| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08090799B2 |
System and method for providing persistent advertising with third party content in a distributed internet access environment
A method, system, and computer program product that enables persistent display of advertising and other service provider content during access via a gateway access system to third party content on a separate network. A connection is enabled between a personal computing device (PCD) and the gateway access system. The gateway access system facilitates retrieval of a first content from the network to be displayed within a first window on the PCD. The gateway access system provides program code to the PCD that when executed enables persistent display of a second window on the PCD that does not overlap with the first window. A second content is transmitted for display within the second window on the PCD, where the second content is displayed within the persistent window on the PCD along with the display of the first content. |
| US08090798B2 |
System and methods for direct targeted media advertising over peer-to-peer networks
An information handling system according to the invention comprises an input for receiving search requests seeking one or more specified files; a search engine for searching a database for names of files satisfying a received search request; and server logic for serving a results page comprising the names of files satisfying a received search request and a hyperlink associated with each file name. Each hyperlink in the results, when activated causes transmission of a request for the selected file that is associated with the link. The request for the selected file is directed to a file server controlling a database of files including the selected file. The file server responds to the request by serving a content (or media) file comprising a copy of the selected file with an embedded request for information for presentation to the person from whom the search request was received. When the user runs the downloaded content file the content file sends a request for service to a site (e.g., a reflector server) that responds by serving information such as advertising to the requester. |
| US08090797B2 |
Methods and systems for launching applications into existing isolation environments
Methods and systems that can launch applications into existing isolation environments do so by executing a run module on a computing machine to intercept requests to execute an application. A client communicating with the computing machine generates requests to execute an application on the computing machine. A run module identifies a profile associated with the requested application and queries an application delivery service to identify at least one isolation environment that corresponds to the profile. The run module receives from the application delivery service a response that identifies a first isolation environment associated with the application, and issues a command to a launch module to launch the application into the first isolation environment. |
| US08090790B2 |
Method and system for splicing remote direct memory access (RDMA) transactions in an RDMA-aware system
Aspects of a system for splicing RDMA transactions in an RDMA system may include a main processor within a main server that may receive read requests from a client device. The main processor may translate a data reference contained in each read request to generate a physical buffer list (PBL). The processor 206 may communicate the PBL to a local processor within a NIC. The local processor may utilize the PBL perform RDMA operations to retrieve data stripes contained in one or more DDP segments received from a plurality of auxiliary servers. The local processor may enable the generation of TCP packets each containing the data stripes, which may then be sent to the client. The retrieval of DDP segments and generation of TCP packets may occur within the NIC without transferring retrieved data stripes via a system bus within the main server. |
| US08090789B1 |
Method of operating a data storage system having plural data pipes
A data storage system having protocol controller for converting packets between PCIE format used by a storage processor and Rapid IO format used by a packet switching network. The controller includes a PCIE end point for transferring atomic operation (DSA) requests, a data pipe section having a plurality of data pipes for passing user data; and a message engine section for passing messages among the plurality of storage processors. An acceleration path controller bypasses a DSA buffer in the absence of congestion on the network. Packets fed to the PCIE end point include an address portion having code indicating an atomic operation. An encoder converts the code from a PCIE format into the same atomic operation in SRIO format. Each one of a plurality of CPUs is adapted to perform a second DSA request during execution of a first DSA request. |
| US08090785B2 |
System and method for email notification
Email subscribers are notified of the receipt of new email messages when they are not at their computers via voice or page. An email notification server polls the email server corresponding to the subscriber's email account for the presence of new email messages. New email messages are obtained. Header information is extracted. If new email notification is by voicemail, the extracted header information is converted from text to voice. A voicemail message containing the extracted header information is saved on the voicemail system corresponding to the subscriber for whom the email message was intended. The email notification server can also send a page to notify the subscriber of the presence of new email. |
| US08090783B1 |
Managed messaging platform with message response aggregation
Software is executed on a wireless device for presenting a response aggregation drawn upon a message having at least two desired recipients. The software of presenting at least two message-structure item questions via the wireless device and receives input requesting response aggregation drawn upon the message having at least two desired recipients and transmits the message to at least one of the at least two desired recipients using the wireless device. |
| US08090781B2 |
Communication terminal, and destination-address right/wrong determining method and program thereof
A communication terminal having an email message sending-and-receiving function includes an email-message history information storing unit configured to store email-message information of at least a sent email message as email-message history information, an intended-to-be-sent email message storing unit configured to store email-message information of an intended-to-be-sent email message, the intended-to-be-sent email message being an email message which is going to be sent, as intended-to-be-sent email message information, a destination-address right/wrong determining unit configured to determine whether a destination address of the intended-to-be-sent email message is right or wrong by comparing the email-message history information with the intended-to-be-sent email message information, and a unit configured to send, if the destination address is determined to be wrong, a notification of the wrong destination address to a user and to request the user to check the destination address. |
| US08090779B2 |
Systems and methods for viewing media content in instant messaging
Systems and methods for viewing media content in instant messaging are provided. In an embodiment, a first IM server that manages instant messaging of a first IM client receives a chat message having a media address from a second IM client whose instant messaging is managed by a second IM server. A first media recognizer associated with the first IM server recognizes the media address in the chat message. In response to the recognition, the first IM server provides the chat message and a media instruction to the first IM client. In another embodiment, the first IM server obtains media associated with the recognized media address and provides the chat message and the obtained media to the first IM client. In a further embodiment, a system for viewing media content based on presence information in instant messaging is provided. |
| US08090775B2 |
Time limited collaborative community role delegation policy
A system for establishing and maintaining a permission delegation policy for roles within a collaborative computing environment provides a list of potential delegatee end user persons to a delegator end user person. A list of delegatable permissions is provided to the delegator end user person in which the list of delegatable permissions correspond to permissions held by the delegator end user person. A delegation policy is received from the delegator end user person. The delegation policy includes one or more delegated permissions from the list of delegatable permissions and identification of a delegatee end user person from the list of potential delegatee end users persons designated to receive the delegated permissions. |
| US08090772B2 |
Separable URL gaming system
A system and method for enabling one network to use the functionality of another network is provided. The system comprises a first network system having a first network functionality and a second network system having a second network functionality. A server connected to the second network system passes directions through the first network to enable a component connected to both the first network system and the second network system to perform a second network functionality. |
| US08090771B2 |
Log collecting/analyzing system with separated functions of collecting log information and analyzing the same
A log collecting/analyzing system has a log collection terminal device as a client terminal device which collects logs and transmits the collected logs to a log server via a network. The log server receives the transmitted logs and stores the received logs for analysis. According to this configuration, it is possible to obtain useful information, such as information about what play modes are popular in the case of games and so forth, or information about what characters are popular in the case of selecting a character for a game. Therefore, it is possible to make use of the result of log analysis to develop the game. |
| US08090769B2 |
Dynamically generating web contents
Dynamically generating web contents includes an application execution unit for dynamically generating an HTML file, and an HTTP server for receiving an HTTP request and returning an HTTP response including an HTML file generated by the application execution unit. The application execution unit executes a script of the HTML file, and describes information specifying the file in the object without reading the actual file, if an instruction code of the script is a script to display contents of a specific file held in a storage device. The HTTP server identifies a file held in the storage device on the basis of the information, and transmits the file together with the HTML file. |
| US08090762B2 |
Efficient super cluster implementation for solving connected problems in a distributed environment
Embodiments herein present a system, method, etc. for an efficient super cluster implementation for solving connected problems in a distributed environment. More specifically, the system adapts computing latency to communication latency, wherein the system comprises VPPs wrapped within OCW layers. The VPPs represent a subset of an overall computer task; and, the OCW layers are adapted to enclose the VPPs. Specifically, the number of OCWs that enclose a VPP correspond to the number of computing iterations that may be locally executed by the VPP during an inter-VPP communication cycle. In addition, each VPP comprises collections of OPCs, wherein the OPCs comprise data, methods, and pointers to neighbors. The OPCs are indexed separately based on whether the OPC is part of an OCW layer. |
| US08090761B2 |
Storage and distribution of segmented media data
A method and system thereof for distributing media data are described. A media segment, selected from a plurality of media segments stored on another node, is received. The media segment includes a portion of an item of media content. The item of media content is segmented according to segmentation characteristics. The media segment is stored in lieu of storing the item of media content in its entirety. The media segment can be forwarded to other nodes. |
| US08090758B1 |
Enhanced multiplier-accumulator logic for a programmable logic device
A multiplier-accumulator includes a pre-adder, a multiplier, an accumulator, multiplexing logic, and control logic. The pre-adder is configured to sum a first input and a second input to produce a pre-sum output. The multiplier is configured to multiply a third input and the pre-sum output to produce a product output. The accumulator is configured to sum a pair of accumulator inputs to produce a sum output. The multiplexer is configured to select the pair of accumulator inputs from a plurality of multiplexer inputs, where the plurality of multiplexer inputs includes the product output and the sum output. The control logic is configured to control operation of the pre-adder, the accumulator, and the multiplexer logic. In an example, each of the first input, the second input, the third input, and the sum output is coupled to programmable interconnect of a programmable logic device. |
| US08090757B2 |
Circuit and method for performing multiple modulo mathematic operations
A multi-function modulo processor architecture is capable of performing multiple modulo mathematic operations. The modulo processor includes a pipeline processing portion that iteratively computes a running partial modulo product using the operands of a modulo mathematic argument to obtain one or more final partial modulo products. The final partial modulo product is post-processed to obtain the final result. |
| US08090753B2 |
Image input system including remote image input apparatus having display and external apparatus having storage means, and control method or controlling storage of input image information by remote control of file directory management for storage means
In a system, in order to allow transfer of information relating to image data and the like to a desired directory in a directory structure in a host information processing apparatus, without performing an operation at the host information processing apparatus, a directory-information management unit in a first apparatus acquires and manages directory information of a storage unit managed by a filing system of a second apparatus, and a display unit displays the directory information managed by the directory-information management unit. The user assigns a directory to which the image data and the like are to be transferred in the storage unit of the second apparatus, using an assignment unit. |
| US08090752B2 |
Monitoring memory consumption
Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to monitor the occurrence of memory garbage collection events and node content service requests, to determine a correlation between the node content service requests and the memory garbage collection events, and to report information associated with suspicious ones of the node content service requests. Suspicious requests may be identified as those that satisfy a preselected criteria associated with the correlation. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08090742B2 |
Patient directed system and method for managing medical information
A system and method is provided for the management of a patient's medical records by a central data repository under the direction of the patient and enabled by an entity managing records on behalf of the patient. Medical records from a plurality of the patient's healthcare providers, including past and present healthcare providers, are maintained in this central repository in a way that provides a centralized, comprehensive, and accessible medical history of the patient, as well as a comprehensive organizational structure across all records. An embodiment has the patient directed central repository as the hub in a hub-and-spoke arrangement, where each spoke goes to one of the patient's healthcare providers, both past and present. The patient's medical records are collected from all the patient's healthcare providers, then classified, stored, and organized for use by the patient, healthcare providers, and any other authorized individuals. The records in the repository can be sorted and/or selected in several different ways and displayed to the patient or to his designated medical care providers, and to certain patient designated third parties. |
| US08090741B2 |
Techniques for automatically provisioning a database over a wide area network
Techniques for provisioning databases for users on a wide area network such as the Internet include a first party managing one or more database systems. Second parties subscribe to database services supported by the database systems managed by the first party. The first party provides, over a network, to database applications controlled by the second parties, access to the database services to which the second parties are subscribed. The database systems may use database appliances hosting both database process(es), and non-database process(es) tailored to the needs of the database process(es). A user is therefore able to obtain database resources from an Internet Database Service Provider (IDSP) without the user incurring the full costs of database administrator(s), dedicated database equipment facilit(ies), or even dedicated database device(s), depending on usage. Meanwhile, the IDSP incurs minimum staffing loads because of various self-service tools Costing model and automatic billing features are also described. |
| US08090739B2 |
Utilization of logical fields with conditional modifiers in abstract queries
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for enhancing abstract queries by utilizing conditional modifiers with logical fields are provided. Conditional modifiers allow for the referencing of multiple physical fields via a single logical field. Further, conditional modifiers facilitate the ability to specify, on an instance by instance basis, which physical field or combination of physical fields a particular logical field should reference. |
| US08090735B2 |
Statement generation using statement patterns
Provided are techniques for generating a result set. A statement that includes at least one statement pattern is received, wherein each statement pattern is a template that indicates how a statement is to be modified for execution against a data store and wherein each statement pattern modifies program logic and control flow. Each statement pattern is expanded to generate one or more new statements, wherein each statement pattern is capable of being expanded to zero or more statement patterns. The one or more new statements are executed against a data store to obtain a result set. It is determined whether to modify the result set based on the at least one statement pattern. In response to determining that the result set is to be modified, modifying the result set. |
| US08090732B2 |
Collaborative searching
Each user can contribute to an original search and to refining the results of the search. Preferences of all of the users are considered in the search even while those preferences can be kept private. In some embodiments of the present invention, at least two users each submit a search query. The multiple search queries are logically combined to produce one set of search results. The results can be reviewed by the users and refined if necessary. In some embodiments, a search query can be specified by a single user, but the search engine takes into consideration the stored preferences of multiple users (in addition to the search query itself, of course). |
| US08090731B2 |
Document fidelity with binary XML storage
Techniques are provided for ensuring lexical fidelity when an XML document is stored in a binary format. Operations, on the XML data, that would cause the loss of lexical fidelity between the original XML document and the binary-encoded version of the XML document are not performed. Such operations include the removal of unnecessary whitespace characters, certain data type conversions, CRLF normalization, the “collapsing” of two-tag empty elements into a single tag empty element, and the replacing of entity references or numeric character references with another value. An XML schema, to which the XML document conforms, may indicate that the XML document is to be stored in a lexical fidelity mode. Additionally, or alternatively, the database statement that (when executed) causes the XML document to be stored in a binary format may so indicate. |
| US08090729B2 |
Large graph measurement
As provided herein, a pairwise distance between nodes in a large graph can be determined efficiently. URL-sketches are generated for respective nodes in an index by extracting labels from respective nodes, which provide a reference to a link between the nodes, aggregating the labels into sets for respective nodes, and storing the sets of labels as URL-sketches. Neighborhood-sketches are generated for the respective nodes in the index using the URL-sketches, by determining a neighborhood for a node and generating a sketch using labels that are associated with the respective neighboring nodes. A distance between two nodes is determined by computing an approximate number of paths and an approximate path length between the two nodes, using the neighborhood sketches for the two nodes. |
| US08090725B1 |
Method and system for matching data sets of non-standard formats
A system and method is described for receiving a plurality of non-standardized data sets and generating respective plurality of standardized profiles that can be used for efficiently comparing and matching one profile against the other plurality of profiles. One application of this invention is to convert job seekers' resumes and job postings into respective profiles and then permitting either a job seeker to search for job postings that most closely match the job seeker's resume or, conversely, permitting an employer to search for job seekers whose resumes most closely match the employer's job posting. |
| US08090715B2 |
Method and system for dynamically generating a search result
There is provided a method for dynamically generating search results from a dataset. The method comprises receiving a first search keyword from a user and searching for a first content object that is identified by the first search keyword. The method further comprises building a metadata pool using metadata associated with the first content object. Furthermore, the method comprises selecting a second search keyword from the metadata pool, and searching for a second content object by substituting the second search keyword for the first search keyword. If a first content object is not identified by the first search keyword, then the method may terminate. In one embodiment, the selection of the second search keyword from the metadata pool comprises making a random selection of the second search keyword. |
| US08090711B2 |
Normalizing records
A method, storage medium, and electronic device that in an embodiment register a plurality of information suppliers and a plurality of areas of interest associated with the plurality of respective information suppliers. One of the plurality of areas of interest associated with one of the plurality of information suppliers is found that matches a field of interest requested by a client. A plurality of records is requested from the one of the plurality of information suppliers. A model norm is created based on a data dictionary, wherein a format of the data dictionary is standardized by an agreement among the plurality of information suppliers. A subset of a plurality of characteristics is selected from the plurality of records based on the model norm. A report is prepared with the subset. |
| US08090710B2 |
Index maintenance in a multi-node database
Embodiments of the invention enable a database spread over multiple nodes to allow each node to have different indexes over the data in tables, depending on how each node would benefit (or not benefit) from having the index(es). When a database table is spread across the nodes of a multi-node or distributed system, each node may maintain only the portion of the index relevant to that node, if doing so would improve the performance of query processing operations on that node. Further, the database may periodically redistributed across the compute nodes based on index performance. Doing so allows the database system to intelligently trade off between consuming space for the index on a node and the usefulness of having an index on that node. |
| US08090709B2 |
Representing queries and determining similarity based on an ARIMA model
