or signal dependent noise
Symbol by symbol MAP detection for signals corrupted by colored and/or signal dependent noise. A novel means is presented for recursive calculation of forward metrics (α), backward metrics (β), and corresponding soft information (e.g., which can be provided as LLRs (log likelihood ratios)) within communication systems in which a trellis can be employed to perform demodulation of a received signal sequence. For signals that have been corrupted by colored and/or signal dependent noise, this means provides for the ability to perform novel soft information calculation for subsequent use in iterative decoding processing. Many types of communication channels can benefit from this novel means of detection including communication channels within hard disk drives (HDDs). |
| US08091007B2 |
Detection of duplicate packets
A packet is received from a network. The packet includes a field. The content of the field is compared to each element of a list. If the content of the field fails to match any element in the list, the packet is accepted and the content of the field is added to the list as an additional element of the list. |
| US08091005B2 |
Wireless broadcast protocol
In a keyboard-video-mouse (“KVM”) system in which a target computer may be wirelessly accessed by a plurality of remote stations, a method includes, by the target computer: obtaining a frame of video data; transmitting packets for the frame; transmitting a query packet; obtaining a list of requests from at least one of the remote stations, each request from a particular remote station identifying packets missed by that particular remote station; and resending at least some of the requested packets. |
| US08091002B2 |
Multiple-capture DFT system to reduce peak capture power during self-test or scan test
A method for providing ordered capture clocks to detect or locate faults within N clock domains and faults crossing any two clock domains in an integrated circuit or circuit assembly in scan-test or self-test mode, where N>1, each clock domain having one capture clock and a plurality of scan cells, each capture clock comprising a plurality of capture clock pulses; said method comprising: (a) generating and shifting-in N test stimuli to all said scan cells within said N clock domains in said integrated circuit or circuit assembly during a shift-in operation; (b) applying an ordered sequence of capture clocks to all said scan cells within said N clock domains, the ordered sequence of capture clocks comprising at least a plurality of capture clock pulses from two or more selected capture clocks placed in a sequential order such that all clock domains are never triggered simultaneously during a capture operation; and (c) analyzing output responses of all said scan cells to locate any faults therein. |
| US08091000B2 |
Disabling portions of memory with defects
An apparatus and methods are disclosed herein for identifying and avoiding attempts to access a defective portion of memory. Errors associated with portions of memory, such as a cache memory, are tracked over time enabling detection of both hard and erratic errors. Based on the number of errors tracked over time for a portion of memory, it is determined if the portion of memory is defective. In response to determining portion of memory is defective, the portion of memory is disabled. The portion of memory may be flushed and moved before being disable. Additionally, disabling the portion of memory may be conditioned upon determining if it is allowable to disable the portion of memory. |
| US08090998B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing disc defects using updateable DMA, and disc thereof
A disc defect management method and apparatus using a defect management area that can be updated, and a write once disc incorporating the method. A data area is disposed between a lead-in area and a lead-out area. The disc includes a defect management area (DMA) that is present in at least one of the lead-in area or the lead-out area, wherein defect information and defect management information are repeatedly recorded in the DMA according to a recording operation. Accordingly, the disc defect management method and apparatus enable effective use of the defect management area. The method is also applicable to a multi layer disc having a user data area on each layer. The defect information and the defect management information for an individual defect may include cumulative defect information and defect management information related to previously identified defects. |
| US08090991B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method, and computer program product for self-diagnosis for utilizing multiple diagnostic devices, each having exclusive access to a resource
A logical central processing unit (logical CPU) selects a target device. When the target device is shared by another logical CPU, the logical CPU determines whether the logical CPU is in charge of exclusively making diagnosis of the target device. When the target device is not shared by another logical central processing unit or when the logical CPU is exclusively in charge of making diagnosis of the target device, the logical CPU makes diagnosis of the target device and stores a result of diagnosis in a storage unit. |
| US08090986B2 |
System module and data relay method
A system module includes a plurality of processors, and a system controller that is connected to the processors via a first transmission line and relays a packet from each of the processors to another system module via a second transmission line in a multiprocessor system. The system controller includes a data transmission controller that, when part of packets constituting a series of data is not received normally from a processor due to a fault in the processor or the first transmission line, generates a supplement packet for a packet that has not been received normally and outputs the supplement packet to the second transmission line. |
| US08090983B2 |
Method and device for performing switchover operations in a computer system having at least two execution units
A method and device for performing switchover operations in a computer system having at least two execution units are provided, in which switchover units are included which are configured in such a way that they switch over between at least two operating modes, a first operating mode corresponding to a compare mode, and a second operating mode corresponding to a performance mode. An interrupt controller is provided and, furthermore, at least three memory areas are provided, and the access to the memory areas is implemented in such a way that one first memory area is assigned to at least one first execution unit, and one second memory area is assigned to the at least one second execution unit, and at least one third memory area is assignable to the at least two execution units. |
| US08090976B2 |
Error correction for digital systems
An interface system is provided between a source component (210) and a destination component (220) having multiple parallel lines for transmitting data or parity bits (231-234, 251-253) and one or more spare lines (241-243). An error detection means (222) identifies one or more faulty lines. A mapping means (228) re-routes data or parity from a faulty line to a spare line. A communication link (208) is provided for communicating the re-routing between the source component (210) and the destination component (220). The error detection and mapping can be repeated to detect and re-route sequential multiple-bit line errors using additional spare lines (241-243). |
| US08090964B2 |
Multi-function perpiheral device
A multi-function peripheral device includes: a plurality of interfaces that communicate data with an external devices; a power source for supplying the interfaces with power required for the respective interfaces to operate; a monitoring unit that monitors operational statuses of the respective interfaces; a display unit that displays a parameter indicating the operational status of each of the interfaces monitored by the monitoring unit; an input unit that is capable of inputting a command indicating whether or not power is to be supplied from the power source to each of the interfaces; and a power control unit that controls to supply power to an interface for which a command indicating that power is to be supplied is inputted by the input unit, and controls to shut off power to an interface for which a command indicating that power is not to be supplied is inputted by the input unit. |
| US08090960B2 |
Information managing method, information managing system, server apparatus, and recording medium
At a seller, an encryption device encrypts content data stored in a content server using an encryption key generated by an encryption key generation device, and records the encrypted content data and a communication program on a recording medium. A paper indicating an identification code unique to each recording medium is attached to the recording medium. A decryption key corresponding to the encryption key and the identification code are registered in a managing database. A user terminal sends the identification code to a decryption key managing server apparatus via Internet in accordance with the communication program, in a case where the user terminal is to copy or install or reproduce the content data stored on the recording medium. The decryption key managing server apparatus sends a decryption key corresponding to this identification code to the user terminal. The user terminal decrypts the content data using the decryption key sent thereto. |
| US08090958B2 |
Semiconductor memory and method of testing semiconductor memory
A memory-specific tester has a buffer storing input pattern data and output expectation data. An address included in the input pattern data read from the buffer is sent to a semiconductor memory, and is then subjected to descrambling at a security circuit. The descrambled address is converted at an address conversion circuit to an address designating a region for storing a check pattern in a memory core. Data given from the memory core (check pattern) is subjected to scrambling at the security circuit, and is then sent to the memory-specific tester. The memory-specific tester makes comparison between expectation data and the data read from the semiconductor memory. |
| US08090957B2 |
Information security device, information security method, computer program, computer-readable recording medium, and integrated circuit
The present invention aims to provide an information security apparatus that counters a simple power analysis attack (SPA) on an information security apparatus such as an RSA cryptosystem. The information security apparatus uses a multiplication with 1 in a Montgomery domain. 1 in the Montgomery domain is determined depending on a modulus and an integer k, which is greater than a number of bits of a modulus p. Therefore, it is hard for attackers who do not know p or k to analyze. Also, even if an analyzer can predict the Hamming weight, it is possible to further improve the safety against the SPA by modifying k or the modulus at random. |
| US08090956B2 |
Program converting device, secure processing device, computer program, and recording medium
To provide a program conversion device capable of executing a program that includes a secret operation using secret information without exposure of the secret information in a memory. In an execution program generation device, with respect to an original program that includes the secret operation, a combining function generation unit generates combining function processing for applying a bitwise self-dual function to an input value, a split secret information generation unit generates pieces of split secret information by performing an inverse operation of the self-dual function, a program conversion unit generates pieces of split secret operation processing each for performing the operation between each bit value of the operand information and a corresponding bit value of a different piece of the split secret information, and replaces the secret operation processing with the pieces of the split secret operation processing and the combining function processing. |
| US08090955B2 |
Boot block features in synchronous serial interface NAND
Embodiments are provided for protecting boot block space in a NAND memory device connected to a host device via an SPI interface. One such method includes programming a boot block password into the NAND memory device such that the host device is required to provide the boot block password in order to access the boot block space. A counter may be provided to track the number of times the host device provides an incorrect password, permanently locking the boot block space if the counter reaches a predetermined value. A further method includes associating each of various areas of the boot block space with at least one write lock bit, setting the write lock bit to a lock enable or lock disable value, and locking or unlocking an area of the boot block space depending on the value of its associated write lock bit. Areas of the boot block space may include a single boot block page, a single boot block, or a plurality of boot blocks. |
| US08090954B2 |
Prevention of unauthorized forwarding and authentication of signatures
A forwarding signature comprises a modified digital signature, modified using a predetermined parameter between a sender and an intended recipient. An intended recipient of the forwarding signature can verify that the forwarding signature corresponds to the message, but, can neither derive the original digital signature nor generate a new forwarding signature for a different parameter. Generation and verification of the forwarding signature is accomplished with access to the public key of a public/private cryptographic key pair, the original signed message, and the predetermined parameter. Access to the private key is not needed. |
| US08090951B2 |
Systems and methods for transparent configuration authentication of networked devices
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing secure transmissions across a network comprising a transmitting device and a receiving device. At the transmitting device, a stream of watermark bits is generated. Next, a plurality of watermarks is generated, each of the plurality of watermarks comprising an index number and a portion of the stream of watermark bits. The watermarks are inserted into each header of a plurality of outgoing packets. At the receiving device, the plurality of outgoing packets are received and it is determined if a received packet is valid based on the watermark in the header of the received packet. The stream of watermark bits may be generated using a stream cipher such as RC4, a block cipher such as 3DES in CBC mode, or other equivalent pseudo-random stream generating techniques. |
| US08090949B2 |
Certificate assignment strategies for efficient operation of the PKI-based security architecture in a vehicular network
A system and method for assigning certificates and reducing the size of the certificate revocation lists in a PKI based architecture for a vehicle wireless communications system that includes separating a country, or other area, into geographic regions and assigning region-specific certificates to the vehicles. Therefore, a vehicle need only process certificates and certificate revocation lists for the particular region that it is traveling in. Vehicles can be assigned multiple certificates corresponding to more than one region in the vehicles vicinity as advance preparation for possible travel or transmission into nearby regions. Further, the expiration time of certificates assigned to vehicles corresponding to a given geographic region can be tailored to be inversely proportional to the distance from a registered home region of the vehicle. A scalable design for a back-end certifying authority with region-based certificates can also be provided. |
| US08090948B2 |
Image formation system having authentication function
Image data is transmitted from a client PC to an image formation apparatus. Upon printing, an external server conducts an authentication process. A certificate indicating that the user has been authenticated is held, with its validity period provided in the image formation apparatus. Within the validity period, the time-consuming authentication process with respect to the external server is skipped. This can reduce the burden of authentication while ensuring security, so that high productivity is guaranteed. |
| US08090946B2 |
Inter-system binding method and application based on hardware security unit
The present invention discloses an inter-trusted-computing-system binding method based on hardware security unit, comprising steps of: configuring binding requirements for hardware security units of trusted computing systems; exchanging hardware security unit information between the hardware security units of the trusted computing systems to be bound, and checking device validities of the counter-party hardware security unit; and if passing the validation check, it continues to the following steps; otherwise, exiting the binding procedure; respectively verifying whether the binding meets their respective binding requirements by the hardware security units of the trusted computing systems to be bound; and if passing the verification, it continues to the following steps; otherwise, exiting the binding procedure; and respectively storing platform information and hardware security unit binding information by the hardware security units of the trusted computing systems. The present method provides a processing mechanism based on hardware security unit in order to establish trusts between trusted computing systems. |
| US08090939B2 |
Digital certificate that indicates a parameter of an associated cryptographic token
In at least some embodiments, a method comprises obtaining a digital certificate that indicates a parameter of a cryptographic token associated with the digital certificate. The method further comprises associating a level of trust with the digital certificate based on the parameter of the cryptographic token. |
| US08090937B2 |
System and method for managing booting of an information handling system
Systems and methods for managing booting of an information handling system are disclosed. A method for managing the booting of an information handling system may include receiving user input for booting an information handling system to a first partition or a second partition. The user input may be used to determine whether the received user input is for booting to the first partition or to the second partition. In response to determining that the received user input is for booting to the second partition, a determination may be made whether the information handling system is authorized to boot to the second partition. In response to determining that the information handling system is authorized to boot to the second partition, the information handling system may be booted to the second partition. In response to determining that the information handling system is not authorized to boot to the second partition, the information handling system may be booted to the first partition. |
| US08090932B1 |
Communication bus with hidden pre-fetch registers
A system-on-chip including a processor, a control module, a first plurality of data registers, a second plurality of data registers, a plurality of address registers, and a first control module. The first plurality of data registers are configured to store data. The processor is configured to respectively write addresses corresponding to selected ones of the first plurality of data registers in the plurality of address registers. The second plurality of data registers are configured to receive data from the selected ones of the first plurality of data registers. In response to a request from the processor for a first address, the first control module is configured to provide data to the processor from the second plurality of data registers in response to the first address matching an address stored in the plurality of address registers, and otherwise provide data to the processor from the first plurality of data registers. |
| US08090929B2 |
Generating clock signals for coupled ASIC chips in processor interface with X and Y logic operable in functional and scanning modes
A digital system and method of operating the same. The system comprises a processor chip including a first elastic interface domain, wherein the first elastic interface domain comprises a first processor X logic and a first processor Y logic, wherein the first processor X and Y logic comprise first X and Y latches, respectively; and a first ASIC chip electrically coupled to the processor chip, wherein the first processor X and Y logics are configured to be simultaneously in a functional mode, wherein the first processor X logic is configured to switch from the functional mode to a scanning mode while the first processor Y logic remains in the functional mode, and wherein in response to the first processor Y logic being in the functional mode, the first processor Y logic is configured to generate a first reference ASIC clock signal to the first ASIC chip. |
| US08090924B2 |
Method for the allocation of data on physical media by a file system which optimizes power consumption
The present invention provides a method for the allocation of data on physical media by a file system which optimizes power consumption. The present invention improves power efficiency of computing devices using file systems by allocating data in a way that allows devices to power down when they are not in use. This is carried out by using an allocation group method to divide the storage system into groups of one or more disk drives. The allocator fills the first group entirely before moving to the second group. The allocator globally allocates blocks within each group. Groups are typically sized to meet the average I/O bandwidth requirement of the application. The method also dynamically increases the number of active allocation groups based on I/O load. This is done by computing the average number of write requests per time period. |
| US08090923B2 |
Storage system and control method for the same
An externally-connected volume of a main storage is correlated to an AOU volume inside of an external storage. The AOU volume is allocated with a not-yet-used page in a pool in accordance with data writing. When a command is issued to the externally-connected volume for formatting or others, a first controller in the main storage converts the command into a format command or an area deallocation command with respect to the AOU volume in the external storage. As such, the external AOU volume is subjected to a write process in its entirety, thereby being able to prevent any unnecessary page allocation. With such a configuration, the storage system of the present invention can use pages in the pool with good efficiency. |
| US08090920B2 |
Recording medium, and information processing device and information processing method for the recording medium
A recording medium stores contents and contents keys to be used for encrypting the contents, in a plurality of storage formats. The storage formats include a storage format (a first format) for delivered contents acquired through a network, and a storage format (a second format) for local contents acquired by a method other than the delivery. The intrinsic storage formats of the contents to be stored in the recording medium are determined according to the kinds of the contents. The recording medium stores not only the contents and the contents keys but also original storage format information (an import flag) (851) which is information indicating the intrinsic storage formats of the contents. With reference to the original storage format information, a reproduction device selects a reproduction method in accordance with the intrinsic storage formats of the contents. |
| US08090917B2 |
Managing storage and migration of backup data
A method and system for client backup data management and storage using virtual tape libraries (VTLs). A VTL controller executing a software method receives metadata that distinguishes among a plurality of different versions of backup data. The VTL controller determines a latest version of the backup data. The VTL controller determines a migration set of zero or more versions of the backup data. The latest version and any version included in the migration set are included in the plurality of different versions. The VTL controller determines that a storage of the latest version in a first storage medium (e.g., magnetic disk) of the VTL is complete. The VTL controller migrates the migration set to a second storage medium (e.g., magnetic tape) of the VTL if the migration set includes at least one version of the backup data. |
| US08090910B2 |
System and method for facilitating operation of an input/output link
Included are embodiments for facilitating operation of an input/output (I/O) link. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving a first cache line from a memory controller and determining whether the first cache line corresponds to a first portion of data. Some embodiments include, when the first cache line corresponds to the first portion of data, determining whether a second cache line is received and when the second cache line is not received, processing the first cache line. Similarly, some embodiments include when the first cache line does not correspond to the first portion of data, waiting for a cache line that does correspond to the first portion of data. |
| US08090907B2 |
Method for migration of synchronous remote copy service to a virtualization appliance
A method, system, computer program product, and computer program storage device for receiving and processing I/O requests from a host device and providing data consistency in both a primary site and a secondary site, while migrating a SRC (Synchronous Peer to Peer Remote Copy) from a backend storage subsystem to a storage virtualization appliance. While transferring SRC from the backend storage subsystem to the storage virtualization appliance, all new I/O requests are saved in both a primary cache memory and a secondary cache memory, allowing a time window during which the SRC at the backend storage subsystem can be stopped and the secondary storage device is made as a readable and writable medium. The primary cache memory and secondary cache memory operates separately on each I/O request in write-through, read-write or no-flush mode. |
| US08090904B2 |
Reduced hard-drive-capacity detection device
The present disclosure relates to a device for detecting accessible capacity in an external hard drive. The disclosed device may detect reduced accessible capacity in an external hard drive due to an modification or deletion of either the Host-Protected Area or the Device Configuration Overlay table. |
| US08090903B2 |
Fair and dynamic disk input/output bandwidth distribution
Embodiments that facilitate the fair and dynamic distribution of disk input/output (IO) bandwidth are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, the method includes organizing one or more disk IO time intervals into one or more queues. The method further includes allocating a disk IO time interval to each queue. The allocation of a disk IO time interval to each queue is accomplished by equally distributing a disk IO cycle based on the number of queues. The one or more disk IO requests are then processed during the corresponding disk IO time interval. |
| US08090899B1 |
Solid state drive power safe wear-leveling
A solid state drive includes a plurality of flash memory devices, and a memory controller coupled to the plurality of flash memory devices. The memory controller is configured to logically associate blocks from the plurality of flash memory devices to form zip codes, the zip codes associated with corresponding erase counters. The solid state drive further includes a processor and a computer-readable memory having instructions stored thereon. The processor may perform a wear-leveling operation by determining that blocks in a first zip code have been erased and incrementing a first erase counter associated with the first zip code. It may then be determined that a second erase counter associated with a second zip code is low relative to at least one other erase counter, and based on this determination, data from blocks in the second zip code may be written to new blocks as part of a wear-leveling operation. |
| US08090896B2 |
Address generation for multiple access of memory
A memory bank has a plurality of memories. In an embodiment, a forward unit applies logical memory addresses to the memory bank in a forward twofold access order, a backward unit applies logical memory addresses to the memory bank in a backward twofold access order, and a half butterfly network (at least half, and barrel shifters in 8-tuple embodiments) is disposed between the memory bank and the forward unit and the backward unit. A set of control signals is generated which are applied to the half or more butterfly network (and to the barrel shifters where present) so as to access the memory bank with an n-tuple parallelism in a linear order in a first instance, and a quadratic polynomial order in a second instance, where n=2, 4, 8, 16, 32, . . . . This access is for any n-tuple of the logical addresses, and is without memory access conflict. In this manner memory access may be controlled data decoding. |
| US08090890B2 |
Dockable handheld computing device with video application and methods for use therewith
A handheld computing device includes a video camera for generating a local video signal. A handheld memory stores at least one handheld application that includes a video application. A handheld processing module, coupled to the handheld memory, executes the video application, based on the local video signal. A network interface sends the local video signal to a remote device via a network. A physical docking interface accesses at least one resource of an extended computer unit in a physical docked mode when the handheld computing unit is coupled to the extended computer unit via the physical docking interface. A quasi docking interface accesses at least one resource of the extended computer unit in the quasi docked mode when the handheld computing unit is coupled to the extended computer unit via the quasi docking interface. |
| US08090889B2 |
Mother board, system and method for controlling the work of the mother board
A mother board is disclosed. The mother board includes a first processor and a controlling module. A second processor is electrically coupled to the mother board. The controlling module includes a utilization ratio comparing unit and a controlling unit. The utilization ratio comparing unit is configured for comparing a current utilization ratio of the first processor with a predetermined first utilization ratio, and comparing a current utilization ratio of the second processor with a predetermined second utilization ratio. The controlling unit is configured for controlling the first processor and the second processor to process data together when the current utilization ratio of the first processor is lower than the predetermined first utilization ratio and the current utilization ratio of the second processor is higher than the predetermined second utilization ratio. |
| US08090888B2 |
Universal serial bus hub with wireless communication to remote peripheral devices
A wireless USB hub for connecting a plurality of remote peripheral devices to a computer for communication therewith without the need to physically connect the peripheral devices to the hub via a cable connection. The wireless USB hub includes a receiver for receiving wireless data transmissions from one or more remote peripheral devices. The wireless USB hub further includes a hub controller for passing appropriate peripheral device information to a USB upstream port and then to a computer. |
| US08090887B2 |
Input system enabling connection of even expansion equipment for expanding function, that transmits relatively large amount of data, to peripheral equipment and information processing system
A processor determines whether a prescribed period of time has elapsed or not. When the processor has determined that the prescribed period of time has elapsed, the processor determines whether a mode 0 is set or not. When it is determined that the mode 0 is set, a wireless packet including remote controller button data, remote controller acceleration data and remote controller DPD data is generated. Then, the generated wireless packet is transmitted to a game device. When the processor has determined that a mode 1 is set, a wireless packet including remote controller information including the remote controller button data and the remote controller acceleration data and biological information including previous pulse wave data, present pulse wave data and light reception level data, instead of the remote controller DPD data, is generated. |
| US08090885B2 |
Automatically configuring computer devices wherein customization parameters of the computer devices are adjusted based on detected removable key-pad input devices
Localization and/or customization of computing devices are accomplished automatically through an add-on input device. Operating system or a separate application in the computing device is arranged to communicate with or recognize the input device such as a keypad and configure parameter of the computing device such as language, user interface arrangement, communication setup, and the like accordingly without user interaction. |
| US08090878B2 |
One-to-many device synchronization using downloaded/shared client software
A method and system for performing one-to-many synchronization using a central server and also using downloadable client software. The system includes a central server, e.g., a web server or an enterprise server, that synchronizes with multiple electronic devices including, for example, a personal digital assistant, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a cell phone, a pager, etc. Before the data synchronization takes place, and after the electronic device initiates communication with the server, the server downloads client software to the electronic device. The client software allows the electronic device to perform data synchronization with the server. After the synchronization is complete, the client software may be removed from the electronic device. The server data is located in one place and can be accessed from any location using almost any electronic device and the data can be readily protected. The invention provides geographically independent synchronization for the same device. The invention reduces the amount of metadata required to perform synchronization, eliminates slow synchronizations and also operates on standard or pre-existing data structures. The shared client software technique also reduces software maintenance and administrative issues and is helpful for application service providers (ASPS). |
| US08090875B2 |
Device and method for connecting device manufacturing processing apparatuses, program, device manufacturing processing system, exposure apparatus and method, and measurement and inspection apparatus and method
A communication server connects together device manufacturing processing apparatuses such as exposure apparatuses and various inspection apparatuses and the like. This communication server is provided with a file format conversion section that converts the format of data exchanged between device manufacturing processing apparatuses, a communication message conversion section that converts communication messages, and a communication protocol conversion section that converts communication protocols. The communication server receives information transmitted from a transmission source compatibly with a device manufacturing processing apparatus which is the transmission source, and transmits the received information compatibly with a device manufacturing processing apparatus that is a destination of the transmission. |
| US08090874B2 |
Systems and methods for maintaining a client's network connection thru a change in network identifier
The invention relates to methods and systems for reconnecting a client and providing user authentication across a reliable and persistent communication session. A first protocol that encapsulates a plurality of secondary protocols is used to communicate over a network. A first protocol service, using the first protocol, provides session persistence and a reliable connection between a client and a host service. When there is a disruption in the network connection between a client and a host service when a client roams between networks, the connection is reestablished and the client's network connection is maintained thru a change in a network identifier assigned to the client. |
| US08090873B1 |
Methods and systems for high throughput information refinement
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide a data processing system comprising a business application that receives data messages from a plurality of client data sources. The business application comprises a message pre-processor and a parsing processor. The message pre-processor classifies and identifies the data messages and sends the messages in a structured format to a message queue corresponding to its data type. The parsing processor receives the data messages from the message queues and selects a parser by applying a set of parsing rules. The parsing rules apply information about the data message and provide a decision as to the best parsing engine to use out of a plurality of paring engines. The parsing engines are also able to perform information refinement in accordance with selected components defined in a target output data model. |
| US08090861B2 |
Content management in peer-to-peer content distribution clouds
Managing content by influencing its distribution in the form of blocks or other units is crucial to the performance of a peer-to-peer content distribution system. We provide a content management module at each peer node to achieve this. The content management module implements a content request/response cycle in order to negotiate about blocks of content with other peer nodes. This cycle comprises an offer request, offer reply and a block request. These steps are preferably followed by data exchange and verification. The negotiation protocol used by our content management module provides a generic method that is advantageously used in conjunction with different encoding schemes such as full network coding and group network coding. In one embodiment we use group network coding and add information to the offer request and offer reply to facilitate efficient content distribution. Block request messages are selected to promote the use of on-the-fly decoding where possible. |
| US08090857B2 |
Medium access control layer that encapsulates data from a plurality of received data units into a plurality of independently transmittable blocks
A method of operating in a network in which a plurality of stations communicate over a shared medium, comprising providing a physical layer (e.g., PHY) for handling physical communication over the shared medium; providing a high level layer (e.g., PAL) that receives data from the station and supplies high level data units (e.g., MSDUs) for transmission over the medium; providing a MAC layer that receives the high level data units from the high level layer and supplies low level data units (e.g., MPDUs) to the physical layer; at the MAC layer, encapsulating content from a plurality of the high level data units; dividing the encapsulated content into a plurality of pieces (e.g., segments) with each piece capable of being independently retransmitted; and supplying low level data units containing one or more of the plurality of pieces. |
| US08090856B1 |
Intelligent messaging network server interconnection
An intelligent messaging network provides multiple software development kits (SDKs) to assist, e.g., engineers in developing client and server applications. The SDKs can contain a consistent set of application program interfaces (APIs) and a set of platform specific libraries for all intelligent messaging network supported platforms and networks. In addition to the SDKs, the intelligent messaging network can provide developers a resource kit including a set of tools to assist the developers when designing, implementing, and testing their client and server applications. The intelligent messaging network can provide a mobile client and server SDK environment to assist engineers developing client applications and servers. The SDKs can provide an easy to use APIs and a set of platform specific libraries to perform, e.g., compression, network management services, server-to-server communication, server registration/de-registration, and reliable message transport services. |
| US08090852B2 |
Managing use of proxies to access restricted network locations
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for the detection of uncategorized web-based proxy sites, where an action may be provided in association with access to restricted network locations. In a step A, a network location access request may be received from a computing facility. In a step B, a URL database may be assessed that contains categorized URLs and it may be determined that a URL associated with the network location access request is previously uncategorized URL. In a step C, it may be determined that the URL associated with the network location access request includes a secondary URL. In a step D, the URL database may be accessed that contains categorized URLs and it may be determined that the client is restricted from accessing the secondary URL. In a step E, the action may be provided in association with the network location access request as a previously uncategorized proxy website when steps B, C, and D are all met. |
| US08090848B2 |
In-vehicle multimedia real-time communications
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for providing an in-vehicle, multimedia, real-time communication system. According to one embodiment, a system for providing in-vehicle communication services can comprise a communications network and a vehicle user agent communicatively coupled with the first communications network, wherein the vehicle user agent publishes one or more published presence attributes. A Service Delivery Platform (SDP) can be communicatively coupled with the communications network. The SDP can provide a presence service adapted to receive the one or more published presence attributes from the vehicle user agent and update a presence profile for the vehicle user agent based on the received presence attributes. The presence attributes can comprise at least one attribute indicating information other than presence information and to provide one or more telco functions to the vehicle user agent. |
| US08090846B2 |
Method of making an audiovisual communications network secure
In an audiovisual communications network, a first endpoint exchanges with a control element messages transmitting parameters registered or to be registered in the control element to enable the first endpoint to communicate with a second endpoint registered with the control element. The communications network is made secure by a method that includes an observation step for detecting whether a set of parameters among the parameters transmitted in a message is inconsistent with a current state of the addressee of said message. |
| US08090844B2 |
Content management across shared, mobile file systems
A content management system and method are disclosed having one or more shared file systems located on one or more networks having a firewall. The content management system includes an explorer client, a mounting client, and a gateway. The gateway is in communication with both the explorer client and the mounting client. The explorer client forms a profile of a user device by determining the characteristics of the user device. The mounting client determines the capabilities of the one or more file systems and where content resides on each of the one or more file systems. The gateway then creates a virtual abstraction layer based on the profile of the user device and the capabilities of the one or more file systems. |
| US08090841B2 |
Method of doing business over a network by transmission and retransmission of digital information on a network during time slots
The present invention is a method of doing business over a network that: receives a request for transmitting digital information after a start time and before an end time, determines the time required to transmit the digital information based on the number of packets in the information and the network speed, schedules a transmit time for the digital information, and accepts the digital information for transmission only if the time required to transmit is less than or equal to the difference between the transmit time and the end time. Pricing of the transmission can be determined by the priority of transmission, whether the information is transmitted the first time or rescheduled, and whether the user receives an acknowledgment. |
| US08090840B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provide a call-associated content service
Methods and apparatus to provide a call-associated content service to voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) devices are disclosed. An example method comprises receiving a message comprising a uniform resource identifier (URI) and a call dialog parameter at a content mediator, the call dialog parameter associated with a first communication session between a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) endpoint and a destination, establishing a second communication session from the mediator to the destination based on the URI and the call dialog parameter, receiving content associated with the first communication session via the second communication session, and providing the content to the VoIP endpoint. |
| US08090830B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for generating and transmitting an anonymous routing identifier to identify user agent
Apparatus, and an associated method, for generating and transmitting an anonymous GRUU, or other routing identifier, to identify a user agent in a communication system that utilizes SIP signaling. A user agent-generated message is generated that identifies a user agent-request for anonymous operation. And, a SIP registrar, or other network device, operates to provide an anonymous routing identifier that permits anonymous operation of the user agent to maintain privacy of its identity during communications. |
| US08090829B1 |
Determining a backup server for a session based on a deterministic mechanism and the session's key value