Representing queries and determining similarity of queries based on an autoregressive integrated moving average (“ARIMA”) model is provided. A query analysis system represents each query by its ARIMA coefficients. The query analysis system may estimate the frequency information for a desired past or future interval based on frequency information for some initial intervals. The query analysis system may also determine the similarity of a pair of queries based on the similarity of their ARIMA coefficients. The query analysis system may use various metrics, such as a correlation metric, to determine the similarity of the ARIMA coefficients. |
| US08090705B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing electronically stored information for electronic discovery
Method and apparatus for processing electronically stored information (ESI) for electronic discovery are described. In some examples, an electronic analysis of documents in the ESI indicated as being responsive to a search query of the ESI is performed. Results of the electronic analysis are stored in a database to provide a repository of case knowledge. Search parameters for at least one additional search query are generated automatically based on the case knowledge. The search parameters are provided as output. |
| US08090704B2 |
Database retrieval with a non-unique key on a parallel computer system
An apparatus and method retrieves a database record from an in-memory database of a parallel computer system using a non-unique key. The parallel computer system performs a simultaneous search on each node of the computer system using the non-unique key and then utilizes a global combining network to combine the local results from the searches of each node to efficiently and quickly search the entire database. |
| US08090701B2 |
Apparatus and system for communicating with multiple data stores
An apparatus and system are disclosed for communicating with multiple data stores. The present invention includes a control module that communicates with a plurality of data stores. The control module is in communication with a connection module. The connection module communicates with a first association module that is in communication with a first data store. The control module communicates with the first data store through the connection module and the first association module. In addition, the first association module communicates with a second association module. The second association module communicates with a second data store. The control module also communicates with the second data store through the connection module, the first association module, and the second association module. |
| US08090690B2 |
Systems and methods for data upload and download
Systems and methods which provide a hybrid network based solution for digital data file backup are shown. Embodiments utilize a transport mass storage system to provide transmission of digital data files between user equipment and a network based mass storage system. A manifest may be used to manage transporting and/or storage of digital data files. User equipment may then access the digital data files stored to the network mass storage system for various purposes using a network link. Subsequent, incremental backups and other transfers of relatively small amounts of digital data files are preferably accomplished using a network link for the transfer. |
| US08090686B2 |
Multi-master attribute uniqueness
A distributed database server receives a recursive lock/search request, acquires a local lock, and propagates the recursive lock/search request to a peer database server. Specific implementations within a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (“LDAP”) server are described, and applications that can benefit from the recursive locking and searching functionality are discussed. |
| US08090674B2 |
Integrated system and method for multichannel neuronal recording with spike/LFP separation, integrated A/D conversion and threshold detection
A CMOS integrated circuit for multi-channel neuronal recording with twelve true-differential channels, band separation and digital offset calibration. The recorded signal is separated into 2 bands: a low-frequency, local field potential (LFP); and high-frequency spike data. Digitally programmable gains for the LFP and spike bands are provided. A mixed-signal front-end processor for multi-channel neuronal recording is also described. It receives twelve differential-input channels of implanted recording electrodes. A programmable cutoff HPF blocks DC and low frequency input drift at about 1 Hz. The signals are band-split at about 200 Hz to low-frequency local field potential (LFP) and high-frequency spike data (SPK), which is band limited by a programmable-cutoff LPF. The analog signals are converted into digital form, and streamed out over a serial digital bus at up to 8 Mbps. A special interface system incorporating an embedded CPU core in a programmable logic device accompanied by real-time software allows connectivity to a computer host. |
| US08090665B2 |
Finding communities and their evolutions in dynamic social network
Systems and methods are disclosed to find dynamic social networks by applying a dynamic stochastic block model to generate one or more dynamic social networks, wherein the model simultaneously captures communities and their evolutions, and inferring best-fit parameters for the dynamic stochastic model with online learning and offline learning. |
| US08090660B2 |
Pay per use security billing method and architecture
A system is provided for use-based charging of security software. The system includes a security software, a monitor component, and a billing component. The security software provides security for a computer system, and the monitor component is operable to monitor use of at least a portion of the security software. The billing component is operable to charge based on the use of the security software monitored by the monitor component. |
| US08090659B2 |
Method and system for providing location-obscured media delivery
One embodiment of the present invention enables delivery of “on-demand” high fidelity media content to computers via the Internet while restricting unauthorized users from directly retrieving media content from its source database. Once the computer receives the media, it is stored using hidden directories so that it may not be easily shared with others. Within the present embodiment, there are different functionality that are implemented in order to protect and monitor the media content source. For example, the actual address location of the media database is hidden from content recipients while its address directory is periodically change making past addresses obsolete. Additionally, an access key procedure and rate control restrictor may also be implemented to monitor and restrict suspicious media content requests. By implementing these and other functionality, the present embodiment restricts redistribution of delivered media content and provides a means for compensating owners of copyrighted media content. |
| US08090657B2 |
Method and apparatus for authenticating financial transactions
A system for authentication of financial transactions using a remote terminal includes apparatus for sampling a unique biological identifier of a system user. The system has particular relevance to credit card or other electronic funds transfer transactions whereby the user may complete a transaction over the Internet, or at a merchant's remote terminal by using a unique biological identifier in place of the credit card. The unique biological identifier is preferably a finger print which is read by a camera at the personal computer or remote terminal. The image is digitized and forwarded to a clearing house to identify the appropriate account for the required transaction to be processed. |
| US08090655B2 |
System and method for selection of payment systems from a payment system directory to process a transaction
Dynamically enabling and facilitating businesses or other entities to locate and transact with payment systems for the purpose of processing payments. A customer interacts with a supplier of an item (e.g., goods or services), selects an item for purchase, and provides the supplier with payment criteria. The supplier queries a payment system directory to locate candidate payment systems for the transaction. The supplier then interacts directly with one or more of the payment systems to partially or fully process payment for the transaction. Alternatively, the supplier interacts with a gateway service, which queries a payment system directory to locate candidate payment systems and then interacts with one or more of the payment systems to process payment for the transaction. |
| US08090651B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for facilitating the exchange of reciprocal deposits
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for facilitating the exchange of reciprocal deposits are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a system for facilitating the exchange of reciprocal deposits. The system includes a first bank for participating in an exchange of reciprocal deposits and a control center for implementing an exchange of reciprocal deposits between the first bank and a second bank for receiving deposits. The control center receives requests for placement of reciprocal deposits, determines requirements of depositing and receiving banks, and facilitates exchange of reciprocal deposits in accordance with the requirements. |
| US08090649B2 |
Computerized extension of credit to existing demand deposit accounts, prepaid cards and lines of credit based on expected tax refund proceeds, associated systems and computer program products
Systems, computer program products, and computer-implemented methods apply or otherwise make available new credit or additional credit to demand deposit accounts, prepaid cards, and existing lines of credit of a customer based on expected tax refund amounts. A computerized estimate of the tax refund available from a tax return of the customer is formed. A portion of the computerized estimate of the tax refund which can be made available as the line of credit is then determined. The existing line of credit is then adjusted based on the expected refund determined to be available, which will serve as an additional source: of repayment for the line of credit. One or more of several adjustments may then be made to an existing line of credit: the line of credit may be increased; fees reduced; or the terms of payment adjusted. The invention may be implemented as a computerized process, a computer system or a computer program product. |
| US08090648B2 |
Fraud detection based on efficient frequent-behavior sorted lists
A computerized method for detecting fraud includes obtaining frequency information on entities in transaction data for at least one individual account, converting frequency information to a frequency variable, and predicting whether an activity is fraudulent in response to the frequency variable. In some embodiments, the frequency variable is used with at least one other variable to predict fraudulent activity. |
| US08090647B2 |
Financial instrument for a specific deliverable product on a daily settlement basis
A new class of instruments extends the use or operation of futures contracts to encompass specific deliverable products on a daily settlement basis. These new instruments can be created to cover a wide range of market sectors and financial classes. The new instruments are exchange traded instruments that define exactly and exclusively the instrument to be exchanged at the end of the trading period. |
| US08090646B2 |
Investment company that issues a class of conventional shares and a class of exchange-traded shares in the same fund
An automated method is provided for administering a single investment company that issues one or more classes of shares that are bought from and redeemed with the single investment company at a net asset value and issues one or more classes of shares that are listed for trading on a securities exchange and that are bought and sold at negotiated market prices. One or more computers maintain account data of the outstanding shares. An owner of any share of any share class has an undivided interest in the single investment company. |
| US08090644B2 |
Modeling financial instruments using bid and ask prices
A method for modeling an investment significant parameter of a financial instrument, using a computer. At least one series of historical bid prices of the financial instrument or historical ask prices of the financial instrument is provided. A financial model type that has at least one variable parameter is selected. The variable parameter(s) of the selected financial model type is initialized. The series of historical bid prices and/or historical ask prices is applied to the initialized financial model type to estimate the variable parameter(s). The resulting model of the financial instrument may be used to predict future values of the investment significant parameter of the financial instrument. These predicted future values may be used to determine whether to perform automated trades of the financial instrument. |
| US08090639B2 |
Method and system for creating and marketing employee stock option mirror image warrants
A warrant on company stock that is used to determine value of employee options for U.S. accounting purposes on company stock. The warrant comprises an amortization factor, an exercise term that is the same or substantially similar to an exercise term of the employee options, and a strike price that is the same or substantially similar to a strike price of the employee options. The warrant also comprises a provision to periodically determine the amortization factor based on early forfeiture and/or early exercise of the employee options, a provision to apply the amortization factor to the warrants; and a provision to determine an intrinsic value of the warrants. Value of the employee options for U.S. accounting purposes is determined using market value of the warrants at issue. |
| US08090638B1 |
Systems and methods for extendable swap
A system and method for providing an extendable swap is provided. In a preferred embodiment, two parties enter into an ISDA Master Agreement and then negotiate one or more OTC derivative transaction agreements, including interest rate swaps, cross-currency swaps, commodity swaps, equity swaps and/or currency swaps. The parties negotiate terms including conditions precedent to the automatic extension of the extendable swap. Where the condition(s) precedent are met at the end of a period, the agreement automatically renews for another period (with the same terms), up to a final termination date. Where the conditions precedent are not met, the contract in not renewed, and the agreement terminates on the relevant anniversary date. Such a swap enables a party to offer better pricing due to period valuations and probabilities that are used to calculate the price of the swap. |
| US08090634B2 |
System and method for real-time pricing with volume discounting
A system and method are provided for facilitating real-time pricing with volume discounting. The method includes receiving a request for a real-time price quote for a transaction from a first account. The request is received at a first instance in time during a billing cycle. The method also includes determining a first production service, where the first production service is a component of the transaction, and determining a count of first production service instances representing the first production service in the received transaction. The method further includes determining a billable entity for the transaction, where the billable entity includes one or more related accounts, and the related accounts includes the first account. The method additionally includes determining a total of the first production service instances purchased by the related accounts during the billing cycle up to the first instance in time, where the total includes the count of the first production service instances in the received transaction. The method also includes determining a price applicable to the total of the first production service instances based on a pricing method, and apportioning the price to the received transaction based on the count of the first production service instance in the received transaction. The system includes a computer-readable storage medium that has stored thereon computer instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to receive a request for a real-time price quote for a transaction. The request is received at a first instance in time during a billing cycle, and the transaction includes a number of first production service instances, where each instance represents a first production service. The computer instructions also cause the computer to determine a total count of production service instances consumed during the billing cycle up to the first instance in time based on a pricing relationship, and determine a billing service appropriate for the first production service. The computer instructions further cause the computer to calculate a price for the first production service from a price table based on a first attribute for the billing service and the total count of production service instances consumed, and apportion the price to the received transaction based on the number of first production service instances in the transaction. |
| US08090633B2 |
Method and apparatus for image data based valuation
The present invention teaches methods and apparatus for capturing image of a subject property and utilizing the captured image data to determine a value of the subject property. In some embodiments, one or more of VideoDriveBy and VideoWalkABout are included in the captured image data. The captured image data can support a valuation of loan collateral. |
| US08090630B2 |
Planning a supply of items to a first location associated with a supply chain from one or more second locations associated with the supply chain
One embodiment includes a computer-implemented system for planning a supply of items to a first location associated with a supply chain from one or more second locations associated with the supply chain. The system accesses a logical representation of the supply chain and identifies one or more controlling locations and one or more staging locations in the supply chain. The system selects one or more of the identified locations according to a set of rules for selecting one or more of the identified controlling locations and identified staging locations for supplying items to the first location from one or more of the second locations and generates a plan for supplying items to the first location from one or more of the second locations according to the selection of one or more of the identified locations. |
| US08090628B2 |
Lens order system, lens order method, lens order program and recording medium storing the lens order program
A lens order system, includes: a server unit, including: a data recognizer that recognizes lens design detail data relating to design details of a lens; an image storage that stores object image data relating to an image of an object; an image recognizer that recognizes the object image data based on the lens design detail data; and an order reception section that recognizes order data relating to an order for a designed lens and generates order reception data, and a terminal unit connected with the server unit in a data transmittable manner, the terminal unit including: a data acquiring section that acquires the lens design detail data; a lens design section that designs the lens based on the lens design detail data; an image processor that superposes lens image data relating to an image of the designed lens designed by the lens design section on the object image data sent from the server unit and generates processed image data in which a superposing portion of the object image data and the lens image data is image-processed to provide a vision of the object image data through the designed lens; a display controller that displays the processed image data on a display; and an order section that generates the order data. |
| US08090622B2 |
Preferred items list management
Systems and methods of generating a list of preferred items are disclosed herein. A uniform resource identifier that references a listing web service is provided. A call to the listing web service is received from a linking website. The call to the listing web service includes an item identifier corresponding to an item that the consumer is willing to purchase. The call can be executed as a result of the consumer selecting a listing icon that references the uniform resource identifier. The listing icon is displayed on the linking website hosted at a linking domain. The listing web service can be executed to add the item to the list of preferred items associated with the consumer. The list of preferred items is displayed on a listing website. The listing website can be hosted at a listing domain which is different from the linking domain. |
| US08090616B2 |
Visual identification information used as confirmation in a wireless communication
Techniques for facilitating the exchange of information and transactions between two entities associated with two wireless devices when the devices are in close proximity to each other. A first device uses a first short range wireless capability to detect an identifier transmitted from a second device in proximity, ideally using existing radio capabilities such as Bluetooth (IEEE802.15.1-2002) or Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). The detected identifier, being associated with the device, is also associated with an entity. Rather than directly exchanging application data flow between the two devices using the short range wireless capability, a second wireless capability allows for one or more of the devices to communicate with a central server via the internet, and perform the exchange of application data flow. By using a central server to draw on stored information and content associated with the entities the server can broker the exchange of information between the entities and the devices. |
| US08090614B2 |
Generating a sales volume forecast
A method for generating a sales volume forecast includes receiving user input specifying a hypothetical asking price and a future date and accessing, for each of multiple past time periods, historical data reflecting a sales volume for an item over the past time period and a corresponding price difference between an asking price and a coinciding market price for the item, the price difference also being associated with the past time period. The method also includes determining a historical correlation for the item between sales volume and price difference between asking price and coinciding market price, accessing market data reflecting a future market price for the item associated with the specified future date, determining a price difference between the specified hypothetical asking price and the future market price for the item, applying the determined historical correlation to the determined price difference to generate a sales volume forecast, and providing the generated sales volume forecast for access by a user. |
| US08090612B2 |
Producing marketing items for a marketing campaign
Methods, machines, systems and machine-readable instructions for producing marketing items are described. In one aspect, a user is prompted to specify campaign parameters, including one or more campaign topics, defining a scope of the campaign. The user is prompted to specify for each of the one or more campaign topics a corresponding set of one or more attributes of intended recipients of the marketing campaign. The one or more specified campaign topics are associated to respective sets of targeted recipients selected from a database of records of potential recipients based on mappings of the respective sets of recipient attributes to the campaign topics and the specified campaign parameters defining the scope of the marketing campaign. For each of the targeted recipients, a respective marketing item containing a respective set of one or more contents matched to the campaign topic associated to the targeted recipient is composed. |
| US08090610B2 |
Extensible framework for designing workflows
A user interface for building a componentized workflow model. Each step of the workflow is modeled as an activity that has metadata to describe design time aspects, compile time aspects, and runtime aspects of the workflow step. A user selects and arranges the activities to create the workflow via the user interface. The metadata associated with each of the activities in the workflow is collected to create a persistent representation of the workflow. Users extend the workflow model by authoring custom activities. |
| US08090606B2 |
Embedded media recommendations
A system and method for embedding recommendations on a portable media player are provided. In general, recommendations for media presentations stored or to be stored on the portable media player are generated by a recommendation engine hosted by an external system such as, for example, a user's personal computer or a network server. In one embodiment, the media presentations are songs, and the recommendations include a number of recommended songs for each song stored or to be stored on the portable media player. The recommendations may be limited to the media presentations stored on the portable media player or otherwise accessible to the portable media player. After the recommendations are generated, the recommendations are stored, or embedded, on the portable media player. Thereafter, the portable media player may use the recommendations to facilitate playback of media content on the portable media player. |
| US08090605B2 |
Process for creating media content based upon submissions received on an electronic multi-media exchange
In a process for creating media content, media submissions are requested and electronically received from end users and stored in a computer database. The submissions are searched for material to be included in the media content, and cross-checked against the other submissions for originality and timeliness. After the material is selected from one or more submissions, the content is developed and released to an audience for review. The end users whose submission material was included in the released content are rewarded. In one embodiment, third parties are permitted to access and search the submissions on an open exchange. The third parties can bid for rights in submissions on the open exchange. After receiving these bids, they are forwarded to the particular submission's end user for acceptance or rejection. Appropriate billing and payment processes are used to bill and pay the parties involved. |
| US08090602B2 |
Method and apparatus for leisure and entertainment merchandising
Leisure & entertainment attraction information is available from commercial attraction-provider servers. Users subscribe to a computerized service to facilitate making arrangements for visiting such attractions. Subscribers fill in wish-lists to specify their level of interest in specific attractions, in getting together with specific other subscribers, and in arranging their preferred schedules for outings. An encounter generator processes the subscriber wish-lists to identify matches of subscribers who are interested in the same attraction, who favor each other's company, and who are free at the same time. The system notifies the matched subscribers, optionally offering ticketing and/or reservation assistance. The system is adaptable for serving singles who wish to identify and get to know a prospective mate through mutual visits to attractions, as well as individuals, couples, and families who want to go out with their existing friends or make new friends. |
| US08090591B2 |
Health care financing
A health care finance system according to the invention features an expanded health care savings and asset account that may be funded in a variety of ways. An insurance carrier is paid a premium out of the account. When a patient sees a health care provider, the health care provider generates an electronic medical work-up. The work-up is analyzed by software, which determines an appropriate protocol and complexity level associated with the patient's condition. The protocol and complexity level are then transmitted to the insurance carrier, and the insurance carrier makes a global payment directly into the patient's health care asset account based on the determined protocol and complexity level. The patient accesses those funds directly, e.g., using an electronic debit card, to pay the health care provider. |
| US08090588B2 |
System and method for providing AMR-WB DTX synchronization
A system and method for providing improved adaptive multi-rate wideband (AMR-WB) discontinuous transmission (DTX) synchronization. According to various embodiments, an indication on the start of the inactive speech period is signalled to the decoder via a voice activity detection (VAD) flag a predetermined number of frames before the DTX period will start, i.e., before the SID_FIRST frame is received. When the VAD flag indicates active speech, or when the VAD flag has been set to zero less than the predetermined number of frames ago, the received NO_DATA frame can be classified with a high degree of reliability as active speech, i.e., considered as transmitter, network or terminal-initiated signalling, and can be substituted by a SPEECH_LOST frame. When the VAD flag was set to zero eight frames ago or earlier, the NO_DATA frame is classified as DTX. |
| US08090584B2 |
Modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu in dependence upon speech command frequency
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for modifying a grammar of a hierarchical multimodal menu that include monitoring a user invoking a speech command in a first tier grammar, and adding the speech command to a second tier grammar in dependence upon the frequency of the user invoking the speech command. Adding the speech command to a second tier grammar may be carried out by adding the speech command to a higher tier grammar or by adding the speech command to a lower tier grammar. Adding the speech command to a second tier grammar may include storing the speech command in a grammar cache in the second tier grammar. |
| US08090583B1 |
System and method of automatically generating building dialog services by exploiting the content and structure of websites
A method and system are disclosed for providing a dialog interface for a website. The method comprises at each node in a website, computing a summary, a document description and an alias. A dialog manager within a spoken dialog service utilizes the summary, document description and alias for each website node to generate prompts to a user, wherein nodes in the website are matched with user requests. In this manner, a spoken dialog interface to the website content and navigation may be generated automatically. |
| US08090579B2 |
Automatic identification of repeated material in audio signals
A system and method are described for recognizing repeated audio material within at least one media stream without prior knowledge of the nature of the repeated material. The system and method are able to create a screening database from the media stream or streams. An unknown sample audio fragment is taken from the media stream and compared against the screening database to find if there are matching fragments within the media streams by determining if the unknown sample matches any samples in the screening database. |
| US08090577B2 |
Bandwidth-adaptive quantization
Methods and apparatus are presented for determining the type of acoustic signal and the type of frequency spectrum exhibited by the acoustic signal in order to selectively delete parameter information before vector quantization. The bits that would otherwise be allocated to the deleted parameters can then be re-allocated to the quantization of the remaining parameters, which results in an improvement of the perceptual quality of the synthesized acoustic signal. Alternatively, the bits that would have been allocated to the deleted parameters are dropped, resulting in an overall bit-rate reduction. |
| US08090573B2 |
Selection of encoding modes and/or encoding rates for speech compression with open loop re-decision
In a device configurable to encode speech performing an open loop re-decision may comprise representing a speech signal by amplitude components and phase components for a current frame and a past frame. During the current frame, there may be an extraction of uncompressed amplitude components and uncompressed phase components. The amplitude components and the phase components from the past frame may then be retrieved. A set of features may be generated based on the uncompressed amplitude components from the current frame, the uncompressed phase components from the current frame, the amplitude components from the past frame, and the phase components from the past frame. The set of features may be checked as part of the open loop re-decision, and determining a final encoding decision based on the checking may be performed. The final encoding decision may be an encoding mode and/or encoding rate. |
| US08090562B2 |
Predicting risk of major adverse cardiac events
Measurement of circulating ST2 and natriuretic peptide (e.g., NT-proBNP) concentrations is useful for the prognostic evaluation of subjects, in particular for the prediction of adverse clinical outcomes, e.g., mortality, transplantation, and heart failure. |
| US08090561B1 |
System and method for in situ display of a virtual wheel on a wheeled vehicle
A system and method are provided for visually simulating physical installation of a virtual wheel portion on a wheeled vehicle. The system generally comprises a portable display unit, a controller unit, and a support unit. The portable display unit is operable to graphically render an image of a preselected virtual wheel. The controller unit is operably coupled to the display unit for generating the image selectively for one of a plurality of distinct virtual wheel types. The controller unit adaptively generates the preselected virtual wheel image responsive to a viewing factor. The support unit is coupled to the display unit for adjustably situating such display unit to substantially mask a wheel of the vehicle, whereby the image of the preselected virtual wheel is visually integrated with the vehicle in substantially seamless manner to visually simulate its physical installation on the vehicle. |
| US08090559B2 |
Methods and systems for performing diagnostics regarding underlying root causes in turbine engines
A method for performing diagnostics for an engine comprises the steps of identifying an engine component as potentially being related to operational data of an engine, calculating a deviation from a thermodynamic model, and comparing the deviation with root cause deviation measures. The deviation relates the engine component to an adjustment to the thermodynamic model with respect to a variable of the thermodynamic model, based at least in part on the operational data. Each root cause deviation measure relates one of a plurality of potential root causes to the thermodynamic model with respect to the variable of the thermodynamic model. |
| US08090552B2 |
Sensor fusion using self evaluating process sensors
A measurement processing system is disclosed for fusing measurement data from a set of independent self-validating (SEVA™) process sensors monitoring the same real-time measurand in order to generate a combined best estimate for the value, uncertainty and measurement status of the measurand. The system also provides consistency checking between the measurements. The measurement processing system includes a first process sensor and a second process sensor. Each of the first and second process sensors receive a measurement signal from a transducer and generate independent process metrics. A measurement fusion block is connected to the first and second process sensors, the measurement fusion block is operable to receive the independent process metrics and execute a measurement analysis process to analyze the independent process metrics and generate the combined best estimate of the independent process metrics. |
| US08090551B2 |
Self-testing, monitoring and diagnostics in grouped circuitry modules
An electrical test system for providing a power source to each of a plurality of electrical components under electrical test includes a grouped circuitry module. The grouped circuitry module includes a plurality of individually-programmable power sources, each coupled to an output channel, a controller configured to program each of the power sources to a respective stimulus output value and to read a measured value at each corresponding output channel and random access, non-volatile, memory for storing information and for providing read/write capability for the controller. A host computer is in communication with the controller for running a self test program that sequentially programs each of the power sources to its respective stimulus output value and reads the measured value at each corresponding output channel using the controller to determine if the tested complete subsystem is operating properly. |
| US08090550B2 |
Efficiency monitor for inductive power transmission
An efficiency monitor for monitoring the efficiency of power transmission by an inductive power outlet. The efficiency monitor includes an input power monitor, for measuring the input power delivered to the primary coil, and an output power monitor, for measuring the output power received by the secondary coil. The input and output powers are used by a processor to determine an index of power-loss. A circuit breaker may be used to disconnect the inductive power outlet in case of excessive power loss. |
| US08090547B2 |
Ultrasonic measuring device and ultrasonic measuring method
An ultrasonic measurement method, including: receiving a plurality of ultrasonic waves that have been spectrum-spread with different codes by first and second wave-receivers; de-spreading the first and second receive signals respectively with a selected code and a non-selected code; obtaining an amplitude ratio between the produced selected de-spread signal and the non-selected de-spread signal; determining a threshold value based on the amplitude ratio; extracting a signal having an amplitude greater than or equal to the threshold value from the non-selected de-spread signal to thereby produce an interfering signal; spreading the interfering signal with a corresponding non-selected code and then removing the interfering signal from the first and second receive signals to thereby produce first and second receive signals from which the interfering signal has been removed; de-spreading the first and second receive signals from which the interfering signal has been removed each with the selected code to thereby obtain first and second de-spread signals from which the interfering signal has been removed; and calculating the propagation distance and the propagation direction of the selected ultrasonic wave based on points in time at which the first and second de-spread signals arrive at the first and second wave-receivers. |
| US08090542B2 |
Functional and hyperfunctional siRNA
Efficient sequence specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology. By selecting particular siRNAs by rationale design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. |
| US08090541B2 |
Map-based genome mining method for identifying regulatory loci controlling the level of gene transcripts and products
A method is provided for identifying one or more regions within a genome of an organism of interest that mediate the expression of one or more genes of interest. The method comprises identifying a first organism of interest exhibiting a measurable response to an environmental stimulus; identifying a second organism of interest that lacks or does not exhibit as strong a response to the stimulus as compared with the first organism of interest; crossing the first and second organisms of interest to produce a population of progeny; extracting RNA from each individual population of progeny; quantifying a level of gene expression for one or more genes of interest that are associated with the response to an environmental stimulus; identifying one or more Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL), wherein gene expression level is a quantitative trait, and using one or more markers comprising one or more regulatory sequences to mediate said expression of said one or more genes of interest induced by said environmental stimulus; and identifying the one or more regulatory sequences located at said one or more QTL. |
| US08090538B2 |
System and method for interpretation of well data
Well log data is assigned depositional labels by a soft computing method. A model is trained on an expert-interpreted well log by segmenting, assigning fuzzy symbols to the segments, and calculating attribute values for units labeled by the expert. From these values, classifiers are trained for each of a number of depositional types. Finally, a model is developed for translating fuzzy symbols into depositional labels. Once trained, the model is applied to well log data. |
| US08090533B2 |
Map display system, method of inputting conditions for searching for POI, method of displaying guidance to POI, and terminal device
A map display system has a terminal device having display means for displaying a map image and also has a route search server having a POI database. The map display system has operation/input means for performing predetermined operation on an object image including a POI category or POI information, object image operation detection means for detecting operation on the object image, and POI search means for extracting the POI category or the POI information from the operated object image and searching for a POI while referring to the POI database. The display means displays on a map image the POI searched by the POI search means. |
| US08090530B2 |
Computation of travel routes, durations, and plans over multiple contexts
A route planning system comprises a receiver component that receives a request for directions between a beginning point and a destination point. An analysis component analyzes a traffic system representation that varies as context varies and outputs expected amounts of travel time between the beginning point and the destination point for multiple contexts based at least in part upon the analysis. A method is described herein that includes techniques for searching over routes and trip start times simultaneously so as to identity start times and routes associated with maximal expected value, or equivalently minimum expected cost, given preferences encoded about one or more of the leaving time, the travel time, and the arrival time. |
| US08090525B2 |
Device and method for providing automatic assistance to air traffic controllers
A method and a system for assisting air traffic controllers that automatically detects conflicts between aircraft trajectories and selects the conflicts that can be solved by minor modification(s) of aircraft speed, climbing rates or descending rates and lateral shifts of route. Minor modifications are selected so as to not interfere with current controllers' decision making process thereby circumventing the basic rule of uniqueness of control in a given piece of airspace. The minor modifications are automatically transmitted to aircraft for execution without requiring controllers' prior agreement. Thus, the method solves most conflicts, such that the air traffic delivered to the controllers is free of most of the pre-existing conflicts. |
| US08090523B2 |
Travel-time prediction apparatus, travel-time prediction method, traffic information providing system and program
Disclosed is a travel-time prediction apparatus that is capable of making a mid-term prediction of travel time accurately by combining present conditions and statistical information. The apparatus includes a travel-time transition pattern database storing travel-time transition patterns obtained by statistically processing past time-series data of each road link according to type of data. Upon accepting a travel-time transition pattern corresponding to a specified link and day type from the database, the apparatus calculates conversion parameters of a travel-time transition pattern for which an error between the travel-time transition pattern and a sequentially input travel-time time-series data will be reduced, and then makes a prediction using a prediction function obtained by converting the travel-time transition pattern by the calculated conversion parameters. The calculated predicted value and the conversion parameters are distributed as traffic information. |
| US08090519B2 |
Control device for internal combustion engine
A control device that is used with an internal combustion engine to improve both the response and controllability of torque generated by the internal combustion engine. The control device calculates an operation amount of an intake actuator in accordance with a demanded air amount. The control device then calculates a torque that is generated when the intake actuator is operated by the calculated operation amount at a predetermined ignition timing setting, and calculates an ignition timing retard amount that is necessary to achieve a demanded torque in accordance with the difference between the calculated torque and the demanded torque. The control device ensures that the demanded torque and a demanded efficiency are both reflected in the demanded air amount. |
| US08090518B2 |
Method and device for operating a drive system
In a first operating mode, as a function of the determined torque request value at least one first final control element is actuated influencing an air path of an engine. Representative of an actual basic torque value, a specific engine characteristic value is determined as a function of which, a filter parameter value is determined such that a torque setpoint value is brought closer to the actual basic torque value. The filter parameter value is saved assigned to the specific characteristic value. In a second operating mode, the filter parameter value is determined as a function of the specific characteristic value and the setpoint torque value is predefined by filtering the driver-requested torque value as a function of the determined parameter value. As a function of the predefined setpoint torque value, at least one second final control element is actuated which influences the drive system torque outside the air path. |
| US08090517B2 |
Inter-vehicle distance maintenance supporting system and method
An inter-vehicle distance maintenance supporting system may include an operational reactive force generating device that generates an operational reactive force on a driving operational equipment based on a first inter-vehicle distance threshold. A driving operational equipment state detector detects an operational state of the driving operational equipment and acceleration intent of the driver. An engine controller controls an engine torque corresponding to the operational state of the driving operational equipment. An engine torque correcting device decreases the engine torque before the operational reactive force is generated. The decrease correction is suppressed when the inter-vehicle distance is greater than a second inter-vehicle distance threshold that is larger than the first inter-vehicle distance, and the driving operational equipment state detector detects the acceleration intent of the driver. |
| US08090515B2 |
Method for controlling regenerative braking in an electric vehicle
Provided is a method for controlling regenerative braking in an electric vehicle, including operating regenerative braking, checking if a data communication using a control area network (CAN) standard is properly made between a regenerative braking torque controller and a hydraulic pressure braking torque controller, and enabling the regenerative braking torque controller and the hydraulic pressure braking torque controller to maintain regenerative braking torque and hydraulic pressure torque at their respective previous levels or to increase regenerative braking torque and/or hydraulic pressure torque until braking ends, when the data communication fails between the regenerative braking torque controller and the hydraulic pressure braking torque controller. |
| US08090514B2 |
Vehicle control system
A vehicle control system includes a pedal, such as an accelerator pedal, an adjusting device, a sensor and a control unit. The pedal may be actuated by the hand of an operator to set a state variable of the vehicle. The adjusting device applies a force to the pedal. A sensor senses a variable representing a state variable of the vehicle and transmits a sensor signal to the control unit. The control unit determines a state variable of the current operating state of the vehicle. The control unit, depending on the current operating state of the vehicle, controls the adjusting device so that a predetermined force is applied to the pedal, in order to make the operator aware of an unsafe operating condition. |
| US08090513B2 |
Method for controlling an automated friction clutch
A method of controlling an automated friction clutch in a drivetrain of a motor vehicle between a drive motor and a manual transmission. During clutch actuation, at least one operating parameter of the friction clutch is detected by a sensor and from variation of the operating parameter at least one adaptation parameter is derived for correcting a control parameter of the associated clutch control element. To obtain information about variation of the clutch release force and to improve the control of an associated clutch control element, the friction clutch is fully disengaged with constant control or actuation of the clutch control element. During the disengagement process, the release travel path is determined as a function of release time, and from the time variation of the release travel path, a characteristic value is determined which is used to determine an adaptation parameter for correcting the control parameter of the clutch control element. |