A mechanism is disclosed for determining, based on a deterministic mechanism and a session's key value, a backup server for the session. In one embodiment, each session has a different key value, and each key value can be processed through the deterministic mechanism to give rise to a separate ordering of a result value set. Each server of a plurality of servers is associated with a different one of the set's values. A request pertaining to a particular session is received. The request indicates the particular session's key value. The deterministic mechanism can generate result values, in a particular order to which the session's key value gives rise, until a result value associated with a currently operational server is generated. The request is sent to that server if the request's primary server is not currently operational. A pseudo-random number generator seeded with the key value may generate the result values. |
| US08090827B2 |
Secure access to remote resources over a network
A client computer hosts a virtual private network tool to establish a virtual private network connection with a remote network. Upon startup, the virtual private network tool collects critical network information for the client computer, and sends this critical network information to an address assignment server in the remote network. The address assignment server compares the critical network information with a pool of available addresses in the remote network, and assigns addresses for use by the client computer that do not conflict with the addresses for local resources. The address assignment server also provides routing information for resources in the remote network to the virtual private network tool. The virtual private network tool will postpone loading this routing information into the routing tables of the client computer until the client computer requests access to a specific resource in the remote network. When the client computer requests access to a specific resource in the remote network, the virtual private network tool will only provide the routing table with the routing information for that specific remote resource. |
| US08090826B2 |
Scheduling data delivery to manage device resources
Managing power-consuming resources on a first computing device by time-based and condition-based scheduling of data delivery from a plurality of second computing devices. A scheduler executing on the first computing device has knowledge of recurrent schedules for activation by the second computing devices. The first computing device determines availability of the power-consuming resources and adjusts an activation time for the schedules to use the power-consuming resources when the resources are available. Managing the schedules associated with the second computing devices preserves battery life of the first computing device. |
| US08090825B1 |
System and method for multibeaconing
A method and system for triggering multiple client requests, including: providing directions for obtaining multibeacon instructions, in response to a content request from the client device, providing the multibeacon instructions in response to a request from the client device, with the request for multibeacon instructions submitted by the client device based on the directions, receiving an initial image request at the multibeacon management system from the client device wherein the initial image request is submitted by the client device upon execution of the multibeacon instructions, and, composing and sending a beacon from the multibeacon management system to the client device in response to the initial image request causing the configuration of a storage device at the client device for storing the beacon, wherein the properties of the beacon are configured to trigger the multibeacon instructions to instruct the client device to submit additional image requests to the multibeacon management system. |
| US08090823B2 |
Providing low-level hardware access to in-band and out-of-band firmware
Illustrative embodiments disclose a data processing system providing low-level hardware access to in-band and out-of-band firmware. The data processing system includes a plurality of chips that includes at least one processor chip and a plurality of support chips. At least one processor chip includes a field replaceable unit support interface master that uses a field replaceable unit support interface serial transmission protocol to communicate with the plurality of support chips. Each one of the plurality of support chips includes a field replaceable unit support interface slave in, with ones of the plurality of chips that include a processor also include the field replaceable unit support interface master, and ones of the plurality of chips that do not include the processor include only the field replaceable unit support interface slave. Only the field replaceable unit support interface master possesses conversion logic. |
| US08090822B2 |
Methods and apparatus for nonintrusive monitoring of web browser usage
Methods and apparatus for nonintrusive monitoring of web browser usage are disclosed. An example method for monitoring web browsing disclosed herein comprises obtaining a video signal from a video output of a device implementing a web browser, processing a video image obtained from the video signal to identify a region of the video image displaying at least a portion of the web browser, determining textual information displayed by the web browser in the identified region of the video image, and using the textual information to record usage of the web browser. |
| US08090819B1 |
Communicating with an in-band management application through an out-of band communications channel
A remote management controller is provided for use in conjunction with a managed host computer. The remote management controller exposes a virtual network interface controller, such as a driverless virtual USB network interface controller, to the managed host computer. Through the in-band connection provided by the virtual network interface controller, the remote management controller can communicate with in-band management applications executing on the managed host computer. The managed host computer can also access services executing on the remote management controller through the in-band communications interface. The remote management controller can also enable communication between the management client computer and in-band management applications executing on the managed host computer. The managed host computer can also access an out-of-band communications network between the remote management device and a management client computer. |
| US08090818B2 |
Generation of customized client proxies
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generation of customized client proxies. A method of generating client proxies includes receiving properties of a client, determining customizations for a client proxy based on the properties of the client, and generating the client proxy, where the client proxy includes the one or more customizations. Generating the client proxy can include generating the client proxy as executable code to execute on the client, source code to be compiled on the client, or a combination of source code and executable code. A customization can define a modification of a default client proxy, a combination of designtime objects for a client proxy, a combination of runtime objects for a client proxy, or a combination of all three techniques or different techniques. |
| US08090817B2 |
Method and system for monitoring computer networks and equipment
A system for monitoring a space external to the system is disclosed. The system includes a microprocessor, a memory coupled to the microprocessor, a sensor configured to detect at least one environmental parameter of the space external to the system and configured to generate a sensor signal derived from the at least one detected environmental parameter of the space and at least one port for communicating with a network. The memory includes instructions for processing the sensor signal derived from the at least one environmental parameter of the space external to the system and the memory including a web server application. The at least one port is responsive to the microprocessor. The web server application is configured to provide a webpage associated with the sensor signal via the at least one port. |
| US08090813B2 |
Methods and apparatus for data transfer
Methods and apparatus for an efficient peer-to-peer (p2p) system generally includes a server selection mechanism connected to a p2p network. The server selection mechanism may be configured to maintain a list that describes the servers which are storing at least a portion of a specified file. The server selection mechanism may be configured to selectively distribute at least a portion of the file between servers, for example according to the description in the list. |
| US08090808B2 |
System for and method of network booting of an operating system to a client computer using hibernation
A system for and method of network booting of an operating system (O/S) on one or more client devices, such as personal computers (PC's), employing a hibernation image. Remote booting of sets of client devices is facilitated by employing virtual disk emulation and, in certain preferred embodiments, broadcasting or multicasting of data residing on a network server which is necessary to appropriately boot and configure the one or more client devices, the data including hibernation, O/S and application files. |
| US08090805B1 |
System and method for performing cascaded lookups to forward packets
Cascading a lookup over multiple lookup tables when performing multicast forwarding involves accessing a first lookup table based on at least part of a multicast destination address included in a packet header. The first lookup table identifies the portion (e.g., one or more entries) of a second lookup table in response to a key generated from a first portion of the packet header. The portion of the second lookup table can be accessed based on a second portion of the packet header. The second lookup table identifies at least one output interface via which the packet should be output. Such systems and methods may, in some embodiments, allow existing hardware to be used to support a new addressing format that involves larger addresses than were previously supported by that hardware. |
| US08090804B2 |
Automatic service apparatus and automatic service system
An automatic transaction system communicates with a Web server and performs automatic transaction according to the operation of a user. In order to decrease the download time with the Web server which is generated for each operation of the user, a screen frame of a browser of an automatic service device is divided into a transaction screen frame and an applet resident frame. And all applets are embedded in a screen content of the Web server, and are downloaded into the applet resident frame of the browser in advance when the device is started up. And in the subsequent Web communication, a method callup script is embedded in the image content, and a method of an applet of the resident frame is called up and the operation of I/O units are controlled. |
| US08090803B2 |
System and method for transmission of data
A system and method for data communication connecting on-line networks with on-line and off-line computers. The present system provides for broadcast of up to the minute notification centric information thereby providing an instant call to action for users who are provided with the ability to instantaneously retrieve further detailed information. The notification centric portions of information is wirelessly broadcast to wireless receiving devices which are attached to computing devices. Upon receipt of the information at the personal computer, the user is notified through different multimedia alerts that there is an incoming message. Wirelessly broadcasted URL's, associated with the data, are embedded in data packets and provide an automated wired or wireless connection back to the information source for obtaining detailed data. |
| US08090801B1 |
Methods and apparatus for performing remote access commands between nodes
A system, methods and apparatus perform remote access commands between nodes and allow preemption of context resources in an architecture such as Infiniband. The system detects an original request in a request queue for a data access task to access data from a first node to a second node and issues a first request from a first node to a second node. The first request requests the data access task be performed between the first node and the second node. The system receives, at the first node, a first response from the second node that partially completes the data access task. The system issues at least one subsidiary request from the first node to the second node to further complete the data access task between the first node and the second node. The subsidiary request(s) are based on an amount of partial completion of the data access task between the first node and the second node. The system receives, from the second node in response to the subsidiary request, at least one corresponding subsidiary response that further completes the data access task between the first node and the second node. Reponses are limited in size to a data allotment, such that a large data access request may be broken into several smaller subsidiary data access request response sequences, thus allowing preemption of context resources in between processing of request response pairs. |
| US08090796B2 |
Position identification method and system
The present invention is directed to a system and method for collecting and maintaining an up-to-date database of points of interests, whereby agents of the points of interests, such as owners or operators of hotels or restaurants, can register their point of interest onto the database by uploading their contact information and physical address. Subsequently, on a periodic basis, the agents of the points of interests may log into the system and update their information, such as operating hours. The collected data is then made accessible to the general public and can be searched through using a variety of search criteria. |
| US08090794B1 |
Technique for customizing displayed content
Embodiments of a computer system, a method, and a computer-program product (e.g., software) for use with the computer system are described. These embodiments may be used to customize displayed content in a document, such as a web page or a user interface in a software application. In particular, by monitoring user activities while one or more users view the document during multiple sessions, the computer system can identify the most relevant content at a particular time. Then, the computer system selectively modifies the displayed content in the document based on the monitored user activity. For example, the computer system may selectively filter the content in the document so that a subset of the content is displayed. Moreover, the displayed content may be dynamically revised based on subsequent user actions. |
| US08090793B2 |
Methods and apparatus for making a hypermedium interactive
A system and method of making a hypermedium page interactive. In one embodiment the system includes a hyperlink on the hypermedium page displayed on a client node; a hyperlink configuration file (corresponding to the hyperlink on the client node) located on a network server node; and a client agent located on the client node. In response to a user selecting the hyperlink on the hypermedium page, the client agent establishes a communications link from the client agent to an application execution server agent on an application server using the information located in the configuration file obtained from the network server node. In response to the creation of the communications link between the application execution server agent and the client agent, the application executes on the application execution server and the user is capable of interactively using the application running on the application execution node from the client node. Data input and display occurs at the client node under the control of the client agent. |
| US08090788B2 |
Method and system for filtering electronic messages
The present invention discloses a system for blocking unsolicited emails. The system comprising: a server application for providing a filtering service between at least one protected and a second mail subscribe. The server application is comprised of: a communication module for establishing secure connections between at least two mail subscribers, a repository of secure connections including records of secure mail addresses created for each secure connection, an interception module for verifying secure messages by comparing the sender's address to the sender address in the secure connection repository, a transmission module for forwarding the verified messages to the public target mail address by translating between secure mail address and the public mail addresses of verified messages. |
| US08090787B2 |
Aggregation system for email and non-email messages
Machine, method for use and method for making, and corresponding products produced thereby, as well as data structures, computer-readable media tangibly embodying program instructions, manufactures, and necessary intermediates of the foregoing, each pertaining to digital aspects of a computerized aggregation system. The system can include a user computer system interposed between a segment of a network allowing communication between the user computer system and at least one server system, and other segments allowing communication between the user computer system and a plurality of third party server systems. The one server system enables the user computer system to access the plurality of other servers. The access permits forming an aggregation of information obtained from the third party server systems. |
| US08090786B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing digitally signed messages to determine address mismatches
A method and apparatus for processing digitally signed messages in which address mismatch errors are detected. In at least one aspect, the number of address mismatch errors reported to a user for a message may be minimized for messages that properly incorporate message portions signed by someone other than the sender of the message, as may be the case where the message contains a conversation thread for example, by performing at least one pre-determined action for digital signatures corresponding to signed data appearing after a message separator. The message separator may indicate that the message contains data from an older forwarded message or from an older message that has been replied to, for example. The at least one-predetermined action may comprise bypassing verification of address matches for those digital signatures, or verifying address matches for those digital signatures but suppressing user notification of any address mismatch errors, for example. |
| US08090784B2 |
Network system and terminals connected thereto
A network system is provided with a plurality of terminals connected thereto, each of the terminals being configured to be connectable to a network and switchable between server mode and client mode. Each of the terminals includes a terminal information registration unit and a comparison information storage unit, and the terminal information registration unit stores information on each other terminal connected to the network as well as information on whether each other terminal is a server terminal or a client terminal. The comparison information storage unit stores comparison information used for server selection. In a server selection process, at least one of the terminals compares pieces of the comparison information stored in the comparison information storage units of the individual terminals through terminal-to-terminal communication and, depending on the result of comparison, one of the terminals to which priority is given is selected to work as the server terminal. |
| US08090782B2 |
Electronic messaging system and method
An electronic messaging system and method, the system including at least two electronic messaging platforms, each electronic messaging platform including software for generating electronic message loquia, each electronic message loquium including a file consisting of message content and identification information, software for carrying out background messaging between the two platforms concerning transmission and receipt of the loquia, means for reading loquia, and a display for displaying the loquia. |
| US08090777B2 |
Method and system for managing instant messaging interruptions
A method for managing instant messaging interruptions may include comparing at least one term in an instant message to a plurality of terms in a no-response-required (NRR) library. The method may also include representing the instant message as an instant message agent character (IMAC) in response to a match between at least one term in the instant message and at least one of the plurality of terms in the NRR library. |
| US08090776B2 |
Dynamic content change notification
A content page is configured by a user and located on a network. Changes made to the content page are automatically communicated with notifications to a group of contacts for the user. Only contacts with permission to view the content page, or the changed content, will receive the notification and have permission to view the changes. A visual indicator notifies contacts that a content page of one of their contacts has been changed. When the visual indicator or some other contact indicator is selected by the user, a summary module can be provided. The summary module is a portal to network content, including the content page. |
| US08090770B2 |
Systems and methods for identifying non-terrorists using social networking
A method for identifying non-terrorists among a plurality of participants and/or potential participants using a communication system includes electronically communicating a verification request from a first participant to a second participant, wherein the second participant is a member of a personal network of the first participant, and electronically communicating a verification request from the second participant to a third participant, wherein the third participant is a member of a personal network of the second participant. The method also includes receiving replies to the verification requests sent by the first and second participants, and determining a likelihood that the first participant is a non-terrorist threat based on the replies received from the second and third participants. |
| US08090767B2 |
Pairing and storage access scheme between a handheld device and a computing system
A method is described that involves detecting the presence of a pairing partner. Prior to establishing a paired relationship with the pairing partner, a user is prompted to verify himself/herself. In response to the user properly verifying himself/herself, the paring partner is paired with. The pairing includes invoking a remote storage protocol that contemplates a network between the partners to establish on a first of the partners access to non volatile storage resources for general use. The non volatile storage resources are located on a second of the partners. The second of the partners is a handheld device that provides wireless cell phone service, wireless Internet service and music playback service. |
| US08090766B2 |
System and method to identify, rank, and audit network provided configurables
A computerized method for identifying, ranking, and auditing configurable providers is described. The method receives and stores information about plural providers including provider name, provider icon, provider contact information, landing URL, configurables offered, geographical locations, and descriptions of configurables. The method receives a request from a computer that includes a geographic location. The method searches the stored information about providers in order to identify a list of provider servers that auto-configure configurables in the geographic location. The method sends information and the list of provider servers to the computer, and the sent information includes provider names, provider rank, provider landing URL, and descriptions of configurables. The method receives auditing information from the computer including a provider server selected from the list, a transaction for a selected configurable, and an indication that the selected configurable is operational. The method ranks provider servers based upon ranking factors including audit information received from plural computers. |
| US08090764B2 |
Communication system, communication apparatus, communication method, storage medium, and package medium
A communication system is disclosed which includes: a storing element for storing content data corresponding to an image associated with a distributed storage medium; a retrieving element for retrieving address information on a network from the distributed storage medium; an accessing element for accessing the storing element based on the address information retrieved by the retrieving element; and a recording element for recording to the distributed storage medium the content data acquired by the accessing element from the storing element. |
| US08090760B2 |
Communicating in a computing system
Provided are a computer readable medium and a system for communicating in a computing system. An example of the method includes establishing a local communications interface at a local site. This example also includes writing local site communication information to the local communications interface, which comprises storing the local site communication information on a first site storage device at the local site, and sending the local site communication information from the first site storage device, to a third site storage device at a remote site, wherein the local site communication information is sent using a remote data replication protocol. The remote site communications interface may read the local site communication information from a third site storage device, and may send the local site communication information to a remote application at the remote site. Similarly, the remote application may send information to a local application at the local site. |
| US08090754B2 |
Managing relationships of heterogeneous objects
Software for managing relationships between heterogeneous objects is operable to identify a target object. The software automatically determines related objects using at least one object type application programming interface (API) for an object type associated with the target object. The software is further operable to populate a relationship data structure based on the determined relationships. The software can then provide the relationship data structure to a requesting module. |
| US08090751B2 |
Operational data store
An operational data store consists of an insert table for storing new data and a history table, partitioned by range and further sub-partitioned, for storing historical data. Transfer logic periodically transfers new data from the insert table to the history table. The transfer logic includes a secondary table and fill logic for filling the secondary table with selected data from the insert table. Secondary transfer logic transfers the secondary table into the history table, such that the selected data is transferred into the history table. Indexing logic applies the history table indexing scheme to the secondary table. Table logic creates a new partition the history table, for swapping with the secondary table, by exchanging respective pointers. A query engine may apply a database query to both the history table and the insert table, so that all data is available. An aggregator accumulates new data into an aggregation buffer. The accumulated data are batched and transferred into the insert table with a single database access. A throttler throttles transactions of different classes and types independently to achieve a desired level of service. The system can be configured to execute in a plurality of processor nodes configured as a processor cluster, wherein distinct database server instances are associated with distinct processor nodes of the processor cluster. |
| US08090750B2 |
Prompting of an end user with commands
A method and an associated computer program product, computing system, and process for supporting computer infrastructure for prompting an end user with a preferred sequence of commands which performs an activity in a least number of inputs. The method begins by monitoring a computer system for both input received from the end user and state transitions as a result of the computer receiving the end user input. The input received facilitates an activity the end user whishes to execute; the state transitions being the result of executing the activity. Next, defining the input received from the end user in a meaningful way. Then comparing the input received with at least one other command sequences that accomplish the same activity as the end user's input. Finally, prompting the end user with a preferred sequence of commands which performs the activity with the least number of inputs possible. |
| US08090744B1 |
Method and apparatus for determining compatibility between a virtualized application and a base environment
A system and method for determining whether one or more applications in a virtual software layer and one or more applications in a base environment are compatible. The method includes intercepting an access attempt from an application on a computer system to a file on the computer system, such as a system file. The system then determines a first compatibility checking mode and whether a second version of the file exists in a virtual software layer. In response to these determinations and to intercepting the access attempt, the system attempts to perform the access using the second version of the file. |
| US08090740B2 |
Search-centric hierarchichal browser history
A search-centric hierarchical browser history technique that provides for the creation of a Web search history hierarchy organized according to the search queries that a user has conducted. In one embodiment, search queries occupy the highest level of the search history hierarchy and all Web sites/search results relating to a particular search query that the user accessed are hierarchically organized below that query. In another embodiment, queries may also be optionally grouped into a higher-level hierarchy that reflects search topics. |
| US08090738B2 |
Multi-modal search wildcards
A multi-modal search system (and corresponding methodology) that employs wildcards is provided. Wildcards can be employed in the search query either initiated by the user or inferred by the system. These wildcards can represent uncertainty conveyed by a user in a multi-modal search query input. In examples, the words “something” or “whatchamacallit” can be used to convey uncertainty and partial knowledge about portions of the query and to dynamically trigger wildcard generation. |
| US08090737B2 |
User dictionary term criteria conditions
Techniques are disclosed for processing an abstract query which includes a dictionary term criteria condition. The dictionary term criteria condition is used to specify a set of one or more keywords, each of which should appear in a distinct document (of a defined set of documents) in order for the condition to be satisfied. In one embodiment, a user defines an abstract query by specifying a model entity (a logical focus for a query used to identify a set of documents associated with the model entity), logical fields (specifying query conditions and information to be returned), and a set of terms for a dictionary term criteria condition. |
| US08090734B2 |
System and method for assessing risk
An improved data handling system is disclosed that facilitates the collection, storage and distribution of information for use by one or more recipient performing a process such as assessing the risk associated with a transaction. A system for handling information includes an administrator for facilitating communication with a subscriber and an information acquisition engine that is for facilitating communication with one or more provider of information and an information assimilator that is for facilitating communication with a database. The system is configured to facilitate receiving a request from the subscriber defining one or more set of information and one or more provider of information to be received by the information acquisition engine and combined by the information assimilator into an information suite to be stored in a database. |
| US08090730B2 |
Methods for fast progressive evaluation of polynomial range-sum queries on real-time datacubes
Provided are methods, computer programs and systems that optimize database queries using a wavelet transform of the query. Also provided are methods and systems for optimal disk placement for wavelet data. |
| US08090726B2 |
Methods and systems for node ranking based on DNS session data
Systems and methods for ranking pages and/or hosts in a faster and more relevant manner are provided. Systems and methods for ranking pages and/or hosts based on session data and/or traffic data are also provided. According to the invention, session maps can be created using DNS and/or ISP data. Systems and methods for ranking pages and/or hosts for the purpose of doing business are also provided. |
| US08090720B2 |
Method for merging document clusters
A method for merging document clusters includes the following steps. An association graph among document clusters is established. The association graph is an oriented graph. Each document cluster is represented by one node in the association graph, and each node is searched in a pair-wise manner. An oriented edge is established between any two nodes having associated weights there-between reaching a preset value. An arrow of the oriented edge points to a node capable of serving as a descriptor for the other node. An associated weight is assigned to the oriented edge to represent an association degree between the two nodes. Any two document clusters that can serve as a descriptor for each other and have an association degree there-between reaching a preset threshold value are merged into a single document cluster. |
| US08090719B2 |
Adaptive page layout utilizing block-level elements
Computer-storage media, computerized methods and systems for formatting a page layout according to form factors of a display area are provided. Initially, search results are received and dynamically converted into respective block-level elements, where each of the block-level elements is associated with a portion of content from one of the received search results. Form factors are retrieved from a graphical user interface. Typically the form factors are associated with properties of a display area initiated to present the search results. At least one adaptive template is selected according to the retrieved form factors. The portion of content of each of the block-level elements is formatted based on at least one adaptive template. Also, the adaptive template is utilized to establish content panes within the page layout, as directed by the form factors. These content panes are populated with one or more of the block-level elements. |
| US08090718B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improving backward seek performance for multimedia files
A multimedia player application is adapted to process multimedia data of one or more multimedia files (e.g. MPEG-4 files) to produce multimedia output data at an audio/video output device. A file allocation table (FAT) system is adapted to manage storage of these multimedia files. An interface process is adapted to maintain a current address pointer for a current position in a multimedia file being played, a backward seek address pointer for a preceding position in the multimedia file between the current position and the beginning of the multimedia file, and an index table address pointer for an index table of the multimedia file. The current and backward seek address pointers are regularly updated while the multimedia file is being played, and the backward seek address pointer is updated as a function of the current address pointer. Advantageously, backward seek times for backward seeks in the multimedia file are reduced. |
| US08090716B2 |
Information-processing apparatus, information-processing method, and computer-readable storage medium
An information-processing apparatus includes: a link information-generating portion that reads two or more pieces of operation information having a user identifier and an object identifier for identifying an object on which a user has performed an operation, detects two or more object identifiers linked via a user identifier contained in the two or more pieces of operation information, and generates link information indicating a link relationship between two or more objects; an object identifier-accepting portion that accepts one object identifier; an in-group object identifier-acquiring portion that acquires an object identifier having at least a predetermined level of relevance with the one object identifier accepted by the object identifier-accepting portion, using the generated link information; and an in-group object information output portion that outputs object information, which is information related to an object identified with the object identifier acquired by the in-group object identifier-acquiring portion. |
| US08090714B2 |
User interface and method in a local search system with location identification in a request
A user interface including a first view transmitted from a server computer system to the client computer system, the first view including a search identifier and a location identifier. Selection of the search identifier causing transmission of a search request from the client computer system to the server computer system and interaction with the location identifier causing transmission of a selected location from the client computer system to the server computer system. |
| US08090713B2 |
Methods and systems for improving a search ranking using population information
Systems and methods that improve search rankings for a search query by using data associated with queries related to the search query are described. In one aspect, a search query is received, a population associated with the search query is determined, an article (such as a webpage) associated with the search query is determined, and a ranking score for the article based at least in part on data associated with the population is determined. Algorithms and types of data associated with a population useful in carrying out such systems and methods are described. |
| US08090712B2 |
Method for navigating large image sets using sort orders
A method of displaying items from a collection of items including a first item is provided. The method determines a first sort order of the collection, and at least one alternate sort order of the collection. At least items adjacent to the first item in the first sort order, and in the alternate sort order, are then compared. The method then displays a portion of the items associated with the first item in each of the first sort order and in the alternate sort order based on the comparison. |
| US08090707B1 |
Chance meeting addition to trip planner or meeting planner
One embodiment of the present invention includes a system and method for managing a travel plan. In response to a travel plan being identified for a traveler, a search is performed for one or more persons based on a predetermined relation to the traveler. In response to identifying one or more persons based on the predetermined relation to the traveler, it is determined if the one or more such persons is to be present at a location in proximity to the traveler's location according to the travel plan. If the one or more such persons is to be present at a location in proximity to the traveler's location, an opportunity is presented to modify the travel plan to accommodate those persons. |
| US08090706B2 |
Rendering advertisements with documents having one or more topics using user topic interest information
Ambiguities with respect to a user topic interest may be resolved so that useful topic-relevant ads can be presented. Such ambiguities may be resolved by monitoring user behavior, determining a user topic interest (e.g., from a plurality of different candidate topics) based on the monitored behavior, and serving ads relevant to the determined user topic interest. |
| US08090702B2 |
Analyzing web site traffic
Methods and arrangements to analyze web traffic of a portal are contemplated. Embodiments include transformations, code, state machines or other logic to analyze web traffic of a portal by a portlet receiving a request for web page content from the portal and generating a fragment of a web page. The fragment may include code to collect data from clients on web traffic of the portlet and to transmit the data to a facility for the collection of data on web traffic of the portal and the portlet. Some embodiments may involve a portal requesting web page content from a portlet, and the portal receiving a fragment of a web page from the portlet. The fragment may include code to collect data from clients on web traffic of the portlet and to transmit the data to the data collection facility. |
| US08090698B2 |
Method and system to facilitate a search of an information resource
A method and system facilitate a search of an information resource. The system identifies data items within the information resource and determines a respective attribute value from each data item. The system analyzes the attribute values to identify a distribution of the data items based on a predetermined range of attribute values that are associated with the first attribute and determines if the identified distribution of data items facilitates the search of the information resource. |
| US08090696B2 |
Method and system for assigning scores to elements in a set of structured data
A system for implementing a scoring method, wherein the system includes at least a data analyzer configured to: determine a plurality of scoring intervals dependent upon the data to be analyzed; assign an integer score and a decimal score within the scoring intervals to each data to be analyzed, the score dependent upon a frequency of appearance; search a database for pairings of (scored element, decimal score); and generate an alert if the pairing is found in the database. |
| US08090694B2 |
Index of locally recorded content
A method to index locally recorded content at a media device includes extracting, at a remote service provider, event index data from an event being locally recorded at a media device and associating the event index data with locator code data of the event. The method further includes storing, at the remote service provider, the extracted event index data and the associated locator code data; searching the extracted event index data for a plurality of segments associated with the event, the search being associated with a search request; determining index display data for a presentation of the plurality of segments based on the search request; and transmitting, to the media device, the locator code data associated with the plurality of segments, and the index display data. |
| US08090689B1 |
Efficient data recovery
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for efficiently restoring information is disclosed. In an embodiment, this comprises receiving a self-contained datastream and analyzing the self-contained datastream for file headers, corresponding file metadata and corresponding file blocks. Data is then reconstructed based on analyzing the self-contained datastream into reconstructed data, and the reconstructed data is then stored in a storage device. File headers are used to indicate the start of a new file in the self contained datastream. File blocks contain the information necessary to reconstruct the files in the datastream. File metadata describes how to reconstruct the file, such as which file blocks are required for the file, and the location of each file block in the self contained datastream, among others. In an embodiment, the reconstructed data may contain deduped data. |
| US08090688B2 |
Indicating review activity of a document in a content management system
A content management system (CMS) monitors and logs review activity for elements in a document. A review activity policy includes one or more thresholds that define one or more ranges that define corresponding review activity levels. A schema or document type for the document is annotated based on the logged review activity to indicate one or more review activity levels for one or more elements in the schema or document type. When an author edits or creates a document based on the same schema or document type, the schema or document type for that document is read, and the elements in the document are displayed to the user to indicate past review activity according to the annotations in the document's schema or document type. |
| US08090683B2 |
Managing workflow communication in a distributed storage system
In a data storage system having a plurality of storage nodes storing replicas of stripes, one storage node serves as a primary stripe node for a stripe. Client applications using the data storage system request operations affecting metadata stored in the stripe, and the data storage system creates workflow objects to implement the requested operation. Once the operation is completed, the workflow is acknowledged. A method for establishing a new primary stripe node comprises performing, by a selected storage node, a feasibility determination to determine the feasibility of the selected storage node becoming the new primary stripe node. It is feasible to become a new primary stripe node when doing so does not cause workflows that have been acknowledged, or that will be acknowledged, to result in strays. |
| US08090681B2 |
Resolving conflicts in content management systems
A conflict resolution system is described for reducing false conflicts among entities synchronized within a content management system. A typical content management system maintains a version for an entity that is incremented each time an endpoint modifies the entity, including changes that affect the metadata rather than the content of the entity. The conflict resolution system adds a new content version that is updated when the content of the entity changes. By comparing content version information, endpoints can automatically resolve false conflicts that occur when an endpoint has modified the metadata of the entity. |
| US08090678B1 |
Systems and methods for extracting information from structured documents
Systems and methods for extracting information from structured documents are provided. The systems and methods relate to selecting a centroid document from a group of structured documents, selecting a subset of the group of structured documents in order to form a cluster of the subset of documents about the centroid document. The selecting the subset is preferably based on the relative similarity between each of the selected subset and the centroid document. Then, systems and methods according to the invention include marking a data element on the centroid document. The systems and elements also include identifying a data element on each of the subset of documents, the data element that corresponds to the marked data element on the centroid document. Finally, data may be extracted from the subset of documents based on the identifying step. |