| US08090510B2 |
Device and method for controlling transmission mechanism, and method for controlling motor vehicle
In a motor vehicle having a clutch and a transmission, an additional shift command is accepted during an already ongoing shift operation, thereby providing control that makes possible a responsive shift operation. When a shift command is issued during an ongoing shift operation and engagement operation of the clutch, the disengagement operation of the clutch and the dog insert operation of the transmission are conducted according a second schedule so that the dog insert operation of the transmission is conducted during the disengagement operation of the clutch, and a second shift operation including the re-engagement of the clutch is conducted. |
| US08090508B2 |
Method and system for determining a planned path for a machine
A location-determining receiver collects terrain data within a work area. The terrain data comprises elevation data and corresponding location data. A path planning module or data processor defines a planned path for a drainage channel. The planned path comprises a starting point with first coordinates and a termination point with second coordinates within the work area. The drainage channel extends from the starting point to the end point such that the starting point has a higher elevation than the termination point. A user interface establishes constraint data comprising a minimum cut parameter, a maximum cut parameter, a minimum slope parameter and a maximum slope parameter. A data processor determines a validated path for the planned path or a digging plan based on compliance with the constraint data. |
| US08090506B2 |
Electrically operated mirror control device and method of controlling reverse linking operation
An electrically operated mirror control device comprises a controller which includes a reverse linking unit for carrying out a reverse linking operation to tilt a mirror to change a mirror surface angle in linking with reversing of a vehicle, and a mirror switch which adjusts an amount of a change in the mirror surface angle of the mirror in the reverse linking operation. When the controller detects a predetermined operation in the reverse linking operation, a reverse angle memorizing control unit changes a first setting stored in a memorizing unit into a second setting of the mirror surface angle including the amount of the change in the mirror surface angle adjusted by the mirror switch at an end of the reverse linking operation. |
| US08090504B2 |
Feedback loop system for passenger safety
Methods, systems and apparatus for automatically ensuring passenger safety by identifying article(s) in need of securing in a vehicle and attaching at least one wireless signaling component to each article. Each wireless signaling component includes a wireless signaling device and a mechanical blocking device that controls a wireless signal emitted from the wireless signaling device. The emitted wireless signaling indicates a state of the article. State information relating to a state of each article is generated and received at a data network device, which generates state results based on this state information. The state results are output to an end user, whereby the state results identify those articles that are secured, unsecured, and/or improperly secured, for automatically ensuring passenger safety. |
| US08090502B2 |
Method and device for reducing unwanted excitations at a steering wheel
A device and a method for reducing unwanted or undesireable excitations at a steering wheel include a sensor system with which unwanted excitation at a steering wheel and/or steering gear can be sensed. A closed-loop control unit is configured to generate an additional steering torque on the basis of the sensed unwanted excitation. A servomotor applies the additional steering torque to the steering gear. |
| US08090499B2 |
Anti-rollback control via grade information for hybrid and conventional vehicles
A vehicle control system reduces vehicle rollback upon brake release. The control system includes a brake system, a vehicle grade measurement device and a controller that modulates applied brake pressure of the brake system based on a grade measurement of the grade measurement device. The controller actuates brake-hold device communicating with the brake system based on the grade measurement through pulse width modulation. The control system communicates with a motor generator and an engine to provide a start power to the engine upon brake release based on the grade measurement. Fuel injectors of the engine are enabled upon brake release based on the grade measurement. The control system further communicates with a transmission forward clutch to provide selective rotational communication between the transmission and the engine based on the grade measurement. |
| US08090494B2 |
Electronic apparatus and program storage medium
An electronic control unit executes a program to perform a failure diagnosis as well as a vehicle control. On boot-up, diagnosis associated data is read from a backup memory and written in a RAM. The diagnosis associated data represents a failure diagnosis result previously backed up in the backup memory. When performing a failure diagnosis, the diagnosis associated data in the RAM is updated if needed, and an update flag is turned ON at updating. The presence of the update is checked using the update flag. Each time the update flag turns ON, the update flag is turned OFF and a timer is set to zero. The timer starts to measure an elapsed time. When the timer value exceeds a threshold value, it is determined that a predetermined time elapsed since the diagnosis associated data was previously updated. The diagnosis associated data in the RAM is then backed up. |
| US08090488B2 |
Intelligent powered mobility for infants and special needs children
A powered mobility device for advancing cognitive, perceptual and motor abilities of a child lacking natural mobility is disclosed. The device includes a seat sized for the child to be secured therein and a motorized drive assembly coupled to the seat. A local operating instrument is operably coupled to the drive assembly for operating and steering the drive assembly. The local operating instrument is positioned to allow manipulation by the child seated in the seat. A processor is operatively coupled to the motorized drive assembly and to a local steering instrument. The processor is adapted to transmit a signal to the motorized drive assembly and the local steering instrument to control the mobility device. A method for advancing cognitive, perceptual and motor abilities of a child by using the device is also disclosed. |
| US08090485B2 |
Low-frequency flight control system oscillatory faults prevention via horizontal and vertical tail load monitors
The Tail Load Monitoring System detects faulty low frequency (e.g. those in the range from 0.1 to 1 Hz) oscillatory conditions caused by Flight Control System malfunctions while the aircraft is in air by means of a continuous assessment of the estimated tail load behavior and data processing. Both estimation and data processing activities are provided by a dedicated architecture featuring a tail load estimation module, a band-pass filter and three independent paths that continuously monitor nuisance fault detection events avoidance, catastrophic events avoidance (addressing a limit load criterion), and structural damage avoidance (addressing fatigue life criteria). |
| US08090481B2 |
Manual human interfaces to electronics
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an aircraft by a hands on throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) includes selectively connecting, by the HOTAS, two interfaces of a controller for the aircraft. The selective connection is made through one of a plurality of possible paths. Each path has an expected respective voltage drop within a predetermined range. The selected one of the possible paths connecting the two interfaces is determined by determining an actual voltage drop associated with the selected path. A control operation for the aircraft is effected by the controller based on the determined selected path. The method reduces the number of required electrical connections. |
| US08090480B2 |
Consumer electronic usage monitoring and management
A mechanism for managing energy consumption of electrical devices within a home or building. Energy usage data is collected for a first electrical outlet connected to an unidentified electrical device in a facility. A pattern of energy usage is determined from the energy usage data collected at the first electrical outlet. The pattern of energy usage of the first electrical outlet is then compared against known patterns of energy usage for one or more other electrical outlets. Responsive to identifying a match between the pattern of energy usage of the energy usage data collected at the first electrical outlet and a known pattern of energy usage of a second electrical outlet in the one or more other electrical outlets, the electrical device connected to the first electrical outlet is identified as the same electrical device that is associated with the known pattern of energy usage of the second electrical outlet. |
| US08090478B2 |
Control for pressurized bladder in a patient support apparatus
An apparatus for supporting a patient, such as a hospital bed, is provided. The apparatus includes a patient support surface and at least one fluid containing bladder. A pressure control assembly is operably coupled with the bladder. When the fluid pressure within the bladder falls outside of an acceptable range of pressure values, the active adjustment of the pressure within the bladder is initiated by the pressure control assembly if the pressure does not return to the acceptable range of pressure values within a time period, e.g., a time delay, that has a variable length. |
| US08090476B2 |
System and method to control data center air handling systems
A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium being operable to determine at least one data center condition and determine or estimate a current energy cost. Additionally, the method includes dynamically control a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of the data center based on the determined at least one data center condition and the determined or estimated current energy cost. |
| US08090475B2 |
Method and device for monitoring the condition of an industrial robot
A method for monitoring the condition of an industrial robot having a plurality of links movable relative to each other, and a plurality of actuators controlling the movements of the links. A feed forward torque is calculated for at least one of the actuators based on reference values for the position of the actuator and a mathematical model of the robot calculating a feedback torque for the actuators based on measured values from the actuators and reference values for the position of the actuator. A torque is calculated for the actuator at least based on the feedback torque. A difference is monitored between the calculated torque for the actuator and the feed forward torque. It is determined whether the difference is normal or non-normal, and based thereon monitoring the condition of the robot. |
| US08090474B2 |
Apparatus for controlling at least one machine
An apparatus and a method for controlling at least one machine, such as an industrial robot, having drives, safety peripheral components and a controller for a machine, and also having a safety controller. In this arrangement, the safety controller has superordinate access over the respective machine controller both to the machine drives and to the safety peripherals. This achieves the most easily configurable integration of the safety control loop into the operating control loops. |
| US08090470B2 |
Method and system for optimizing containers in a block
A method for optimizing the position of a plurality of containers in a block, including at least one crane configured to move the containers is provided. A crane control unit (CCU) is provided in which the following steps are performed: identifying a selected container to be moved from a current position CP within a sub-section of said block to a new position NP within the sub-section; calculating a number of container moves required facilitating the move of the selected container in previous step; arranging the required number of container moves in a queue for each crane; and performing the container moves as arranged in the queue by controlling said at least one crane. Also provided is a computer program, a computer-readable medium encoded with the computer program, and a system for optimizing the position of a plurality of containers in a block. |
| US08090464B2 |
Method and system for enhancing the yield in semiconductor manufacturing
Roughly described, a manufacturing process is enhanced by using TCAD and TCAD-derived models. A TCAD simulation model of the process is developed, which predicts, in dependence upon a plurality of process input parameters, a value for a performance parameter of a product to be manufactured using the process. Estimated, predicted or desired values for a calculated subset of the parameters (including either process input parameters or product performance parameters or both), are determined in dependence upon the process model, and further in dependence upon actual, estimated or desired values for a different subset of the parameters (again either process input parameters or product performance parameters or both). The determination is preferably made using a process compact model of the process, itself developed in dependence upon the simulation model. |
| US08090462B2 |
Maintenance assistance and control system method and apparatus
There is provided a method and an apparatus for providing assistance and control in respect of maintenance operations that are based on electronic technical documentation prescribing a set of discrete electronic maintenance instructions (“EMIs”). The EMIs are connected to one another according to a predefined hierarchy and predefined order. The apparatus of the present invention includes a navigation controller, a documentation management module and an instruction controller generator. |
| US08090459B2 |
Guiding-tour system and apparatus
A guiding-tour system and apparatus, including: at least one host, which adheres or near to an exhibition object, and sets an unique discriminate number corresponding to the exhibition object, has a memory slot and at least one wireless transceiver module, at least one memory card is inserted into the slot, a voice guiding-tour data digital file of the exhibition object is recorded in the memory card, and transmits the digital file in the memory card in a wireless manner via the wireless transceiver module; at least one slave handheld by a visitor, the slave being a portable guiding-tour handheld by the visitor, which at least has a wireless transceiver module, may start a download program in a wireless manner, and downloads the voice guiding-tour data digital file stored in the memory card of the host to the slave handheld by the visitor, and playbacks it according to an instruction from the visitor. |
| US08090458B2 |
Method of calculating temporal information of frame-based audio stream data
The present invention relates to a method of calculating temporal information of frame-based audio stream data, and more particularly, to a method of calculating temporal information of frame-based audio stream data, in which it can calculate time related information depending on the playback of stream data even when bitrate or timetable information is not included in header information when audio or voice stream data consisting of a frame format are played back. Audio and voice stream data applied at this time includes stream data of a type in which several frames form one bit stream block as well as stream data constructed on a frame basis. |
| US08090457B2 |
Method for operating a lighting system
A method for operating a lighting system comprising at least one central control unit and a plurality of lighting devices, including in the lighting devices a positioning sensor system, by which the locations of the lighting devices is determined and wherein location data for describing the locations is transmitted to the central control device from each lighting device comprising a data interface and wherein a stage set database, which describes a stage set model and in which the locations of the various lighting devices in a stage set is stored, is stored in the central control device, the method comprising, a) determining the current locations of the lighting devices by the positioning sensor system in the lighting devices; b) transferring the current location data from the lighting devices to the central control device; c) storing the location data in the stage set database. |
| US08090452B2 |
Methods and apparatus for control using control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an IP network
The invention provides improved methods and apparatus for control using field and control devices that provide a virtual machine environment and that communicate via an IP network. By way of non-limiting example, such field device can be an “intelligent” transmitter or actuator that includes a low power processor, along with a random access memory, a read-only memory, FlashRAM, and a sensor interface. The processor can execute a real-time operating system, as well as a Java virtual machine (JVM). Java byte code executes in the JVM to configure the field device to perform typical process control functions, e.g., for proportional integral derivative (PID) control and signal conditioning. Control networks can include a plurality of such field and control devices interconnected by an IP network, such as an Ethernet. |
| US08090447B2 |
Visual restoration aiding device
A visual restoration aiding device for restoring vision of a patient, comprises: a signal generation unit including a substrate to be placed on an outer side of a choroid of a patient's eye and a plurality of electrodes arranged on the substrate for applying electrical stimulation pulse signals to cells constituting a retina; a photographing unit which photographs an object to be recognized by the patient; and a processing unit which converts image data obtained by the photographing unit to data for electrical stimulation pulse signal and transmits the converted data to the signal generation unit: wherein, based on the data for electrical stimulation pulse signal transmitted from the processing unit, the signal generation unit forms a waveform of an electrical stimulation pulse signal to be outputted from each electrode into a biphasic rectangular wave including rectangular waves of opposite polarities, and sets a pulse width of the electrical stimulation pulse signal to 0.2 msec. or more and 2 msec. or less. |
| US08090442B2 |
Apparatus and method for spatially and temporally distributing cardiac electrical stimulation
A cardiac electro-stimulatory device and method for operating same in which stimulation pulses are distributed among a plurality of electrodes fixed at different sites of the myocardium in order to reduce myocardial hypertrophy brought about by repeated pacing at a single site and/or increase myocardial contractility. In order to spatially and temporally distribute the stimulation, the pulses are delivered through a switchable pulse output configuration during a single cardiac cycle, with each configuration comprising one or more electrodes fixed to different sites in the myocardium. |
| US08090440B2 |
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. |
| US08090438B2 |
Method of implanting a subcutaneous defibrillator
A subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is disclosed which has an electrically active canister which houses a source of electrical energy, a capacitor, and operational circuitry that senses the presence of potentially fatal heart rhythms. At least one subcutaneous electrode that serves as the opposite electrode from the canister is attached to the canister via a lead system. Cardioversion-defibrillation energy is delivered when the operational circuitry senses a potentially fatal heart rhythm. There are no transvenous, intracardic, or epicardial electrodes. A method of subcutaneously implanting the cardioverter-defibrillator is also disclosed as well as a kit for conducting the method. |
| US08090437B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing an alternating current power source for defibrillation compatibility
A device tests a circuit that is a source of alternating current by measuring at least one electrical parameter of the circuit to determine whether the circuit is able to provide adequate energy for defibrillation by an external defibrillator. The device may test the circuit by applying a load to the circuit, and measuring one or more electrical parameters when the load is applied to the circuit. The device may be the external defibrillator itself, or a separate testing device. In some embodiments in which an external defibrillator tests a circuit, the defibrillator modifies a value of at least one therapy delivery parameter for a subsequent delivery of one or more defibrillation pulses based on the measured electrical parameter value measured. By modifying a therapy delivery parameter, the defibrillator may deliver defibrillation pulses at an energy level that is supportable by the circuit. |
| US08090434B2 |
Device, method and computer-readable storage medium for enhanced sense event classification in implantable devices by means of morphology analysis
An implantable cardiac device, e.g., a pacemaker, defibrillator, cardioverter or biventricular pacing device, that can sense cardiac electrical signals and accurately classify the sensed events. The device provides a template signal and a test signal originated from an electrogram. The device further transforms at least the test signal into a representation of the test signal for example in numerical format where the sample values of the test signal take the form of integers. The device further determines a correlation between the template and test signals, and classifies the sense events based on the correlation. The electrogram may be an intracardiac electrogram (IEGM), atrial electrogram (AEGM), ventricular electrogram (VEGM), surface electrocardiogram (ECG) or subcutaneous electrogram. |
| US08090427B2 |
Methods for ultrasound visualization of a vessel with location and cycle information
Methods for displaying a vessel with the aid of intravascular ultrasound images and current location and cycle information provided by detectors and sensors. A sequence of intravascular ultrasound images are stored and indexed-by location and by heartbeat and breathing phase. During a subsequent medical intervention, ultrasound images that correspond to the current phase and location of an object of interest such as a catheter can be selected and displayed on a monitor in real time along with an x-ray image of the vessel, the display showing the geometric position of the ultrasound images with reference to the x-ray image. |
| US08090425B2 |
Oximeter sensor with digital memory encoding patient data
The present invention provides a memory chip for use in an oximeter sensor, or an associated adapter or connector circuit. The memory chip allows the storing of patient related data, such as patient trending data or a patient ID, to provide enhanced capabilities for the oximeter sensor. In addition to providing unique data to store in such a memory, the present invention include unique uses of the data stored in such a memory. |
| US08090411B2 |
Wireless millimeter wave communication system
A lens-based millimeter wave transceiver for use in wireless communication systems operating in the E-band spectrum consistent with the FCC rules regulating the 71-76 GHz and 81-86 GHz bands. The transceiver includes a single lens adapted for transmission of millimeter radiation to form communication beams in one band of either a band of about 71-76 GHz or a band of 81-86 GHz and for collection and focusing of millimeter wave radiation from communication beams in the other of the two bands. It includes a feed horn adapted to broadcast millimeter radiation through said single lens and to collect incoming millimeter wave radiation collected and focused by said single lens. A millimeter wave diplexer separates incoming and outgoing millimeter wave radiation. |
| US08090410B2 |
Method for authentication of a user on the basis of his/her voice profile
Voice recording used for authentication is transmitted to the voice portal of the service provider not by way of the voice channel, but rather by way of a data channel. In this connection, the voice recording is sent not synchronous to speech and subject to loss, but rather asynchronously and loss-free, in an extra data package (for example advantageously as a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) data package). For this purpose, the resources that are available as standard items in most mobile phone terminals, such as digital voice recording and MMS transmission, can be utilized. Preferably, the subscriber's identification module or SIM card in the mobile phone terminal can store and implement the corresponding control program. |
| US08090409B2 |
System and method to provision a mobile device
A system and method for enabling functions on a primary mobile device from a secondary mobile device are described. The primary mobile device is configured to enable at least selected functions of the mobile communications device if authorization information is received at the primary mobile device at periodic intervals of time. The method comprises: storing at the secondary mobile device the authorization information; establishing a short range direct wireless communications link between the secondary mobile device and the primary mobile device; and periodically transmitting the authorization information to the primary mobile device to enable the at least selected functions of the mobile communications device. |
| US08090405B2 |
Image/audio playback device of mobile communication terminal
In an image/audio playback technology in a mobile communication terminal, a single image is divided into two halves, i.e., left-half and right-half images, which are displayed on two mobile communication terminals, respectively. In addition, two mobile communication terminals can play left-side and right-side audio data, respectively, which compose stereo audio data, according to the relative locations of the two mobile communication terminals. |
| US08090402B1 |
Communication device
A method for a communication device comprising the phone communication device remote controlling step, wherein, in response to the user entering the user instruction by the phone, the communication device receives a communication device controlling command via a network to which the communication device is connected in a wireless fashion, and the communication device implements a communication device controlling task in response to the communication device controlling command, thereby the communication device is remotely controlled via the user instruction entered by the phone, and thereby a communication device controlled notice which corresponds to the user instruction is output from the phone. |
| US08090399B2 |
Wireless handset airplane safety interlock
A method and device for controlling the operability of a transmitter on a mobile communications device by determining if the mobile communications device is located within the cabin of an airplane. A condition parameter of the mobile communications device may be determined. The transmitter on the mobile communications device may be disabled in response to the mobile communications device being located within an airplane and further in response to the determined condition parameter. |
| US08090393B1 |
System and method for collecting and analyzing malicious code sent to mobile devices
Various methods and systems for collecting and analyzing mobile messages for malicious code are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method involves receiving a first message sent to a telephone number by a sender and determining whether the message contains malicious code. The first message is sent to the telephone number (e.g., a common short code), which is associated with a message analysis server, using a wireless messaging service such as EMS or MMS. The first message can be sent from a mobile communication device (e.g., by a user or by an application, such as an antivirus program, executing on the mobile communication device). |
| US08090392B2 |
Method and system for reporting a short message capability via an IP multimedia subsystem
A method and system for reporting short message (SM) capability over an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) using a session initiation protocol (SIP) are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) registers with a core network and sends a message indicating its SM capability via the IMS to the core network. The core network then updates the WTRU capabilities based on the message and routes an SM to the WTRU via the IMS. |
| US08090391B2 |
Wireless communication base station device configured to use plural communication schemes, and wireless communication system
A wireless communication base station device includes a measuring section and a communication period determining section. The device is configured to use a first wireless communication scheme and a second wireless communication scheme which use overlapping bands. The measuring section measures a first transmission and reception time spent on actual data transmission and reception during a first communication-enabled period in which data communication based on the first wireless communication scheme is permitted, and measures a second transmission and reception time spent on actual data transmission and reception during a second communication-enabled period in which data communication based on the second wireless communication scheme is permitted. The communication period determining section determines lengths of the first and second communication-enabled periods in accordance with the first and second transmission and reception times measured by the measuring section. |
| US08090389B2 |
Method of displaying a map on a phone screen
A wireless communications device includes a radiofrequency transceiver having a wireless voice channel for transmitting and receiving voice communications and a separate wireless data channel for concurrently transmitting and receiving other data. The wireless communications device also includes a memory operatively connected to a processor for processing current location data received over the data channel from another communications device with which the wireless communications device is simultaneously communicating on the voice channel. The wireless communications further includes a display for displaying a phone screen during a voice call, the phone screen presenting call-related information. A map is displayed on the phone screen during the voice call, the map presenting a location current of the other communications device based on the current location data received over the data channel. Optionally, the map can also show the current location of the wireless communications device. |
| US08090388B1 |
Method and apparatus for determining a geographic location
A communication system is disclosed that uses a received wireless signal combined with stored location data about the received signal to determine a location of the communication system or a component of the communication system. The communication system can include a receiver, a processor, and a memory. The processor is adapted to detect identification information in the received wireless signal, search the memory for identification data that matches the detected identification information, and retrieve location data associated with the matching identification information, thereby determining a general location or geographic region in which the receiver is located. |
| US08090384B2 |
System and method for generating a location estimate using a method of intersections
The location of a wireless mobile device may be estimated using, at least in part, one or more pre-existing Network Measurement Reports (“NMRs”) which include calibration data for a number of locations within a geographic region. The calibration data for these locations is gathered and analyzed so that particular grid points within the geographic region can be determined and associated with a particular set or sets of calibration data from, for example, one or more NMRs. Regions may be defined as a function of any number of parameters and respective predetermined ranges thereof in the NMRs. An intersection of these defined regions may be determined and the location of a mobile device may be estimated as a function of the intersection. |
| US08090383B1 |
Method and system for charging for a service based on time spent at a facility
In some embodiments, techniques for location-based services may comprise receiving a first report associated with a mobile phone and with entering a facility, receiving a second report associated with the mobile phone and with exiting the facility, and determining an amount of time during which the mobile phone was associated with the facility based at least in part on data including information relating to a first time associated with the first report and a second time associated with the second report, wherein the amount of time is to be used in calculating a charge on an invoice to a client associated with the facility for a service performed by personnel associated with the mobile phone. |
| US08090382B2 |
Allocating radio resources in mobile communication system
Transmitting information using a preamble of a Random Access Channel (RACH) in an Evolved Universal mobile Telecommunications System (E-UMTS) is provided. A preamble transmission is used to inform a base station of specific information when a terminal uses a RACH and the base station efficiently allocates radio resources for data transmission to the terminal according to the specific information. Delay time before the terminal transmits data is reduced and unnecessary consumption of radio resources is minimized. |
| US08090381B2 |
Protocol assisted switched diversity of antennas
Fading is countered in a WLAN or similar system to maintain QoS by a fusion of switched diversity and protocol based redundancy using time spaced transmission bursts to improve the performance of radio receivers. This redundancy may be enhanced by an overlay of space-time coding of the transmission bursts. |
| US08090380B2 |
Method and apparatus for radio resource control profile creation in a UMTS network
A method for creating a radio resource control profile for a radio resource allocation or a state-transition profile having the steps of receiving a parameter associated with a user equipment (UE), associating the parameter with the radio resource control profile for the radio resource allocation or the state-transition profile and initiating the radio resource allocation or state transition profile for the UE. |
| US08090378B2 |
Color code reuse for cellular systems
A method for configuring color codes in a cellular telephone network is disclosed. The method includes calculating a distance between all possible color codes to be assigned to each of the cells in the network, assigning a first code to a first base station, determining a second code corresponding to a maximum calculated distance from the first code, and assigning subsequent codes to adjacent cells as determined by the maximum available distance between the two neighboring cells' codes to help minimize cross talk and channel interference on the cellular network. |
| US08090377B2 |
Method and system for using signal quality information
A method includes receiving destination information comprising a desired destination and receiving regional signal quality information comprising signal quality information associated with one or more regions of an area. The method also includes determining a first route to the desired destination based on the regional signal quality information. |
| US08090373B2 |
Center for a mobile communication system performing diversity handover
A mobile station for communicating with base stations simultaneously in diversity handover. The mobile station monitors radio condition quality corresponding to a plurality of branches, selects one or more addition branch candidates based on the monitored radio condition quality. The mobile station arranges the addition branch candidates in order of the monitored radio condition quality; notifies a center of information on said plurality of branches including said addition branch candidates, the addition branch candidates being notified in the arranged order. Alternatively, the mobile station obtains a relative value of each of the addition branch candidates indicative of order of precedence to be used for the diversity handover based on the monitored radio condition quality of said addition branch candidates; and notifies a center of information on said plurality of branches including said addition branch candidates and their relative values. |
| US08090372B2 |
Methods and devices for determining if a handover has to be executed for a terminal
The present invention concerns a method for determining if a handover of a first half-duplex terminal has to be executed from a first to a second base station. The first base station: transfers signal in the cell of the first base station, receiving a message transferred by the first half-duplex terminal in response to the signal transferred by the first base station, the message comprising information relative to quality measurements on the signals transferred by the first and second base stations, receiving a message indicating if the idle period of the cell of the second base station is compatible with the round trip delay of the first half-duplex terminal in the cell of the second base station, determining if a handover of the first half-duplex terminal has to be executed according to the compatibility. |
| US08090370B2 |
Combined base transceiver station and base station controller optimized assignment of frame offsets
A system, method, and computer readable medium for managing an availability of a call agent, comprising acquiring a session identification by a basestation (BS) and a call agent (CA), wherein the BS is coupled to the CA, if the CA's state is changed from an active state to a standby state, requesting a new connection with the BS; and after the new connection is established between the CA and the BS, sending another session identification from the CA to the BS. |
| US08090368B2 |
Temporary data service in wireless networks
A wireless network and method are disclosed that provide temporary data service to a party. For the invention, a temporary data service system receives a request from a first party to establish temporary data service for a second party. The temporary data service system then configures the wireless network to establish temporary data service for the second party, such as by setting up a temporary subscriber profile or temporary account for the second party in the wireless network. A notification system then generates a notification message indicating that the temporary data service has been established for the second party, and transmits the notification message to the second party. The second party may use the temporary data service to access some type of data message or data file, such as a picture message sent by the first party. |
| US08090362B2 |
Mobile electronic device and method for displaying characters on a bluetooth device
A system and method for displaying characters on a BLUETOOTH device using a mobile electronic device obtains a telephone number of an incoming call, and converts associated one or more characters into a bitmap picture in response to a determination that the telephone number is associated with one or more characters in a character encoding packet. The system and method further reads a resolution of the bitmap picture and a resolution of a display of the BLUETOOTH device, and adjusts the resolution of the bitmap picture to match the resolution of the display of the BLUETOOTH device. Furthermore, the system and method sends the bitmap picture or the telephone number to the BLUETOOTH device, and displays the bitmap picture on the display of the BLUETOOTH device. |
| US08090361B2 |
Methods and systems for monitoring computer systems using wireless devices
Methods and systems for providing information regarding monitored computer systems to wireless devices are provided. Information may be requested by a wireless device and displayed on the wireless device in a browser. The web server application may detect the wireless device, and may also then specially format the response, including the requested information formatted for optimized delivery and/or display on a wireless device. The web server application may also send a message to a wireless device about events associated with the monitored computer systems. |
| US08090360B2 |
Mobile wireless communication terminals, systems, methods, and computer program products for publishing, sharing and accessing media files
A method for publishing and sharing media files includes: making a published media file available to other wireless communication terminals from a publisher wireless communication terminal; establishing a connection via a wireless communication module of the publisher wireless communication terminal with a requestor wireless communication terminal seeking published media files; sending an identification of the published media file from the publisher wireless communication terminal to the requestor wireless communication terminal; sending a media file request from the requestor wireless communication terminal to the publisher wireless communication terminal requesting the published media file; sending the published media file from the publisher wireless communication terminal to the requestor wireless communication terminal in response to the media file request; and executing playback of the published media file on the requestor wireless communication terminal. |
| US08090359B2 |
Exchanging identifiers between wireless communication to determine further information to be exchanged or further services to be provided
Techniques for facilitating the exchange of information and transactions between two entities associated with two wireless devices when the devices are in close proximity to each other. A first device uses a first short range wireless capability to detect an identifier transmitted from a second device in proximity, ideally using existing radio capabilities such as Bluetooth (IEEE802.15.1-2002) or Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11). The detected identifier, being associated with the device, is also associated with an entity. Rather than directly exchanging application data flow between the two devices using the short range wireless capability, a second wireless capability allows for one or more of the devices to communicate with a central server via the internet, and perform the exchange of application data flow. By using a central server to draw on stored information and content associated with the entities the server can broker the exchange of information between the entities and the devices. |
| US08090355B2 |
Wireless electronic couponing technique
An electronic couponing technique includes transferring coupon information, which may include a coupon ID (identification) to a first portable terminal and storing same therein. The portable terminal displays a representation of the transferred coupon information on a display thereof. The stored coupon information may be transferred from the portable terminal to another terminal for redemption. The stored coupon information may also be transferred from the portable terminal to another portable terminal. Various schemes may be used to transfer the coupon information including a Bluetooth low-range radio link or an optical bar code scanner scanning an optical bar code or an infrared link or a wireless link from the portable terminal. The Internet or wireless LAN (Local Area Network) may also be used in transferring the coupon information to and from the various terminals. |
| US08090354B2 |
Systems and methods for managing services for carrier subscribers and migrating them to service bundles
There is disclosed a system and method for managing service for carrier subscribers and migrating them to service bundles. In an embodiment, the method comprises obtaining a list of existing services to which a subscriber is subscribed; comparing the list of services to available service bundles; determining if there is an exact match of services between the list of existing services and services included in one or more available service bundles, and if so, migrating the subscriber to the one or more available service bundles with the exact match. The method may further comprise identifying a main service in the list of existing services and determining if there is a partial match of services between the main service and a service included in one or more available service bundles, and if so, migrating the subscriber to the one or more available service bundles with the partial match. A subscriber may be manually migrated if migration is not possible with an exact match or partial match. |
| US08090339B1 |
Off-line channel tuning amplitude slope matched filter architecture
A tuning control system and associated method is provided for continuously and automatically tuning a lobed amplitude slope matching filter (ASMF) 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 tuning control system is provided as an element of an interference cancellation system. |
| US08090331B2 |
Method and apparatus for compensating code channel power in a transmitter
It has now been found that in some transmitter implementations which transmit multiple code channels, for example CDMA transmitters, the observed power for each code channel at the output relative to the other code channels is dependent upon the total transmit power due to non-linearities in the transmitter. Methods and apparatus are provided which use pre-set digital gains or digital gain adjustments to compensate for the non-linearities as a function of total transmit power such that at the output, the desired relative powers are observed. |
| US08090330B2 |
System having a filter
A system having a filter is disclosed. One embodiment includes at least two polyphase filter branches, each of the polyphase filter branches including a respective recursive allpass filter, wherein the filter approximates a linear filter. |
| US08090324B2 |
Radio communication terminal apparatus, display method in radio communication terminal apparatus and radio communication network system
A radio communication terminal apparatus has a measuring part configured to measure radio field intensities of radio communication with other plurality of radio communication terminal apparatuses of a plurality of radio communication terminal apparatuses; a storing part configured to store measurement values of radio field intensities of radio communication with the other plurality of radio communication terminal apparatuses, obtained from the measurement of the measuring part; and a display screen for displaying the other plurality of radio communication terminal apparatuses to a user, wherein, on the display screen, identification information of the other plurality of radio communication terminal apparatuses is arranged in an increasing order or a decreasing order with the use of the measurement values of the radio field intensities of radio communication with the other plurality of radio communication terminal apparatuses stored by the storing part as a key for the arrangement. |
| US08090323B2 |
Reverse link optimized channel quality estimation
A device associated with a network receives feedback information associated with a data channel, and determines whether a condition in the data channel is changing based on the feedback information associated with the data channel. The device also calculates an implicit channel quality estimate based on the feedback information. The device further transmits a trigger requesting a channel quality report when the condition in the data channel is changing, and receives the requested channel quality report. |
| US08090321B2 |
Transmitting sports and entertainment data to wireless hand held devices over a telecommunications network
A method and system for wirelessly providing venue-based data to one or more hand held devices. Venue-based data can be acquired from one or more venues. The venue-based data can be authenticated and wirelessly transmitted to one or more hand held devices through one or more wireless telecommunications networks, in response to authenticating the venue-based data and/or the hand held device(s) and/or a user of the hand held device(s), in order to permit the venue-based data to be accessible via one or more hand held devices at locations remote from the venue(s). |
| US08090317B2 |
Personal wireless network user behavior based topology