| US08090672B2 |
Detecting and evaluating operation-dependent processes in automated production utilizing fuzzy operators and neural network system
A system (10) testing and rating operation-dependent processes and/or components (20) in automated production and test sequences comprises a robot (12) which by means of a minimum of one sensor (14, 16) detects test/measured values (M) of at least one operating and/or display element (22, 24) of the component (20) to be tested respectively rated and transmits to an analyzer (40) analyzing and rating the measured values (M) by means of defined quality functions (50), said quality functions by means of operators (52) imitating human rating schematics respectively rules and based on this processing result generating at least one rating. |
| US08090668B2 |
Method for predicting cycle time
A method for predicting cycle time comprises the steps of: collecting a plurality of known sets of data; using a clustering method to classify the known sets of data into a plurality of clusters; using a decision tree method to build a classification rule of the clusters; building a prediction model of each cluster; preparing data predicted set of data; using the classification rule to determine that to which clusters the predicted set of data belongs; and using the prediction model of the cluster to estimate the objective cycle time of the predicted set of data. Therefore, engineers can beforehand know the cycle time that one lot of wafers spend in the forward fabrication process, which helps engineers to properly arrange the following fabrication process of the lot of wafer. |
| US08090666B2 |
System, method, and computer program product for providing an association between a first participant and a second participant in a social network
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for associating a first participant and a second participant in a social network. In one embodiment, payment is received from a first participant. Additionally, an association between the first participant and a second participant in a social network is provided, in exchange for the payment. |
| US08090664B2 |
System and method for developing and implementing intellectual property marketing
The present invention relates to methods for the development and implementation of intellectual property marketing. A targeted innovation to fulfill an internal need is developed. Actions are taken to legally protect the targeted innovation as an intellectual property asset. The intellectual property asset is analyzed to determine a marketing assessment. A decision is made whether to market the intellectual property asset based at least in part on the marketing assessment. If the marketing assessment meets a predetermined threshold, the intellectual property asset is marketed. |
| US08090663B1 |
Automated banking machine system and method
An automated banking machine (12, 200, 302) is provided. The machine may be operative to install a terminal master key (TK) therein in response to at least one input from a single operator. The machine may include an EPP (204) that is operative to remotely receive an encrypted terminal master key from a host system (210, 304). The machine may authenticate and decrypt the terminal master key prior to accepting the terminal master key. The machine may further output through a display device (30) of the machine a one-way hash of at least one public key associated with the host system. The machine may continue with the installation of the terminal master key in response to an operator confirming that the one-way hash of the public key corresponds to a value independently known by the operator to correspond to the host system. |
| US08090662B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic renewability of content
A method and apparatus for dynamically and transparently renewing licenses associated with downloaded content. Licensing associated with content can allow the provider to retain control over the content after it has been downloaded on to the user's computer. A license file or similar licensing parameter is the key to retaining control over access to the content after it has been downloaded. The license file may also control copying of the content on to computers other than the original computer used. The dynamic renewal method will transparently renew the license files on a user's computer to allow the associated content to be used without disruption as long as the user's account is in good standing. |
| US08090658B2 |
System and method of member unique names
A member unique name (MUN) system and MUN translation system and method are provided. The MUN system comprises a dimension reference for defining the context in which the remaining portions of the MUN exist and a canonical business key for uniquely identifying a member across different dimensional data sources within a business enterprise. The MUN translation system comprises a translation selection module for selecting a MUN transformation and a collection of MUN transformations for transforming a MUN of a first data source into a MUN of the second data source. |
| US08090656B2 |
Method and system for saving money with a group of mobile devices
A plurality of users have a savings goal, and a plurality of mobile devices each belong to a user. An electronic message from a user's mobile device is received. The electronic message comprises a description of a service or product not purchased and the amount of money not spent because it was not purchased. The description and amount are stored and a running total of the amount of money not spent is computed. A second electronic message is transmitted to all of the plurality of mobile devices except the first mobile device. The second electronic message comprises the description, amount, and an identifier of the user of the first mobile. Receiving, storing, computing, and transmitting are repeated until the savings goal is reached. A system includes the plurality of mobile devices, at least one communication network, and a computer in communication with the communication network. The system may also include a bank. |
| US08090653B2 |
Automated accounting system
A multiple agency transaction accounting system includes a plurality of point of service stations that conduct, for multiple agencies, respective agency transactions that are associated with various reporting requirements, fees and commissions. A universal transaction encoding subsystem encodes the agency transaction data received from the plurality of stations into universal transaction data and supplies the encoded data to a universal transaction settlement subsystem that parses and aggregates the universal transaction data into encoded agency-specific transaction data and provides the encoded agency-specific transaction data to the respective agencies to complete the transaction accounting. The accounting system may also include a money management subsystem that processes fees and commissions associated with the agency transactions in bulk for the respective agencies. The money management subsystem may process the agency transactions as either credit card transactions or bank account transactions. |
| US08090652B2 |
System and method for charging in a communications network and a communications network charging server
The present invention relates to a system and a method for charging in a communication network and to a communication network charging server. The system comprises a client (1) associated with the network for providing services to subscribers associated with the network. The charging server (2) is adapted to handle subscriber account information, and the said client (1) is adapted to send a first charging request message for a service, to the charging server (2) before the service is provided, using an on-line charging protocol (3). The charging server (2) is also adapted to perform pre-reservation of an amount of resources from the subscriber's account, wherein the amount depends on a requested amount included in the message about the service, and to return an answer message including information indicating whether an amount of resources is pre-reserved from said subscriber account for enabling usage of the service to the client (1) using the on-line charging protocol (3). |
| US08090643B2 |
Compound order handling in an anonymous trading system
Joint execution type compound orders can be processed in an anonymous trading system comprising a plurality of broker nodes each of which includes an order matching functionality and a market distribution functionality. Trader agent nodes are connected to a number of dealer terminals grouped in trading floors and also to a broker node. Joint execution orders are entered as hit orders and are all matched by the broker during the hit or the order is cancelled. If matches are made the taker's trading agent does not complete any of the deals marking up the order until it knows that all the deals are executable. The system may be used to allow traders to hit bids and offers in currency pairs synthesised from other currency pairs. In this arrangement the dealer enters a simple order in the synthetic currency and the taker's trading agent converts it into a joint execution order. |
| US08090640B2 |
Order delivery in a securities market
A method of processing delivery messages in a security processing architecture includes receiving an expression of interest to enter into a transaction to buy or sell a security, matching the expression of interest with other expressions of interest, sending a message to a market participant that a match exists, recording a delivery in a delivery log file, recording the delivery in a delivery work in process (WIP) file, and receiving a response message from the market participant. |
| US08090637B2 |
System and method for coalescing market data at a network device
A network device coalesces data received from an exchange, and provides a user with the opportunity to receive fewer, but up-to-date, data updates from an exchange when duplicate prices become available or a large volume of prices becomes available suddenly. Accordingly, the trader can be assured of receiving non-duplicated prices that are fed at a rate that is cohesive with that trader's connection speed. The present invention is designed to conserve on bandwidth thereby increasing the likelihood that bandwidth will be available to receive desirable market information. |
| US08090636B2 |
Valuing model option contracts
A method for determining the theoretical value of a Model Option contract. |
| US08090635B1 |
Mortgage payment insurance method and system
A mortgage loan is provided with mortgage payment insurance that provides payments to a lender upon borrower default. The mortgage loan is underwritten based on the mortgage payment insurance. The mortgage payment insurance policy providing that if a borrower defaults, without any further conditions, in its payment obligation under the mortgage, the insurer will make one or more insurance payments to borrower's payee, such payments to be made during the period the mortgage loan is in default. |
| US08090631B2 |
Managing a material batch
Inventory may be managed by affixing to material batches respective documentary batch numbers that are associated with the material batches in a computer system. The material batches may be placed as inventory in a warehouse. The documentary batch number of any of the material batches that is removed from the warehouse may be registered, wherein the documentary batch numbers are not used in managing the inventory. A material batch may be managed by affixing to the material batch a documentary batch number that is associated with the material batch in a computer system. Upon a predetermined action being taken with regard to the material batch, the documentary batch number may be received in the computer system. The documentary batch number may be read from the material batch, wherein any action taken with regard to the material batch before receiving the documentary batch number upon the predetermined action is not tracked. |
| US08090627B2 |
Printing system, printing program, printing method, server apparatus, server apparatus program, printer, printing system program, and recording medium having programs stored therein
A printing system includes a client apparatus which deals with printing data and a server apparatus which is connected to the client apparatus to communicate therewith. The client apparatus includes: a correction data request transmitting unit which requests the server apparatus to transmit correction data used for correcting the printing data; a correction data receiving unit which receives predetermined correction data transmitted; a billing information receiving unit; and a billing unit which performs a predetermined process on the basis of the billing information received by the billing information receiving unit. The server apparatus includes: a correction data request receiving unit; a correction data acquiring unit which acquires, from a correction data storage unit, predetermined correction data corresponding to the request to transmit the correction data received by the correction data request receiving unit; a correction data transmitting unit; a charge calculating unit; and a charge notifying unit. |
| US08090625B2 |
Extrapolation-based creation of associations between search queries and items
Behavior-based associations, such as item-to-item or query-to-item associations, are extrapolated to other items to create new associations. The items to which the associations are extrapolated may be “behavior deficient” items, or items for which the quantity of collected user activity data is insufficient to create meaningful or reliable behavior-based associations. The behavior-based associations are extrapolated based on content-based associations, or another type of “substitutability” association, between items. The items can be any type of item (e.g., products, web sites, documents, etc.) for which user behaviors (e.g., purchases, accesses, downloads, etc.) can be monitored and analyzed to detect behavior-based associations, and for which item content or other available information can be used to assess item substitutability. |
| US08090624B2 |
Content feedback in a multiple-owner content management system
New functions for a contact center system include: testing user's comprehension of informational messages with a quiz; capturing insight of superior users having a KPI score above a threshold by having those users submit information on why they perform so well; dynamically ordering solutions to issues by re-ranking the solutions periodically based on recency and frequency; integrating information for use by a contact center representative while online with a customer and information for use when not online; storing content items in a telecommunications industry taxonomy; directing user feedback on a content item to the proper owner/manager of that content; communicating solution information using a solutions taxonomy; displaying a dual information system having a CRM application as well as reference material that is context-appropriate; enforcing completion of a group of templates when creating a content item to be published; ensuring a group of templates for a content item are complete before publishing them; and searching within a contact center system portal using a continuum of search functions. |
| US08090620B2 |
Query analysis for geographic-based listing service
A unique system and method facilitates analyzes searches or queries that are geographic based. In particular, a user can submit a geo-tag based search for items posted on a listing service according to the item's location or geo-tag information. The geo-tag information for each item can be approximate such as the city, state, or zip code or more specific such as the street address where the item is located. The amount of geo-tag information disclosed to any other user can depend on the type of item being offered. Geo-tag information is analyzed to facilitate determining item matches. In addition, users that post items can employ query results to analyze the quality of their items such as from the buyer's perspective. |
| US08090619B1 |
Method and system for music distribution
Music is blanket transmitted (for example, via satellite downlink transmission) to each customer's user station where selected music files are recorded. Customers preselect from a list of available music in advance using an interactive screen selector, and pay only for music that they choose to playback for their enjoyment. An antipiracy “ID tag” is woven into the recorded music so that any illegal copies therefrom may be traced to the purchase transaction. Music is transmitted on a fixed schedule or through an active scheduling process that monitors music requests from all or a subset of satellite receivers and adjust scheduling according to demand for various CD's. Receivers store selections that are likely to be preferred by a specific customer. In those instances where weather conditions, motion of atmospheric layers or dish obstructions result in data loss, the system downloads the next transmission of the requested CD and uses both transmissions to produce a “good copy”. In conjunction with the blanket 20 transmission of more popular music, an automated CD manufacturing facility may be provided to manufacture CD's that are not frequently requested and distribute them by ground transportation. |
| US08090618B1 |
Online game commerce system
An online game commerce system, in one embodiment, provides an architecture for enabling the interactive trade, collection, advertisement, purchase, and sales of video game components through the representation and use of an online marketplace such as an auction, store, trading hub or similar expression within a video game. For example, an online race car game purchased at a retail store comes with five different starter cars, but game players are offered the opportunity through an online store or auction accessible through the game to purchase additional cars for $5 each or a new engine for existing cars for $1.00 each. After the initial release of the game, game publishers may offer new cars and race tracks downloadable online for a price of $5.00 each or a promotional offer of $20 for any combination of five. |
| US08090609B2 |
Method for evaluating performance of internal network in an enterprise
An evaluating method for internal network performance by simulation of a flow network model with an acceptable threshold for the required flow of the internal network is applied to a computer system. The network model comprises plural nodes and document flow paths, wherein each said node corresponds to one employee of the internal network with a capacity, which is tested to get a testing result, and each said document flow path has a flow, which maps into a probability distribution data by a probability mapping function. According to the probability mapping function and operation relationship between the capacity and the flow together with the acceptable threshold and the probability distribution data, a system reliability value is calculated out and shown in a display screen. |
| US08090608B2 |
Identifying technological solutions for user-centric product designs
A method to identify technological solutions for user-centric product designs is disclosed. The method includes acquiring knowledge of a user-centric product goal and a user outcome, identifying actions that may achieve the desired user outcome, and identifying tasks pertaining to each action. Upon identifying actions that may be necessary to achieve the desired outcome and identifying tasks corresponding to each action, technology may then be considered and technological solutions for performing the tasks may be determined. A visual depiction of the technological solutions charted to the corresponding tasks may be provided to assist with designing a product best suited for product users. The identified technological solutions may be implemented into the product design to produce a user-centric product. |
| US08090604B2 |
System and method for processing trip requests
A system and method for planning trips and for processing trip requests that utilizes a centralized network for facilitating travel reservations and/or services. The system includes multi-purpose point of service terminals that provide a plurality of modules for various travel related applications such as an integrated e-mail booking module, a computer telephony integration module, a super passenger name record database, a customer database, a trip planning module, a customer relationship management module, a workflow module, and a low fare search module. |
| US08090598B2 |
Monitoring system for determining and communicating a cost of insurance
Means are provided for recording, storing, calculating, communicating and reviewing one or more operational aspects of a machine. Insurance costs are based, in part, on activities of the machine operator. A discount may be provided in exchange for recording the operational aspects and providing the recorded information to the insurer. The party may review information and decide whether to provide it to the insurer. The means for reviewing may present comparative information. Information that causes insurance costs to vary may be highlighted. Provided data may be used to verify insurance application information, generate actuarial information or determine insurance rates. Operating data may be reviewed on a computer, a Web site or other display medium so a party can observe how his operating behavior compares to that of other operators of similar machines and may be manipulated so a party can understand how changes in operating behavior can affect his insurance rates. |
| US08090596B2 |
Methods, systems, and devices for transferring medical files from a source facility to a destination facility
The disclosure herein provides methods, systems, and devices for managing, transferring, modifying, converting and/or tracking medical files and/or medical system messages. In certain embodiments, the foregoing may generally be based on requesting medical files at a first medical facility, identifying the requested medical files at a second medical facility, initiating a secure network connection between the first and second medical facility, modifying a header portion of the medical files based on patient identification information created by the first medical facility, and other processing steps. |
| US08090594B2 |
Systems and methods for directing recurring financial transfer operations
The present invention provides systems and methods for implementing variable financial plans. The methods can include identifying an account, and accessing an account planning tool. Characteristics associated with the account are presented to the account planning tool, and an account plan is developed using the planning tool. Based at least in part on the account plan, a funds transfer is facilitated from a source of funds to the account. Activity in the account is monitored, and the account plan is modified in response to activity detected in the account plan. |
| US08090587B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding multi-channel audio signal
Methods of encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal and apparatuses for encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal are provided. The method of decoding a multi-channel audio signal includes an unpacking unit which extracts a quantized CLD between a pair of channels of a plurality of channels from a bitstream, and an inverse quantization unit which inverse-quantizes the quantized CLD using a quantization table that considers the location properties of the pair of channels. The methods of encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal and the apparatuses for encoding and decoding a multi-channel audio signal can enable an efficient encoding/decoding by reducing the number of quantization bits required. |
| US08090582B2 |
Voice recognition apparatus
A voice recognition apparatus 10 includes a voice recognition means 12 for performing voice recognition, and a control means for controlling receipt of a voice input to the voice recognition means, and for performing recognition according to a result of the voice recognition acquired by the voice recognition means. In this voice recognition apparatus, the control means controls the receipt of a voice according to a timeout time which defines the end of the receipt of a voice. The voice recognition apparatus further includes an environmental condition detecting means 18 for detecting an environmental condition, and a timeout time control means 16 for changing the timeout time according to the environmental condition detected by the environmental condition detection means. |
| US08090581B2 |
Frame erasure concealment technique for a bitstream-based feature extractor
A frame erasure concealment technique for a bitstream-based feature extractor in a speech recognition system particularly suited for use in a wireless communication system operates to “delete” each frame in which an erasure is declared. The deletions thus reduce the length of the observation sequence, but have been found to provide for sufficient speech recognition based on both single word and “string” tests of the deletion technique. |
| US08090576B2 |
Enhancing the intelligibility of received speech in a noisy environment
A long term signal level of an audio signal is computed at a local device, wherein the audio signal was transmitted from a remote device and received by the local device. An automatic gain control (AGC) gain is computed at the local device based on the long term signal level. A noise factor indicative of a level of ambient noise at the local device is computed at the local device. A dynamic range compression (DRC) gain is computed at the local device based on the noise factor. An amplitude of the audio signal is adjusted at the local device based on the AGC gain and the DRC gain. |
| US08090575B2 |
Voice modulation recognition in a radio-to-SIP adapter
A radio-to-SIP adapter is shown to include a voice detection algorithm processor as well as other circuitry to provide an interface between a radio and SIP adapter to accommodate a transition from half duplex to full duplex and to cause a radio to transmit when human speech is present in an audio signal from a telephony network. |
| US08090574B2 |
Entropy encoding and decoding using direct level and run-length/level context-adaptive arithmetic coding/decoding modes
An encoder performs context-adaptive arithmetic encoding of transform coefficient data. For example, an encoder switches between coding of direct levels of quantized transform coefficient data and run-level coding of run lengths and levels of quantized transform coefficient data. The encoder can determine when to switch between coding modes based on a pre-determined switch point or by counting consecutive coefficients having a predominant value (e.g., zero). A decoder performs corresponding context-adaptive arithmetic decoding. |
| US08090572B2 |
Handheld electronic device and method for disambiguation of compound text input and that employs N-gram data to limit generation of low-probability compound language solutions
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate compound text input. The device is able to assemble language objects in the memory to generate compound language solutions. The device is able to analyze the combinations of language objects in light of N-gram data stored on the device to avoid proposing low-probability compound language solutions. |
| US08090570B2 |
Simultaneous translation of open domain lectures and speeches
A real-time open domain speech translation system for simultaneous translation of a spoken presentation that is a spoken monologue comprising one of a lecture, a speech, a presentation, a colloquium, and a seminar. The system includes an automatic speech recognition unit configured for accepting sound comprising the spoken presentation in a first language and for continuously creating word hypotheses, and a machine translation unit that receives the hypotheses, wherein the machine translation unit outputs a translation, into a second language, from the spoken presentation. |
| US08090569B2 |
Apparatus and method for testing electronic apparatuses
A method for testing electronic apparatuses is provided. The method includes: reading an identification (ID) of an emulator adapter; searching for the script name in a test table according to the ID; fetching the script from a storage according to the determined script name and running the fetched script to pass each of input commands; and receiving and identifying each of the input commands to simulate a key input via an electrical conductive path, correspondingly to the input command, of the emulator adapter, such that an input key corresponding to the key input of the to-be-tested electronic apparatus is activated and the to-be-tested electronic apparatus performs a function associated with the input key correspondingly. A related test apparatus is also provided. |
| US08090568B2 |
Hardware emulator having a variable input primitive
A hardware emulator having a first primitive for evaluating functions having a first input width and a second primitive, coupled to the first primitive, for evaluating a function having a second input width, where the first input width is unequal to the second input width. The use of either the first primitive or the second primitive is selected depending upon the function to be evaluated. |
| US08090567B1 |
Self-disabling simulation models using limits on assertions
Approaches for managing a simulation model. A processor-implemented method includes simulating an electronic system using the simulation model and a simulator. The simulation model includes an assertion test that has an associated limit. The simulator counts a number of times the assertion test is evaluated during simulation, which is the evaluation count. When the simulator determines that the evaluation count has reached the limit, the simulation is stopped. |
| US08090565B2 |
System and method for using model analysis to generate directed test vectors
In one embodiment, a system model models characteristics of a real-world system. The system model includes a plurality of sub-portions that each correspond to a component of the real-world system. A plurality of test vectors are applied to the system model and coverage achieved by the test vectors on the sub-portions of the system model is measured. In response to a failure of the real world system, a suspected failed component of the real-world system is matched to a particular sub-portion of the system model. A test vector to be applied to the real-world system to test the suspected failed component is selected in response to coverage achieved on the particular sub-portion of the system model. |
| US08090563B2 |
Method and system for simulating communications networks, object and computer program product therefor
A method for simulating a telecommunications network through objects that model a respective set of network modules or devices provides for the insertion, for every module or device of the set, of at least one respective interfacing object with the other modules of the set. The above interfacing object has an external side and an internal side with respect to the module or device. Such external side has a character that is independent of idiosyncrasies of such module or device and is therefore uniform for all modules or devices. When there are a plurality of different implementations of the same module or device, it is possible to provide both a unique interfacing object for all different implementations, and a respective interfacing object for every single implementation. |
| US08090558B1 |
Optical parametric model optimization
A method is presented for selecting the order in which parameters are evaluated for inclusion in a model of a film stack, which is by ranking them according to measurement precision. Further, a method is presented for determining which parameters are to be floated, set, or discarded from the model, which is by determining whether average chi-square and chi-square uniformity decreases or increases when the parameter is added to the model. In this manner, a model for the film stack can be quickly assembles with a high degree of accuracy. |
| US08090557B2 |
Quality assurance method when operating an industrial machine
There is described a method for operating an industrial machine, the latter being e.g. a processing machine, a production machine or a manipulation robot. At least part of the operation of the industrial machine is simulated with the aid of a simulation model and the simulated results and real-time data from the operation of the industrial machine are stored. The simulation can be carried out in the industrial machine and if this is the case a parametric representation of the simulation model can be at least partly produced using a unit for this purpose. To produce the parametric representation, a data-systems connection can be created between the industrial machine and the unit, by means of an Intranet and/or an Internet connection. In addition, the simulation can be carried out in an external simulation unit, the latter having a data-systems connection to the industrial machine by means of an Intranet and/or an Internet connection. |
| US08090555B2 |
Multi-attribute seismic characterization of gas hydrates
An appropriate rock physics model is chosen from well-log data and/or experience. The rock physics model is then used to generate a plurality of attribute values, including compression and shear velocities, at different porosities and gas hydrate saturations. Gas hydrates are classified into different ranges of porosity and hydrate saturation based on the population of multiple attributes, and probability density functions for each individual gas hydrate class are created. Probability density distribution functions for individual attributes and a joint conditional probability density functions are created using a Bayesian function. The conditional probability of the occurrences of gas hydrate classes given a set of values of the chosen attributes derived from seismic inversion and or well measurements is inverted. Finally, a maximum a-posteriori (MAP) rule is employed to obtain the optimal porosity and hydrate saturation estimation. This information may be used to make decisions regarding management of the well site and the subsurface hydrate resources. |
| US08090548B2 |
Method and device for predicting electrolytic capacitor defects, converter and uninterruptible power supply equipped with such a device
A method and device for predicting defects of a capacitor, the method including determining the ripple voltage (Udc), the temperature (TP), and the current (Ic) of the capacitor, determining the value of an equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the capacitor, and the capacitance value (C) of the capacitor using a digital filter, determining information representative of the state of aging of the capacitor according to the temperature of the capacitor, and displaying that information and information representative of the value of the capacitance (C) and/or information representative of a cause associated with the state of aging according to the capacitance value. The device may include a converter and an uninterruptible power supply. |
| US08090546B2 |
Analysis apparatus and analysis method
An elastic sheet is defined in accordance with a user input operation to have a shape with which the elastic sheet does not cross another member (building component) (step S1). Then, the elastic sheet is divided into rigid elements (step S2). Angles formed by each rigid element with adjacent rigid elements on two sides are calculated, and the calculation results and the like are stored in a RAM (step S3). A flexible medium which moves through a conveyance path is defined (step S4). Conveyance conditions when the flexible medium moves through the conveyance path are set (step S5). After that, the motion is calculated (step S6). The result of the motion calculation, that is, the behavior of the flexible medium, is displayed on a display device (step S7). |
| US08090540B2 |
Method for designing 3-dimensional porous tissue engineering scaffold
The present invention provides a method for designing three-dimensional scaffold structures that are anatomically accurate and possess the necessary internal porous micro-architecture design, wherein the porous micro-architecture is necessary for the proliferation and colonization of cultured cells that lead to tissue formation. The design method of the present invention utilizes the patient data derived from medical imaging modalities (e.g., CT or MRI) in combination with computer data manipulation techniques. The present invention further provides that the resultant scaffold design can be easily manufactured by Rapid Prototyping fabrication techniques. |
| US08090537B2 |
Obstacle avoidance path computing apparatus, obstacle avoidance path computing method, and obstacle avoidance control system equipped with obstacle avoidance path computing system
An obstacle avoidance path computing apparatus is provided with a preceding object detecting section, a host vehicle information detecting section, a preceding object arrival region estimating section and a preceding object avoidance path setting section. The preceding object detecting section detects a preceding object. The host vehicle information detecting section detects host vehicle information. The preceding object arrival region estimating section calculates an estimated arrival region within which the preceding object could arrive after a prescribed amount of time has elapsed since the preceding object was detected, based on an estimated attribute of the preceding object from the preceding object information. The preceding object avoidance path setting section calculates an avoidance path that will not encroach on the estimated arrival region based the preceding object information and the host vehicle information. |
| US08090532B2 |
Pedestrian route production
As a pedestrian travels, various difficulties can be encountered, such as traveling through an unsafe neighborhood or being in an open area that is subject to harsh temperatures. A route can be developed for a person taking into account factors that specifically affect a pedestrian. Moreover, the route can alter as a situation of a user changes; for instance, if a user wants to add a stop along a route. |
| US08090531B2 |
Method for assisting an aircraft to rejoin a flight plan by interception of a flight segment close to the aircraft
A method for assisting an aircraft to rejoin a flight plan is disclosed. The flight plan is composed of a number N of flight segments (LEGi, i⊂[1, N]) with a flight segment LEGi being defined by a departure end (WPTi−1) and by an arrival end (WPTi). A navigation mode is termed “managed mode” wherein, the aircraft has momentarily left the managed mode and has deviated from the flight plan after passing through a waypoint (WPTp, p⊂[1, N]), the aircraft occupying a position (PPOS) and seeking to rejoin the flight plan so as to follow it in managed mode. The method comprises a step of evaluating the separation distance (Dj, i⊂[p+1, N]) between the position (PPOS) of the aircraft and each of the waypoints (WPTj, i⊂[p+1, N]). The local minima of the distance between the position (PPOS) of the aircraft and the waypoints (WPTj, i⊂[p+1, N]) of the flight plan is determined. |
| US08090528B2 |
Navigation apparatus and computer program
When a map image in the periphery of a vehicle position is displayed on a liquid crystal display in 3D, POIs existing in a first searching region within a first searching distance from a current position of the vehicle are searched in an area in the vicinity of the vehicle position by setting all types of points as search targets, POIs existing in a second searching region within a second searching distance from a second searching point are searched in an area distant from the vehicle position by setting only specific types of points as search targets, and icon symbols indicating types and positions of the points are displayed on the map image while being overlapped therewith based on the searched POIs. |
| US08090527B2 |
Method for operating a navigation system
A method for operating a navigation system includes the following steps: a) inputting a destination; b) deriving a starting point from the destination being input by utilizing a starting point derivation rule; c) calculating a route from the derived starting point to the destination being input, and d) outputting the simulated route preview from the derived starting point to the destination being input. Preferably, the navigation system includes an input device for inputting operator commands and/or location information, particularly starting points and/or destinations, a road network database, a route calculating unit for calculating a planned route with consideration of the location information and the road network database, wherein the route leads from the starting point to the destination, a signal receiving unit for receiving position signals, particularly GPS signals, a position finding unit that determines the current position from the position signals, and at least one optical and/or acoustical output device for optically and/or acoustically outputting a simulated route preview in a simulation mode, wherein the simulated route preview simulates the route navigation from a starting point to a destination. |
| US08090524B2 |
Determining road traffic conditions using data from multiple data sources
Techniques are described for assessing road traffic conditions in various ways based on obtained traffic-related data, such as data samples from vehicles and other mobile data sources traveling on the roads and/or from one or more other sources (such as physical sensors near to or embedded in the roads). The road traffic conditions assessment based on obtained data samples may include various filtering and/or conditioning of the data samples, and various inferences and probabilistic determinations of traffic-related characteristics of interest from the data samples. In some situations, the inferences include repeatedly determining current traffic flow characteristics and/or predicted future traffic flow characteristics for road segments of interest during time periods of interest, such as to determine average traffic speed, traffic volume and/or occupancy, and include weighting various data samples in various ways (e.g., based on a latency of the data samples and/or a source of the data samples). |
| US08090512B2 |
System and method for controlling a clutch fill event
A method optimizes a fill event of an apply chamber of a fluid-actuated clutch, and includes determining input values describing the fill event, and then estimating a fill time using the input values. The method includes filling the apply chamber using the estimated fill time (EFT) or within an allowable range of the EFT. The input values can include a command line pressure, command fill stroke pressure, and an estimated viscosity of the fluid, although other values can be used. The input values are processed through a neural network having an input layer, an optional hidden layer, and an output layer. An assembly includes a fluid-actuated clutch having an apply chamber and a controller operable for estimating the fill time required for filling the apply chamber, and for controlling the fill of the apply chamber within the EFT. |
| US08090511B2 |
Gear shift system for vehicle, control device and control method for automatic transmission
A parameter having an accelerator pedal position and a drive force as components is set according to information representing driver's operations such as the accelerator pedal position and a stroke amount of a brake pedal. Similarly to the information representing the driver's operation, a parameter having the accelerator pedal position and the drive force as the components is set according to information representing running environment of a vehicle such as a gradient of a road surface, a curvature of the road surface, a friction coefficient μ of the road surface, a type of a road and a length of traffic jam. One parameter α(OUT) is set by mediating a parameter α(1) obtained from the information representing the driver's operation and a parameter α(2) obtained from the information representing the running environment of the vehicle. The gear corresponding to the parameter α(OUT) is set. |
| US08090509B2 |
Transmission, vehicle having the transmission, and control device and control method for the transmission
A transmission includes a gear ratio change mechanism, a driving circuit and an electronic control unit (ECU). The gear ratio change mechanism has a motor for continuously varying the gear ratio. The driving circuit applies a pulse voltage to the motor. The ECU outputs a control signal to the driving circuit. The duty ratio and/or the pulse height of the pulse voltage is changed according to the control signal. The ECU performs a low-pass filtering process on the control signal to output the low-pass filtered control signal to the driving circuit. Gear ratio change shocks are thereby suppressed. |
| US08090503B2 |
Method for determining absolute steering wheel angle from a single-turn steering wheel angle sensor
A method and algorithm for determining a steering wheel angle of a vehicle steering mechanism upon power up of a vehicle using a single-turn steering wheel angle sensor by eliminating plausible steering wheel angles until one and only one steering wheel angle possibility remains. |
| US08090500B2 |
Control device for a variable damper
In a control device for controlling a variable damper of a vehicle suspension system, when a stroke speed of the damper is within a range including a zero stroke speed, the target damping force is determined as a force opposing a current movement of the damper without regards to the direction of the target damping force determined by a target damping force determining unit. Thereby, even when the wheels move vertically at short intervals, the control value is prevented from changing rapidly, and this allows a damping force of an appropriate level to be achieved in a stable manner at all times. Also, the target damping force when a stroke speed of the damper is within a range including a zero stroke speed may be selected to be a relatively high value or low value so that a desired vehicle behavior may be achieved. |
| US08090496B2 |
Vehicle information notification device