Point-to-point links making up a wireless network in which the point-to-point links connect at least personal portable devices are dynamically altered (i.e., new point-to-point links are established and/or other point-to-point links are removed) in response to recurring comparisons of the extents of interaction of each of the personal portable devices with the wireless network to increase the resiliency of the wireless network to the observed behavior of the user of the personal portable devices in changing which personal portable devices are within the network at any given time. |
| US08090315B2 |
Method and system for frequency control in a frequency shifting repeater
Aspects of a method and system for frequency control in a frequency shifting repeater are provided. In this regard, a reference frequency may be divided to generate a first pair of local oscillator (LO) signals, the first pair of LO signals may be divided to generate a second pair of LO signals. The two pairs of LO signals may be utilized to frequency shift a received signal for repeating the signal on a different frequency. The frequency shifted signal may be generated by down-converting the received signal utilizing the first pair of LO signals, up-converting the down-converted signal utilizing the second pair of LO signals, and combining the resulting up-converted signals. The reference frequency may be divided by a first scaling factor to generate the first pair of LO signal which, in turn, may be divided by a second scaling factor to generate the second pair of LO signals. |
| US08090313B2 |
Method and system for frequency-shift based chip-to-chip communications
Aspects of a method and system for frequency-shift based chip-to-chip communications may include receiving and/or generating modulation control information and demodulation control information within a chip comprising one or more receivers and one or more transmitters. One or more modulation frequencies may be adjusted and utilized to generate transmit signals by the one or more transmitters based on the received modulation control information, wherein the one or more modulation frequencies may be distinct. One or more demodulation frequencies may be adjusted and utilized to generate intermediate frequency signals by the one or more receivers based on the received demodulation control information wherein the one or more demodulation frequencies may be distinct. The modulation control information and the demodulation control information may be received via a communication device comprising said chip. |
| US08090311B2 |
Communication terminals and mobile communication system including the same
The transmission speed of downlink communication information to be received by communication terminals has been improved. A mobile communication system comprises a plurality of communication terminals that wirelessly communicate with each other; and a base station that is requested, based on the transmission speeds of the communication terminals, by the communication terminals to transmit downlink communication information. Each local communication terminal has a relay requesting device that receives information on the transmission speed of another communication terminal and that, when the transmission speed of the other communication terminal is greater than that of the local communication terminal, transmits, to the other communication terminal, identification information to be used for the base station to identify the local communication terminal or the other communication terminal, thereby requesting the other communication terminal to relay communication information addressed to the local communication terminal. The base station has a terminal identifying/transmitting device that transmits, based on the identification information of the local communication terminal, the communication information addressed to the local communication terminal to the local communication terminal via the other communication terminal. |
| US08090308B2 |
Continuous paper feed device, image forming apparatus, continuous paper feeding method and computer readable media storing program
A continuous paper feed device includes a paper feed unit that feeds continuous paper to an image output part; a slack forming unit that forms a slack of continuous paper on a paper transport path; a detecting unit that detects a remaining amount of continuous paper; a cutting unit that cuts the continuous paper; and a cutting controller that controls the cutting unit to cut the continuous paper during a time taken to tighten the slack formed, when paper more than a predefined value which has been set beforehand is transported, and if the remaining amount of paper detected by the detecting unit is more than a threshold value, the cutting controller performing control operation including reducing a length of a slack formed by the slack forming unit and transporting the continuous paper, followed by forming a slack again by the slack forming unit. |
| US08090307B2 |
Developer recovering unit with grounded downstream transporting device and image forming apparatus using the same
A developer recovering unit is provided with a recovery vessel that contains a developer to be recovered, a transporting device that includes a transporting member that transports the developer through a tubular transport path connecting a portion where the developer is generated to the recovery vessel, and a detecting device that detects an amount of the developer contained in the recovery vessel, wherein the transporting member is formed as a conductive member and is grounded at least in a most downstream section of the transport path connected to the recovery vessel. |
| US08090301B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided with an image forming portion for forming an image according to image information; an image forming unit arranged to be detachable and integrally including the image forming portion; a developer container arranged to be detachable for supplying developer to the image forming portion; and a blocking member for blocking developer from being supplied from the developer container to the image forming portion. |
| US08090298B2 |
Electrostatic charging member, electrostatic charging device, process cartridge and image forming apparatus
An electrostatic charging member includes a base material; and an outermost layer that contains a porous filler and a resin and has a gel fraction of at least about 50% and a surface roughness Rz in a range of about 2 μm to about 20 μm. |
| US08090296B2 |
Coupling mechanism for a process portion of an image forming apparatus
There is provided an image forming apparatus that includes couplings for photoreceptor drums, couplings for waste toner transporting screws, and couplings for developing rollers, that transmit driving force to each of a plurality of driving shafts for driving a process portion that performs image formation by an electrophotographic method, and a plurality of coupling attaching/detaching members for attaching/detaching the plurality of coupling members, so as to drive the process portion. In the image forming apparatus, the plurality of coupling attaching/detaching members are provided so as to be movable independently, and the image forming apparatus includes a coupling attaching/detaching member driving mechanism that operates the coupling attaching/detaching members in association with each other. |
| US08090291B2 |
Image forming device including a shaft member with regulators provided thereon for breaking up an attachment/detachment operation of an image forming unit
An image forming device includes a main body, an image forming unit configured to be attached to and detached from the main body, the image forming unit being configured to move among first, second, and third positions, a shaft member configured to rotate around an axis line thereof between a first rotational position and a second rotational position, a first regulator provided to the shaft member so as to, when the shaft member is in the first rotational position, engage with the image forming unit and forbid the image forming unit to move between the second position and the third position, and a second regulator provided to the shaft member so as to, when the shaft member is in the second rotational position, engage with the image forming unit and forbid the image forming unit to move between the first position and the second position. |
| US08090289B2 |
Charging device and an image forming apparatus provided with the charging device
A charging device has a sheet electrode with triangular pins aligned in a first direction and a cleaner unit for cleaning the sheet electrode while moving in the first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The cleaner unit has a grinding member for grinding the sheet electrode, a first collecting member, which is disposed downstream in the first direction from the grinding member, for collecting extraneous matter, a second collecting member, which is disposed downstream in the second direction from the grinding member, for collecting extraneous matter, and a switching section for changing a contact state of the first collecting member with the sheet electrode and a contact state of the second collecting member with the sheet electrode. While the cleaner unit is moving in the first direction, the second collecting member is pressed against the sheet electrode with greater force than the first collecting member is pressed against the sheet electrode, and while the cleaner unit is moving in the second direction, the first collecting member is pressed against the sheet electrode with greater force than the second collecting member is pressed against the sheet electrode. |
| US08090286B2 |
Image forming apparatus and toner supply container used therefor
In a toner supply container, an air blowing mechanism includes an air blowing fan, an air blowing tube, and an air inlet coupling member. The air inlet coupling member is in close contact with a side wall of the toner container around an air inlet, and includes a skirt made of elastic silicone rubber that covers a joint part of the air blowing tube and the air inlet. An exhaust mechanism includes an exhaust outlet coupling member, an exhaust tube, and an air cleaning filter. The exhaust outlet coupling member is in close contact with an upper wall of the toner container around an exhaust outlet, and includes a skirt made of elastic silicone rubber that covers a joint part of the exhaust tube and the air outlet. |
| US08090285B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a body casing, a fixing part, an inlet terminal and an interfering member. The fixing part is removably mounted inside the body casing and fixes a developer image onto a recording medium. The inlet terminal is provided inside the body casing, and a power cord for supplying power from an exterior is connected to the inlet terminal. The interfering member is provided at the fixing part, interposed between a predetermined part of the power cord and the inlet terminal in a state where the power cord is connected to the inlet terminal, and interferes with the predetermined part when the fixing part is moved in a removing direction with respect to the body casing. |
| US08090282B2 |
Gain scheduling approach for fuser control to reduce inter-cycle time
A fusing apparatus includes a fuser roll and a pressure roll which define a nip therebetween. An internal heat source is disposed within a interior of the fuser roll. An external heat source is disposed adjacent the fuser roll for heating an outer surface of the fuser roll. One or both of the internal heat source and the external heat source is controlled during a print job such that the thermal gradient across the fuser roll is adjusted. As a result, a temperature overshoot which generally occurs after the print job is finished can be reduced. The influence of subsequent jobs on the fuser roll surface temperature can also be accommodated. |
| US08090279B2 |
Image forming apparatus having control unit
An image forming apparatus includes an image supporting member; a developer supporting member for attaching developer to the image supporting member to form a developer image; a transfer unit for transferring the developer image to a recording medium; a driving unit for driving at least one of the image supporting member, the developer supporting member, and the transfer unit; an external temperature detection unit for detecting an environmental temperature outside the image forming apparatus; and a control unit for setting a driving speed of the driving unit according to the environmental temperature. |
| US08090277B2 |
Image forming apparatus
In a copier having an image data converter that sets the C density, the M density and the Y density to a density obtained by multiplying the density of black in the RGB system by a CMY mixture ratio and sets the K density to a density obtained by multiplying the density of black by a K mixture ratio when black in the RGB system is converted into the CMYK system, the image data converter sets the K mixture ratio to a K reference mixture ratio when TK |
| US08090276B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a developing roller that carries a two-component developer from a developer container to an image carrier, a first screw carrying a developer, and a second screw carrying the developer in a direction opposite to a direction in which the first screw carries the developer. The first screw and the second screw circularly convey the two-component developer while stirring the two-component developer to supply the two-component developer to the developing roller. A rotation speed of the second screw and a rotation speed of the developing roller can be drive-controlled independently, and a ratio of a rotation speed between the second screw and the developing roller is variable. |
| US08090273B2 |
Custom application fuser roller system
A fuser roller system, utilized with electrographic or xerographic copying or printing devices, multiple fuser rollers, each of which includes a machine readable device (MRD) having identification data. The system also includes at least one MRD reader and at least one computer having a database of fuser rollers. The system facilitates use of custom fuser rollers by determining what type of fuser roller is appropriate to run a print job. Then it is determined whether an appropriate fuser roller is installed in the copying or printing device. If an appropriate fuser roller is installed in the copying or printing device, the print job is directed to the device. If an appropriate fuser roller is not installed in the copying or printing device, the appropriate fuser roller is identified using the identification data stored in the MRD and installed in the device. |
| US08090264B2 |
Architecture for enabling network centric communications, sensing, computation, and information assurance
A free-space network may include: at least one free-space sensor for sensing at least one uncooperative target; at least one free-space communications network for allowing a plurality of cooperative users to communicate, at least one free-space processor for processing information from the at least one free-space sensor and information from the at least one free-space communications network; and at least one free-space communications link connecting in free-space the at least one free-space sensor, the at least one free-space communications network, and the at least one free-space processor. The at least one free-space communications network may include a plurality of free-space multi-channel relay converters for tracking a plurality of cooperative users, and a connection system for aligning the plurality of free-space multi-channel relay converters with one another to allow a plurality of cooperative users to communicate. |
| US08090257B2 |
Optical communication system, optical communication apparatus, and method of monitoring fault alarm in path section detour
The optical communication system of the present invention is constructed with a data plane and a control plane, and includes a first monitor for monitoring a path alarm on the data plane, a second monitor for monitoring a path alarm on the control plane, and an alarm comparator for comparing alarm statuses of the optical paths that the first monitor and the second monitor preserve, wherein an optical communication apparatus, of which the first monitor and the second monitor both are in a status of having detected the alarm, operate so as to start an operation of avoiding a fault. Such a configuration makes it possible to make a detour only around an appropriate section including a fault location without performing an erroneous operation when a fault has occurred in an optical path, in which a plurality of detour sections, in an all-optical communication system. |
| US08090255B2 |
Housing assembly for portable electronic device
A housing assembly for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The portable electronic device includes a camera assembled therein. The housing assembly includes a base housing and a cover. The base housing has an aperture defined therethrough for exposing the camera to light and facilitating picture taking. The cover is made of transparent material and is mounted on the base housing to cover the aperture. |
| US08090240B2 |
Moving picture data edition device and moving picture data edition method
There is provided a video data editing apparatus for making video data edition to set a frame as a predetermined edit point in video data including a plurality of picture frame groups each including a plurality of picture frames. The apparatus includes an operation command input unit (40) to accept an operation command, a data storage unit (120) to store video data compressed at every picture frame groups each including a plurality of picture frames and an edit mode controller (102). The edit mode controller makes, based on a predetermined-operation command supplied via the operation command input unit, a selection between a group-unit edit point select mode in which a command for selection of a picture frame group of the video data stored in the storage unit is accepted via the operation command input unit to change the currently-selected picture frame group and a frame-unit edit point select mode in which a command for selection of one frame of a plurality of picture frame groups included in the currently-selected picture frame group is accepted via the operation command input unit to change the currently-selected picture frame, and sets, as an edit point, a picture frame corresponding to the result of selection in the group-unit edit point select mode or a picture frame corresponding to the results of selection in the group- and frame-unit edit point select modes in response to a set command supplied via the operation command input unit. |
| US08090237B2 |
Recording medium containing moving picture data and additional information thereof and reproducing method and apparatus of the recording medium
The present invention relates to a recording medium containing moving picture data and additional information thereof and to reproducing method and apparatus of the recording medium. The present recording medium has script files including additional information about moving picture data, e.g., scene descriptive text and introduction of characters, etc. In addition, information linking each script file with a section of moving picture data to be presented with contents of the script file is included in a link data file or is contained in a filename of the script file. In reproduction of the recording medium, a script file linked with presently reproduced moving picture data section is determined and searched for based on the link data file or every filename of the script files, and contents of the found script file are presented together with the presently reproduced moving picture data. Furthermore, previously presented additional information is removed depending on data or filename of the found script file. |
| US08090235B2 |
Relay apparatus, and reproduction system
The invention prevents unwanted sounds from being outputted from an AV output apparatus such as a HDTV receiver. In the invention, when a streaming signal of a predetermined format having video data and audio data is inputted to a streaming input terminal 10, separation unit 23 of a relay apparatus 2 separates this signal into the video data and audio data. HDMI transmitter 27 generates and outputs a streaming signal having the video data separated by the separation unit 23, of the same format as that of the streaming signal inputted to the streaming input terminal 10. |
| US08090233B2 |
Microstructuring optical wave guide devices with femtosecond optical pulses
The present invention is directed to the creation of optical waveguiding devices from standard optical fibers by the creation of zones of permanently altered refractive index characteristics therein. A high intensity femtosecond laser beam is focused at a predetermined target region in the fiber so as to soften the glass material at the target region. After aligning the focal region with the target region in the fiber there will be relative movement between the focal region and the fiber, which has the effect of sweeping the focal region across the fiber in a predetermined path, so as to create a secondary waveguide path. A portion of the light traveling along the core is removed from the core along the secondary waveguide path such that the device can be utilized as an attenuator, an optical tap, or a polarimeter. |
| US08090232B2 |
Low shrink telecommunications cable and methods for manufacturing the same
The present disclosure relates to a telecommunications cable having a layer constructed to resist post-extrusion shrinkage. The layer includes a plurality of discrete shrinkage-reduction members embedded within a base material. The shrinkage-reduction members can be made of a liquid crystal polymer. The disclosure also relates to a method for manufacturing telecommunications cables having layers adapted to resist post-extrusion shrinkage. |
| US08090222B1 |
Selection of an image or images most representative of a set of images
Implementations consistent with the principles described herein relate to ranking a set of images based on features of the images determine the most representative and/or highest quality images in the set. In one implementation, an initial set of images is obtained and ranked based on a comparison of each image in the set of images to other images in the set of images. The comparison is performed using at least one predetermined feature of the images. |
| US08090221B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting displacement with sub-pixel accuracy
A method for detecting displacement with sub-pixel accuracy includes the steps of: capturing a first array image and a second array image; interpolating the first array image to form a reference image; interpolating the second array image to form a comparison image; comparing the reference image with the comparison image so as to obtain a displacement. The present invention also provides an apparatus for detecting displacement with sub-pixel accuracy. |
| US08090220B2 |
Resolution enhancement of video sequences with arbitrary enhancement factor
Restoration based super-resolution combines a video sequence of low-resolution noisy blurred images using maximum likelihood estimation without regularization to produce a higher resolution image or video sequence up to a maximum enhancement factor r for the given video sequence. The maximum r value for a given sequence of low-resolution images that guarantees each high-resolution bin (pixel) will have at least one assigned pixel value from a low-resolution image is calculated. With the knowledge of max r, the system can select an r less than or equal to max r and thus operate without regularization. System robustness is further enhanced by providing a modified MLE estimator that can perform super resolution for arbitrary real-valued r so that enhancement is not limited to integer values. |
| US08090216B2 |
Image noise level estimation from JPEG data
A system for estimating noise levels in a data stream includes a calculator for determining DC and AC values of DCT coefficients in coded data blocks, where the coded data blocks are within a strip of an image divided into multiple strips. A classifier is included for forming a plurality of luminance levels, based on the calculated DC values. A selector is included for selecting coded data blocks having minimum AC values, as computed by the calculator. At least two coded data blocks are selected for each of the luminance levels. After decoding, another calculator is used for determining a variance for each of the decoded data blocks corresponding to the selected coded data blocks in each strip. An order statistic filter is included for ordering the decoded data blocks in each strip based on the calculated variances. Another selector selects one of the decoded data blocks, for each of the luminance levels. |
| US08090215B2 |
Method and system for noise level detection in image data
A system determines the noise level of image data by high pass filtering image data. Absolutes values of the high pass filtered image data are determined. Thereafter, multiple mean values for absolute values less than a predetermined number of threshold values are determined. Based upon the determined mean values, a plurality of estimated mean values is calculated, each estimated mean value being calculated from a combination of two determined mean values. The noise of the image is determined from a combination of the minimum estimated mean value and the maximum estimated mean value. This noise can be optionally used by a sigma filter, at Step S740, to sigma filter the image data. |
| US08090211B2 |
Device for reducing impulse noise and method thereof
The present invention provides a device and a method for reducing impulse noise. The device includes a signal intensity detector, an intensity difference calculator, and a filtering circuit. The signal intensity detector receives an image signal and determines a first pixel having an extreme intensity, and a second pixel having a second extreme intensity of a window of the image frame corresponding to the image signal. The intensity difference calculator determines the intensity difference between the first pixel and the second pixel. The filtering circuit receives the image signal and optionally filters the image signal for reducing the impulse noise according to the intensity difference between the first pixel and the second pixel. |
| US08090210B2 |
Recursive 3D super precision method for smoothly changing area
An image processing system implements recursive 3D super precision for processing smoothly changing video image areas by performing temporal noise reduction and then 2D super precision. The temporal noise reduction is applied to two frames, one being the current input low precision frame, and the other being the previous higher precision frame from memory. The 2D super precision is applied to the noise reduced frame to output a high precision frame which is also saved into memory for processing the next incoming frame. The input frame has a limited bit depth while the output image has an increased bit depth. |
| US08090209B2 |
Image coding device, digital still camera, digital camcorder, imaging device, and image coding method
Coding processing performed by an image coding device (100) includes: processing (S133) of performing coding by leaving surplus bit(s), when the digit number B of binary data of the difference value between (a) a value of a to-be-coded pixel and (b) a prediction value is smaller than the predetermined bit number M; and processing (S133) of performing coding by using the surplus bit(s), when the digit number B is greater than M and there are the surplus bit(s). Pieces of coded data each having a predetermined coding amount are generated, by performing processing for each of consecutive T pixels so as to perform the coding processing for each of U pixels among the consecutive T pixels (S136). |
| US08090208B2 |
Robust segmentation of a mass candidate in digital mammography images
An iterative method for segmentation of an object appearing in a digital image, where the object is defined by a difference in intensity from its immediate surrounding region. The method may also be used for segmenting tissue masses found in a digital image, including masses found in digital mammography. |
| US08090206B2 |
Systems and methods for matching images
A method for matching images is disclosed. The method includes selecting a template image and a target image from a batch of images and sampling the template image so as to obtain a template-sampled image, and sampling the target image so as to obtain a target-sampled image, wherein the sampling of both the template image and the target image is according to a sample interval. The method further includes matching the template-sampled image and the target-sampled image, and matching the template image and the target image, if the template-sampled image and the target-sampled image are matched successfully. |
| US08090205B2 |
Method for edge matching in film and image processing
A method for edge mapping images for use in image processing. Edge mapping includes identifying base and non-base color components. A search window in the base color component is opened and the non-base color components are compared with the base component picture. The number of matched or unmatched edge points is then calculated. The best match can then be determined through testing or manual selection. |
| US08090202B2 |
Document processing apparatus and program
A document processing apparatus includes a region extracting unit that extracts a plurality of regions in a document image, a recognition unit that recognizes a character string, a conversion unit that converts the recognized character string, a setting unit that sets first boundary lines that surrounds the document image and at least one second boundary line in a space between adjacent regions of the plurality of regions, an enlargement/reduction unit that moves in parallel at least one line of the first and second boundary lines under a restraint condition that at least one line does not intersect any of the plurality of regions, and enlarges or reduces at least one of the regions in accordance with the parallel movement so long as each region does not get out of a cell; and an insertion unit that inserts the converted character string into each of the regions. |
| US08090197B2 |
Image data analysis apparatus, image data analysis method, and program
An image data analysis apparatus adapted to receive color image data having three components for every pixel, detect a color gamut as a range of colors the color image data represents in a predetermined color space, and determine a plurality of apexes defining the color gamut in the color space is disclosed. The image data analysis apparatus includes: a first apex determining unit that detects a minimum grayscale value as a smallest grayscale value among the three components with respect to the pixels included in the color image data, and determines a first apex, which defines the color gamut in the color space, based on the minimum grayscale value; a color image data converting unit that converts the color image data of each of the pixels having the three components into a coordinate point on a predetermined chromaticity plane. |
| US08090196B2 |
Album creating apparatus, album creating method and computer readable medium storing thereon program therefor
To easily create an album with colors visually harmonized with images. An album creating apparatus includes: a main subject determining section for determining the main subject of an image; a color extraction section for extracting a plurality of colors included in an image region other than the main subject determined by the main subject determining section; an appearance frequency of color calculating section for calculating the appearance frequency of the plurality of colors extracted by the color extraction section; a characteristic color determining section for determining the characteristic color in the image region other then the main subject determined by the main subject determining section based on the appearance frequency of the plurality of colors calculated by the appearance frequency of color calculating section; and an album color selecting section for selecting a color used for the album which is used in the region other than the image in the album including images. |
| US08090195B2 |
Compound eye imaging apparatus, distance measuring apparatus, disparity calculation method, and distance measuring method
A compound eye imaging apparatus can estimate a sub-pixel disparity with a high degree of accuracy without depending on a brightness of a surface of an object. The compound eye imaging apparatus includes: a standard imaging optical system generating a picture including a standard image; reference imaging optical systems of an even number equal to or larger than two arranged substantially point-symmetrically with respect to the standard imaging optical system, which generate an picture including a reference image; a correlation value calculation unit (6) calculating a correlation value for each shifting amount by which one of the reference images is shifted parallel to a baseline, with respect to the standard image, for each of the reference imaging optical systems of an even number equal to or larger than two; a correlation value addition unit (7) calculating an integrated correlation value by adding, to each corresponding shifting amount, the correlation value calculated for each of said reference imaging optical systems of an even number equal to or larger than two; and a disparity calculation unit (8) calculating a disparity that is a shifting amount resulting in the largest degree of similarity between the standard image and the reference image. |
| US08090194B2 |
3D geometric modeling and motion capture using both single and dual imaging
A method and apparatus for obtaining an image to determine a three dimensional shape of a stationary or moving object using a bi dimensional coded light pattern having a plurality of distinct identifiable feature types. The coded light pattern is projected on the object such that each of the identifiable feature types appears at most once on predefined sections of distinguishable epipolar lines. An image of the object is captured and the reflected feature types are extracted along with their location on known epipolar lines in the captured image. Displacements of the reflected feature types along their epipolar lines from reference coordinates thereupon determine corresponding three dimensional coordinates in space and thus a 3D mapping or model of the shape of the object at any point in time. |
| US08090193B2 |
Mobile robot
There is disclosed a mobile robot including an image processor that generates recognition information regarding a target object included in a taken image, and a main controller integrally controlling the robot based on this recognition information. The image processor executes steps of: generating a low-resolution image and at least one high-resolution image whose resolution higher than that of the low-resolution image; generating first target object information regarding the target object from the low-resolution image; determining which high-resolution image should be processed if two or more high-resolution images are generated, and then defining a resolution process region in the low-resolution image; processing a region in the high-resolution region corresponding to the resolution process region in the low-resolution image, so as to generate second target object information in the high-resolution image; and determining whether or not the first and the second target object information are matched; and based on this determination, using at least either of the first and the second target object information, thereby to generate the recognition information. |
| US08090190B2 |
Method and apparatus for reviewing defects
An apparatus for reviewing defects including an image processing section (defect classification device section) with a function of estimating a non-defective state (reference image) of a portion in which the defect exists by use of a defect image, and a function of judging criticality or non-flat state of the defect by use of the estimation result. It becomes possible to establish both of a high-throughput image collecting sequence in which any reference image is not acquired and high-precision defect classification, and then to realize both of a high performance classifying function and a high-throughput image collecting function in a defect reviewing apparatus which automatically collects and classifies images of defects existing on a sample of a semiconductor wafer or the like. |
| US08090187B2 |
Pattern inspection method and its apparatus
A pattern inspection method including: sequentially imaging plural chip formed on a substrate; selecting at least one of pattern sections of each inspection image obtained by the imaging, while discarding other pattern sections, based on a recipe created in advance, the recipe including information for determining which pattern sections to be selected or discarded; calculating position gap between an inspection image of a chip obtained by the imaging and a reference image stored in a memory by using positional information of pattern images included in the inspection image and reference pattern images which are both corresponding to the at least one of pattern sections selected at the selecting; aligning the inspection image and the reference image by using information of the calculated position gap; and comparing the aligned inspection image with the reference image, and extracting a difference between the two images as a defect candidate. |
| US08090186B2 |
Pattern inspection apparatus, pattern inspection method, and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A pattern inspection method includes: acquiring an image of a pattern; performing matching of CAD data for the pattern and the image; extracting coordinates of a plurality of points on a line segment constituting a polygon figure in the CAD data, to be defined as a first coordinate group; specifying coordinates of edge points in the image corresponding to the plurality of points to be defined as a second coordinate group; calculating differences between the coordinates corresponding to each other from the first and second coordinate group, and calculating statistics each representing a degree of deviation in the matching based on the differences; correct the polygon figure when it is determined that a correction is required as a result of judgment based on the statistics; and inspecting the pattern by comparing the corrected polygon figure with the image. |
| US08090183B2 |
Pattern noise correction for pseudo projections
Correcting pattern noise projection images includes acquiring a set of projection images with an optical tomography system including a processor, where each of the set of projection images is acquired at a different angle of view. A threshold is applied to each projection image produce a set of threshold images. Each threshold image may optionally be dilated to produce a set of dilated images that are summed to form an ensemble image. Each of the dilated images is processed to produce a set of binary images. The set of binary images are summed to form an ensemble mask. The ensemble image is divided by the ensemble mask to yield a background pattern noise image. Each projection image is multiplied by a scaling factor and divided by the background pattern noise to produce a quotient image that is filtered to produce a noise corrected projection image. |
| US08090182B2 |
Image reconstruction device, image reconstruction method, image reconstruction program, and CT apparatus
A computerized tomography apparatus and program for obtaining a cross-sectional image corresponding to projections are provided in which, for a temporary cross-sectional image f(x, y) obtained in some manner, an evaluation function E is defined which includes differences between projections calculated from f(x, y) and measured projections, and f(x, y) is changed in a manner which substantially decreases E. The computerized tomography apparatus and program are characterized in which a back projection operation, which is required by conventional computerized tomography, is not essentially required. The computerized tomography apparatus and program are particularly effective in removal or reduction of metal artifacts, aliasing artifacts and the like. |
| US08090181B2 |
Radiographic image processing apparatus and radiographic image processing method
An image acquisition unit acquires an X-ray image obtained by irradiating a subject with an X-ray and a dark image obtained without irradiating the X-ray. A dark correction mode input unit inputs a dark correction mode for correcting the X-ray image using the dark image. A control unit sets a noise suppression parameter according to the dark correction mode received from the dark correction mode input unit. A dark correction unit corrects the X-ray image based on dark image according to the dark correction mode received from the dark correction mode input unit. A noise suppression unit performs noise suppression processing on the X-ray image corrected by the dark correction unit, using the noise suppression parameter received from the control unit. |
| US08090179B2 |
External pixon smoothing for tomographic image reconstruction technical field
Tomographically reconstructing a 3D image object corresponding to a data set includes reconstructing a first reconstructed object from the data set, receiving a smoothing map, smoothing the first reconstructed object based on the smoothing map thereby creating a first smoothed object, and outputting the first smoothed object as the 3D image object. Smoothing a first object thereby creating a smoothed object having a smoothed value associated to each object point in object space includes receiving the first object, determining, in a series of steps, single-kernel-smoothed objects, wherein each iteration step is associated with a kernel function and includes, determining a start object based on the first object, and smoothing the start object using the kernel function of the iteration step, thereby creating the single-kernel-smoothed object having single-kernel-smoothed values associated to each object point, and constructing the smoothed object from the single-kernel-smoothed values. |
| US08090178B2 |
System and method for automatic detection of internal structures in medical images
A medical imaging system is used to recognize an internal structure from a three-dimensional image. The image includes image sub-volumes. An image sub-volume is selected using a non-linear search pattern. The selected image sub-volume is analyzed for the presence of the internal structure. The steps of selecting an image sub-volume using the non-linear search pattern and analyzing the selected sub-volume for the presence of the internal structure are repeated until the internal structure is found in an image sub-volume. Bounds of the internal structure are identified based on the location of the image sub-volume within which the internal structure is found. |
| US08090172B2 |
Robust segmentation of breast and muscle in MRI
A method for segmenting an anatomical structure within medical image data includes acquiring medical image data. The medical image data is transformed from an original image space into a projective dual image space. A boundary of an anatomical structure is identified within the transformed medical image data based on a set of preexisting training data. An inverse transform is performed on the transformed medical image data and the identified boundary to convert the transformed medical image data and the identified boundary into the original image space. The inverse transformed identified boundary of the anatomical structure is used to segment the anatomical structure within the acquired medical image data. |
| US08090168B2 |
Method and system for visualizing registered images
A method for visualizing a registered image is presented. The method includes receiving a first image data set and at least one other image data set. Further, the method includes displaying at least a portion of the first image data set on a first portion of a display. Also, the method includes displaying at least a portion of the at least one other image data set on a second portion of the display. Additionally, the method includes selectively adjusting display of the at least a portion of the at least one other image data to provide a context to the first image data set. Systems and computer-readable medium that afford functionality of the type defined by this method is also contemplated in conjunction with the present technique. |
| US08090165B2 |
Ultrasonic imaging system and a method for optimizing the gray level of ultrasonic images
The invention relates to an ultrasonic system and a method for optimizing gray level value of ultrasonic images used in the ultrasonic system, the method comprises: an acquiring step for acquiring the ultrasonic image; a searching step for searching non-evenly divided sub-areas from the acquired ultrasonic image; analyzing step for analyzing the change of gray level in each of the sub-areas in the direction of depth; and calculating step for calculating an optimized gray level value of the ultrasonic image based on the result of the analyzing step. By implementing the method of present invention, a better image equilibrium effect is obtained in the ultrasonic system. |
| US08090161B2 |
Systems and method for signature verification
The signature verification methods and devices disclosed herein can be used to verify signatures signed on electronic key pads and other input devices, such as signature pens. Many different aspects of a dynamic signature can be measured in an attempt to verify the signature, including, but not limited to spatial measurements, measurements over time, and frequency. These measurements can be of points on a signature, but they can also be pressure, velocity, and acceleration, to name just a few. These different aspects can then be analyzed using, for example, time series, and spectral similarities. Further, the spectral similarities can be analyzed using wavelet-transforms. In another embodiment, these analysis systems and methods can be applied to written signatures as well as dynamic written signatures. |
| US08090159B2 |
Apparatus and method for identifying a name corresponding to a face or voice using a database
The basic invention uses biometric signals to help identify the name of a family member, acquaintance or newly met individual. The biometric signals include facial and voice recognition. In addition, the invention can interactively produce the name of an individual met for the first time just after that individual shakes your hand and introduces themselves. Most people forget this name since they are concentrating on maintaining a conversation. An earphone plug can physically connect the handheld unit to the ear canal of the user and the identity of the individual is electronically passed over the wire to the user. A handheld unit identifies the individual and whispers their name into the ear canal. An earphone is physically connected to the handheld unit via a wire. This allows the identity of the individual to be electronically passed over the wire to the user. By touching the portable unit which is inserted into the ear canal, the name is whispered into the canal. All these identification procedures can be used to help eliminate an embarrassing moment which may occur if the user is unable to recall an individual's name. |
| US08090158B2 |
Image evaluation apparatus, method, and program
An image evaluation apparatus and method capable of performing image evaluation more precisely using face information included in an image. An information obtaining unit obtains information with respect to at least one of the following face characteristics from an image including a face: face size, face position in the image, face orientation, face rotation angle, face-to-face positional relationship when a plurality of faces is included in the image, and face detection score. Then, an evaluation value calculation unit calculates an evaluation value representing an evaluation result of the image based on the information of the at least one of the face characteristics of face size, face position in the image, face orientation, face rotation angle, face-to-face positional relationship when a plurality of faces is included in the image, and face detection score obtained by the information obtaining unit. |
| US08090156B2 |
Print quality evaluation apparatus and method of print quality evaluation
A method and apparatus to evaluate print quality determines an indicator thereof by measuring a reflectance of printed dots by scanning a medium on which pattern data having a predetermined pattern is printed. The predetermined pattern includes a highlight region and a shadow region. An average of reflectances of the highlight region in the predetermined pattern and an average of reflectances of the shadow region thereof are determined, and a contrast value is determined from a difference between the averages. The indicator is determined from the contrast value. Accordingly, deterioration of print quality that occurs due to a mismatch of a print position is considered, and furthermore, a change in print gradation and a degree of mixing with noise components is also considered in the print quality evaluation. |
| US08090152B2 |
Road lane boundary detection system and road lane boundary detecting method
A road lane boundary detection system includes a detection region setting unit that sets a certain region in a road image, as a target detection region to be searched for detection of a road lane boundary, and a detecting unit that processes image data in the target detection region set by the detection region setting unit, so as to detect the road lane boundary. The detection region setting unit sets a first detection region as the target detection region if no road lane boundary is detected, and sets a second detection region as the target detection region if the road lane boundary is detected, such that the first and second detection regions are different in size from each other. |