A vehicle information notification device for notifying vehicle information to a driver of a vehicle with a notification element, the device includes: a first-ride determination element for determining whether it is a first ride of the vehicle for the driver; and a controller for notifying the vehicle information via the notification element when the first-ride determination element determines that it is the first ride. By using the above device, the vehicle information is notified to the driver when the driver rides on the vehicle for the first time. Thus, anxiety of the driver is reduced. |
| US08090495B2 |
Checking of repairs for electronic vehicle systems
The invention relates to a computer-based diagnostic tester which can exchange information with the control devices installed in the motor vehicle using a diagnostic program via a diagnostic interface and via data lines. A method for improved checking of repairs is also presented with the diagnostic tester. The motor vehicle-mounted control devices have program routines for self-diagnostics of the control devices and are capable of storing identified faults in the form of fault codes in reserved memory areas. The diagnostic program which is implemented in the diagnostic tester reads the fault codes out from the reserved memory areas, interprets the fault codes and displays them on a display together with the interpretations. In order to check to what extent repairs which have been performed have been successfully concluded, status polling is carried out using the diagnostic program implemented in the diagnostic tester. During this status polling, the status information of all the fault codes known in the system is interrogated and evaluated. In the process, all the fault codes whose fault setting conditions have either been tested positively or whose test requirements were not present in order to be able to carry out a test are displayed. The fault codes which are to be displayed are firstly stored here in one or more primary first fault memories, read out and then copied into a secondary, second fault memory. This permits the use of the total reset of the primary fault memories which is prescribed in the USA for diagnostic systems without information which is relevant to the checking of repairs in the second fault memory being lost. |
| US08090493B2 |
Vehicle state quantity predicting apparatus and vehicle steering controller using the same, and a method for predicting a vehicle state quantity and vehicle steering controlling method using the same
A vehicle state quantity prediction apparatus has sensors such as a GPS receiver that observe prescribed state quantities representing a movement state of a vehicle and a Kalman filter that inputs the state quantities observed by the sensors into a model of the movement state of the vehicle to predict a state quantity including the prescribed state quantities representing a movement of the vehicle. The reliability of the prescribed state quantities observed by the sensors is evaluated, and the degree to which the prescribed state quantities are reflected in the Kalman filter is set based on the evaluated reliability. |
| US08090492B2 |
Vehicle motion measurement apparatus, a vehicle abnormal motion prevention apparatus and a drive recorder
The apparatus comprises a measured signal detector 11, a vehicle parameter obtainer 12, a sideslip angle temporary estimator 13, a sideslip angle differential corresponding value computer 14 and a sideslip angle real estimator 15. A sideslip angle temporary estimate value is computed from one or plural vehicle parameters including at least the mass. A sideslip angle differential corresponding value is computed from a measured signal and the vehicle parameters including no mass. A sideslip angle is derived from the sideslip angle temporary estimate value and the sideslip angle differential corresponding value. A sideslip can be detected without a steering angle detection mechanism. |
| US08090487B2 |
On/off control method for air blower of fuel cell vehicle
On/off times of the air blower of a fuel cell hybrid vehicle equipped with a fuel cell as a main power source and a supercapacitor as an auxiliary power source are controlled to vary according to supercapacitor voltage, motor current, stack voltage and/or stack voltage rise/drop rate. Accordingly, the voltage of the fuel cell stack can be prevented from far exceeding a predetermined maximum voltage. Moreover, vehicle acceleration response during switching-off of the air blower can be improved. |
| US08090486B2 |
Message protocol for efficient transmission of vital directives on a guideway
A method for delivering and maintaining mandatory directives data from a central office server to an on-board system. Mandatory directives include the enforceable train control data required for a train operating on controlled track. The method enables the on-board system and the central server to exchange data in a vital manner, in part by checking for any inconsistency between i) the on-board system's data as previously transmitted and ii) the required data as represented by both a transmitted set of data identifiers and an associated error correction code. |
| US08090484B1 |
Orientation control method and system for object in motion
An object in motion has a force applied thereto at a point of application. By moving the point of application such that the distance between the object's center-of-mass and the point of application is changed, the object's orientation can be changed/adjusted. |
| US08090483B2 |
System and method for displaying control related information to an aircraft operator
A system for displaying throttle settings to an aircraft operator includes, but is not limited to, a display unit, a data storage unit configured to store aircraft and airport data, an operator input unit configured to receive thrust related information from the aircraft operator, an aircraft sensor configured to detect an aircraft condition, and a processor. The processor is communicatively connected to each of the above components and is configured to obtain therefrom the aircraft data, the airport data, the thrust related information, and the aircraft condition. The processor is also configured to calculate a first thrust requirement based on the aircraft data, the airport data, the thrust related information, and the aircraft condition, and to provide commands to the display unit to display either the first thrust requirement. |
| US08090482B2 |
Distributed active vibration control systems and rotary wing aircraft with suppressed vibrations
An aircraft with an aerostructure and at least one rotating machine creating troublesome vibrations, with the aircraft including a power source outputting electromagnetic force generator power outputs, a first and second distributed active vibration electromagnetic force generator, the first and second force generator including a distributed electronic control system and an electromagnetically driven mass, the force generators fixed to the aerostructure at first and second distributed active vibration control system sites, and electrical power distribution lines connecting the force generators with the power source with the power outputs outputted to the electromagnetic force generators, and a distributed force generator data communications network linking together the first and second distributed electronic control systems wherein the distributed electronic control systems communicate force generator vibration control data through the distributed force generator data communications network independently of the electrical power distribution lines to minimize the troublesome vibrations. |
| US08090477B1 |
System and method for optimizing use of plug-in air conditioners and portable heaters
Thermostatic HVAC and other energy management controls that are connected to a computer network. For instance, remotely managed load switches incorporating thermostatic controllers inform an energy management system, to provide enhanced efficiency, and to verify demand response with plug-in air conditioners and heaters. At least one load control device at a first location comprises a temperature sensor and a microprocessor. The load control device is configured to connect or disconnect electrical power to the an attached air conditioner or heater, and the microprocessor is configured to communicate over a network. In addition, the load control device is physically separate from an air conditioner or heater but located inside the space conditioned by the air conditioner or heater. |
| US08090472B2 |
Medication dispensing apparatus for dispensing single items from multiple-compartment bins
A medication dispenser provides automation to the steps of locating and acquiring medications to be administered to a patient. The medication dispenser includes an enclosure providing a secure environment for storing medications in multiple sized medication storage bins. The medication storage bins are hung in storage racks located within the enclosure. A robot system is also provided within the enclosure for moving bins between the storage racks and a medication dispensing area. The medication dispensing area includes doors configured to open to define an opening for passing a selected bin through the enclosure. The medication storage bin includes multiple sub-compartments, each configured to receive a single medically related item. The medication storage bin is moved through the opening to present the first sub-compartment containing a medically related item, while other sub-compartment containing medically related items remain within the enclosure. |
| US08090471B2 |
Secure medicament dispensing cabinet, method and system
A medicament dispensing cabinet is comprised of a frame, at least one controller, and a plurality of drawers each movably carried by the frame and each defining a plurality of dispensing cells. A plurality of removable dispensing devices is provided with each one carried by one of the dispensing cells. Each of the dispensing cells further comprises a motor for providing rotary motion to one of the removable dispensing devices in response to the controller, a sensor operating in conjunction with the controller for counting medicament dispensed from one of the removable dispensing devices, a chute for receiving medicament dispensed from one of the removable dispensing devices and a chute gate for controlling access to the chute. The cabinet may additionally comprise a chute gate release responsive to the controller for controlling the chute gate and a chute gate sensor connected to the controller and responsive to the position of the chute gate. The cabinet may be used in conjunction with a number of processes including dispensing, secure-pickup (insuring the person picking up the dispensed medicament is authorized to do so), back-end verification (verifying the identity of the person picking up the dispensed medicament), a process for removing a dispensing device from a drawer, and a process for inserting a dispensing device into a drawer. |
| US08090468B2 |
Multi-spindle phase controlled machining
A method of controlling a multiple spindle machine includes measuring the motor currents provided to a first spindle and a second spindle over a period of time, establishing an amount of time between impacts on a workpiece of a cutting tooth of the first spindle relative to a cutting tooth of the second spindle based on the measured motor currents of the first spindle and the second spindle, determining an angle to shift the second spindle relative to the first spindle, and increasing or decreasing the amount of time between impacts to obtain the determined shift angle for the second spindle. |
| US08090463B2 |
Operating method for an evaluation device for a production machine
During the production of a product by means of a production machine, an evaluation device receives actual states of components of the production machine, detected by sensors at detection times, and/or operating states of a control device of the production machine at the defined detection times. The evaluation device compares the states of each detection time transmitted thereto with pre-defined state combinations and thus determines fulfilled state combinations. For each fulfilled state combination, the evaluation device selects relevant states from the states of the respective detection time transmitted thereto, and corresponding information and the respective detection time are stored with the relevant states such that they are available for other evaluations. |
| US08090461B2 |
Product customization system and method
A product customization system and method are provided in which a consumer can insert user content, such as images or text, onto a product, such as a skateboard, and then view the customized product before purchasing the customized product. |
| US08090460B2 |
System and method for protection system design support
A method and system for examining, auditing, and safely evaluating process systems, including fluid pressure systems, to aid overpressure design and/or sizing of overpressure equipment. The system includes a server subsystem, a storage subsystem, an assessment subsystem, and optionally a report generation subsystem, including computer hardware and application software for supporting these subsystems. |
| US08090454B1 |
System and method of optimization for vending platforms
In accordance with an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the disclosure, a computer readable medium is encoded with instructions for directing a processor to receive at least one model defining the energy consumption of at least one vending machine as a function of at least one parameter, receive at least one goal comprising a plurality of parameter values within which the at least one vending machine is to operate, and utilize the at least one model and the at least one goal to determine an operation regime for the at least one vending machine. |
| US08090451B2 |
Transvenous active fixation lead system
A medical electrical lead system that includes a catheter extending from a proximal catheter end to a distal catheter end; a lead, insertable within the catheter, including a lead body extending from a proximal lead end to a distal lead end and an active fixation member positioned at the distal lead end; and an advancement tool for advancing the distal lead end outward from the distal catheter end. The advancement tool is adapted to be positioned around the lead body and further adapted to be removably fixedly engaged with the proximal catheter end. |
| US08090446B2 |
Methods and systems for establishing neural stimulation parameters and providing neural stimulation
Methods for providing electrical stimulation therapy to a cortex of a patient via a plurality of electrodes proximate to the cortex and a pulse generator implanted in the patient. One embodiment of a method in accordance with the invention comprises determining whether the current applied via the plurality of electrodes results in a sufficient current density in the cortex. The current density, for example, may need to be high enough to induce a response in the patient for determining the activation threshold of the specific stimulation site, or the current density may need to be high enough to perform a specific therapy. If the current density is not sufficient, the method continues by selecting a subset of the plurality of electrodes, and applying electrical current to the cortex via the subset of the electrodes. For example, if the current density is not sufficient when the current is applied to the full plurality of electrodes at approximately the maximum output of the pulse generator, then the current level from the pulse generator can be applied to only a subset of the electrodes to effectively increase the current density in the cortex at the active electrodes. |
| US08090444B2 |
Optimization of cardiac pacing therapy based on paced propagation delay
An exemplary method includes delivering stimulation energy via a right ventricular site; sensing an evoked response caused by the delivered stimulation energy at the right ventricular site; calculating a paced propagation delay for the right ventricular site (PPDRV); delivering stimulation energy via a left ventricular site; sensing an evoked response caused by the delivered stimulation energy at the left ventricular site; calculating a paced propagation delay for the left ventricular site (PPDLV); and determining an interventricular delay time (VV) for delivery of a bi-ventricular pacing therapy based in part on the paced propagation delay for the right ventricular site (PPDRV) and the paced propagation delay for the left ventricular site (PPDLV). Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08090443B2 |
Monitoring HF exacerbation and cardiac resynchronization therapy performance
An exemplary method includes delivering a cardiac resynchronization therapy using an atrio-ventricular delay parameter and an interventricular delay parameter, measuring an atrio-ventricular conduction delay, measuring an interventricular conduction delay, assessing heart failure and/or cardiac resynchronization therapy performance based at least in part on the measured atrio-ventricular conduction delay and the measured interventricular conduction delay and determining at least one of an atrio-ventricular delay parameter value and an interventricular delay parameter value based at least in part on the measured atrio-ventricular conduction delay and the measured interventricular conduction delay. Other exemplary technologies are also disclosed. |
| US08090439B2 |
Defibrillators customized for anticipated patients
An external defibrillator is customized for at least one person, i.e., an anticipated patient, through creation of a profile for the anticipated patient that allows the defibrillator and users of the defibrillator to provide customized treatment to the patient. The profile may include treatment parameters for the anticipated patient, such as defibrillation therapy parameters selected for the patient. The profile may also include a baseline recording of a physiological parameter of the patient, and medical history and personal information regarding the patient. In some embodiments, the external defibrillator stores a profile for each of one or more anticipated patients within a memory. In other embodiments, a profile for an anticipated patient is stored within a medium associated with that anticipated patient. The medium may, for example, be a removable medium for external defibrillators. |
| US08090436B2 |
Tissue discrimination and applications in medical procedures
A system and method for discriminating tissue types, controlling the level of therapy to tissue, and determining the health of a known tissue by measuring the characteristics of an electrical signal applied to a conductive element located within or by the tissue. Additionally, the system and method may be used for determining whether the conductive tip of a pedicle probe or pedicle screw is located in one of cortical bone, cancellous bone, and cortical bone near a boundary with soft tissue, whether the conductive tip of a cannula is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and annulus tissue, and whether the conductive tip of a cathode is located adjacent to one of nerve tissue and prostate gland tissue. |
| US08090433B2 |
Methods and apparatus for treating disorders of the ear nose and throat
Methods and apparatus for treating disorders of the ear, nose, throat or paranasal sinuses, including methods and apparatus for dilating ostia, passageways and other anatomical structures, endoscopic methods and apparatus for endoscopic visualization of structures within the ear, nose, throat or paranasal sinuses, navigation devices for use in conjunction with image guidance or navigation system and hand held devices having pistol type grips and other handpieces. |
| US08090432B2 |
Implantable tissue perfusion sensing system and method
A medical device for sensing cardiac events that includes a plurality of electrodes sensing cardiac signals utilized to identify a cardiac event, a plurality of light sources capable of emitting light at a plurality of wavelengths, and a detector to detect the emitted light. A processor determines a plurality of light measurements in response to the emitted light detected by the detector, an isobestic blood volume index in response to determined light measurements of the plurality of light measurements from a first light source of the plurality of light sources emitting light at an isobestic wavelength, determines an oxygen index associated with light measurements of the plurality of light measurements from a light source of the plurality of light sources other than the first light source, and verifies the identifying of the cardiac event in response to the determined isobestic blood volume index and the determined oxygen index. |
| US08090430B2 |
Methods and apparatus for acute or chronic delivery or substances or apparatus to extravascular treatment sites
Methods and apparatus for delivery of substances or apparatus to target sites within the body of a human or animal patient. A vessel wall penetrating catheter is inserted into the vasculature, positioned and oriented within a blood vessel near the target extravascular site and a penetrator is advanced from the catheter in the direction of the target site. Thereafter, a delivery catheter is passed through a lumen of the penetrator to the target site. A desired substance or apparatus is then delivered to or obtained from the target site. |
| US08090428B2 |
Spinal midline indicator
A spinal midline indicator (10) has a body (14) of radiolucent material for insertion between adjacent vertebrae (18, 20) and a radiographic marker (12) located centrally with the body to indicate the position of the spinal midline (22) in anterior-posterior images when the body is centrally located between the vertebrae. The radiographic marker is typically an elongate metal handle. The body may carry secondary radiographic markers (16) on opposite sides of and equidistant from the handle so that the handle indicates the position of the spinal midline when the body is placed centrally between the vertebrae. |
| US08090426B2 |
Microelectronic biosensor plug
A plug capable of providing information relating to a physical or chemical property of a body fluid, or the presence or amount of a molecular component therein in a living organism is disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment plug is capable of being inserted into a portion of a human eyelid in order to provide information relating to tear fluid is disclosed. This embodiment plug includes a body having a passage which allows for the natural flow of tear fluid therethrough. In addition, a sensing mechanism is provided which is capable of measuring, for example, glucose levels in the body of a patient through the analysis of the tear fluid. Such plug may further be designed so as to double as a punctual plug useful in preventing dry eye. Methods of utilizing and implanting such plugs are also disclosed. |
| US08090424B2 |
Method and apparatus for glucose level detection
An apparatus for determine a glucose level having a calibration module; an image acquisition module; an image compensation module; and, a dynamic pattern matching module. A method using the apparatus is also described. |
| US08090423B2 |
Mobile terminal
A mobile terminal comprises a front case and a rear case which are fastened with a printed circuit board (PCB) and an antenna connected with the PCB interposed therebetween; a battery protection cover opening and closing a battery receiving space provided on the rear case; and a conductive coupling element formed on one of the rear case and the battery protection cover such that the conductive coupling element is overlapped with at least one of one edge and the other edge of the antenna. |
| US08090420B2 |
Bi-directional sliding-type portable terminal
Disclosed is a bi-directional sliding-type portable terminal. The bi-directional sliding-type portable terminal comprises a phone body and a bi-directional sliding body. The phone body comprises a first section which is located on one side of the top surface thereof and within which a plurality of keys are mounted, and a second section which is located on the other side of the top surface thereof spaced apart from the first section and within which a camera lens housing is mounted. The bi-directional sliding body linearly moves on the phone body in a longitudinal direction while facing the phone body, opens the first section to expose the keys by moving toward the second section, and opens the second section to expose the camera lens housing by moving toward the first section. |
| US08090419B2 |
Folding portable wireless apparatus
An object of the invention is to provide a folding-type portable wireless equipment which can obtain good antenna characteristics in each of opened and closed states with a simple configuration without spoiling miniaturization.A folding-type portable wireless equipment (100) having a first case (11) and a second case (12) includes a first circuit board (101) disposed at the first case (11), a second circuit board (102) disposed at the second case (12), a bendable coupling portion (13) which mechanically couples the first case (11) and the second case (12), a flexible coupling element (103) which electrically couples the first circuit board (101) and the second circuit board (102), a radio circuit portion (106) provided at the second circuit board (102), an antenna element (104) coupled to the radio circuit portion (106) via a feeder line (105), and a switching portion (109) which selectively connects and disconnects between the first circuit board (101) and the antenna element (104) in accordance with an opened/closed state of the folding-type portable wireless equipment (100), wherein the antenna element (104) and the feeder line 105 are dispose at positions almost along the coupling portion (103). |
| US08090417B2 |
Electronic device with variable appearance
An electronic device includes a printed circuit board and a casing. The printed circuit board is for storing an image. The casing secures the printed circuit board and displays the image all through its outer surface. The casing includes a touch panel and a display panel. The touch panel is transparent and is for sensing touch of users and generating control signals. The display panel is under the touch panel and is for displaying the image according to the control signals. |
| US08090415B2 |
Intelligent battery warning system
A method and system of providing a low battery charge warning in an electronic device that employs a rechargeable power source such as a rechargeable battery. The method and system determine whether a charge state of a battery is sufficient to provide the device with power for a predicted usage. The predicted usage and predicted power requirement may be determined from a usage profile of the device. The predicted usage and power requirement may also be determined from data associated with an event record as may be stored in a calendar application on the device. The method and system may provide an advance notice to the user of the device of a potential low battery situation. |
| US08090414B2 |
Recharging method and apparatus
The present invention provides apparatus and an associated method for remotely energizing power storage devices. Energization may preferably be effected through the use of RF energy from a base station, ambient energy or ultra-wide band energy. The remote station preferably has at least one antenna having an effective area greater than its physical area. The system may have an antenna and associated circuitry provided on an electronic chip such as a monolithic chip or on a printed circuit with a suitable substrate. |
| US08090412B2 |
Multi-sector base station and shared processing information
A communication system is described in which a receiver allocated to a sector of a communication network receives signals via all antennas of the network regardless of the sector allocation of the antenna. The system includes multiple antennas configured to form numerous antenna sets. Each antenna set is allocated to one of a number of sectors of a communication network. The system includes numerous modems or receivers, and each modem is coupled to an antenna set of a sector. The system includes a memory device coupled to the modems. The memory device includes signal processing information shared among the modems of the system. The signal processing information allows each modem to receive communications from subscriber stations in any sector via any of the system receive antennas. |
| US08090408B2 |
Portable wireless device
A portable wireless device has no externally projecting part even when a card type functional medium has been therein inserted, and allows downsizing and obtaining high antenna performance.The portable wireless device includes a card slot (12) in a substrate (11) of a lower housing (10), and includes a slot cover (13) that can block an opening portion of the card slot (12). The slot cover (13) is integrally provided with a parasitic element (14). The parasitic element (14) is, when an SDIO card (100) is inserted, arranged so as to be in proximity substantially parallel with the antenna element (102) of the SDIO card (100), has an electrical length which is approximately one-half wavelength of a driving frequency of an RF circuit (101) of the SDIO card (100), and electromagnetically couples with the antenna element (102) to operate as a parasitic element. |
| US08090401B2 |
Virtual gateway node for dual-mode wireless phones
The invention is a virtual gateway that mediates between a dual-mode subscriber device and an IP-based PBX. In particular, the virtual gateway includes a WLAN interface for communicating with the dual-mode subscriber device and a network interface (wired or wireless) for communicating with the IP-based PBX over the Internet. As such, the virtual gateway may relay voice and call control instructions between the dual-mode subscriber device and the IP-based PBX, and may provide the same call control functions to the dual-mode subscriber device provided by the call control processor in existing dual-mode phones. The invention further provides a dual-mode subscriber device suitable for operation with the virtual gateway. Because the dual-mode subscriber device does not require a call control processor, the battery life and cost of the device are significantly improved. |
| US08090400B2 |
Notifying station for portable electronic devices in automobile
In some embodiments, an automobile has a station that can support a portable electronic device (PED). The station includes a body, which could be integrated with the automobile. The body defines a PED seat, for supporting the PED. A movable member can exert tension so as to bias the supported PED, to prevent the PED from falling off. Detection means can detect when the PED is receiving a wireless signal. A human-perceptible indication can be generated in response to the detection means, above and beyond any ringing and/or vibrating from the PED itself. As such, a user can always keep the PED at the “Silent” annunciation mode even while in the automobile. |
| US08090396B2 |
Push-to-talk features in wireless communications devices and methods
A wireless communications terminal that communicates in a communications infrastructure and methods therefor including opening a push-to-talk (PTT) contact list application (220) on the terminal when the terminal is in a dormant state, for example, by depressing a PTT input, and transitioning the terminal from the dormant state to an active state when the PTT contact list application is opened. Other PTT features include among others indicating on the terminal whether PTT contacts in the contact list are available for a PTT session, and indicating which PTT participant is talking. |
| US08090390B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving paging messages in wirelss communication system
A method of transmitting and receiving paging messages in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method of transmitting paging messages in a wireless communication system comprises transmitting paging messages to a plurality of user equipments from a network of the wireless communication system, wherein the network transmits the paging messages to different user equipments, which are in different connection states, through different channels. |
| US08090379B2 |
Cellular systems with distributed antennas
A communication system providing wireless communication among wireless users through a number of cellular base stations, each including at least transport management equipment and broadband equipment, at least one of which supports at least remote cellular station including RF equipment for communication with users of cellular devices. The system includes at lease one wireless narrow beam communication link operating at millimeter wave frequencies in excess of 60 GHz connecting a remote cellular station with a cellular base station equipped with broad band conversion electronic equipment and transport management equipment. In preferred embodiment the communication system includes a large number of remote cellular stations with each remote cellular station serving a separate communication cell. Each remote cellular station is equipped with a low frequency wireless transceiver for communicating with the wireless users within the cell at a radio frequency lower than 6 GHz and a narrow beam millimeter wave wireless transceiver operating at a millimeter wave frequency higher than 60 GHz for communicating with another millimeter wave transceiver at another remote cellular station or a millimeter wave transceiver at a base station. |
| US08090375B2 |
Wireless telecommunication system
A method and apparatus for processing a message in a mobile, telecommunications device. The method comprises: receiving a Cell Update Confirm (CUC) message; determining whether the device has an empty C_RNTI variable; when the device has an empty C_RNTI variable, determining whether the CUC message includes a new C_RNTI; when the CUC message includes a new C_RNTI and the CUC message would cause the device to enter a state which requires the UE to respond to the message before entering the state, carrying out at least one further step prior to entering the state. |
| US08090374B2 |
Wireless multimedia handset
A wireless multimedia handset can include one or more of wireless system support, a platform to handset features, and multiple features. The multiple features may include, by way of example but not limitation, multiple-antennae, multimedia storage with advanced search capability, a high fidelity sound system, peer-to-peer networking capability, seamless handoff capability, instant hotspot capability, and ultra low power operation such that the handset is capable of operation without recharging by operating solely on solar cells. |
| US08090371B2 |
Network controller messaging for release in an unlicensed wireless communication system
An unlicensed wireless service is adapted to generate the interface protocols of a licensed wireless service to provide transparent transition of communication sessions between a licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. In one embodiment, a mobile station includes level 1, level 2, and level 3 protocols for licensed wireless service and an unlicensed wireless service. An indoor base station and indoor network controller provide protocol conversion for the unlicensed wireless service into a standard base station controller interface of the licensed wireless service. |
| US08090369B2 |
User equipment capability handling in long-term evolution systems
Systems, methodologies, and devices are described that facilitate management of user equipment (UE) capability information in a network to facilitate improved connection and communications associated with a mobile device. A core network can include a capability management component that can control UE capability information received during an initial connection of the mobile device to the network, where the UE capability information comprises UE dynamic capability and UE semi-static capability. The UE dynamic capability and semi-static capability can be identified from the received capability information and stored and managed respectively. When the initial connection is released, the dynamic capability information is deleted while the semi-static capability information can be retained in the core network. During a subsequent connection of the mobile device to the network, the stored semi-static capability can be retrieved and utilized to facilitate efficiently selecting a desired dynamic capability for the subsequent connection and communication. |
| US08090367B2 |
Information providing system for vehicle
A cellular phone accumulates input information, which is inputted by a user using the cellular phone located not only inside but also outside of a vehicle, as parent population data for interest extraction, and extracts interest information, which reflects a present interest of a user, from the parent population data for interest extraction. An in-vehicle information output apparatus internally or externally collects provision information, which matches the interest information extracted in the cellular phone, and provides the user with the collected provision information. |
| US08090365B2 |
Methods, systems and storage media to remotely control a wireless unit
A method to remotely control a wireless unit, includes receiving an activation/deactivation request from a user. It is determined if the user is authorized to activate/deactivate the wireless unit. If the user is authorized to activate/deactivate the wireless unit, a signal is sent to the wireless unit causing the wireless unit to power-on/power-off in response to the signal. |
| US08090364B2 |
Wireless security system
A wireless security or managing system based on Bluetooth technology suited for a person on the move prohibits the use, without proper authentication, of electronic devices having special software installed. A watch, key holder or mobile telephone or other mobile electronic device equipped with a Bluetooth unit serves as a master in the everyday environment of a user, enabling access to slave devices such as laptop and desk computers, palm computers and PDAs and mobile telephones. Unless the ˜presence of the master device in the vicinity of a slave device is verified, the slave device automatically locks itself, switches itself or some import function off or enters a login state. |
| US08090363B2 |
System and methods for data communications in a wireless communication system
In one embodiment, a method of operating a mobile device comprises receiving an enable message at the mobile device, the enable message being indicative of a pending message to be retrieved; opening an application at the mobile device subsequent to the receiving of the enable message; and sending a fetch message to retrieve the pending message, the sending occurring pursuant to the opening of the application. |
| US08090358B2 |
Methods and computer-readable media for location-based targeted advertising
Methods and computer-readable media are provided for providing targeted advertising to subscriber devices based on the location of the subscriber device and a set of advertiser-defined and subscriber-defined criteria. In one embodiment, the method includes retrieving location information that identifies the location of the subscriber device. Advertising is matched and transmitted to the subscriber device according to the location of the device. Matching advertising to the subscriber device is based on a set of advertiser-defined matching criteria that matches both the location of the subscriber device and a set of subscriber characteristics stored in a subscriber profile. A subscriber may define a set of parameters within the subscriber profile that further filters the set of matched advertisements. |
| US08090357B2 |
Method of distributing the location data of a mobile device
A method of distributing the location of a mobile device is disclosed together with a mobile device, a server and a remote terminal for the same. The method comprising the steps of determining the location of the mobile device; encrypting the determined location using an encryption key; transmitting the encrypted location to a server; storing the encrypted at the server; querying the server from a remote terminal; transmitting from the server to the remote terminal the encrypted location in response to the query; sharing the predetermined encryption key between the mobile device and the remote terminal but not with the server; and decrypting the location at the remote terminal using the predetermined encryption key. |
| US08090353B2 |
Methods, systems and computer program products for feature and profile management in portable electronic devices
Methods of managing features in a portable electronic device are provided. Use of a portable electronic device by a user is monitored over a period of time. Adaptive settings are established for features and/or profiles in the portable electronic device based on the monitored use of the portable electronic device. Related system and computer program products are also provided. |
| US08090350B2 |
Resynchronization method for mobile communication terminal
Provided is a resynchronization method of a mobile communication terminal. The resynchronization method for a mobile communication terminal connected to a home location register and a mobile communication network, includes: extracting a communication network serial number corresponding to a terminal authentication request instruction received from a mobile communication network; comparing the communication network serial number with a terminal serial number stored in a predetermined memory; generating nth terminal synchronization failure information if the communication network serial number is smaller than the terminal serial number, where n is a nature number; and transmitting the generated nth terminal synchronization failure information to the home location register. The home location register ends a resynchronization procedure if the nth terminal synchronization failure information is smaller than previously stored (n−1)th communication network synchronization failure information. |
| US08090346B2 |
Controlling a shutoff/restart of mobile virtual network operations prepaid services
This invention relates to a feature for controlling resellers of telecommunications services. A service provider may freeze the accounts, and therefore service, for all customers of a reseller if that reseller is behind on payments to the service provider. In one preferred embodiment, all customers of a reseller are identified with a reseller identification field in the customer's data stored by the service provider. When the service provider issues a freeze order, the account records for all customers of the reseller, identified by the reseller identification stored for each customer, are set into a frozen state wherein these customers cannot initiate or receive calls; after the frozen state is removed, the various promotions allotted to each customer are reinstated. Advantageously, the threat of freezing service to the customers of the reseller is a potent weapon to force the reseller to pay the service provider. |
| US08090345B2 |
Multiple channel automated refill system
An automatic refill system for pre-paid accounts provides enhanced funding flexibility for customers and additional revenue streams for a telecommunication service provider. The automatic refill system solves the technical challenges involved with implementing a scheduled refill channel co-existing with a triggered refill channel for funding a pre-paid account. The scheduled channel regularly refills the pre-paid account. The telecommunication service provider also coordinates funding through a triggered refill channel that refills the pre-paid account when specific conditions are met, such as account balance falling below a threshold. |
| US08090340B2 |
Down-converter and calibration method thereof
A mixer and calibration method thereof are provided. A direct conversion receiver comprises a differential loading pair utilizing at least one binary weighted resistor. The binary weighted resistor is adjustable to provide a resistance linear to a digital code, comprising a fixed resistor and an adjustable resistor cascaded to the fixed resistor in parallel. Every increment of the digital code induces an equal increment of the resistance. The magnitude of every incremental resistance is below a negligible ratio of the fixed resistor. |
| US08090338B1 |
Quadratic amplitude control circuit for cosite interference cancellation
A quadratic amplitude matching system and associated method with an associated tuning control system is provided for continuously and automatically tuning a quadratic amplitude matching filter (QAMF) to a band center of an interfering signal to provide improved rejection of an interfering signal coupled from a transmission antenna into a local receive antenna in the presence of local multi-path, thereby providing improved interference cancellation system performance. The matching control system is provided as an element of an interference cancellation system. |
| US08090337B2 |
Chirp fourier transform method and apparatus for canceling wide band interference
A wide band frequency domain canceller is used in cosite mitigation interference in which a signal tapped from a transmit antenna is coupled to a Chirp Fourier Transform to covert the signal into the frequency domain. The frequency domain signal is vector multiplied with a path transform function to add the path transfer function values to the sampled signal, after which the processed frequency domain signal is converted back into the time domain by an Inverse Chirp Fourier Transform, after which it is inverted and coupled into the receive path of a cosited receiver. |
| US08090336B2 |
Self focusing distributed communications array
A method of processing signals received and transmitted between a satellite and sub-arrays of an antenna array. The satellite emits an analog signal received by the sub-arrays, each sub-array in turn produces a corresponding output. The array's total output is approximated by designating one of the sub-array's output as a reference output, and digitally forming a series of beams that consist of the reference output and permutations of the other sub-array outputs with either no time delay or with a time delay applied. A high power beam from the series is selected for cross correlation with each sub-array output to determine the signal's relative arrival time at each sub-array. Each sub-array output is time delayed based on the signal arrival time at that sub-array. The time delayed outputs are combined to form a high gain beam. |
| US08090334B1 |
High accuracy programmable gain amplifier
A high accuracy programmable gain amplifier has reduced temperature dependency, reduced supply voltage dependency, and supports accurate amplifier gain and accurate amplifier gain steps. The high accuracy programmable gain amplifier allows requirements compliant electronic devices to be fabricated that are capable of providing improved operational performance with less power consumption, hence extended battery life and improved operational availability. Electronic devices that incorporate the high accuracy programmable gain amplifier described below, may experience reduced variations in operational performance resulting in a reduced need for post production calibration, reduced calibration data storage requirements, and reduced device control processor cycles for use in performing calibration operations, thereby allowing such devices to be produced at a lower cost and/or to provide users with increased operational performance and/or increased battery life and, hence, increased operational availability. |
| US08090333B2 |
Receiving apparatus, receiving method, and program
A receiving apparatus includes: a demodulating unit which demodulates an IF signal obtained by subjecting a received RF signal to frequency conversion; a detecting unit which detects a carrier wave frequency error contained in the IF signal; a frequency control unit which sets an initial value of a frequency in the demodulation process by the demodulating unit and for correcting a frequency error of a frequency used for the demodulation process by the demodulating unit based on the carrier wave frequency error detected by the detecting unit; and a control unit which controls a setting of an initial value of a frequency in the demodulation process by the demodulating unit by means of the frequency control unit after a receiving channel is switched, based on the carrier wave frequency error before a receiving channel is switched, the error being detected by the detecting unit, when a receiving channel is switched. |
| US08090332B2 |
Tracking filter for a receiver
A tracking filter for attenuating out-of-band signals and adjacent channel signals in a receiver is described. In one exemplary design, an apparatus includes a tracking filter, an LNA, and a downconverter. The tracking filter includes a summer, a filter, and an upconverter. The summer subtracts a feedback signal from an input signal and provides a first signal. The LNA amplifies the first signal and provides a second signal. The downconverter frequency downconverts the second signal and provides an output signal. The filter filters (e.g., differentiates) the output signal and provides a third signal. The filter blocks a desired signal and passes out-of-band signal components. The upconverter frequency upconverts the third signal and provides a fourth signal from which the feedback signal is derived. The tracking filter has an equivalent bandpass filter response and a variable center frequency determined based on the frequency of the desired signal. |
| US08090328B2 |
Voice, data and RF integrated circuit with off-chip power amplifier and methods for use therewith
An RFIC includes an RF transmitter, that generates an RF signal to a power amplifier module that operates a selected one of a plurality of power amplifiers, based one or more control signals. A processing module generates the control signals based on a selected one of a plurality of modes, wherein the plurality of modes include a first wireless mode corresponding to the use of the RFIC in accordance with a first wireless standard and a second wireless mode corresponding to the use of the RFIC in accordance with a second wireless standard. A power management circuit generates a plurality of power supply signals including at least one power supply signal for selectively powering only the selected one of the plurality of power amplifiers, in response to the at least one control signal, wherein the power management circuit is bonded to a bottom of the RFIC so as to dissipate heat to a printed circuit board. |
| US08090319B2 |
Method and system for automatic frequency control optimization
A method and apparatus for automatic frequency control in a receiver of a wireless device, the method determining a channel estimation for a received signal; calculating a signal to noise ratio for the channel estimation; applying a weighting factor determined based on the calculated signal to noise ratio for the channel estimation to the channel estimation to create a weighted channel estimation; and supplying the weighted channel estimation to a voltage controlled oscillator. |
| US08090318B2 |
Digital data processing circuit
A digital data processing circuit includes: an output unit configured to output to an audio signal processing circuit change data for changing a receiving frequency of a FM receiving device as a first frequency to a second frequency in response to an instruction signal providing an instruction to change the receiving frequency to the second frequency, the audio signal processing circuit being a circuit configured to modulate a carrier wave having the first frequency corresponding to setting data with a modulation signal corresponding to an audio signal to be reproduced by the FM receiving device and to the change data, and transmit the modulated carrier wave to the FM receiving device; and a setting unit configured to set the setting data so as to change a frequency of the carrier wave to the second frequency after the output unit outputs the change data to the audio signal processing circuit. |
| US08090314B2 |
Method and system for communicating via a frequency shifting repeater
Aspects of a method and system for communicating via a frequency shifting repeater are provided. In this regard, a signal having a first frequency may be received, the received signal may be quadrature down-converted by mixing it with a pair of phase-quadrature local oscillator (LO) signals, the down-converted signals may be up-converted by mixing them with the LO signals, and the up-converted signals may be added or subtracted to generate a signal, having a second frequency, for transmission. In this manner, a wireless communication range may be extended by repeating the received signal on a different frequency than at which it was received. The frequency of the LO signals may be based on a desired difference between the first and second frequencies, a frequency at which a target device receives signals, and/or noise present. |
| US08090312B2 |
System and method for observing a satellite using a satellite in retrograde orbit
A satellite and an arrangement for placing the satellite in a retrograde orbit, i.e. inclined at approximately 180° to the equator. Multiple satellites may be used and the orbits thereof may be circular or elliptical. The invention is well-suited for an illustrative satellite inspection application. In this embodiment, the system includes one or more satellites; means disposed on each satellite for receiving electromagnetic energy from objects (e.g. satellites) within a field-of-view thereof; and an arrangement for placing the inspection satellites in a retrograde orbit. The satellites may be equally spaced in a single orbit or disposed in equally spaced orbits. The satellites may include a variety of instruments including radar, infrared, visible, etc. In a radar implementation, the satellite may include a bistatic or (with a transmitter) monostatic radar system. In the bistatic case, the signal may be transmitted from a ground-based or space based platform. |
| US08090310B2 |
Radio base station, relay station, and relay method
A disclosed relay station is provided between a radio base station and a radio terminal for relaying a radio signal. The relay station includes a receiving unit configured to receive data transmitted from the radio base station or the radio terminal; a storage unit configured to hold the data; and a transmitting unit configured to relay the data to the radio terminal or the radio base station, and resend the data originating from the relay station in the event that the data need to be resent. |
| US08090306B2 |
Waste-toner collection system and image forming apparatus having the same
A waste-toner collection system includes a waste toner container that accumulate waste toner from a transport section. A tray has an upward opening for replacing the waste toner container and can be movable between a retracted position where the tray has been pushed horizontally into the apparatus body from a first side of the apparatus body, and a drawn-out position where the tray has been drawn horizontally out of the apparatus body from the first side, while holding the waste toner container. The waste toner container can be set in a collection position corresponding to the retracted position of the tray for allowing the waste toner container to receive waste toner discharged from the transport section, and a replacement position corresponding to the drawn-out position of the holder tray for allowing replacement to be performed through the container-replacement opening from above the tray. |
| US08090299B2 |
Developer supply device, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A developer supply device, includes: a developer holder; and a developer reservoir which is disposed inside of the developer holder, holds a liquid developer, and has at least one supply section that supplies the liquid developer from the developer reservoir to the developer holder, the liquid developer including a toner and an aqueous medium, and the developer supply device supplying the liquid developer that has been supplied to the developer holder to a medium which is a supply target for the liquid developer. |
| US08090297B2 |
Corona charger including a grid with an SP3 and SP2 surface layer formed thereon
A corona charger includes a charging wire and a plate grid. The plate grid comprises a stainless steel base and a surface layer formed of tetrahedral amorphous carbon on the base. |
| US08090295B2 |
Conductive rubber member
An object of the present invention is to provide a conductive rubber member which exhibits small environmental dependency and stable electrical resistance. The conductive rubber member is formed of a conductive elastic layer which has been imparted with conductivity by means of a conductivity-imparting agent. The conductive elastic layer has, at a surface portion thereof, a surface-treated layer which has been formed through impregnating the surface with a surface-treatment liquid containing an isocyanate component and an ion-conducting polymer. |
| US08090294B2 |
Image forming apparatus with structure for suppressing rising of developer agitating roller at start of rotation
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing body and a developer apparatus with mutually opposing first and second side faces to supply a developer to the image bearing body. The developer apparatus is installed removably on a frame with first and second wall surfaces opposing the first and second side faces respectively. First and second fulcrum sections project respectively on the first and second side faces. First and second installation grooves are provided respectively on the first and second wall surfaces and have open upper ends that receive the first and second fulcrum sections respectively. First and second supporting structures support the first fulcrum and second fulcrum sections that are fit respectively into the first and second installation grooves. |
| US08090288B2 |
Method and apparatus for cleaning an image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member configured to form a toner image thereon, a corona charger located opposite the photosensitive member and including a discharging wire and a grid electrode, a bias applying unit configured to apply a bias to the corona charger, a cleaning unit configured to perform cleaning processing by sliding in a longitudinal direction of the grid electrode to rub an inner surface of the grid electrode, and an execution unit configured to execute a cleaning mode for performing the cleaning processing by the cleaning unit while applying a bias of a polarity equal to a normal charging polarity of toner to the grid electrode by the bias applying unit. |
| US08090284B2 |
Image forming apparatus and printing control method
Provided is an image forming apparatus comprising: mixed printing control unit that performs, in a situation where the job instruction to perform single-sided printing and the job instruction to perform double-sided printing coexist in a plurality of jobs continuously, double-sided printing process with a blank page set to be printed on one of the one side and the another side of the sheet of paper when performing printing corresponding to the job instruction to perform single-sided printing. |
| US08090283B2 |
Image forming apparatus, cartridge, and cleaning device
An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing body on which surface an image is formed and borne; an image forming section that forms the image; a transfer device that transfers the formed image to a transferring body; a cleaning member that comes into contact with the surface of the image bearing body to scrape an adhesion substance after the image is transferred; a storage tank in which the removed adhesion substance is stored; a damming member that obstructs a region between the cleaning member and the storage tank to temporarily dam the adhesion substance moving from the cleaning member to the storage tank on the cleaning member side, the damming member including overlapped members having openings, the members including a movable member that is slidable with respect to other member; and a driving section that drives the movable member to change an overlapping amount between the openings. |
| US08090278B2 |
Image forming apparatus having an image bearing body
An image forming apparatus includes a process including at least a developing section and an image bearing body. A calculating section calculates a number of the dots formed on the image bearing body. A rotation calculating section calculates a number of rotations of the image bearing body for forming the number of dots on the image bearing body in accordance with the print data. A controller makes a decision to determine whether the number of dots formed on the image bearing body is larger than a first reference when the number of rotations is larger than a second reference. If the answer is YES, then the controller forms a developer image formed of dots equivalent to a difference between the first reference and the number of dots. Then, the developer image is discarded. |
| US08090275B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit to thermally fix an image transferred onto a sheet thereto, an endless belt to carry the sheet in a feeding path toward the fixing unit, a pattern forming unit to form an image pattern on the belt, a sensor to detect presence of the sheet being carried by the belt, and a judging unit to judge as to whether the sheet is in one-sided alignment, in which the sheet is aligned to one of the widthwise sides in the feeding path based on a result detected by the sensor. |
| US08090274B2 |
Consumable unit and method of managing consumable unit including memory storing consumable item information
A consumable unit and an image forming apparatus for controlling a consumable include a first memory that stores consumable item information regarding the consumable and provides the consumable item information through password authentication, and a second memory that rewrites recycling prevention information, which indicates that recycling is impossible, a limited number of times. |
| US08090270B2 |
Frequency offset polarization multiplexing modulation format and system incorporating the same
An apparatus, system and method wherein a polarization multiplexed differential phase shift keying format (POLMUX-DPSK) is provided with offset and bit-interleaved frequency channels and demodulated using a DPSK demodulator. |
| US08090268B2 |
Long-distance synchronous transmission method using optical fiber
A process for transmitting data on an optical fiber including multiplexing in wavelength signals coming from a plurality of monochrome transmitters, each of which has its own wavelength, and modulating information to be transmitted by a carrier realized per channel, wherein timing (clocking) of each transmitter is controlled by a common clock. |
| US08090262B2 |
Service handover method, optical network system, handover equipment and PE equipment in an OVPN
An optical network system disclosed in an embodiment of the present invention contains a PE and a handover equipment located between the PE and a CE. The PE is adapted to provide optical network access for the CE. The handover equipment is adapted to disconnect a CE that finishes working at a handover time, and/or connect a PE with a CE that will work in a next time segment. The present invention also discloses a service handover method of optical networks. Furthermore, the present invention discloses a handover equipment and a PE in an optical network. The present invention can reduce the ports occupied by the PE. |
| US08090261B2 |
Network system, optical line terminating apparatus, and optical network apparatus
A general object of the present invention is to provide an optical communication system in which an optical transmission power of an optical communication apparatus is controlled to be a required minimum power that apparatuses of all subscribers in the optical communication system meet a prescribed error rate. An optical line terminating apparatus (OLT) transmits data to multiple optical network apparatuses (ONUs) at an optical intensity calculated based on information acquired from the multiple ONUs, which is related to optical intensities of signals that the multiple ONUs receive from the OLT, the optical intensity being calculated so that a minimum optical intensity of the optical intensities of the signals is greater than a predetermined value. |
| US08090260B2 |
Light source and detecting device thereof
The present invention relates to a light source and detecting device thereof includes: a housing; a printed circuit board; an optical fiber connector; a laser diode; a laser driving module; a light coupling device; a light detecting module; an analog-to-digital converter; a micro controlling device; a stroke switch and a displaying device; when the stroke switch is pressed, the light detecting module is activated according to a determination made by the micro controlling device then a light signal coupled by the light coupling device is detected by the light detecting module, then the signal is displayed on the displaying device after being converted by the analog-to-digital converter or the laser diode is driven by the laser driving module and a laser source is therefore emitted. |
| US08090259B2 |
System and method for optimizing the selection of ghost channels in mitigating polarization hole burning
A system and method for optimizing the selection of ghost channels to mitigate the effects of polarization hole burning in a node of an optical communication system including identifying an optical communication channel in the node for use as a ghost channel, identifying a first set of degrees carrying the optical communication channel within the node, identifying a second set of degrees within the first set of degrees, the second set containing the degrees with the optical communication channel being a valid channel, identifying a third set of degrees within the first set of degrees, the third set containing degrees with the optical communication channel being sufficiently powerful, and selecting a first degree to source the ghost channel from the first set of degrees based at least on the second set of degrees and the third set of degrees. |
| US08090258B2 |
Method and apparatus for correcting faults in a passive optical network
Component malfunctions in passive optical networks (PON) can increase bit error rates and decrease signal-to-noise ratio of communications signals. These faults may cause the receivers of the signals, either the optical line terminal (OLT) or optical network terminals (ONTs), to experience intermittent faults and/or may result in misinterpreted commands that disrupt other ONT's communication, resulting in a rogue ONT condition. Existing PON protocol detection methods may not detect these types of malfunctions. An embodiment of the present invention identifies faults in a PON by transmitting a test series of data patterns via an optical communications path from a first optical network node to a second optical network node. The test series is compared to an expected series of data patterns. An error rate may be calculated as a function of the differences between the test series and expected series. The error rate may be reported to identify faults in the PON. Through use of the embodiment, network faults can be identified and optionally automatically corrected, saving a network service provider from expending technician time and maintaining an operating state of the network. |
| US08090253B2 |
Photographing control method and apparatus using strobe
Provided are a photographing control method and apparatus. The photographing control method includes: obtaining image data from a subject during pre-emission of a strobe, detecting a face region of the subject based on the obtained image data, and performing a calculation for main emission based on the detected face region and controlling main emission of the strobe. Accordingly, even when it is difficult to detect a face because of low brightness at the position of the face, the probability of detecting the face can be increased and an appropriately exposed image can be obtained. |
| US08090252B1 |
Lens barrel assembly for a camera
A lens barrel assembly for a camera is disclosed. The lens barrel assembly comprises a lens barrel, at least one optical element disposed within the lens barrel, and an actuator configured to move the optical element. The actuator can be disposed entirely or partially within the lens barrel. The actuator can be a MEMS actuator, such as a MEMS actuator that is formed at least partially of silicon. The optical element can be a lens. |
| US08090249B2 |
Position controller for optical element
A position controller for an optical element includes a movable member and is supported by a support member to be movable from an anti-shake driving range to a removed position, an image-shake correction driver, and an insertion/removal operational member. The insertion/removal operational member includes a first press portion which presses the movable member from the anti-shake driving range to the removed position by the insertion/removal operational member moving from an insertion position to the removed holding position, a second press portion which presses the movable member to the anti-shake driving range by the insertion/removal operational member moving from the removed holding position to the insertion position, and a displacement prevention portion which allows the movable member to move within the anti-shake driving range and prevents the movable member from moving beyond the anti-shake driving range when the insertion/removal operational member is in the insertion position. |
| US08090246B2 |
Image acquisition system
A system having a sensor and variable focus lens for iris image standoff acquisition. The sensor may capture a sequence of images at a high frame rate of a person for getting an eye or an iris in a window within the images. Even if the eye moves around in the image, the window may stay on the eye. During this capture, the focus of the lens may be changed, with a best focus situated somewhere in between the end focus positions of the lens. The sensor may be an infrared (IR) sensor and an IR illuminator or flash may provide light for the capture of images. An intensity variance indicator may be incorporated to select an in-focus image of the sequence. Processing of the images may be subsequent to the capture of images, thus not hindering the frame rate of the system. |
| US08090245B2 |
Apparatus for heat-treating substrate and method for heat-treating substrate
An apparatus for heat treating a substrate includes a substrate holder unit including a substrate stage on which a substrate is to be placed and which is made of one of a carbon and a carbon covered material, and a heating unit which is provided above the substrate stage and includes a heat dissipation surface opposing the substrate stage, and heats the substrate placed on the substrate stage in noncontact therewith radiation heat from the heat dissipation surface. In addition, a chamber contains the substrate holder unit and the heating unit, and an elevating device vertically moves at least one of the substrate holder unit and the heating unit in the chamber to bring the substrate stage and the heat dissipation surface of the heating unit close to each other or apart from each other. The substrate holder unit includes a radiation plate which is arranged under the substrate stage at a gap therefrom, and a reflection plate which is arranged under the radiation plate at a gap therefrom. |
| US08090243B2 |
Information storage medium storing multi angle data, and recording method and reproducing apparatus thereof
An information storage medium for storing multi angle data, and a recording method and a reproducing apparatus thereof. The information storage medium stores data for a plurality of angles of a scene in interleaved blocks. Sizes of the interleaved blocks are integral multiples of sizes of integral numbered aligned units that include packets. Angle change points are included in each of the interleaved blocks which allows a reproducing apparatus to seamlessly jump from one angle to another angle during reproduction of the multi angle data. A number of the angle points recorded on the information storage medium is computed so that a jumping distance required by the data during reproduction does not exceed a maximum jumping distance of a reproducing apparatus. |
| US08090239B2 |
Identification-information recording system, management unit, recording unit and recording control circuit
A management server has: an identification-information reproducing unit which reproduces identification information from an optical disk; an invalid-unit intrinsic-information registration section which registers the reproduced identification information; and a restriction-lifting decision section which decides, on the basis of the registered identification information and unit intrinsic information given intrinsically to every recording unit, whether the identification information can be recorded on a master optical disk. A recording unit has: a communication section which notifies the management server of the unit intrinsic information on this recording unit; an identification-information generation section which generates the identification information recorded on the master optical disk; an identification-information recording section which records the identification information on the master optical disk; and a restriction lifting section which controls the operation of the identification-information generation section and the identification-information recording section on the basis of the decision result of the restriction-lifting decision section. |
| US08090238B2 |
Reproducing apparatus
A reproducing apparatus includes a reproducing section picking up any signals compressed in a plurality of different compression methods from a recording medium. The recording medium records the signals compressed in a plurality of different compression methods and record management information denoting association of the signals compressed in a plurality of different compression methods with each other, respectively. A decoding section decodes the signal picked up from said recording medium, and a recording section records reproduction management information including reproduction-interruption information in the reproducing section associated with the record management information onto the recording medium. |
| US08090236B2 |
Optical record/playback apparatus and control method thereof
An optical record/playback apparatus and a control method thereof are disclosed. The optical record/playback apparatus has an easy mode to automatically initialize an optical disk loaded on the optical record/playback apparatus, regardless of a type of an optical disk, when the optical disk has not been initialized, and the easy mode set to display a same main menu when a menu button is manipulated. |
| US08090234B2 |
Cable anchoring device
The present disclosure relates to a cable anchoring device for anchoring a fiber optic cable to a building, wall, pole or other structure. The cable anchoring device includes a spool component about which the fiber optic cable is wrapped at least two times. The cable anchoring device also includes a clamping component that cooperates with the spool component to anchor the cable. |
| US08090230B1 |
Method and device for light coupling
An interconnect system for coupling light from a laser light source to an optical fiber having a fiber aperture, the interconnect system including a 2-dimensional array of laser light sources, a 2-dimensional array of micro lenses disposed between 10-200 μm distance from the laser light source, between the laser light source and the optical fiber and in registration therewith, each micro lens comprising a micro lens back surface, a micro lens body, a micro lens front surface, and a clear aperture, the micro lens front surface and back surface being shaped to provide a laser beam in the micro lens body of smaller diameter than the clear aperture for focusing the beam onto the fiber aperture. |
| US08090229B2 |
Method and device for providing electronic circuitry on a backplate
A MEMS-based display device is described, wherein an array of interferometric modulators are configured to reflect light through a transparent substrate. The transparent substrate is sealed to a backplate and the backplate may contain electronic circuitry fabricated on the backplane. The electronic circuitry is placed in electrical communication with the array of interferometric modulators and is configured to control the state of the array of interferometric modulators. |
| US08090226B2 |
Optical waveguide device and method for suppressing temperature crosstalk of optical waveguide device
An optical waveguide device includes: a substrate having an electro-optical effect; an optical waveguide section formed on the substrate; and a plurality of modulating electrodes for modulating optical waves propagating in the optical waveguide section. The optical waveguide section branches into two parts in the propagating direction of the optical waves, thus forming the two main optical waveguides, and each of the main optical waveguides branches into two parts in the propagating direction of the optical waves, thus forming the two sub optical waveguides. The two main optical waveguides constitute a main Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide, and the two sub optical waveguides are incorporated into the main Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide to constitute a sub Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide. A heat conduction suppressing zone is defined on a portion of the substrate disposed between two opposite sub Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguides. |
| US08090225B2 |
Interactive handheld scanner
A swipe scanner for scanning a graphic image pre-printed on a surface. The swipe scanner comprises: (a) a printhead for printing a position-coding pattern onto the graphic image, the position-coding pattern identifying a plurality of absolute positions and an impression identity for the graphic image; (b) an ink supply containing an ink for printing the position-coding pattern; (c) a first sensor for sensing positions of the scanner during a swipe of the surface; (d) a second image sensor for capturing, during the swipe, portions of the graphic image; and (e) a processor. The processor is configured for: using the sensed positions to control an output of the printhead during the swipe; using the sensed positions to assemble the captured portions of the graphic image into a scanned graphic image; and generating association data indicating an association between the impression identity, the plurality of absolute positions and the scanned graphic image. |
| US08090224B2 |
Handheld scanner
A swipe scanner comprising: (a) a printhead for printing a position-coding pattern onto a surface; (b) an ink supply containing an ink for printing the position-coding pattern; (c) a first image sensor positioned for imaging portions of the surface on which the printhead has printed during a swipe of the surface, each imaged portion containing part of the position-coding pattern printed by the printhead during the swipe; (c) a second image sensor for capturing, during the swipe, portions of a graphic image pre-printed on the surface; and (d) a processor. The processor is configured for: determining absolute positions of the swipe scanner using the parts of the position-coding pattern; using the absolute positions to control an output of the printhead during the swipe; and using the absolute positions to assemble the captured portions of the graphic image into a scanned graphic image. |
| US08090219B2 |
Systems and methods for socially-based correction of tilted images
Systems and methods for socially-based correction of tilted images. In an embodiment, the present invention levels tilted images by (1) receiving an image; (2) rotating the image by a random angle; (3) requesting at least one user rotate the image to level the image; (4) determining a collective user-suggested angle based on the rotations of each user; and (5) transmitting, over a communication network, a correction angle, where the correction angle is based on the random angle and the collective user-suggested angle. |
| US08090218B2 |
Imaging system performance measurement
A method (1000) of measuring performance parameters of an imaging device (120, 160) is disclosed. The method (1000) maintains a test pattern image (1005), the test pattern image (1005) comprising alignment features and image analysis features. A test chart (110, 170) containing a representation of the test pattern image is next imaged using the imaging device (120, 160) to form a second image (1010). The test pattern image (1005) and the second image (1010) are then registered using region based matching (1035) operating on the alignment features. Finally, the performance parameters are measured by analysing (1060) the image analysis features. |
| US08090214B2 |
Method for automatic detection and correction of halo artifacts in images
A method of automatically detecting and correcting halo artifacts within a processed image is described. The method computes a two-dimensional (2D) gradient field of the original image and a 2D gradient field of the processed image. Each gradient field includes a gradient vector corresponding to each pixel. To detect halo artifacts, the gradient vector at each pixel of the original image is compared to the gradient vector at the corresponding pixel of the processed image. A halo artifact is determined to exist at a given pixel if a direction of the two corresponding gradient vectors differs by at least a specified threshold. To correct the halo artifacts, a composite gradient field is generated using one of three correction methods. A final image is generated by integrating the newly generated composite gradient field using known integration methods from a 2D gradient field such as ones based on the Fast Fourier Transform. |
| US08090213B2 |
Image processing device and method
An image processing device includes: a peaking filter for performing peaking processing on an input image signal to generate a peaking image signal; a selection circuit, coupled to the peaking filter, for selecting a plurality of pixels within the peaking image signal; and a median filter, coupled to the selection circuit, for filtering the plurality of pixels within the peaking image signal to generate a filtered image signal. |
| US08090204B2 |
Method and system for line segment extraction
A method for extracting line segments from an edge image comprises receiving a digital image comprising a plurality of edge pixels, and processing the plurality of edge pixels using a breadth first search to determine a plurality of breadth first search pixels in a breadth first search order for a connected component. The connected component comprises a plurality of components. The method continues by processing the plurality of breadth first search pixels in an order related to the breadth first search order to determine a plurality of component pixels for at least one component of the plurality of components. Each of the plurality of components comprises a line segment. The method concludes by processing the plurality of component pixels to determine a plurality of line segment pixels for the line segment. |
| US08090201B2 |
Image-based code
A computer-readable medium may include one or more instructions for providing sub-images, one or more instructions for receiving selection of a plurality of sub-images, one or more instructions for constructing a first image, the first image being a unified image including the selected plurality of sub-images, one or more instructions for comparing at the selected plurality of sub-images with previously selected sub-images, and one or more instructions for providing access to at least one of a device, a service, or a function when the selected plurality of sub-images match the previously selected sub-images. |
| US08090200B2 |
Redundancy elimination in a content-adaptive video preview system
A content-adaptive video preview system (100) allows to go faster through a video than existing video skimming techniques. Thereby, a user can interactively adapt (S1) the speed of browsing and/or the abstraction level of presentation.According to one embodiment of the invention, this adaptation procedure (S1) is realized by the following steps: First, differences between precalculated spatial color histograms associated with chronologically subsequent pairs of video frames said video file is composed of are calculated (S1a). Then, these differences and/or a cumulative difference value representing the sum of these differences are compared (S1b) to a predefined redundancy threshold (S(t)). In case differences in the color histograms of particular video frames (302a-c) and/or said cumulative difference value exceed this redundancy threshold (S(t)), these video frames are selected (S1c) for the preview. Intermediate video frames (304a-d) are removed and/or inserted (S1d) between each pair of selected chronologically subsequent video frames depending on the selected abstraction level of presentation. Thereby, said redundancy threshold value (S(t)) can be adapted (S1b′) for changing the speed of browsing and/or the abstraction level of presentation. |
| US08090198B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image display apparatus, and image display method
A maximum and minimum color information detector detects a maximum color-signal gradation level or a value equivalent to the maximum gradation level and a minimum color-signal gradation level or a value equivalent to the minimum gradation level as color information for an image signal input to the image processing apparatus, a correction parameter generator sets correction parameters according to the color information about the input image signal, and a gradation corrector corrects the gradation scale of each color component of the input image signal according to the correction parameters. Contrast can thereby be improved without excessive color collapse. |
| US08090189B1 |
Detection of thin line for selective sensitivity during reticle inspection
Methods and apparatus relating to the inspection of photomasks are described. In an embodiment, detection of thin line or sub-resolution assist features may be used for selective sensitivity during photomask inspection. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08090184B2 |
Fault detection of a printed dot-pattern bitmap
Embodiments of the present invention enable fault detection in a printed dot-pattern image. Certain applications of the present invention are its use in various embodiments of a system for inspection of a printed circuit board (“PCB”) substrate. In embodiments, a generated distortion map is based on a comparison of a reconstructed dot-pattern image, a simulated reference bitmap, and an error map representing differences between the reconstructed dot-pattern image and the reference bitmap. In embodiments, the pixels of the distortion map are color coded to identify the locations and types of aberrations that were discovered as a result of the comparison. |
| US08090180B2 |
Method for segmenting image data for detecting a liver
A method is disclosed for segmenting image data for detecting a liver of a subject under examination. In at least one embodiment, the method includes determining as rib pixels which represent a rib, determining pixels which delimit an area inside the rib cage, determining pixels which represent a pixel of the liver and determining a probability, for each pixel inside the rib cage, as to whether the pixel belongs to the liver or not, with the aid of a Random Walker method. |
| US08090176B2 |
Evaluation method for a temporal sequence of x-ray images
A computer receives a temporal sequence of x-ray images of an examination region of an examination object. The examination region includes a blood vessel system and tissue supplied with blood. A detection time is assigned in each instance to the x-ray images. The x-ray images correspond locally with one another in terms of pixels and each display a distribution of a contrast agent in the examination region at the respective detection time. The computer determines the temporal course of the temporal derivation of the data values and/or of the average value of the data values of the pixels located in the evaluation region for at least one evaluation region which is standard for all x-ray images. It assigns a type to the evaluation region as a function hereof. |
| US08090175B2 |
Target tracking using direct target registration
Systems, methods and apparatus to detect a treatment target having motion in up to three translational directions using direct registration of the target and track the target to synchronize a treatment beam with the motion of the target. |
| US08090174B2 |
Virtual penetrating mirror device for visualizing virtual objects in angiographic applications
A virtual mirror device for visualizing virtual objects in angiographic applications, having an interactive virtual mirror, a 3D or 4D medical image of a patient's anatomy co-registered with a calibrated 2D X-ray image of the patient's anatomy, and a displaying device provided such that the 2D X-ray image of the patient's anatomy, the co-registered 3D or 4D medical image of the patient's anatomy and the interactive virtual mirror viewed from the viewpoint of the X-ray source of the X-ray imaging system, are presented in a common coordinate system, providing full integration and combined visualization of the reconstruction of 3D or 4D medical image of the patient's anatomy, the 2D X-ray image of the patient's anatomy and the virtual mirror onto the displaying device. |
| US08090173B2 |
System and method for blood vessel bifurcation detection in thoracic CT scans
A method for detecting blood vessel bifurcations in digital medical images includes inflating a sphere from a first center point inside a segmented blood vessel until a surface of the sphere intersects a surface of the blood vessel, searching within the inflated sphere for a second center point that has a sphere intersecting a surface of the blood with a maximum radius, assigning all voxels of the maximal radius sphere to a root node of a shape-tree, increasing the radius of the maximal radius sphere and computing a voxel difference set with respect to the previous maximal radius sphere, computing one or more connected components Cm in the voxel difference set, assigning voxels of each connected components to a different child node of the shape tree, connecting each child node with the root node, and calculating features from the shape tree for training a classifier to detect blood vessel bifurcations. |
| US08090171B2 |
Image data subtraction system suitable for use in angiography
An image data subtraction system suitable for use in Angiography or other medical procedure enhances vessel visualization. The system comprises an imaging system for acquiring, during a medical procedure, data representing multiple temporally sequential individual images of vessels of a portion of patient anatomy. The sequential individual images encompass introduction of a contrast agent. An image processor automatically processes the data representing the multiple temporally sequential individual images to identify a first image indicating presence of the contrast agent and a second image preceding the first image by comparing a difference between measures representative of luminance content of the first and second image, with a threshold. The second image is substantially exclusive of an indication of presence of the contrast agent. The image processor, in response to the difference exceeding the threshold, automatically selects the second image as a mask image and subtracts data representing the mask image from data representing images of the temporally sequential individual images to remove background image detail and emphasize vessel structure in providing processed image data for display. A user interface presents the processed image data for display while the patient is undergoing the medical procedure. |
| US08090170B2 |
Medical image storage device
A medical image observation device relating to the present invention receives enhanced image data having a plurality of medical images, and splits the enhanced image data into a plurality of single image data each containing only one medical image, based on system information of the enhanced image data. According to the present invention, it is possible to make a medical image observation device accurately display an image without depending on system information of enhanced image data. |
| US08090169B2 |
System and method for detecting items of interest through mass estimation
A system and method for identifying an object based on its estimated mass. In one aspect, a method for estimating a mass of an object is provided. The method includes acquiring image data including a plurality of image elements, calculating a histogram based on the image data, calculating a computed tomography (CT) number of the object using an anisotropic erosion operator, and determining a perimeter of the object. The method also includes calculating an estimated mass of the object using the CT number and a first subset of image elements of the plurality of image elements, the first subset of image elements defined by the perimeter of the object, and outputting at least one of the estimated mass of the object and an image including the object. |
| US08090167B1 |
Neuronal measurement tool
A neuronal measurement tool including: an input module, a grouping module, a metric selection module, a statistical test selection module, a raw measurement module, a clustering module and a statistical test module. The input module inputs digitally reconstructed neuronal morphologies. The grouping module groups the digitally reconstructed neuronal morphologies into groups. The metric selection module selects at least one metric of interest. The statistical test selection module selects a statistical test method. The raw measurement module gathers raw measurements associated with the metric(s) of interest on the digitally reconstructed neuronal morphologies. The clustering module clusters the raw measurements into groups and the statistical test module performs the statistical test method between the raw measurements clustered in the groups. |
| US08090163B2 |
Multi-resolutional texture analysis fingerprint liveness systems and methods
Various systems, methods, and programs embodied in computer-readable mediums are provided for fingerprint liveness detection. In one embodiment, a method for determining fingerprint liveness is provided that comprises receiving a plurality of image analysis data of a fingerprint image; condensing the plurality of image analysis data; and determining liveness of the fingerprint image based upon the condensed data. |
| US08090155B2 |
Hand washing monitoring system
A hand washing monitoring system (1) comprising a camera (2), a processor (4), the processor being adapted to receive from the camera images of hand washing activity. The processor analyses mutual motion of hands to determine if the hands mutually move in desired poses, and if so, the durations of the patterns; and generates a hand washing quality indication according to the analysis. The processor extracts information features from the images and generates feature vectors based on the features, including bimanual hand and arm shape vectors, and executes a classifier with the vectors to determine the poses. The processor uses edge segmentation and pixel spatio-temporal measurements to form at least some of the feature vectors. |
| US08090154B2 |
Video processing apparatus and video processing method thereof
There are provided a video processing apparatus and a video processing method. The video processing apparatus includes a first motion correcting part which divides a video frame into blocks of a predetermined unit and corrects a motion with respect to at least some area of a present frame by using a motion vector of an adjacent block adjacent to the present block, a second motion correcting part which corrects the motion by using a motion vector of an adjacent frame adjacent to the present frame, and a controller which controls the first motion correcting part to correct the motion if the number of the adjacent blocks on which a video can be displayed is not smaller than a predetermined value, and controls the second motion correcting part to correct the motion if the number of the adjacent blocks on which the video can be displayed is smaller than the predetermined value. |
| US08090148B2 |
Image processor, vehicle, and image processing method
An image processor includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire a camera image captured by a camera provided on a vehicle, a first image converter configured to project the camera image onto a flat surface to convert the camera image into a flat surface projection image, and a second image converter configured to project the camera image onto a curved surface to convert the camera image into a curved surface projection image. The first image converter converts a first image region having a predetermined width within the camera image into the flat surface projection image, and the second image converter converts a second image region outside the first image region in a width direction, within the camera image, into the curved surface projection image. |
| US08090143B2 |
Method of inspecting outer wall of honeycomb structure body
There is disclosed a method of inspecting the outer wall of a honeycomb structure body which can be performed without relying on human sensory functions and in which a defect detection level and an inspection time per honeycomb structure body are constant, so that stable inspection can be performed. In a method of inspecting the outer wall of a honeycomb structure body 1 made of a ceramic material, while rotating the honeycomb structure body 1, the outer wall of the honeycomb structure body 1 is imaged by a line camera 2, and the thus obtained image is processed to judge whether or not a defect is present in the outer wall of the honeycomb structure body 1. |
| US08090136B2 |
Handheld electronic device having offset sound openings
An improved handheld electronic device has a case with an elongated cavity formed therein. An audio transducer is in fluid communication with the cavity, and a number of sound openings are formed in the case and are in fluid communication with the cavity and with the atmosphere surrounding the handheld electronic device. The sound openings are generally spaced from a central region of the audio transducer to space the sound openings generally farther from an edge of the case than the audio transducer. The cavity is configured to form a Helmholtz resonator that enables the communication of sound through the cavity between the audio transducer and the sound openings. The spacing of the sound openings from an edge of a case helps a user to form a seal between the case and the user's ear to enable sound from the sound openings to enter the ear and to be perceived by the user. |
| US08090130B2 |
Highly portable media devices
An improved portable media device and methods for operating a media device are disclosed. |
| US08090129B2 |
Audio player plush
An audio player plush includes a battery, digital memory, speaker in electrical communication with the digital memory, and a set of controls modulating speaker output associated with the digital memory. A cover bounds the digital memory and is formed of a plush fabric. A fill material within the plush fabric provides a soft surface to the audio player. A pocket is provided within the cover that is selectively closable and encompasses a digital connector for coupling the digital memory to a computer or other source of digital audio files for downloading of such files into the digital memory. When not in use, the digital connector is selectively closed within the pocket. An indicator light emitting light from the cover provides a user with a visual signal indicative of the activation state of the digital memory. |
| US08090127B2 |
Method for manufacturing a fitted hearing device
A method for: Adjusting a hearing device in a computer-aided manner towards the needs of an individual, and storing a workflow data of the adjusting. The workflow data may include adjusting steps, fitting operations, timing of performing of the adjusting steps or fitting operations, or a time sequence of the adjusting steps or fitting operations. The adjusting can be performed in dependency of the workflow data of adjusting hearing devices, as performed and stored previously. |
| US08090126B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a speaker signal on the basis of a randomly occurring audio source
A particle generator for generating a speaker signal for a speaker channel in a multi-channel reproduction environment includes a position generator for providing a plurality of positions where the audio source is to occur, as well as a time generator for providing times of occurrence when the audio source is to occur, a time being associated with a position. Also, an individual pulse response generator for generating individual pulse response information for each position of the plurality of positions is provided. A combination pulse response is formed by a pulse response combiner for combining the individual pulse response information in accordance with the times of occurrence. This overall pulse response is finally used to adjust a filter with which the audio signal is finally filtered. |
| US08090125B2 |
Contact type electret condenser pickup
A contact type electret condenser pickup to deliver high anti noise, top talking quality, and comprehensive range of applications includes a casing provided with an accommodation chamber to contain an O-ring, a vibration part, an insulation packing, a back plate retaining ring containing a back plate, a conductive connection ring, and a circuit board horizontally placed in sequence; vibration of a sound of a user is transmitted to the vibration part; then an inertia vibration of the metal sheet changes capacitance between the vibration part and the back plate; the changed vibration is converted through the circuit board set into voltage of alternating signals for output variable according to changes of vibration. |
| US08090120B2 |
Calculating and adjusting the perceived loudness and/or the perceived spectral balance of an audio signal
The invention relates to the measurement and control of the perceived sound loudness and/or the perceived spectral balance of an audio signal. An audio signal is modified in response to calculations performed at least in part in the perceptual (psychoacoustic) loudness domain. The invention is useful, for example, in one or more of: loudness-compensating volume control, automatic gain control, dynamic range control (including, for example, limiters, compressors, expanders, etc.), dynamic equalization, and compensating for background noise interference in an audio playback environment. The invention includes not only methods but also corresponding computer programs and apparatus. |
| US08090117B2 |
Microphone array and digital signal processing system
A digital microphone array is configured in an open geometry such as a sphere with a large number of inexpensive microphone elements mounted in opposite-facing pairs. The microphone array with DSP is intended to be placed in a three-dimensional sound field, such as a concert hall or film location, and to completely isolate all sound sources from each other while maintaining their placement in a coherent sound field including reverberance. |
| US08090115B2 |
Transmitting/receiving system, transmitting device, and device including speaker
In a television receiver, based on speaker information of each of one or more devices including speakers which is a memory of the television receiver, a transmitting audio signal to be transmitted to each device including a speaker, in which synchronization is established between devices including speakers in a reproduction mode, is formed and transmitted to the device (including a speaker) through a communication interface. The device (including a speaker) receives the transmitting audio signal addressed thereto through a communication interface, plays back the signal, and uses a speaker of the device to generate sound. |
| US08090113B2 |
System and method for modulating audio effects of speakers in a sound system
A system for modulating audio effects of speakers is provided. The system includes a selecting module, a playing module, a recording module, a time delay computing module and a modulating module. Based on these modules, the system is capable of determining a time difference and a pitch for each of the speakers, and modulating the time difference and the pitch for each of the speakers to a desired time difference and a desired pitch, so as to ensure that simultaneous sounds from each speaker arrive at a microphone at about the same time and with the same audio pitch. A related method is also provided. |
| US08090110B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining sound standard for input sound signal
A method for determining a sound standard for an input sound signal includes the following steps. Firstly, the input sound signal is filtered to obtain a first filtered signal corresponding to a first frequency and a second filtered signal corresponding to a second frequency. Next, the first filtered signal is frequency-demodulated to obtain a first demodulated filtered signal, and whether the input sound signal contains a FM analog component corresponding to the first frequency is determined accordingly. Next, the second filtered signal is decoded according to a digital sound standard to obtain a bit stream. Then, the bit steam is interpreted according to the digital sound standard, and whether the input sound contains a digital component corresponding to the digital sound standard is determined accordingly. Then, whether the input sound signal matches one of known sound standards is determined based on the determined results above. |
| US08090108B2 |
Secure debug interface and memory of a media security circuit and method
A method, system and apparatus of a secure debug interface and memory of a media security circuit and method are disclosed. In one embodiment, a host processor, an external hardware circuit to encrypt an incoming data bit communicated to a debug interface using a debug master key stored at a pointer location of a memory (e.g., the memory may be any one of a flash memory and/or an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)) and to decrypt an outgoing data bit from the debug interface using the debug master key, and a media security circuit having the debug interface to provide the pointer location of the memory having the debug master key to the external hardware circuit. |
| US08090101B2 |
Method and system for generating a secret key from joint randomness
A method and system for generating a secret key from joint randomness shared by wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) are disclosed. A first WTRU and a second WTRU perform channel estimation to generate a sampled channel impulse response (CIR) on a channel between the first WTRU and the second WTRU. The first WTRU generates a set of bits from the sampled CIR and generates a secret key and a syndrome, (or parity bits), from the set of bits. The first WTRU sends the syndrome, (or parity bits), to the second WTRU. The second WTRU reconstructs the set of bits from the syndrome, (or parity bits), and its own sampled CIR, and generates the secret key from the reconstructed set of bits. |
| US08090098B2 |
Method of generating message authentication code using stream cipher and authentication/encryption and authentication/decryption methods using stream cipher
Provided are a method of generating a Message Authentication Code (MAC) using a stream cipher, and authentication/encryption and authentication/decryption methods using a stream cipher.According to the methods, authentication/encryption is performed using a MAC generated using a stream cipher as an initialization vector of the stream cipher. Therefore, it is unnecessary to use a random number generation algorithm to generate the initialization vector, and thus implementation efficiency can be improved.In addition, upon generation of a MAC, a plurality of key stream generators perform computation for a plurality of message blocks, respectively. Therefore, the message blocks are computed in parallel at a time, and thus computation efficiency is excellent. |
| US08090096B2 |
Tilting mechanism and electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, a tilting mechanism includes a fixed section including a guide surface depressed in an arc shape; and a movable section having an outer peripheral surface curved in an arc shape that comes in contact with the guide surface of the fixed section and tilting along the guide surface, the movable section including a concave portion cut out to open the outer peripheral surface, wherein the concave portion includes a pair of side surfaces opposed to each other; and guide grooves that are curved along a curvature of the outer peripheral surface of the movable section and are formed on the side surfaces; and the fixed section includes a plurality of shafts that are slidably fitted into the guide grooves. |
| US08090095B2 |
Method and apparatus for power-mode control
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for controlling the power-mode of a telephonic device. An off-hook condition is detected. A power level for an operation of an electronic device is determined based upon detecting the off-hook condition. Determining the power level includes determining a frequency parameter and/or a pulse-width parameter of a power signal. The power signal is provided for an operation of the electronic device based upon the determined power level. |
| US08090094B2 |
Echo canceller
An echo canceller is capable of reducing echo feeling in a conversation even if a tone signal is input. The echo canceller of this invention judges whether a far-end input signal is a calling control tone signal or not, and if that is the case, resets a coefficient of an adaptive filter. An echo canceller of another aspect judges whether a far-end input signal is a predetermined kind of a tone signal or not, and stops the update of the coefficient of the adaptive filter if the result is affirmative and an amount of echo cancellation is not larger than a threshold value. Further, when the tone signal ends, the echo canceller compares amounts of echo cancellation before and after the end of the tone signal, in accordance with a result of the comparison, restart the update of the coefficient of the adaptive filter after resetting the coefficient of the adaptive filter, or restarts the update of the coefficient of the adaptive filter without resetting the coefficient of the adaptive filter. Moreover, notch filters may be provided to eliminate a tone signal frequency component at input stages of the adaptive filter and the adder for echo cancellation. |
| US08090092B2 |
Dialling phone numbers
Method and apparatus for effecting a voice communication between user terminals connected via a communication network include displaying a menu of country options to a user and receiving a number in local form. Formatting rules are recalled for a destination country selected by the user from the country options. A country prefix for the destination country is prepended to the number in accordance with the formatting rules to generate a formatted number. The formatted number is supplied to a client installed at the user terminal for effecting the voice communication using the formatted number. |
| US08090089B2 |
Imaging method and device with dual reading scanner
An imaging method for imaging a region of investigation of an object comprises the steps of generating an energy input beam with an energy beam source, irradiating the region of investigation with energy input beam components of the energy input beam along a plurality of projection directions, the energy input beam components being formed with a frame mask being arranged between the energy input beam and the object and including frame mask windows, measuring first integrated attenuation values of the energy input beam components with an outer detector device arranged outside the frame mask, measuring second integrated attenuation values of the energy input beam components with a frame mask detector device being arranged on an inner surface of the frame mask, and reconstructing an image of the region of investigation based on the first and second integrated attenuation values. Furthermore, an imaging device for imaging a region of investigation of an object is described. |
| US08090088B2 |
System and method for privacy screening
A communications network-based system and service is disclosed. The service permits subscribers to control and manage incoming telephone calls. Subscribers can establish preferences for how calls will be handled by a communications network if the calls are received while the subscriber has a privacy screening service engaged. The service also notifies a subscriber of a calling party's call based on whether preselected or predesignated preferences of the called party correspond to identifier(s) of the calling party. |
| US08090087B2 |
Method, system, and graphical user interface for making conference calls
A user interface for handling multiple calls includes displaying an image associated with a first party on a first call and an image associated with a second party on a second call. When one call is active and the other call is on hold, the image associated with the party that is on the active call is visually highlighted to make it more visually prominent relative to the other image. When both calls are joined into a conference call, both images are displayed adjacent to each other and neither is visually highlighted relative to the other. |
| US08090084B2 |
Automated call router for business directory using the world wide web
The embodiments include a system and a method for establishing a communication connection after searching the World Wide Web. The system can include a first communication device for forming at least one communication connection between the first communication device and a second communication device, search means adapted to accept a query, access means can be adapted to search and identify relevant phone number information using the query, and create at least one icon to link the first communication device to a relevant phone number included in the relevant phone number information identified by the query, and reformulate the query if no relevant phone numbers are identified during the search. The system also includes click-to-dial means adapted to establish at least one communication connection from the first communication device to the second communication device. |
| US08090082B2 |
System, method and computer program product for extracting user profiles and habits based on speech recognition and calling history for telephone system advertising
A system, method and computer program product for providing targeted messages to a person using telephony services by generating user profile information from telephony data and using the user profile information to retrieve targeted messages. |
| US08090081B2 |
Maintaining a call log
One embodiment of such a method for maintaining a call log can be broadly summarized by the following: receiving an incoming call on a telephone device; obtaining call information about the incoming call via the telephone device; updating a call log with the call information via the telephone device; and enabling the call log to be accessed from a remote Internet location. Other methods and systems are also provided. |
| US08090079B2 |
System and method for auto-reversing loop polarity of U interface
A loop polarity auto-reversing system 100 of a U interface is disposed in a line terminal 10 connected to a digital service unit 20 via the U interface. The loop polarity auto-reversing system includes a current detection module 101, a loop polarity determining module 103, and a loop polarity reversing module 105. The current detection module is for detecting whether there is loop current at the U interface. The loop polarity determining module is for determining whether a loop polarity of the U interface is correct if there is loop current. The loop polarity reversing module is for reversing the loop polarity of the U interface if the loop polarity is incorrect. An auto-reversing method for reversing the loop polarity of the U interface is also provided. |
| US08090075B2 |
X-ray tube with an anode insulation element for liquid cooling and a receptacle for a high-voltage plug
In a high-voltage X-ray tube, which a cathode, which is held at negative high voltage during operating conditions, and an anode, which is held at positive high voltage during operating conditions, are disposed opposite each other in a vacuumized inner space, the anode being attached to an anode insulation element in such a way that the anode insulation element has a cylindrical shape or a shape tapering toward the anode and includes an opening to receive a high-voltage plug, and a pipe structure is provided by means of which a coolant is able to be supplied to the anode. This coolant can be in particular insulating oil or another electrically non-conducting liquid. The pipe structure can, for example, be integrated completely into the interior of the anode insulation element, but can also be integrated into the surface of the high-voltage plug. A solution is also possible in which the pipe structure is integrated into an intermediate element, which is situated between the anode insulation element and the high-voltage plug. |
| US08090074B2 |
Systems and methods for obtaining reconstructed images during a treatment session
A medical system includes a treatment radiation source configured to deliver treatment radiation during a treatment session, an imaging system configured to obtain image data during the treatment session, and a processor configured to determine a beam break, and automatically operate the imaging system to obtain the image data during the beam break. A medical system includes a treatment radiation source, an imaging system configured to automatically obtain image data in a beam break that occurs during a treatment session, and a processor configured to automatically operate the treatment radiation source to deliver treatment radiation during the treatment session after the beam break ends. |
| US08090070B2 |
Synchronizing device for USB real-time audio data transmission
The present invention discloses a synchronizing device for real-time USB audio data transmission, comprising: a first adder unit, a start-of-frame countdown unit, a phase-locked loop circuit, a frequency divider, a second adder unit, a third adder unit, a fourth adder unit, a frame calibrating register unit, a calibrating mapping unit and a calibrating pulse generating unit. A start-of-frame token sent by the USB host is used as a 1-ms reference cycle so that a high-frequency clock passes through the frequency divider to issue a first clock. The first clock signal has a constant clock number in a USB start-of-frame. The absolute time is automatically adjusted according to the duration of a previous start-of-frame. Therefore, asynchronicity of data transmission between the USB host and external devices can be overcome. |
| US08090066B2 |
Method and circuit for obtaining asynchronous demapping clock
A method and a circuit for obtaining asynchronous demapping clock. The method includes: obtaining a smoothed clock with even gaps in accordance with data to be demapped and a corresponding clock signal; performing phase locking in accordance with a signal reflecting writing and reading conditions of data of a First In First Out (FIFO), to obtain a clock signal required for demapping. The method can effectively filter off jittering created during asynchronous mapping/demapping processes and may ensure a high-performance clock output. Furthermore, the method is applicable to not only mapping from OTN to SDH but also other asynchronous demapping processes, e.g., mapping from SDH to OTN, and thereby effectively improving the performance of data demapping. |
| US08090063B2 |
Symbol-level combining for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems with hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) and/or repetition coding
Systems and methods are provided for decoding signal vectors in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, where the receiver has received one or more signal vectors from the same transmitted vector. The symbols of the received signal vectors are combined, forming a combined received signal vector that may be treated as a single received signal vector. The combined signal vector is then decoded using a maximum-likelihood decoder. In some embodiments, the combined received signal vector may be processed prior to decoding. Systems and methods are also provided for computing soft information from a combined signal vector based on a decoding metric. Computationally intensive calculations can be extracted from the critical path and implemented in preprocessors and/or postprocessors. |
| US08090059B1 |
Multi-viterbi receive channel decoder
A detector includes Viterbi detectors. A first Viterbi detector generates a preliminary decision signal. A second Viterbi detector generates a final decision signal based on an input data signal and the preliminary decision signal. The second Viterbi detector is arranged in series with the first Viterbi detector. |
| US08090058B2 |
Wireless communication receiving system and apparatus and method for deciding a transmitted signal corresponding to a received signal thereof
A wireless communication receiving system and an apparatus and a method for deciding a transmitted signal corresponding to a received signal thereof are provided. The transmitted signal comprises a plurality of sub-transmitted signals. The system selects at least one of the sub-transmitted signals as a reference signal group, wherein each of a plurality of candidate values of the reference signal group forms a candidate geometric space respectively. The received signal is projected to each of the candidate geometric spaces to generate a projection signal respectively. In each of the candidate geometric space, the corresponding projection signal is quantized to generate a quantized projection signal having a projection distance to the corresponding projection signal. Finally, the transmitted signal is decided according the quantized projection signal and the candidate signal value corresponding to the shortest projection distance. |
| US08090056B2 |
System and method for anticipatory receiver switching based on signal quality estimation
In various embodiments, a first and second complex multiplier may be configured to receive an input signal and provide a baseband I component signal and a baseband Q component signal, respectively. A first and second filter may be configured to filter the baseband I component signal and the baseband Q component signal, respectively. An equalizer may be configured to equalize the filtered baseband I component signal and the filtered baseband Q component signal. A carrier recovery portion may be configured to generate a reference signal based on the equalized filtered baseband I component signal and the equalized filtered baseband Q component signal. A first and second multilevel comparator may be configured to receive the equalized filtered baseband I component signal from the carrier recovery portion and provide an output I and receive the equalized filtered baseband Q component signal and provide an output Q signal for further modulation. |
| US08090053B2 |
Midamble allocations for MIMO transmissions
Allocation of multiple training sequences transmitted in a MIMO timeslot from multiple transmit antenna elements is provided. For example, a method of generating signals in a MIMO timeslot, the method comprising: selecting a first training sequence; preparing a first data payload; generating a first signal including the prepared first data payload and the first training sequence; transmitting the first signal in a MIMO timeslot from a first antenna of a network element; selecting a second training sequence, wherein the second training sequence is different from first training sequence; preparing a second data payload; generating a second signal including the prepared second data payload and the second training sequence; and transmitting the second signal in the MIMO timeslot from a second antenna of the network element. |
| US08090052B2 |
Systems and methods for digital delayed array transmitter architecture with beam steering capability for high data rate
Embodiments include systems and methods for fine control of beam steering for wide band wireless applications using a phased array of antenna elements. In one embodiment, a digitally controlled delay line delays the signal output from a modulator in each branch of multiple branches feeding multiple antennas in an array. An output of the digital delay line is input to a digital to analog converter. A second digital delay line also delays the signal within the digital to analog converter. The manner of implementation of the delays enables accurate production of a steered beam at a high data rate. |
| US08090048B2 |
Method and system for an alternating channel delta quantizer for MIMO pre-coders with finite rate channel state information feedback
Aspects of a method and system for an alternating channel delta quantizer for MIMO pre-coders with finite rate channel state information feedback may include quantizing a change in channel state information in a MIMO pre-coding system onto a codebook using a cost function and selecting the codebook from a set of codebooks; and generating the set of codebooks from a plurality of codebooks, where each may comprise one or more unitary matrices. The channel state information may be a matrix V that may be generated using Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and/or Geometric Mean Decomposition (GMD). The selecting of the codebooks may be enabled by alternating between the elements of the set of codebooks. The cost function f(A) may be defined by the following relationship: f ( A ) = ( 1 N ∑ j = 1 N a jj 2 ) where A is a matrix of size N by N and aij is element (i,j) of matrix A. |
| US08090046B2 |
Interactive compression with multiple units of compression state information
There is provided a method of interactive compression using multiple compression state information entries. The method comprises receiving a request for data from a communicating party; retrieving the data; identifying, for use in compressing the data, at least two compression state information entries shared between the parties to the communication; compressing the data with each of the at least two compression state information entries; determining, from the set of compression state information entries, a preferred compression state information entry that provides a greatest compression ratio; and transmitting the data, compressed in accordance with the preferred compression state information entry to the communicating party. |
| US08090044B2 |
Multimode transceiver for use with multiple antennas and method for use therewith
A wireless transceiver includes a plurality of antennas. A plurality of signal recovery circuits generate a selected number of received signals from a first subset of the plurality of antennas, based on a control signal. A receiver section recovers an inbound data stream from the selected number of received signals. A transmitter module generates a transmit signal to a selected one of the plurality of antennas, based on the control signal. The intersection between the first subset of the plurality of antennas and the selected one of the plurality of antennas is the null set for each value of the control signal. The control signals can be generated in multiple different operational modes including, for instance, a cyclic modes and a fixed mode of operation. |
| US08090043B2 |
Apparatus and methods for compensating for signal imbalance in a receiver
Apparatus, methods and systems for compensating for an I/Q imbalance may include compensating for an imbalance between a first component of a data signal and a second component of the data signal. The data signal may be modulated by a carrier signal having a frequency error. The first component may be characterized by at least one parameter. The method may include receiving the data and carrier signals; selecting a value for the parameter such that the frequency domain energy at negative frequencies is reduced; and modifying at least one of the components based on the value. |
| US08090041B2 |
Systems and methods for forward link closed loop beamforming
Methods of forming a beam to a wireless terminal from a transmitter including an antenna having a plurality of antenna feed elements include generating channel estimates at the wireless terminal, obtaining channel phase information from the channel estimates, quantizing the channel phase information to obtain quantized channel phase values, and transmitting the quantized channel phase values to the transmitter. The methods may further include receiving the quantized channel phase values at the transmitter, obtaining channel gain estimates, constructing channel estimates using the quantized channel phase values and the channel gain estimates, and determining transmit beamforming weights in response to the channel estimates. Related transmitters, wireless terminals, and communications systems are also disclosed. |
| US08090040B2 |
Method and system to maintain shapes of temporal pulses in wireless broadband signals transmitted through a dispersive antenna
A radio frequency system for broadband wireless communication including one or more dispersive antennae operable to transmit and receive wireless broadband signals having a wide range of frequencies and one or more equalizers each in communication with a respective dispersive antenna and each operable to distort the broadband signals to reduce the dispersive effects of the respective antenna. |
| US08090035B2 |
Method for setting inter-packet gain
An packet detection controller accepts an input from an AGC controller which indicates the presence of an increased signal energy and also completion of an AGC process and generates an output to suspend the AGC process. The packet detection controller also receives a plurality of IQ receiver streams and forms a single stream for use by a packet detector, which is controllable by an SNR_MODE indicating whether the signal to noise ratio is above or below a particular threshold, and a PD_RESET signal indicating that no packet detection should occur. The controller also receives a PACKET_DET signal indicating that packet detection is completed. The packet detection controller examines the incoming receiver streams and suspends AGC process if a packet detect is generated, or suspends the packet detector if an AGC process is required. |
| US08090033B2 |
Differential orthogonal modulation method and apparatus using repetition time interval difference of chirp signal
A differential orthogonal modulation method and a differential orthogonal modulation apparatus using a repetition time interval difference of a chirp signal are disclosed. Such a differential orthogonal modulation method performed in a transmitter unit of a digital communication system comprises the steps of converting data having a serial bit format to be transmitted in the transmitter unit into a parallel format to create parallel input data, inputting the parallel input data into a symbol mapper, orthogonally modulating the parallel input data inputted into the symbol mapper to create modulated data comprised of differential bi-orthogonal functions, differentially encoding the modulated data to output encoded data, converting the encoded data into a serial bit format to create a baseband signal, and processing the baseband signal to create a transmission signal in a form of a chirp signal having a specific repetition time interval difference. |
| US08090030B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for generating and facilitating mobile high-definition multimedia interface
A method, apparatus and system are provided for generating and facilitating Mobile High-Definition Multimedia Interface. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a transmitter configured to merge multiple channels of a high-definition interface into a single channel to generate a mobile high-definition interface, the mobile high-definition interface configured to facilitate carrying of high-definition media content in a mobile device. The apparatus further includes a receiver coupled with the transmitter, the receiver configured to receive the single channel, and to unmerge the single channel into the multiple channels. |
| US08090026B2 |
Using order difference for calculating motion vector
A method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that allows the relative timing of nearby video pictures to be encoded in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, the display time difference between a current video picture and a nearby video picture is determined. The display time difference is then encoded into a digital representation of the video picture. In a preferred embodiment, the nearby video picture is the most recently transmitted stored picture. For coding efficiency, the display time difference may be encoded using a variable length coding system or arithmetic coding. In an alternate embodiment, the display time difference is encoded as a power of two to reduce the number of bits transmitted. |
| US08090024B2 |
Methods for processing two data frames with scalable data utilization
The present invention provides a framework for the processing of blocks between two data frames and in particular application to motion estimation calculations in which a balance among the performance of a motion search algorithm, the size of on-chip memory to store the reference data, and the required data transfer bandwidth between on-chip and external memory can be optimized in a scalable manner, such that the total system cost with hierarchical embedded memory structure can be optimized in a flexible manner. The scope of the present invention is not limited to digital video encoding in which motion vector is part of information to be encoded, but is applicable to any other implementation in which difference between any two data frames are to be computed. |
| US08090023B2 |
Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding with reduced requirements for division operations
A method and apparatus for performing motion estimation in a digital video system is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that quickly calculates estimated motion vectors in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, a first multiplicand is determined by multiplying a first display time difference between a first video picture and a second video picture by a power of two scale value. This step scales up a numerator for a ratio. Next, the system determines a scaled ratio by dividing that scaled numerator by a second first display time difference between said second video picture and a third video picture. The scaled ratio is then stored calculating motion vector estimations. By storing the scaled ratio, all the estimated motion vectors can be calculated quickly with good precision since the scaled ratio saves significant bits and reducing the scale is performed by simple shifts. |
| US08090022B2 |
Video coding system
A video coding system is provided including generating a motion vector for a macro block in a picture, the motion vectors indicative of displacement of an object in the macro block; grouping a cluster of the motion vectors; and adjusting a dynamic quantization parameter modulation of a subsequent picture based on the grouping for displaying the displacement of the object in the subsequent picture. |
| US08090021B2 |
Method for motion search between video frames with multiple blocks
A method for motion search between video frames with multiple blocks is disclosed. The present invention provides an effective edge detection-prediction hexagon search algorithm (EDPHS algorithm). The method uses edge values and the distribution characteristics of motion vector and further overcomes the drawback of the conventional hexagon-based search algorithm (HEXBS algorithm). In this way, the present invention has less search points during searching. Through experiments, the present invention, without affecting the compressed video quality, reduces the number of search points by about 80%˜98% in comparison with the diamond search algorithm (DS algorithm) and reduces the number of search points by about 75%˜97% in comparison with the HEXBS algorithm. The advantages make the present invention suitable for the realizing real-time image compression. |
| US08090018B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method of the same
The invention discloses an image processing apparatus for improving the definition of an input image. The input image consists of a plurality of pixels, and the pixels are divided into an edge portion and a background portion. The image processing apparatus includes a compound operating unit, a sharpness processing unit, and an edge detecting unit. The compound operating unit is used for generating a noise-eliminated image by subjecting the input image to an open-close process and a close-open process. The sharpness processing unit is used for generating an enhanced image by subjecting the input image to a sharpness process. The edge detecting unit is used for receiving the noise-eliminated image and the enhanced image and determining whether each pixel of the input image belongs to the edge portion or the background portion, so as to selectively output the gray level of each pixel of the enhanced or noise-eliminated image. |
| US08090016B2 |
Activity normalization for video encoding
The invention facilitates the normalization of activity normalization parameters to be used to select the proper quantization value for encoded video data that directly influences the Human Visual System (HVS). |
| US08090014B2 |
Managing multiview streaming video data composed of frames
A system for managing multiview streaming video data composed of a plurality of frames includes an encoder configured to encode multiple representations of at least one frame of the plurality of frames corresponding to multiple views using different reference frames for each of the multiple representations. The system also includes a controller configured to create a coding tree containing the plurality of frames and the multiple representations. The system further includes a data store configured to store the coding tree, wherein the controller is further configured to identify a storage constraint of the data store and to omit at least one of the multiple representations from the coding tree to cause the plurality of frames stored in the data store to remain within the storage constraint. |
| US08090008B2 |
System and method for scrambling the phase of the carriers in a multicarrier communications system
A system and method that scrambles the phase characteristic of a carrier signal are described. The scrambling of the phase characteristic of each carrier signal includes associating a value with each carrier signal and computing a phase shift for each carrier signal based on the value associated with that carrier signal. The value is determined independently of any input bit value carried by that carrier signal. The phase shift computed for each carrier signal is combined with the phase characteristic of that carrier signal so as to substantially scramble the phase characteristic of the carrier signals. Bits of an input signal are modulated onto the carrier signals having the substantially scrambled phase characteristic to produce a transmission signal with a reduced PAR. |
| US08090006B2 |
Systems and methods for serial cancellation
A receiver in a CDMA system comprises a front end processor that generates a combined signal per source. A symbol estimator processes the combined signal to produce symbol estimates. An S-Matrix Generation module refines these symbol estimates based on the sub channel symbol estimates. An interference canceller is configured for cancelling interference from at least one of the plurality of received signals for producing at least one interference-cancelled signal. |
| US08090004B2 |
Spectrum spread communication method and system using very weak power, and high frequency radio apparatus
Provided is a high frequency radio apparatus for correcting a frequency of a carrier of the own apparatus in accordance with a frequency of a reception carrier when performing spread spectrum communication using very weak power. A carrier demodulating part demodulates a spread code received from a communication counterpart radio apparatus by using default carrier data, and sends the demodulated spread code to a synchronization timing detecting part. When the synchronization timing detecting part detects the spread code from the carrier demodulated data, a carrier frequency deviation detecting part performs a frequency analysis of the spread code to detect a deviation amount of the carrier frequency. A carrier data generating part generates corrected carrier data based on the detected deviation amount. A DBPSK modulating part uses the corrected carrier data to perform data transmission to the communication counterpart radio apparatus. |
| US08090001B2 |
Fast frequency-hopping transceiver and method
A fast frequency-hopping transceiver comprises a RF-unit arranged on a first chip, a base-band unit on a second chip, a bidirectional operable data and control interface arranged between said first and said second chip having at least one data line for data communication, at least one control line for controlling the data communication and at least one clock line for providing a clock signal, memory means implemented within said RF-unit containing all the required chip settings which are specific to a certain frequency of received and/or transmitted data being part of the intended hopping sequence. The transceiver also includes control means for programming said memory means during an initialization phase during a set-up of a communication link of said data communication. |
| US08089998B2 |
Ultra-short pulse laser system and method for producing femtosecond or picosecond pulses
An ultra-short pulse laser system comprising an amplifying laser medium for producing a laser emission, a laser resonator having at least one resonator mirror and a pump source has a gas-filled section with a filling gas, the latter consisting of a single gas or a filling gas mixture differing from the composition of air, whose nonlinear refractive index n2 substantially corresponds to that of air and which has a rotational Raman effect which is smaller in comparison with air. |
| US08089995B2 |
Structures and methods for adjusting the wavelengths of lasers via temperature control
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates adjusting the wavelengths of lasers via temperature control. This system includes a chip with an active face upon which active circuitry and signal pads reside. A thermal-control mechanism provides localized thermal control of two lasers mounted upon the active face of the chip. By individually controlling the temperature of the lasers, the thermal-control mechanism controls the wavelengths emitted by each respective laser. By creating a temperature gradient that causes a temperature difference between two or more lasers, the system can cause the lasers to emit different wavelengths. |
| US08089991B2 |
Network and method for clock synchronization of clusters in a time triggered network
An embodiment of the invention includes a method and network for clock synchronization within a time triggered network using time slots, having at least two clusters. The clusters are connected to a coupling unit that includes a clock alignment control logic. The clock alignment control logic includes a coupling unit clock source which is more accurate than the node clock source. The accuracy of the coupling unit clock source is due to the coupling unit clock source including an oscillator crystal with smaller guaranteed deviations than the guaranteed deviations of the node clock source and/or the coupling unit clock source receiving a clock signal from an external clock device or from a GPS device. The method includes using a rate correction for offset correction. |
| US08089989B2 |
Synchronization of nodes on a network
A method for synchronizing at least two nodes on a network including one network node acting as a master node, the master node setting a base time T0,master, and sending elapsed time since T0,master to at least one other node acting as a slave node, and the at least one other node acting as the slave node receiving the elapsed time, and estimating and setting a value of a base time T0,slave based, at least partly, on the received elapsed time. Related apparatus and methods are also described. |
| US08089982B1 |
Method and apparatus for medium reservation and medium reservation modification in a communication system with medium reservation modification granted without requiring additional medium arbitration
Medium reservation modifications can be requested and granted wherein a master device allocates a medium using reservations that are observed by other devices sharing the medium and a slave device complies with reservations by holding data for transmission until its reservation in time arrives by determining a reserved length of an upcoming transmitting opportunity reserved for a slave device, determining, at the slave device, a desired length for transmitting data from the slave device over the medium, comparing the reserved length and the desired length to determine if a medium reservation modification is warranted, if the medium reservation modification is warranted, requesting, using the slave device and the medium, during the reserved time covered by the medium reservation, the medium reservation modification, and determining, at the master device, whether to grant or deny the medium reservation modification and conveying the determination to the slave device. |
| US08089980B2 |
Method for protection switching of geographically separate switching systems
A protocol is provided being executed with a redundancy of 1:1. As a result, an identical clone, with identical hardware, identical software and an identical data base, is allocated to each switching system to be protected, as a redundancy partner. Switching is carried out in a quick, secure and automatic manner by a superordinate, real-time enabled monitor which establishes communication with the switching systems which are arranged in pairs. In the event of communication loss with respect to the active communication system, real-time switching to the redundant switching system is carried out. |
| US08089979B2 |
Packet relay apparatus and packet relay method
A packet relay apparatus for suppressing a burst transfer of packets being relayed to improve the quality and reliability of packet communication. In the packet relay apparatus, an arrival time measurement block measures the arrival time of an input packet to generate arrival time information; a packet classification block classifies the packet as an output-interval-control packet, which requires output interval control, or a non-output-interval-control packet, which does not require output interval control, to generate classification information; a packet distribution block receives the packet which has been processed and switched and places the packet in an appropriate queue according to the classification information; and a schedule management block performs relay output control in accordance with the arrival time information such that the output intervals of output-interval-control packets become equal to the input intervals obtained when the packets were input to the apparatus. |
| US08089973B2 |
Outdoor hardened exo-modular and multi-phy switch
The present invention relates to a data distribution device comprising of a core electronics suite having at least two data ports where each port is in communication with its own network transport medium. At least two broadband transceivers, each in communication with its own broadband data port, enable sending and receiving of broadband data signals. At least two converters, each in communication with its own transceiver, enable the conversion of RF modulated data signals into data packets and the conversion of data packets into RF modulated data signals. The device includes a data switch, in communications with at least two converters and at least two broadband transceivers, for inspecting and routing data packets between data ports; a processor in communication with the data switch that controls the sending and receiving of data packets between at least two converters; and an exterior housing that is sealed and environmentally hardened to allow the data switch, the processor, and the converters with their transceivers, to operate in an outdoor environment. |
| US08089972B2 |
Registration redirect server
Systems and methods for dynamically registering a communication device are disclosed. As one example, a communication network architecture is disclosed that includes multiple feature servers, multiple registration redirect servers (RRSs), and multiple communication devices. The feature servers provide services to the communication devices. The RRSs each service a shared virtual Internet Protocol (IP) address and perform load balancing of registration requests on behalf of multiple feature servers located geographically proximate to the RRS. The communication devices are configured to issue initial registration requests intended for any of the feature servers to the shared virtual IP address, whereby upon issuing an initial registration request, a communication device is directed to a particular feature server that is associated with a RRS that is closest to the communication device, and where the particular feature server is selected by a load balancing routine executing on the RRS. |
| US08089969B2 |
Metro ethernet service enhancements
Numerous enhancements to metro Ethernet network (MEN) services include an enhancement of the overall MEN Quality of Service (QoS) architecture, an enhancement to classification at the provider edge, the use of Ethernet QoS classes, enhancements to policing and marking at ingress provider edge equipment, the provision of traffic management functions at egress provider edge equipment, the use of multiple Ethernet virtual connections (EVCs) and Aggregate EVCs, an enhancement to QoS across an external network-network interface and an enhancement to treatment of Ethernet service frames in a core network. |
| US08089966B2 |
System and method for filtering a data packet using a combined filter
System and method for filtering a data packet using a combined filter are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes receiving a data packet and N filters. The method includes receiving a data packet and N (wherein N is an integer and N>1) filters, each filter comprising a bit mask and corresponding bit values. The method further includes, for each of the N filters, identifying a key element from a portion of the filter corresponding to a combined filter, the key element being a segment of the filter portion having the richest bit pattern. The method further includes generating the combined filter by combining the key element of the N filters. The method further includes filtering the data packet with the combined filter to determine whether there is a match between the data packet and each key element. |
| US08089964B2 |
Transporting multicast over MPLS backbone using virtual interfaces to perform reverse-path forwarding checks
A mechanism is provided in which multicast reverse path forwarding can be performed at a provider network egress edge router wherein core routers of the provider network are not configured to support multicast protocols or point-to-multipoint LSPs. An embodiment of the present invention provides for the creation of virtual interfaces in the egress edge router element during configuration of a multicast connection in response to a subscriber request. A virtual interface will be associated with an upstream ingress edge router element and that ingress edge router element is provided a label associated with the virtual interface. Such a label can then be included in datastream packets transmitted through the provider network and be used by reverse path forward checking at the egress edge router element to ascertain whether the multicast datastream is being received by the correct upstream interface. |
| US08089963B2 |
Packet forwarding apparatus and method
A network device includes at least one source physical port coupled to a network, and a plurality of egress ports. A logical port assignment mechanism assigns source logical port information to a data packet received via one of the at least one physical port. The source logical port information is based on characteristics of the data packet, and the source logical port information corresponds to a logical entity that is different from any source physical port. A forwarding engine determines one or more egress ports for forwarding the data packet based on at least the assigned source logical port. |
| US08089961B2 |
Low power ternary content-addressable memory (TCAMs) for very large forwarding tables
Ternary content-addressable memories (TCAMs) may be used to obtain a simple and very fast implementation of a router's forwarding engine. The applicability of TCAMs is, however, limited by their size and high power requirement. The present invention provides an improved method and associated algorithms to reduce the power needed to search a forwarding table using a TCAM. Additionally, the present invention teaches how to couple TCAMs and high bandwidth SRAMs so as to overcome both the power and size limitations of a pure TCAM forwarding engine. By using one of the novel TCAM-SRAM coupling schemes (M-12Wb), TCAM memory is reduced by a factor of about 5 on IPv4 data sets and by a factor of about 2.5 on IPv6 data sets; TCAM power requirement is reduced by a factor of about 10 on IPv4 data sets and by a factor of about 6 on IPv6 data sets. |
| US08089957B2 |
Secure IP address exchange in central and distributed server environments
Embodiments of the present invention provide a network infrastructure operable to support the exchange of communications, such as textual, image, video and voice communications, between a first client terminal having a first user identifier and service by a first service provider and a second (destination) client terminal having a second user identifier and serviced by a second service provider. This network infrastructure includes a packet-switch network, a shared database and a number of client terminals serviced by different service providers. These terminals include a network interface and are identified by their service provider by a network address. The shared database associates user identifiers with network addresses. This allows a user to access the shared database in order to initiate a call request from the first client terminal to the second client terminal. The first client terminal receives the network address or vectoring information on the network address of the destination terminal through the shared database. This shared database may also have metadata used to manage the call. |
| US08089952B2 |
Intelligent call routing
A call routing decision for connecting a call between source and target devices is based on the traffic type (e.g., facsimile, modem, voice). In some implementations, the traffic type is determined and stored (e.g., in a billing record). The traffic type can be used to connect, block or reroute subsequent calls of the same traffic type. |
| US08089949B2 |
Distributed access point for IP based communications
An apparatus for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network includes a network interface, a controller, and memory. The interface receives a series of multicast data packets. The controller identifies one or more receiving nodes in the wireless network requesting data corresponding to the series of multicast data packets and determines that the effective unicast rate for one or more unicast data packets exceeds a minimum data rate of the series of multicast data packets using an 802.x protocol. The memory stores instructions that may be executable by a processor. Upon execution of the instructions by a processor, the received series of multicast data packets is converted into one or more unicast packets, the execution and conversion occurring in response to instructions received from the controller. A system for Internet-Protocol based communications in a wireless network implements such an apparatus in the context of an access point. |
| US08089947B2 |
Spatial reuse in directional antenna systems
In directional antennas, spatial reuse involves enabling two communications to occur on the same link at the same time. The communications may be in the same or opposite directions. If no link of sufficient bandwidth is available that does not already have an active communication, a link with an active communication of sufficient bandwidth is located. Then an antenna training sequence may be implemented. A check determines whether the antenna training sequence was successful. If there was interference during the antenna training sequence, then the spatial reuse is not permitted. Otherwise, spatial reuse may be permitted. |
| US08089942B2 |
System and method for inter-radio access technology signal measurement
A multi-mode user equipment is provided. The multi-mode user equipment includes a processor configured to promote measurement of a signal strength of a microtechnology-based network during a portion of a macrotechnology-based communication from a network component to the multi-mode user equipment. The signal strength of the microtechnology-based network is measured during a portion of the macrotechnology-based communication when no user data is being transmitted. |
| US08089937B2 |
Method and apparatus for handover in mobile communication network including satellite network
A method and mobile communication terminal for handover in a mobile communication network including at least one mobile communication base station and a communication satellite. The handover method includes the steps of: (a) calculating a signal power received from a currently communicating mobile communication base station among the at least one mobile communication base station, (b) calculating a signal power received from each of the communication satellite and the at least one mobile communication base station except the base station of step (a), (c) selecting a mobile communication base station having the highest among the calculated signal powers except the signal power received from the communication satellite and the signal power received from the base station of step (a), and (d) when the signal power calculated in step (a) is below a predetermined minimum handover power, a difference between the signal power of the selected mobile communication base station and the signal power calculated in step (a) is equal to or below a first terrestrial handover sensitivity, and there is no other mobile communication base station capable of communicating with the mobile communication terminal, performing handover to the communication satellite. |
| US08089935B2 |
Method for performing a handoff in a telecommunication system
A method is disclosed for performing a handoff in a telecommunication system. The method comprises: performing a first multi-cell joint detection process for decoding the communications within the home cell when a mobile terminal enters a handoff region between a home cell and one or more neighboring cells; performing a handoff process when the mobile terminal is in the home cell to join a target neighboring cell; and performing a second multi-cell joint detection process for decoding the communications between the mobile terminal and the target neighboring cell. In this manner, decoding for uplink and/or downlink communications is improved, and throughout and performance of the telecommunication system is enhanced. |
| US08089934B2 |
Method and system for controlling a call handover between telecommunication networks
A method for controlling a call handover between telecommunication networks includes determining whether a User Equipment (UE), in communication with a first network, is engaged in a call attempt when the UE is to be transferred from the first network to a second network, if the UE is engaged in a call attempt, maintaining the UE communicating with the first network, and if the UE is not engaged in a call attempt, initiating the handover from the first network to the second network. |
| US08089932B2 |
Handover method in a wireless access network
When a mobile device performs a handover from a first wireless base station to a second wireless base station, a base station controller sends a control message addressed to the second base station to notify the handover, to the first wireless base station via a wired line. The first wireless base station sends received control message to the second wireless base station using a pre-established wireless line. The wireless base stations exchange a control message to control the second wireless base station, a control message to control the mobile device, and user data of the mobile device and a communication partner, using the wireless line. |
| US08089927B2 |
Wireless communication device
A wireless communication device includes: an analyzing unit for analyzing an MAC header of a received frame; a storage unit for storing a source address when analyzed that the received frame is a suspension signal for suspending an occupancy of a radio channel; a determination unit for determining whether or not the source address of the received frame is stored in the storage unit when analyzed that a destination address of the received frame is for other device; and a power controlling unit for suspending a power supply to the demodulation unit and the analyzing unit for a remaining time of a period for occupying the radio channel which is described on the MAC header when determined that the source address is not stored. |
| US08089926B2 |
TBF bi-directional optimization for TCP
In a data communication network a first and second network site, communicate by sending a first data transmission from the first network site to a second network site and by sending a second data transmission from said second network site to said first network site. Data transmission characteristics of said first data transmission are determined and radio resources for said data transmission are allocated based on the determined first data transmission characteristics. Thus, the radio resources for the second data transmission are correlated with characteristics of the first data transmission and thus delays in the data transmission between the first and second network site can be avoided. |
| US08089924B2 |
Method and apparatus for high rate packet data transmission
In a data communication system capable of variable rate transmission, high rate packet data transmission improves utilization of the forward link and decreases the transmission delay. Data transmission on the forward link is time multiplexed and the base station transmits at the highest data rate supported by the forward link at each time slot to one mobile station. The data rate is determined by the largest C/I measurement of the forward link signals as measured at the mobile station. Upon determination of a data packet received in error, the mobile station transmits a NACK message back to the base station. The NACK message results in retransmission of the data packet received in error. The data packets can be transmitted out of sequence by the use of sequence number to identify each data unit within the data packets. |
| US08089914B2 |
Relay and method of allocating bandwidth in communication system
To allocate a bandwidth to a terminal, a base station in a communication system including a relay receives a bandwidth request code from the relay, and determines whether a bandwidth request code that is the same as the received bandwidth request code has been received from the terminal. In addition, when the same bandwidth request code has been received from the terminal, the base station allocates the bandwidth to at least one among the relay and the terminal. |
| US08089912B2 |
Multicast communication method, accompanied with the relay node and wireless network system design
A multicast communication method for relaying a multicast packet from a first member node to a plurality of second member nodes in a wireless network is provided, wherein the first member node and the second member nodes belong to a same group and can communicate with each other via a plurality of non-member nodes. In the multicast communication method, a number and distances of the second member nodes are recorded. The multicast packet is received from the first member node, and a waiting time is determined according to the number and the distances of the second member nodes. Whether the multicast packet is broadcasted by any other relay node is monitored during the waiting time. If the multicast packet is already broadcasted to all the second member nodes by other relay node, the multicast packet is not broadcasted; otherwise, the multicast packet is broadcasted after the waiting time elapses. |
| US08089911B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cellular broadcasting and communication system
In a cellular wireless network, methods and apparatus are disclosed for a signal broadcasting scheme that can be individually augmented for users with poor reception. The network employs a first downlink channel (broadcast CH) for broadcasting data to all mobile stations (S1, S2, S3), a second downlink channel (regular CH) for sending signals to a specific mobile station in a cell, and an uplink channel for feeding back information to the base station. To achieve a certain user reception quality, the system adjusts its broadcasting parameters based on the statistical analysis of the feedback data (feedback). If some users still require better reception, the system individually augments their broadcast signals via the second downlink channels. Methods and apparatus are also disclosed for synchronization of data distribution by base stations (1,2), which, in part, allows the receivers to combine the receiving signals and improve their reception quality. |
| US08089907B2 |
Duplex mismatch detection
An apparatus including a port to transmit first frames and receive second frames over a communication channel, the port including a collision detect circuit and a duplex mismatch circuit. The collision detect circuit detects collisions on the communication channel between the first frames and the second frames. The duplex mismatch circuit declares a duplex mismatch when the communication channel was established without attempting auto-negotiation, the port is in a half-duplex mode, and the collision detect circuit detects a very late collision involving one of the first frames. The very late collision occurs after a predetermined amount of data has been transmitted in the one of the first frames. The duplex mismatch indicates that a full-duplex mode is used with respect to the second frames. |
| US08089906B2 |
Dual mode transceiver
A circuit is disclosed with an external coupling port for coupling to an external antenna, for example. The circuit has an FDD receive path including a narrowband passband filter. The circuit has a TDD receive path bypassing the narrowband passband filter but relying on a same amplifier. The circuit also has an FDD transmit path including a narrowband passband filter. The circuit has a TDD transmit path bypassing the narrowband passband filter of the FDD transmit path but relying on a same transmit amplifier. A switching configuration allows the circuit to operate in TDD mode, alternating between the TDD receive path and the TDD transmit path and in the FDD mode wherein the FDD transmit and receive paths are simultaneously coupled to the external coupling port. |
| US08089904B2 |
Link inference in large networks based on incomplete data
A network is partitioned into a set of independent partitions, and the topology of each partition is determined, then merged to form a topology of the entire network. Preferably, the partitioning is hierarchical, wherein the network is partitioned to form individual VLAN partitions, and each of the VLAN partitions is further partitioned based on the nodes that are simply connected to each port of one or more selected root switches within the VLAN partition. Simple connections to each port are efficiently determined based on an aggregate address forwarding table associated with each node. Ancillary information, such as spanning tree or CDP data, may be used to facilitate efficient partitioning and/or to validate inferences that are made with incomplete information. |
| US08089900B2 |
Method for repelling unwanted speech advertising for packet-oriented communication networks
A service (LD) according to the invention is disclosed for managing lists in a packet-oriented network (LAN) for end devices (EG) of the network, said service providing a first (blacklist) and second (whitelist) list (L1, L2) of identifiers (id, rn) in which one or no unwanted speech advertising SPIT or unsolicited bulk communications are to be expected. A call is directed to the service (LD), and the identifier (idx) of the call is compared to the identifiers (id, m) in the lists (L1, L2). A call whose identifier (idx) is not contained in the lists (L1, L2) is directed to the addressed end device (EGx) and transmitted following acceptance. After determination of a call with or without unwanted speech advertising (SPIT), a first or second piece of information (z1, z2) inputted to the end device (EGx) is transmitted to the service (LD) in the packet-oriented network (LAN), and the identifier (idx) of the call is assigned to the first or second list (L1, L2). The handling of the lists, and therefore the comfort for the subscriber, is increased by the central management of the lists (L1, L2) by a service (LD) in the network and by simple input to the end device. |
| US08089894B2 |
Methods and systems for adaptive effective CINR reporting in a wireless communication system
Embodiments of the present disclosure allow a MS to dynamically adjust the mapping of a physical CINR measurement to an effective CINR. For some embodiments, an effective CINR value may be generated based on a physical CINR value and a measured packet error rate (PER) over one or more time periods. By dynamically adjusting the effective CINR reported back to a BS, the MS may allow the BS to select a coding scheme that effectively compensates for changes in channel conditions, which may improve system performance. |
| US08089893B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a channel measurement reports in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for transmitting a ChannelMeasurementReport message in a wireless communication system, comprising generating a ChannelMeasurementReport message comprising a 8 bit MessageID field, a 12 bit PilotPN field that indicates the PilotPN of a sector for which a measurement was performed, a 2 bit CarrierID field that indicates a carrier on which the measurements are performed, a 40 bit StartPHYFrameNumber field that indicates a frame number of a PHYFrame where an access terminal made a first measurement reported in the message, a 8 bit MeasurementInterval field that indicates a number of PHYFrames between measurements made by the access terminal, and a 8 bit NumMeasurements field that indicates number of measurements included in the message and transmitting the ChannelMeasurementReport message over a communication link. A method and apparatus is also provided for receiving and processing the ChannelMeasurementReport message. |
| US08089891B2 |
System and method for auditing route parameters in a network
A system includes a collector module configured to collect route parameters from a selected node of a plurality of nodes in the network, wherein the route parameters from the selected node are indicative of a first route to a destination address and a second route to the destination address; and a route processor configured to determine a first intermediate node along the first route communicatively coupled to the destination address and a second intermediate node along the first route communicatively coupled to the destination address, based at least in part on the collected route parameters. A method includes collecting route parameters from a first intermediate node and a second intermediate node that can be configured to communicatively couple a source node to the destination node, determining at least a first route through the first intermediate node and a second route through the second intermediate node, and determining which route among the first route and the second route is optimal according to one or more criteria. |
| US08089884B2 |
Method and apparatus for early warning of congestion in Ad-Hoc wireless networks
The present invention embodiments bypass congested links in a multi-hop Ad-Hoc wireless network. Initially, congestion is measured at each network node based on channel utilization for both transmission and reception of TDMA and CSMA messages. The measured utilization is quantized to conserve transmission bandwidth. Non-uniform quantization is applied to enable the measured utilization to be quantized to the highest value within the quantization range prior to occurrence of congestion, thereby effectively providing early notification of the congestion. The quantized utilization is distributed with the original use costs of a communication link to the remaining network nodes by a Link State Advertisement (LSA) flood and supplemental ACK and/or HELLO packets. After a network node receives the quantized utilization, the link cost is updated and used to select a routing path that minimizes the total costs from the source node to the destination node for a multi-hop network. |
| US08089882B2 |
Load-aware network path configuration
Load-aware spanning tree reconfiguration includes determining volumes for information flows in an existing spanning tree in a network. The spanning tree is reconfigured based on the volumes to provide higher-volume information flows with shorter paths in the reconfigured spanning tree. |
| US08089881B2 |
Method and apparatus for increasing spectrum use efficiency in a mesh network
Mesh Network Access Points (APs) points, including gateways and routers, are deployed over a geographic area. The APs monitor the communication channel for other carriers and transmit accordingly. The APs selectively co-transmit when other carriers are sensed, if the efficiency of the mesh network will improve. APs select a transmission rate based on observed carrier-to-interference ratios. APs use directional antennas to increase carrier-to-interference ratios and spectral efficiency. AP transmit schedules are adaptable and adjusted according to observed carrier-to-interference measurements. |
| US08089880B2 |
Network relay having dynamically selectable receive and transmit channel intervals and method of operating the same
A network relay, a transmitter and methods of operating a network relay and transmitter. In one embodiment, the method of operating the network relay includes: (1) at a relay, receiving one or more symbols transmitted by a source in each of a first sequence of fundamental intervals, (2) from the relay, transmitting data extracted from the received ones of the symbols to a destination in each of a second sequence of fundamental intervals, the fundamental intervals of the first and second sequences interleaving to make a continuous period of time and (3) for each particular one of the fundamental intervals, selecting between performing the receiving and performing the transmitting based on one or more of the symbols received in an associated recent one of the fundamental intervals. |
| US08089876B2 |
Packet transmission apparatus and packet transmission method
An aspect of the embodiments related to a packet transmission apparatus includes a user identification unit for identifying the user of an input user flow upon input of the user flow containing communication packets and maintenance packets, a maintenance packet extraction unit for extracting the maintenance packets from the user flow of the user identified by the user identification unit, a maintenance packet output control unit for controlling the transparent output of the maintenance packets extracted by the maintenance packet extraction unit based on the monitor rate setting, and a control unit for monitoring and controlling the user flow of the particular user based on the maintenance packets of the user transparently output by the maintenance packet output control unit. |
| US08089875B2 |
Network real time monitoring and control system
A network real-time monitoring and control system includes several layers of components for generating a network traffic shaping control that is used to shaping network traffic flows for one or more network nodes. The layers of the network real-time monitoring and control system include a monitoring layer, an event control layer, a traffic shaping control layer, a reporting layer, and an administrative layer. The monitoring obtains network traffic indicator measurements and network node operational indicator measurements. The event control layer uses the indicator measurements to generate a network event identifier, and generates a request for a network traffic shaping control based on a correlation of the network event identifier with a network node status identifier. The request for the network traffic shaping control is communicated to the traffic shaping control layer to generate a network traffic shaping control. |
| US08089873B2 |
Method and system of managing QoS-guaranteed multimode fast mobility in wireless networks
Disclosed herein is a method and system for managing QoS-guaranteed multimode fast mobility in wireless networks. The method includes the steps of (a) in response to a request for call establishment, registering a user ID, the unique IP address of a user, a currently used temporary IP address and the current location of the mobile host; (b) completing the call establishment; (c) establishing a tunnel between the OMS and the mobile host; (d) in response to the provision of a new temporary IP address and the wireless network information of a newly activated wireless communication interface, establishing a new tunnel using the unique IP address of the OMS and the new temporary IP address of the mobile host, and then transmitting data packets in parallel; and (e) in response to a request for the removal of a tunnel, removing the corresponding tunnel. |
| US08089867B2 |
Method for allocating at least one user data link to at least one multiplex connection
The invention relates to a method for allocating at least one user data link to a multiplex connection provided between a first network element and a second network element. According to the method, the first network element generates a first signaling message and transmits the same to the second network element, the first signaling message indicating to the second network element that the first network element is available to transfer the at least one respective user data link via one respective multiplex connection. The second network element assigns one multiplex connection between the first network element and the second network element to each of the at least one user data link or selects a transfer outside a multiplex connection for the user data link in accordance with the indicated availability of the first network element and depending on whether the second network element supports the transfer of the at least one user data link via multiplex connection. The possibility of allocating the at least one user a data link to a multiplex connection is indicated to the first network element by a second signaling message that is generated in the second network element and is transmitted to the first network element. |
| US08089859B2 |
Device and method for transmitting and receiving pilot signal in wireless communication system
Disclosed is a pilot signal transmitting/receiving device and method in a wireless communication system. When generating a pilot signal block that is shorter than the length of a data signal, a frequency for each predetermined pilot signal block is transitioned so as to guarantee frequency domain channel estimation performance. A cyclic prefix according to the length of the transitioned pilot signal is added to the pilot signal, a data signal is time division multiplexed together with the pilot signal, and a resultant signal is transmitted through an antenna. In advance to this, a position of a subcarrier for transmitting the pilot signal and the data signal is determined, a data signal is mapped on the determined subcarrier, and in this instance, diversity on the channel for a symbol is used to map the data signal on the transmission method using one of the localized FDMA (L-FDMA) channel and the distributed FDMA (D-FDMA) channel. Therefore, the frequency resolution in the frequency domain is maintained to thus provide high-quality channel estimation performance. |
| US08089858B2 |
Frame and signalling pattern structure for multi-carrier systems
The present invention relates to a transmitting apparatus (54) for transmitting signals in a multi carrier system on the basis of a frame structure, each frame comprising at least two signalling patterns adjacent to each other in the frequency direction and at least one data pattern, said transmitting apparatus comprising frame forming means (59) adapted to arrange signalling data and pilot signals in each of said at least two signalling patterns in a frame, each signalling pattern having the same length, and to arrange data on frequency carriers of said at least one data pattern in a frame, transforming means (60) adapted to transform said signalling patterns and said data patterns from the frequency domain into the time domain in order to generate a time domain transmission signal, and transmitting means (61) adapted to transmit said time domain transmission signal. The present invention further relates to a corresponding transmitting method, a frame pattern for a multi carrier system and a receiving apparatus and method as well as a transmitting and receiving system and method. |
| US08089857B2 |
Communication equipment which receives OFDM signal, OFDM-based wireless communication system and method for receiving OFDM signal
When a receiving apparatus which employs a OFDM-based cellular wireless communication scheme detects as an excessive signal for each frame, the signal having signal intensity exceeding a reference value after a Fourier transform, a gain variable according to an excessive quantity relative to the reference value is used for each frame to control signal intensity such that the amplitude thereof is at most the reference value. |
| US08089855B2 |
Transmission of overhead information for broadcast and multicast services in a wireless communication system
To transmit overhead information for broadcast and multicast services in a system that utilizes multiple radio technologies, time slots used for OFDM in a super-frame are initially ascertained. Overhead information for multiple streams to be sent in the time slots used for OFDM is generated. The overhead information conveys the time slots and the coding and modulation used for the streams and may be given in various forms. Multiple records may be formed for the overhead information for the streams. The overhead information for the streams is processed and time division multiplexed with the data for the streams in the super-frame. Information indicating the time slots used for OFDM in the super-frame may be sent separately or included in the overhead information. An indicator may also be appended to each stream to indicate whether there is any change in the overhead information for the stream in the next super-frame. |
| US08089849B2 |
Hologram optical device, and compatible optical pickup having the hologram optical device and optical information storage medium system employing the compatible optical pickup
A hologram optical device, and a compatible optical pickup having the hologram optical device and an information storage medium system employing the hologram optical device. The hologram optical device includes a hologram having a pattern having a period in a 4-step stairway shape. At least one of first, second, third, and fourth steps of the 4-step stairway shape is formed in a different width from at least one other step. |
| US08089847B2 |
Recording and reproducing apparatus
The recording and reproducing apparatus has rotary drive unit (a motor) that rotationally drives a multilayer recordable recording medium 1; a reference-light-side recording and reproducing lens 6 and a recording-light-side recording and reproducing lens 7 that are disposed oppositely to the recording medium 1 which is rotationally driven by the rotary drive unit, an address detection lens 5 that is disposed opposite the recording medium 1 and that is provided separately from the recording and reproducing lenses 6 and 7; a light source 9 for recording and reproducing purpose that supplies recording reproduction light to the recording and reproducing lenses 6 and 7; and the address light source 9 that supplies address light to the address detection lens 5. The apparatus is configured in such a way that light whose center axis portion is optically hollow is supplied from the reference-light-side recording and reproducing lens 6 to the recording medium 1 during reproducing operation. |
| US08089846B2 |
Method and system for modulation coding and synchronization
The present techniques provide systems and methods for modulation coding of data on optical disks, such as holographic data disks, and techniques for reading that data back from the disks. The techniques involve parsing a bit stream into a sequence of individual bit-patterns, and then using the individual bit patterns to select a symbol, or matrix, from a lookup table of previously selected matrices. The symbols are selected according to predetermined criteria that may help make the disk more resistant to interferences and errors, such as surface scratches, and the like. For example, criteria that may be used to select the symbols are the number of reflective and non-reflective regions within each matrix, and the number of sequential reflective regions, among others. The symbols may be written to the disk in a two-dimensional fashion, e.g., across adjacent tracks, or in a three-dimensional fashion, e.g., across adjacent data layers. |
| US08089845B2 |
Offset compensator and optical disc drive using the same
The generation of a pseudo-lock is prevented in a JFB offset compensator whose use has been conventionally limited due to a tendency to generate the pseudo-lock, and performance degradation of a PLL and a Viterbi decoder is suppressed. A means for monitoring an offset of a read signal is provided independently from the JFB offset compensator. With this configuration, the generation or a possibility of the generation of the pseudo-lock can be detected to reset an integrator. In order to reduce the influence of a large sporadic offset triggering the pseudo-lock, there may also be provided a limitter for limiting the absolute value of an offset signal inputted to the integrator or a limitter for limiting the absolute value of an offset compensation signal. |
| US08089844B2 |
Method and device for optical recording onto optical disc medium
There is provided an optical recording method for directing a recording pulse train to an optical disc medium to form marks thereon and for recording information as information about the edge positions of said marks and the spaces between marks, the recording pulse train having been created by modulating laser light into plural power levels. The method includes: coding to-be-recorded data into coded data consisting of the combination of marks and spaces; classifying said marks within said coded data on the basis of the mark length and the preceding or succeeding space lengths of the marks; shifting the position of the second pulse edge counted from the end portion of the recording pulse train for forming said marks, depending on the result of said classification, to adjust said recording pulse train; and directing said recording pulse train to the optical disc medium to form said marks thereon. |
| US08089837B2 |
Optical disk player
When an optical disk player is switched on, a controller obtains information of a sampling frequency or sampling frequencies that are supported by an appliance that is connected to the optical disc player through an HDMI cable. Then, when a playing start command is input, it is judged whether the connected appliance supports the audio output or not. When the connected appliance supports the audio output, and the sampling frequency of a sound source is larger than the sampling frequency or frequencies that the connected appliance supports, the audio signals are down-sampled to fit the connected appliance. Output of the audio signals is then started. |
| US08089835B2 |
Optical disc apparatus and tracking control method
An optical disc apparatus of the present application has a lens position signal generator for generating a lens position signal representative of a position of an objective lens in a disc radial direction, an amplitude corrector for correcting an amplitude of a tracking error signal, and a tracking controller for generating an actuator drive signal for controlling an actuator, from an output of the amplitude corrector, wherein the amplitude corrector corrects an amplitude of the tracking error signal in accordance with the lens position signal to make approximately constant a tracking error detection sensitivity relative to a displacement between an optical spot and a track. |
| US08089834B2 |
Apparatus for controlling servo signal gains of an optical disc drive and method of the same
The invention provides an apparatus for controlling servo signal gains of an optical disc drive. The apparatus adjusts the gains of a plurality of servo signals controlling a servo system of the optical disc drive when the optical disk drive encounters an operating state transition. In a first mode, at least one AGC loop of the apparatus compensates the gains of the servo signals with a selectable bandwidth during a specific period after the operating state transition to accelerate the convergence of the servo signals. In a second mode, at least one AGC loop of the apparatus reloads the previously saved convergence values or pre-determined values as the initial values according to the current operating state immediately after the operating state transition to accelerate the convergence of the servo signals. |
| US08089829B2 |
Thermally assisted recording media and system
A thermally assisted magnetic recording medium includes a substrate and at least two, i.e., first and second magnetic recording layers. These layers are hard magnetic layers and contain magnetic grains and a non-magnetic substance magnetically segregating the magnetic grains at grain boundaries. The first magnetic recording layer has a magnetic anisotropy energy Ku1, a grain volume v1, and energy for maintaining its recording magnetization Ku1v1; the second magnetic recording layer has a magnetic anisotropy energy Ku2, a grain volume v2, and energy for maintaining its recording magnetization Ku2v2; and the ratio Ku1v1/kBT of Ku1v1 to a thermal fluctuation energy kBT, where kB represents a Boltzmann constant and T represents an absolute temperature, and the ratio Ku2v2/kBT of Ku2v2 to kBT satisfy the following conditions: Ku1v1/kBT is larger than Ku2v2/kBT at room temperature, but is smaller than Ku2v2/kBT at temperatures around the Curie temperature of the first magnetic recording layer. |
| US08089827B2 |
Method for localizing remote devices, using acoustical and electromagnetic waves
Localization of remote devices by: the emission of pulses from acoustic transmitters, whose wavefronts propagate in the space region occupied by the remote devices and finally reach them; the emission of radiofrequency pulses from each remote device at the time of detection of the wavefront by an on-board microphone; the acquisition, by a radio base, of the radiofrequency signals propagating from the remote devices, to evaluate the arrival time delays proportional to the distance between the i-th acoustic source and the j-th remote device; the formation of a reception vector for each emission by the i-th source, this vector having a maximum length M equal to the number of remote devices and consisting of the sequence of distances obtained as the product of the reception times and the estimated sound velocity. These steps are repeated for all acoustic sources, to form N+1 reception vectors, to calculate the position of the device by solving derived matrix equations. |
| US08089823B2 |
Processor instruction cache with dual-read modes
A processor including a memory and a control module. The memory has an array of cells. The control module is configured to: determine a number of access cycles along a first word line; determine an extended period based on the number of the access cycles; generate a word line signal to maintain the first word line in an activated state during (i) an initial period and (ii) the extended period; and access a first cell during the extended period. The first cell is connected to the first word line. The control module is further configured to deactivate the word line and maintain the first word line in a deactivated state while accessing a second cell connected to the first word line. The accessing of the second cell is based on a bit line separation provided during the extended period. |
| US08089821B2 |
Memory device using antifuses
Herein described is a method of implementing one or more native NMOS antifuses in an integrated circuit. Also described is a method for programming one or more native NMOS antifuses used within a memory device. The method further comprises verifying one or more states of the one or more native NMOS antifuses after the programming has been performed. In a representative embodiment, the one or more native NMOS antifuses are implemented by blocking the implantation of a dopant into a substrate of an integrated circuit. In a representative embodiment, an integrated circuit incorporates the use of one or more native NMOS antifuses. In a representative embodiment, the integrated circuit comprises a memory device, such as a one time programmable memory. |
| US08089813B2 |
Controllable voltage reference driver for a memory system
A voltage reference driver includes a voltage divider circuit with a voltage reference output node to output a voltage between a first voltage and a second voltage. The voltage reference driver also includes a first selectable impedance circuit coupled to a node at the first voltage and further coupled to the voltage reference output node, and a second selectable impedance circuit coupled to a node at the second voltage and further coupled to the voltage reference output node. Combinations of the first selectable impedance circuit and the second selectable impedance circuit are selectable such that a constant impedance is maintained at the voltage reference output node within a threshold value. |
| US08089809B2 |
Trap-charge non-volatile switch connector for programmable logic
A nonvolatile trap charge storage cell selects a logic interconnect transistor uses in programmable logic applications, such as FPGA. The nonvolatile trap charge element is an insulator located under a control gate and above an oxide on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. The preferred embodiment is an integrated device comprising a word gate portion sandwiched between two nonvolatile trap charge storage portions, wherein the integrated device is connected between a high bias, a low bias and an output. The output is formed by a diffusion connecting to the channel directly under the word gate portion. The program state of the two storage portions determines whether the high bias or the low bias is coupled to a logic interconnect transistor connected to the output diffusion. |
| US08089801B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of forming the same
The present invention discloses a semiconductor memory device comprising a source, a drain, a floating gate, a control gate, a recess channel and a gated p-n diode. The said p-n diode connects said floating gate and said drain. The said floating gate is for charge storage purpose, it can be electrically charged or discharged by current flowing through the gated p-n diode. An array of memory cells formed by the disclosed semiconductor memory device is proposed. Furthermore, an operating method and a method for producing the disclosed semiconductor memory device and array are described. |
| US08089800B2 |
Memory cell
Methods, and circuits, are disclosed for operating a programmable memory device. One method embodiment includes storing a value as a state in a first memory cell and as a complementary state in a second memory cell. Such a method further includes determining the state of the first memory cell using a first self-biased sensing circuit and the complementary state of the second memory cell using a second self-biased sensing circuit, and comparing in a differential manner an indication of the state of the first memory cell to a reference indication of the complementary state of the second memory cell to determine the value. |
| US08089796B2 |
Information recording and reproducing device
According to one embodiment, an information recording and reproducing device includes a first layer, a second layer and a recording layer. The recording layer is provided between the first and second layers and is capable of reversibly transitioning between a first state and a second state with a resistance higher than in the first state. One of the first and second layers includes a resistivity distribution layer perpendicular to a stacking direction of the first and second layers, and the recording layer. The resistivity distribution layer includes a low and a high resistivity portion. Resistivity of the high resistivity portion is higher than resistivity of the low resistivity portion. The low resistivity portion contains a transition element identical to a transition element contained in the high resistivity portion. |
| US08089794B1 |
Precharge circuits and methods for content addressable memory (CAM) and related devices
A method may include selectively coupling a result line to a reference node in response to a compare data value being applied to a plurality of compare cell circuits; precharging the result line to the precharge potential by enabling a first precharge path while the compare data value is being applied; and after precharging the result line by enabling the first precharge path, disabling the first precharge path to place it in a high impedance state. |
| US08089792B2 |
Cycloconverter generator
In a cycloconverter generator, there are provided, q number of power circuits that supply rectified DC power of a DC power supply unit as operating power to the p(p>q) number of thyristors, and r(p>r) number of thyristor drive circuits that are connected to the q number of the power circuits and drive the p number of the thyristors, wherein the r number of the thyristors drive circuits are individually used to drive in common ones among the p number of the thyristors whose operation is unaffected even if driven at the same timing such that the number r of the drive circuits is made smaller than the number p of the thyristors, thereby enabling to simplify circuit configuration. |
| US08089789B2 |
Method and system for managing uninterruptable power supply for harmonic reduction
A method and system for managing a dual rectifier uninterruptable power supply, comprising activating each of said rectifiers to provide an output DC voltage, monitoring a level of operation of the uninterruptable power supply and deactivating a selected one of said dual rectifiers when a level of operation of said two activate rectifiers is less than a first predetermined level of operation. |
| US08089787B2 |
Switched capacitor DC-DC voltage converter
The disclosure describes techniques for converting an input voltage level to two or more output voltage levels using only two pump capacitors and three switching phases. The disclosure also describes techniques for selectively controlling a dc-dc converter to operate in different conversion modes. One mode may use only two pump capacitors and three switching phases to produce output voltage levels with a first set of conversion ratios. Another mode may use two pump capacitors and two switching phases to produce output voltage levels with a second set of conversion ratios. The first mode may use three different subcircuit arrangements of the pump capacitors. The second mode may use two different subcircuit arrangements of the pump capacitors. A converter may include switches and pump capacitors that can be selectively configured to transition between two or three different subcircuits, thereby producing output voltages according to different conversion ratios on a selective basis. |
| US08089783B2 |
Constant current and voltage controller in a three-pin package with dual-use switch pin
A flyback converter includes a controller integrated circuit (IC) housed in an IC package with only three terminals. The controller IC is grounded through a ground terminal. A feedback signal is received onto a power terminal. The feedback signal powers the controller IC and is derived from a voltage across an auxiliary inductor of the flyback converter. A switch terminal is coupled to an inductor switch that is turned on by a switch control signal having a frequency and a pulse width. The inductor switch controls the current that flows through a primary inductor of the flyback converter. A switch signal is received onto the switch terminal and is used to generate the inductor switch control signal. The controller IC adjusts the frequency in a constant current mode such that output current remains constant and adjusts the pulse width in a constant voltage mode such that output voltage remains constant. |
| US08089777B2 |
Semiconductor device having semiconductor structure bodies on upper and lower surfaces thereof, and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes an upper circuit board which has a plurality of upper-layer wirings including a plurality of first upper-layer wirings, and has a plurality of first and second lower-layer wirings. A first semiconductor structure body is provided on an upper side of the upper circuit board and is electrically connected to the first upper-layer wirings. A lower circuit board which is provided on a peripheral part of a lower side of the upper circuit board, the lower circuit board including a plurality of external connection wirings that are electrically connected to the second lower-layer wirings, and an opening portion which exposes the first lower-layer wirings. A second semiconductor structure body which is disposed in the opening portion of the lower circuit board, second semiconductor structure body including a plurality of external connection electrodes that are electrically connected to the first lower-layer wirings of the upper circuit board. |
| US08089776B2 |
Side switch for a contact exposed on an edge of a circuit board and method
A switch configured to contact an exposed contact on an edge of a multilayer circuit board when selectively activated. The switch is particularly useful for electronic equipment such as mobile phones, PDA's, etc. where space for key contacts on the circuit board is limited. By facilitating connection to terminals formed on edges of a circuit board and/or edges of layers of multilayer circuit boards, the switch provides additional options for button locations on the electronic device heretofore requiring routing of wiring. |
| US08089775B2 |
Multileveled printed circuit board unit including substrate interposed between stacked bumps
Conductive or solder bumps are stacked between a mounted component such as a BGA device and a printed wiring substrate in a multileveled printed circuit board unit. An interposer or relay substrate is interposed between the adjacent stacked conductive bumps. The interposer substrate is made of a porous material. When any difference in the expansion is caused between the printed wiring substrate and the mounted component, one side of the interposer substrate receives a relatively smaller displacement force while the other side of the interposer substrate receives a relatively larger displacement force. A shearing stress is induced in the interposer substrate. Deformation of the porous material serves to absorb the shearing stress in the interposer substrate. The conductive bumps bonded on one side of the interposer substrate as well as the conductive bumps bonded on the other side of the interposer substrate may be relieved from a shearing stress. Accordingly, the durability of the conductive bumps can be improved. The conductive bumps are allowed to keep a stronger bonding in a longer duration. |
| US08089771B2 |
Electronic apparatus
An electronic apparatus includes a circuit portion having a connector to which an interface cable is connected, a case for accommodating the circuit portion and having a wiring route for the interface cable leading from the connector to an external space and a connection opening for exposing the wiring route, and a cover for opening or closing the connection opening. |
| US08089768B2 |
Component arragement with an optimized assembly capability
The invention relates to a component arrangement. In at least one embodiment, the component arrangement comprises: an electronics module; a heat sink contacted by the electronics module; a printed circuit board, and; a fastening means for fastening the electronics module to the printed circuit board and to the heat sink. The electronics module has at least one elastic connecting limb for the solder-free contacting of the electronics module with the printed circuit board and has a location for the fastening means. The electronics module additionally comprises a decoupling means for decoupling the force of pressure between the connecting limb and the printed circuit board from the contact force between the heat sink and the electronics module. In at least one embodiment of the invention an electronics module is provided that can be used in the aforementioned component arrangement. |
| US08089767B2 |
Cooling system, cold plate and assembly having a cooling system
A cooling system comprising a heat sink having, a first contact zone and a second contact zone, which are configured to absorb, a first heat flow from a first component, a second heat flow from a second component, and a first transmission means for transmission of the first heat flow via the first contact zone into the heat sink. In addition, a first transmission means is arranged between the first component, and the heat sink and include a first plug means that is shaped such that the first plug means forms a first fit with a first bushing means that is arranged in the heat sink, where the first fit provides tolerance compensation between first and second contact zones. |
| US08089765B2 |
Extruded server case
A liquid submersion cooled computer that includes a seamless, extruded main body used to form a liquid-tight case holding a cooling liquid that submerges components of the computer. By forming the main body as a seamless extrusion, the number of possible leakage paths from the resulting liquid-tight case is reduced. No seams are provided on the main body, and there are no openings through the walls of the main body, so liquid cannot leakage through the main body. Any leakage paths are limited to joints between the main body and end walls which are sealingly attached to the main body to form the liquid-tight case. |
| US08089764B2 |
Case and rack system for liquid submersion cooling of electronic devices connected in an array
A liquid submersion cooling system that is suitable for cooling a number of electronic devices in parallel using a plurality of cases connected to a rack system. The system cools heat-generating components in server computers and other devices that use electronic, heat-generating components and are connected in parallel systems. The system includes a housing having an interior space, a dielectric cooling liquid in the interior space, a heat-generating electronic component disposed within the space and submerged in the dielectric cooling liquid. The rack system contains a manifold system to engage and allow liquid transfer for multiple cases and IO connectors to engage electrically with multiple cases/electronic devices. The rack system can be connected to a pump system for pumping the liquid into and out of the rack, to and from external heat exchangers, heat pumps, or other thermal dissipation/recovery devices. |
| US08089763B2 |
Heat-dissipating assembly for server
A heat-dissipating assembly for a server includes a housing in which a partitioning plate and a power supply mounted on one side of the partitioning plate are provided. The power supply includes a casing and a power-supplying module received in the casing. The heat-dissipating assembly includes a fan received in the casing and located outside the power-supplying module. The partitioning plate and the casing are respectively provided with a plurality of first heat-dissipating holes and second heat-dissipating holes. The first heat-dissipating holes and the second heat-dissipating holes are positioned to correspond to the fan. The airflow caused by the fan drives the air inside the housing to flow out of the housing via the first heat-dissipating holes and the second heat-dissipating holes. In this way, the heat-dissipating efficiency can be improved without affecting the arrangement of other electronic devices in the housing. |
| US08089762B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method of power supply disposition and cooling
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for directing power supply airflow.A power supply is disposed adjacent a first end of a chassis. The chassis comprises a z axis from the first end to a second end of the chassis and an x axis orthogonal to the z axis. A bay is disposed adjacent the first end of the chassis along the x axis from the power supply. The bay comprises at least one storage device. A chamber is disposed adjacent the first end of the chassis adjacent the bay along the x axis between the bay and the power supply. A first baffle is disposed offset from the power supply, the bay, and the chamber along the z axis toward the second end. The first baffle forms a first section and isolates a first airflow in the first section from a second airflow. |
| US08089757B2 |
Waterproof structure and portable electrical apparatus using the same
A waterproof structure for a housing of a portable electronic apparatus comprises a cover and an elastic pad. The cover comprises a pivot portion, and the cover is connected to the housing via the pivot portion such that the cover is capable of rotating in relation to the housing. The elastic pad comprises at least one protrusion structure, and the at least one protrusion structure is capable of inserting into a waterproof groove on the housing corresponding to the protrusion structure. When the cover is rotated to close the housing, the cover is capable of compressing the elastic pad to form a seal between the at least one protrusion structure and the waterproof groove. |
| US08089756B2 |
Fastener for external keypad for portable electronic device
A fastener (35) includes a base (33), an orientation block (36), a located block (37) and two magnets (38, 39). The base includes a mounting portion (40) and a securing portion (50). The orientation block is slidably and rotatably connected to the securing portion. The located block is rotatably engaged in the mounting portion. One of the two magnets is disposed adjacent to the securing portion, the other magnet is disposed in the located block. The two magnets are attracted to each other configured for adjusting a distance between the orientation block and the located block. |
| US08089753B2 |
Computer carrying, cooling and support device
A combined carrying, cooling and support device for a portable electronic unit is provided, the device including: a flexible cushioned cooler having a base portion, an angled side portion disposed at an acute angle relative to the base portion, and an integrated cooling fan; an attachment mechanism disposed about the periphery of the flexible cushioned cooler; and an upper cover removably attachable to the flexible cushioned cooler by the attachment mechanism, wherein the flexible cushioned cooler is configured to form an elongated cooling air channel between its base portion, its at least one angled side portion, and a bottom surface of the portable electronic unit. |
| US08089748B2 |
Electronic device and method for using the same
An electronic device and a method for using the same are provided. The electronic device includes a first body, a torsion hinge, and a second body. The first body has a first magnetic component. The torsion hinge is slidably disposed on the first body. The second body is connected to the torsion hinge and has a second magnetic component. The second magnetic component magnetically attracts the first magnetic component when the torsion hinge is located at a first position, and enables the first body and the second body to be in a folded state. The second magnetic component separates from the first magnetic component, and the torsion hinge drives the second body to rotate relative to the first body when the torsion hinge leaves the first position, so as to enable the first body and the second body to be in an unfolded state. |
| US08089747B2 |
Power pedestal and system employing same
A power pedestal provides power to a vehicle and a structure disposed separate from the vehicle. The power pedestal includes a housing having an exterior, a first end fixed to a platform, and a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end. A meter socket assembly is housed by the housing. At least one first branch circuit breaker and a second main circuit breaker are electrically connected to the meter socket assembly within the housing. At least one of the at least one first branch circuit breaker is electrically connected to the vehicle by a corresponding one of a number of first electrical conductors. The second main circuit breaker is electrically connected to the structure by a second electrical conductor. A meter, which is electrically connected to the meter socket assembly, measures electric energy consumed by the vehicle and the structure. |
| US08089745B2 |
Overvoltage protection element
An overvoltage protection element (1) includes a housing (2), two terminals (3, 4) for electrical connection of the overvoltage protection element (1) to current or signal paths to be protected, and an arrester (5, 6), including a varistor, located within the housing (2). In addition to providing a simple structure and installation, the overvoltage protection element (1) is especially well adapted to thermal and dynamic loads, so that no damage to the overvoltage protection element (1) occurs to the outside, wherein the housing (2) includes two metal shells (7, 8) electrically connected to a terminal region (9, 10) of the arrester (5, 6). |
| US08089740B2 |
Clamp unit, and power supply having the same cross-reference to related application
A clamp unit is adapted for controlling a clamp switch of a power supply such that the power supply outputs an output voltage in an ON mode when the clamp switch is in an ON-state and that the power supply does not output the output voltage in an OFF mode when the clamp switch is in an OFF-state. The clamp unit includes: a coupling circuit for outputting a coupling voltage in response to first and second reference voltages, and a control signal outputted by a control signal generating circuit in response to an input voltage; and a detecting circuit for outputting a clamp signal to the clamp switch in response to a first signal indicating whether the power is in the ON mode or the OFF mode, and a second signal indicating whether the power supply is to output the output voltage. |
| US08089739B2 |
Electrostatic discharge protection circuit
An ESD protection circuit includes a first voltage clamp, connected between a first voltage supply node and a second voltage supply node of the circuit, and a second voltage clamp, connected between the second voltage supply node and a voltage return of the circuit. The first voltage supply node is adapted to receive a first voltage which is greater than a prescribed gate oxide reliability potential of the circuit. The second voltage supply node is operative to receive a second voltage which is less than the first voltage. The first voltage clamp is operative to clamp the first voltage on the first voltage supply node to a first value during an ESD event between the first and second voltage supply nodes, and the second voltage clamp is operative to clamp the second voltage on the second voltage supply node to a second value during an ESD event between the second voltage supply node and the voltage return. |
| US08089735B2 |
Hybrid power relay with thermal protection
Hybrid power relay for making and breaking an electrical circuit which includes electromagnetically operated contacts for making and breaking the circuit, a solid state switch connected across the contacts, a control circuit responsive to a control signal for actuating the solid state switch and the contacts such that the solid state switch closes before the contacts to make the circuit and the contacts open before the solid state switch to break the circuit, and a protective circuit for monitoring the temperature of the solid state switch and opening the switch in the event of a rise in temperature produced by abnormal current flow in the switch due to failure of the contacts to make and maintain the circuit. |
| US08089733B2 |
Head-slap mitigation in a data storage device
A data storage device comprises a housing, a data storage medium within the housing and a head gimbal assembly including a suspension supporting a read/write head. The read/write head is configured to store and retrieve data on the data storage medium. The read/write head is operably positioned between the data storage medium and the housing. The device further includes a head-lift limiter protruding from the housing that limits a movement of the read/write head in a direction that is substantially orthogonal to the data storage medium. |
| US08089731B1 |
Bend-down tab for outrigger lead support in a disk drive suspension
A disk drive suspension with a bend-down tab which supports an outrigger lead. The bend-down tab extends laterally to the suspension and away from the slider, and can include tabs which are narrower than the electrical lead. The depth of the tab can be at least the depth of the outrigger lead, or deeper. The tab can be supported by and integrally formed with an elongate gimbal spring arm. |
| US08089722B2 |
In situ radio frequency shield for a magnetic linear recording media head
A read/write head for magnetic tapes configured with an in situ radio frequency (RF) shield is provided. The RF shield of the invention inhibits device elements reading data from reading RF radiation irradiated by other device elements writing data. The RF shield may be situated between the device elements of one module and the device elements of a second module. The dimensions and materials of the RF shield may be selected depending upon the operating frequencies of the head and skin depth of materials comprising the RF shield. The data cable may be bonded to device element pads of a module using ACF bonding. AFC bonding the cable to the module may allow a metal ground plane on the cable to be extended to provide additional RF shielding. |
| US08089720B2 |
Hard-disk drive
A hard-disk drive. The hard-disk drive includes a magnetic-recording disk in which tracks adjacent to each other are magnetically separated, a spindle motor which drives the magnetic-recording disk, a magnetic-recording head equipped with write element and read element, an actuator for positioning the magnetic-recording head on a predetermined track on the magnetic-recording disk, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to store information about an over-write-only track that is provided for a plurality of tracks including n consecutive tracks in at least a partial radial area of the magnetic-recording disk and an offset amount. In a radial area of the magnetic disk where the over-write-only track is located, the control unit is configured to record with an offset by an offset amount from a center of a track toward the over-write-only track with respect to n−1 tracks of the plurality of n tracks, excluding the over-write-only track. |
| US08089719B1 |
Finding touchdown frequency for a head in a disk drive
A disk drive comprising a head actuated over a disk, and a touchdown sensor for generating a sensor signal. The sensor signal is filtered using at least three bandpass filters to generate at least three filtered signals. The fly height of the head is decreased until one of the filtered signals indicates the head has contacted the disk. |
| US08089714B2 |
Deterioration detection method of composite magnetic head and magnetic disk inspection apparatus
An object of the present invention is to provide a deterioration detection method of a head and a magnetic disk inspection apparatus in which the number of times of exchanging the head due to deterioration is decreased to improve the throughput of an inspection. In the present invention, a resistance value detecting circuit that is directly coupled to both terminals of an MR head is provided to measure the resistance value of the MR head, and the measured value is compared with the initial value of the exchanged head, so that it is possible to recognize a deterioration state of each head irrespective of a magnetic disk as a measurement target. |
| US08089708B2 |
Lens system, optical device with lens system, and method of manufacturing lens system
A lens system has the following components in order from an object side: one negative lens component; a positive lens component; a negative lens component having a concave surface of a large curvature on an image side; an aperture stop; a negative lens component having a concave surface of a large curvature on the object side; and a positive lens component; the lens system satisfies a condition of the following expression: 0.75 |
| US08089704B2 |
Imaging lens assembly
This invention provides an imaging lens assembly including, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens with negative refractive power having a convex image-side surface; a third lens having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, at least one of both surfaces thereof being aspheric; a fourth lens having a concave image-side surface, at least one of both surfaces thereof having at least one inflection point; and an aperture stop disposed between an imaged object and the second lens; the on-axis spacing between the first lens and second lens is T12, the focal length of the imaging lens assembly is f, the Abbe number of the first lens and third lens is, V1 and V3, respectively, they satisfy the relations: 0.5<(T12/f)*100<20, 23 |
| US08089699B2 |
Optical element
An optical element includes a container including first and second end face walls, a side face wall, and an accommodating chamber inside the walls; first and second liquids enclosed in the chamber; a first electrode provided on a surface of the first end face wall; a second electrode provided on a surface of the second end face wall; an insulating film provided on a surface of the second electrode; and a unit configured to apply a voltage. The shape of an interface between the liquids is changed by a voltage application, and a light transmission path, the center of which is a virtual axis passing through the end face walls in the thickness direction of the container, is formed in a portion of the second liquid. An opening having a diameter the same as or larger than the maximum diameter of the transmission path is provided in the first electrode. |
| US08089697B2 |
Prismatic laminate and method for making the same
A method for making a prismatic laminate includes the steps of: a) forming a back-coating roller having a roller surface with a plurality of recesses arranged in a predetermined pattern and produced by laser holography; b) preparing a prismatic structure including a plate body having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a plurality of prismatic strips formed on the first surface of the plate body; c) applying a coating containing a resin component and an antistatic agent on the second surface of the plate body; and d) embossing the coating with the back-coating roller to form an optical layer including a plurality of microstructures protruding in a direction away from the second surface of the plate body and having a pattern corresponding to that of the recesses in the roller surface. |
| US08089696B2 |
Illumination optical system and image projector using same
An illumination optical system has a condenser, a first lens array, a second lens array, and a polarized beam splitting surface. The condenser and the first and second lens arrays compress light incident on the condenser. The distance between a lens cell in the first lens array and a lens cell in the second lens array is appropriately set, whereby an illuminated surface is illuminated brightly and efficiently without significant loss of light amount. |
| US08089693B2 |
Color separation and polarization device
A color separation and polarization device is provided, which comprises a lens module, having a first frame including a polarization material received therein, and configured with a first light-entrance surface and a first light-emitting surface having a lens structure disposed thereon respectively, and a triangle-shaped optical structures, configured with a second light-entrance surface and a second light-emitting surface having triangle-shaped microstructures disposed thereon respectively. When a white light beam enters the first light-entrance surface, it is polarized by the polarization material, converged by the lens structure of the first light-emitting surface, splitting into a red beam, a green beam, and a blue beam by the triangle-shaped microstructures of the second light-entrance surface, and finally the three color beam are collimated by the triangle-shaped microstructures of the second light-emitting surface. By means of the device, light energy usage efficiency and light collimation and convergence are capable of being enhanced and improved. |
| US08089692B2 |
Projection type image display apparatus
A projection type image display apparatus includes an optical engine that emits a light according to image signal, a Fresnel lens on which the light emitted by the optical engine is incident and emitting the light as a parallel light, and a diffusion member that diffuses the parallel light emitted by the Fresnel lens. The projection type image display apparatus further includes a driving unit that moves the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member in a plane parallel to an emitting surface of the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member, a frame the supports the Fresnel lens, the diffusion member and the driving unit, a resilient supporting body that supports a weight of the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member with respect to the frame, and a holding unit that holds the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member so as to be movable in the plane parallel to the emitting surface of the Fresnel lens or the diffusion member. |
| US08089688B2 |
Broadband neodymium-ytterbium-silica doped amplified spontaneous emission optical fiber source by spectral filtered reinjected signals
The present invention provides an amplified spontaneous emission fiber optic source having high optical power (>20 mW) and a spectral broadband emission (>70 nm) centered near a wavelength of 1060 nm. In an embodiment of the invention, the fiber source comprises a combination of Yb-doped and Nd-doped silica fibers in a dual-pumping configuration. The Yb-doped optical fiber has a peak absorption coefficient of 350 dB/nm at 977 nm band, and the Nd-doped fiber used has a dopant concentration of 500 ppm-wt in a glass host of aluminum-germano-phospho-silicate. A combination of these two doped-fibers along with optical spectral filtering provides a broadband spectrum giving coherence length <7 μm (in air), which is well suited for optical coherence imaging. |
| US08089687B2 |
Electro-optical display systems
Electro-optical display systems are disclosed. An electro-optical display system may include a display volume containing a fluid having a plurality of colorant particles; a dielectric layer adjacent the display volume, the dielectric layer including recessed regions configured to contain the plurality of colorant particles; a plurality of electrodes configured to selectively move the plurality of colorant particles between a compacted position in which all or nearly all of the plurality of colorant particles are in the recessed regions, and a spread position in which all or nearly all of the plurality of colorant particles are spread across the display volume; and at least one color filter configured to absorb at least one wavelength of light. |
| US08089686B2 |
Electronic display device providing static grayscale image
In one embodiment, a device includes a first display element including: a first electrode; a transparent dielectric layer having recessed regions therein over the first electrode; a halftoned second electrode opposite the first electrode; and a fluid with colorant particles between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein a voltage signal applied between the first electrode and the second electrode controls movement of the colorant particles such that a first voltage signal provides a clear optical state by compacting the colorant particles into the recessed regions and a second voltage signal provides a grayscale optical state by attracting the colorant particles to the second electrode. |
| US08089680B2 |
Electrophoretic display device
An electrophoretic display device is described. The device includes a substrate, first electrodes, an electrophoretic film having electrophoretic particles, and second electrodes. The substrate is has a plurality of pixel regions. First electrodes are disposed respectively on each pixel region, and include first patterns separated from one another and second patterns connected to the first patterns. The second electrode is disposed on the electrophoretic film. The area of one of the electrodes, opposing the other of the electrodes has apertures formed therein, reducing the contact area between the electrode and the electrophoretic film. |
| US08089678B2 |
Clear to circular polarizing photochromic devices and methods of making the same
The present invention provides optical elements comprising a photochromic linear polarizing element and a birefringent layer that circularly or elliptically polarizes transmitted radiation. The photochromic linear polarizing element comprises a substrate and either: (1) a coating comprising an aligned, thermally reversible photochromic-dichroic compound having an average absorption ratio of at least 1.5 in an activated state, and being operable for switching from a first absorption state to a second absorption state in response to actinic radiation, to revert back to the first absorption state in response to thermal energy, and to linearly polarize transmitted radiation in at least one of the two states; or (2) an at least partially ordered polymeric sheet connected to the substrate; and a thermally reversible photochromic-dichroic compound that is at least partially aligned with the polymeric sheet and has an average absorption ratio greater than 2.3 in the activated state. |
| US08089677B2 |
Dynamic optical grating device and associated method for modulating light
A dynamic optical grating device and associated method for modulating light is provided that is capable of controlling the spectral properties and propagation of light without moving mechanical components by the use of a dynamic electric and/or magnetic field. By changing the electric field and/or magnetic field, the index of refraction, the extinction coefficient, the transmittivity, and the reflectivity of the optical grating device may be controlled in order to control the spectral properties of the light reflected or transmitted by the device. |
| US08089674B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus, image forming apparatus, and scanning-line-change correcting method
A first plastic lens and a second plastic lens constituting each imaging optical system are arranged on opposite sides of an optical deflector, so that main scanning directions of optical beams scanned by the single optical deflector become substantially parallel to each other, and the first plastic lens and the second plastic lens of at least one of the plurality of (four) imaging optical systems are formed such that secondary components at scanning positions on the (four) surfaces to be scanned are arranged in a same direction, and are molded by a same mold cavity. |
| US08089673B2 |
Actuator, optical scanner, and image forming apparatus
An actuator includes: a frame; first members at each end of the frame along a first axis making the frame rotatable thereabout; second members supporting each end of a movable plate against the frame along a second axis making the movable plate rotatable thereabout; first magnets with poles interposing the first axis; a second magnet with poles interposing the first axis; a coil generating a magnetic force acting on the first and second magnets; and a voltage source applying a voltage to the coil. The first and second magnets have an angle of 30-60 degrees to the first axis, and identical magnetic pole directions. The voltage source includes first and second voltage generators generating first and second voltages of first and second frequencies, and a voltage superimposer. The movable plate is rotated about the first and second axes at the first and second frequencies by the superimposed voltages. |
| US08089672B2 |
Array element device control method and apparatus
A method of controlling an element of an array of individually controllable elements. The method includes varying a frequency of a driving voltage with which the element is driven. |