| US08090150B2 |
Method and system for identifying a containment vessel
A method and system for identifying an object in an acquired image. The method includes detecting an object within the acquired image, and determining whether the detected object is a containment vessel. If the object is not a containment vessel, the method includes applying a first set of rules for classifying the object. If the object is a containment vessel, the method includes applying a second set of rules for classifying the object. |
| US08090144B2 |
System and method for adjusting luminance of a light-emitting device on an image measuring machine
A computer-based method for adjusting luminance of a light-emitting device on image measuring machine is provided. The method includes reading a model definition curve and model coordinates of an object and a charge couple device (CCD). The method further includes locating the object and the CCD to positions on the image measuring machine, and capturing a digital image of the object. Furthermore, the method includes adjusting a resistance of the light-emitting device to ensure an ordinate deviation corresponding to each abscissa value between a new definition curve and the model definition curve falls in an allowable deviation range. A related system is also provided. |
| US08090142B2 |
Embedding data in and detecting embedded data from video objects
Methods for embedding data, such as digital watermarks, in video objects segmented from video frames. Watermarks are embedded such that they move with the object in the video frames. Interframe motion of video objects is estimated and used to modify the watermark accordingly. Methods for detecting embedded data from video objects are also disclosed. |
| US08090139B2 |
Diaphragm for an electroacoustic transducer, and electroacoustic transducer
A diaphragm (6) for an electroacoustic transducer is preferably designed to be essentially rectangular and has a diaphragm inner region (20) for sound conversion and a diaphragm outer region (21) for attaching the diaphragm (6) and a diaphragm intermediate region (22) which lies between the diaphragm inner region (20) and the diaphragm outer region (21), wherein the diaphragm inner region (20) is delimited toward the outside by preferably rectilinear sides (23, 24, 25, 26) and the diaphragm outer region (21) is delimited toward the inside again by preferably rectilinear sides (31, 32, 33, 34), and wherein the aforementioned sides (23, 24, 25, 26) of the diaphragm inner region (20) are joined to rounded outer corner regions (27, 28, 29, 30) with a mean outer radius value R and the aforementioned sides (31, 32, 33, 34) of the diaphragm outer region (21) are joined to rounded inner corner regions (35, 36, 37, 38) with a mean inner radius value r, wherein the mean inner radius value r of each inner corner region (35, 36, 37, 38) is smaller than the mean outer radius value R of the opposite outer corner region (27, 28, 29, 30). |
| US08090138B2 |
Audio devices for vehicles
A vehicle audio device includes a vibrator (30), a first threaded member (20), a second threaded member (32), and a ring-shaped resilient member (25). The first threaded member (20) includes a tubular portion (22), an external thread (22m) formed on an outer surface of the tubular portion (22), and a flange (24) formed on one end of the tubular portion (22). The resilient member (25) is fitted around the tubular portion (22) of the first threaded member (20) so as to axially oppose the flange (24) of the first threaded member (20). The second threaded member (32) includes a ring-shaped portion (32f) axially opposing the resilient member (25) from the side of the resilient member (25) not opposing the flange (24) of the first threaded member (20). Internal threads (32w) are formed on an inner surface of the ring-shaped portion (32f) and are engageable with the external threads (22m) of the first threaded member (20). The vibrator (30) is mounted to one of the first and second threaded members (20, 32). The other of the first and second threaded members (20, 32) is mounted to a vehicle interior trim panel (12). The resilient member (25) is clamped and resiliently deformed between the flange (24) of the first threaded member (20) and the ring-shaped portion (32f) of the second threaded member (32) through engagement between the external threads (22m) and the internal threads (32w). |
| US08090137B2 |
Wall mountable object with differently shaped finish options
A speaker mount has differently shaped coverings. Preferred speakers have a mount that is coupled to a base. The speaker has two interchangeable covers with speaker grills that fit over the mount and have two visibly different shapes. |
| US08090135B2 |
Communication headset
A communication headset includes a housing having an upper cover defining a pivot hole and a locating hole. An earpiece and an ear hook are disposed on the top of the upper cover. A microphone arm has a raised portion received in the pivot hole. The bottom center of the raised portion defines an aperture. A locating cavity is defined at the bottom of the microphone arm. A pivot frame fixed in the housing defines a receiving can to accept a spring shaft, around which a spring winds for providing a torsion force to the microphone arm. An end of the spring shaft forms a locking portion fixed in the aperture. And a limiting body having a buckling block is mounted in the housing for limiting rotation of the microphone arm which is driven by the torsion force when the buckling block is forced to withdraw from the locating cavity. |
| US08090134B2 |
Earphone device, sound tube forming a part of earphone device and sound generating apparatus
An insert earphone device includes an electro-acoustic device, an inserting body, a sound tube connected between the electro-acoustic device and the inserting body and an active valve unit provided on the sound tube, the sound tube is formed with a sound propagation path open at both ends thereof to the electro-acoustic device and the inserting body and an external sound entrance open at both end thereof to environment and the sound propagation path, and the active valve unit is formed of electroactive polymer and responsive to voltage supplied through a cable so as to close and open the external sound entrance; when a user wishes to hear external sound, the user changes the polarity of voltage so that the active valve unit is deformed for conducting the environment to the sound propagation path, whereby the user hears the external sound without removing the earphone device from the ear. |
| US08090133B2 |
Earphone speaker with ESD protection
An earphone speaker including a conductive housing, a micro speaker module, and a circuit board is provided. The conductive housing has a holding space. The micro speaker module is disposed in the holding space. The circuit board is disposed outside the conductive housing, and has a first surface facing towards the conductive housing and a second surface corresponding to the first surface. A positive terminal and a negative terminal are disposed on the second surface and electrically connected to the micro speaker module. A conductive material layer is disposed on the first surface and electrically connected to the negative terminal, and the conductive material layer is directly contacted with the conductive housing. |
| US08090131B2 |
Steerable acoustic waveguide
A steerable acoustic waveguide apparatus includes plural plates arranged in one or more linear arrays. Steering of an acoustic beam radiated from the waveguide apparatus may be achieved through differential delays of acoustic signals resulting from differences in timing, frequency, or mode or resulting from differences in physical attributes of the plates. In one aspect, where the apparatus is used with a target that is confined by a conduit such as a pipe, a longitudinal plane for the conduit intersects the linear array, an array plane for the linear array has a conduit orientation relative to the longitudinal plane, and the conduit orientation is substantially perpendicular or substantially parallel. The waveguide apparatus may serve as a thermal buffer and may simplify access to an acoustic path in a device such as an ultrasonic flowmeter. |
| US08090123B2 |
Microphone
The present invention discloses a microphone comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, a printed circuit board and a shielding layer. The microphone is configured into a mobile communication device. The shielding layer located on the printed circuit board is disposed on the microphone. When the mobile communication device charges with an AC power supply and communicates with others simultaneously, the shielding layer can diminish the 50˜60 Hz noise produced by the AC power supply. Owing to the shielding layer reduces the EMI effect; the talking quality of the mobile communication device is thereby enormously improved. |
| US08090122B2 |
Audio mixing using magnitude equalization
According to one embodiment, during mixing of an N-channel input signal to generate an M-channel output signal, in at least one frequency sub-band, magnitude equalization is applied to the mixed channel signals such that an amplitude sum magnitude for the N input channels (e.g., the magnitude of a sum of estimated amplitudes of the N input channels) is approximately equal to an amplitude sum magnitude for the M output channels (e.g., the magnitude of a sum of estimated amplitudes of the M output channels). In one implementation, magnitude equalization is applied to one or more sub-bands (e.g., those below 1 kHz), and power equalization is applied to one or more other sub-bands (e.g., those above 1 kHz) to reduce coloration effects in the output signal. |
| US08090121B2 |
Audio adapter having volume adjusting function
An audio adapter includes a first audio interface, a second audio interface, and two second amplifiers. The power pin of the second audio interface is connected to the non-inverting terminals of the two amplifiers. The left and right ear audio pins of the second audio interface are respectively connected to the inverting terminals of the first and the second amplifiers via two current-limiting resistors respectively. Two variable resistors are respectively connected between the inverting terminal and the output terminal of the two amplifiers. The output terminals of the two amplifiers are respectively connected to the left and right ear audio interface of the first audio interface and respectively connected to the ground pin of the first audio interface via two voltage-limiting resistors respectively. |
| US08090118B1 |
Strength discriminating probabilistic ringing feedback detector
Disclosed herein are detectors of audio ringing feedback, that is decaying feedback with a gain of less than one, those detectors utilizing a repeated gain measurement that applied to a range of gain values characteristic of ringing-type feedback. Those gain measurements, while in the range, increase a probability measurement of feedback. When the probability of feedback reaches a threshold, a detection of feedback is made and feedback countermeasures, such as the application of a notch filter, may be applied. Optionally, the audio gain around likely frequencies of feedback may be enhanced for a time to increase the resolution of identification of a feedback frequency, which may be identified through an interpolative method. Repeated gain measurements may also identify building-type feedback. A ringing detector may include more than one range of detection, for example for building, strong-ringing and weak-ringing feedback. |
| US08090114B2 |
Convertible filter
Apparatus and method for implementing a convertible filter in differing ones of its delay and weighting elements are powered through different power conductors, thereby enabling the convertible filter to be dynamically configured to be operable as different types of digital filter through selective provision of power to differing ones of the power conductors. |
| US08090112B2 |
Self-diagnostic system for monitoring electrical equipment
This invention relates to a self-diagnostic audio system including a digital signal processor (DSP) that monitors a plurality of electronic components in an audio system, such as an amplifier, speaker, memory, power supply, and DSP itself. The DSP may monitor various information from each of the electrical components, such as whether a particular electrical component is on or off, whether a particular component is functional, and whether the voltage current is between the components. The DSP may be linked to a reporting device so that if there is a problem, the DSP may report back and identify the existence and nature of a particular problem. |
| US08090099B2 |
Computer-readable recording medium recording program and apparatus for encryption/decryption, apparatus for multiplication in extension field
There is provided a computer-readable recording medium recording a program for encryption/decryption, an apparatus for encryption/decryption, an apparatus for multiplication in an extension field, that enable to perform high speed multiplication processing, while allowing the selection of arbitrary key lengths. In multiplying two elements A={a0, a1, a2, . . . , am−1} and B={b0, b1, b2, . . . , bm−1} in an extension field Fpm of extension degree m with a prime number p as characteristic, firstly, a positive integer k is determined such that km+1 is a prime number and p is a primitive element in Fkm+1. Next, two elements A and B are multiplied as two elements in extension field Fpkm of extension degree km with a prime number p as characteristic using the positive integer k. Lastly, using the result of such multiplication, a result of multiplication in an element in the extension field Fpm of extension degree m which is a subfield of Fpkm is obtained. |
| US08090097B2 |
Device, system and method for cryptographic key exchange
A method is disclosed whereby two parties can establish a cryptographic key for secure communications without any prior distribution of secret keys or other secret data, and without revealing said key to any third party who may have access to all of the transmissions between them. The two parties agree upon a matrix M, and independently choose matrices S and R from an established commutative family of square matrices. The sender transmits the matrix SM to the receiver and the receiver transmits the matrix RM to the sender. The sender computes the matrix SRM from the received matrix RM, and the receiver computes the matrix RSM from the received matrix SM. Since the matrices S and R commute, SRM=RSM. The value of the matrix SRM is then used to produce the desired cryptographic key.In the two-sided embodiments the two parties agree upon a matrix M, and two commutative families of square matrices F and G. The sender chooses a matrix S from F and a matrix T from G. The receiver independently chooses a matrix R from F and a matrix Q from G. The sender transmits the matrix SMT to the receiver and the receiver transmits the matrix RMQ to the sender. The sender computes the matrix SRMQT from the received matrix RMQ, and the receiver computes the matrix RSMTQ from the received matrix SMT. Since the matrices S and R commute, and the matrices T and Q commute, SRMQT=RSMTQ. The value of the matrix SRMTQ is then used to produce the desired cryptographic key. |
| US08090091B2 |
Network element routing service
Systems and methods for providing a call to a destination address are disclosed. Generally a first network element is queried regarding treatment of a call to a destination address. The call is then routed to the destination address when the first network element determines, based on an originating destination address associated with the call, that the call has been previously treated at a second network element. |
| US08090086B2 |
VoiceXML and rule engine based switchboard for interactive voice response (IVR) services
Call routing systems and methods are provided. A particular routing method comprises decoding a message based on an incoming call to determine whether a live agent is required. When a live agent is not required, a destination interactive voice response (IVR) application is identified, a determination of whether the destination IVR application is VoiceXML capable is made, and the incoming call is sent to the destination IVR application when the destination IVR application is VoiceXML capable. When the destination IVR application is not VoiceXML capable, a determination of whether the destination IVR application is capable of supporting an external data interface is made, and incoming call session data is routed to the destination IVR application when the destination IVR application is capable of supporting the external data interface. An audio file including one or more dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) commands based on the incoming call session data is constructed and sent to the destination IVR application when the destination IVR application is not VoiceXML capable and is not capable of supporting an external data interface. |
| US08090080B2 |
Method and system for an automated departure strategy
A method and system for an automated departure strategy from an automated system includes a track engine and an error engine. The track engine allows for the tracking and storing of one or more utterances spoken by a caller in response to one or more prompts. In addition, the track engine classifies each of the utterances with a confidence level. The error engine determines when one of the utterances initiates an error condition and transfers the caller to an operator on the occurrence of the error condition. In addition to transferring the caller to the operator, the error engine plays to the operator an error utterance, causing the error condition, and a preceding utterance, preceding the error utterance. Furthermore, the error engine populates an operator screen with information provided by the caller in the utterances for utterances classified with a high level of confidence. |
| US08090076B2 |
Collimation apparatus for radiotherapy
A radiotherapy apparatus comprises a means for producing a beam of radiation directed along a beam axis and having a width in first and second directions transverse to the beam axis, a multi-leaf collimator for selectively limiting the width of the beam in at least the first direction, a block collimator for selectively limiting the width of the beam in at least the second direction, the block collimator comprising a diaphragm moveable into and out of the beam and having a thickness in the direction of the beam axis that varies. The diaphragm can have a front edge of greater thickness than at least one region behind the front edge. It can also have a spine region extending from a rear part thereof towards the front edge that is greater thickness than at least one region displaced laterally with respect thereto. Together, these can cover the areas that will not be fully shadowed by a dynamically moving MLC. |
| US08090073B2 |
Nuclear power plant, method of replacement in the same and method of operating the same
A recirculation pump motor is supplied with a power from a unit auxiliary middle voltage bus through a power supply system including a first circuit breaker, a voltage source inverter, and a second circuit breaker electrically connected in series to provide a no-load operation by use of the voltage source inverter. The second circuit breaker may be multiplexed with more than one breaker electrically connected in series. An existing nuclear plant using a induction motor driving a hydraulic coupling mechanically coupled to a synchronous generator for driving the recirculation pump, such as an MfG set, may be subjected to a method of replacing the induction motor, the hydraulic coupling, and the synchronous generator with the voltage source inverter and a circuit breaker through electrically disconnection and removal. |
| US08090068B2 |
System and method of calibrating power-on gating window for a time-to-digital converter (TDC) of a digital phase locked loop (DPLL)
A system and method are disclosed related to calibrating a power-on gating window for a time-to-digital converter (TDC) of a digital phase locked loop (DPLL). The gating window is calibrated to ensure proper operation of the DPLL, while at the same time operating the TDC in a power efficient manner. In particular, the technique entails setting the width of the TDC gating window to a default value; operating the DPLL until the control loop is substantially locked; decreasing the width of the TDC gating window by a predetermined amount, while monitoring the phase error signal generated by the phase error device of the DPLL; determining the current width of the TDC gating window at substantially a time when the phase error arrives at or crosses a predetermined threshold; and increasing the current width of the TDC gating window by a predetermined amount to build in a margin of error for the operating width of the TDC gating window. |
| US08090067B2 |
Circuits and methods for clock and data recovery
A clock-data recovery circuit includes a phase rotator, a phase detector and a charge pump. The phase rotator receives first and second reference clocks and differential control signals. The phase rotator generates a modified clock signal responsive to the first and second reference clocks and the control signals. The phase detector receives a data signal and the modified clock signal. The phase detector generates a modified data signal and a phase error signal responsive to the data signal and the modified clock signal. The charge pump receives the phase error signal and generates the differential control signals, which direct the phase rotator to interpolate between select clock phases. |
| US08090064B2 |
Single loop frequency and phase detection
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a data signal comprising a plurality of bits. The method further includes generating a clock signal. A plurality of samples is acquired from the data signal at a sampling rate determined by the clock signal and it is determined whether a transition point from a first bit in the plurality of bits to a second bit in the plurality of bits occurs within the plurality of samples. If it is determined that the transition point occurs within the plurality of samples, a state machine comprising a plurality of states transitions from a first state to a second state. If the second state indicates a non-zero amount of phase displacement between the clock signal and the data signal, the clock signal is adjusted to correlate with the data signal. |
| US08090062B2 |
Process for packet detection
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. |
| US08090061B1 |
AGC control for MIMO systems
An AGC control unit coordinates AGC gain changes between individual receive chains included within a MIMO receiver block. Coordinated AGC gain changes reduce time periods of unaligned MIMO data produced by the receive chains. Reducing the unaligned data periods advantageously increases the time that the output data may be combined to improve overall performance of the receiver block. Coordinated AGC control also enables a faster response to saturated signals since the gain of multiple receive chains may be changed contemporaneously. |
| US08090051B2 |
Combined feedback and feed-forward linearization of radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers
A power amplifier module and corresponding system for linearizing the output from a power amplifier includes both a feedback system, containing a compensator and the power amplifier in a feedback loop, and a pre-distortion compensation system injecting pre-distortion signals into or before the feedback system are used to compensate for non-linearities in the overall system. The pre-distortion signals may be mixed with signals from the compensator or may be filtered to take into account the loop compensator transfer function of the feedback loop, mixed with baseband signals and then converted into analog signals that are provided to the feedback loop. In modules containing a tracking power supply, an envelope calculator calculates an RF envelope of the baseband signals, which the pre-distortion system uses in conjunction with the baseband signals to generate the pre-distortion signals mixed with the signals from the compensator. |
| US08090047B2 |
System and method for programmably adjusting gain and frequency response in a 10-gigabit ethernet/fibre channel system
Systems and methods for optimizing operation of a transceiver device are disclosed. The method may include parallel processing an input signal through a first path having a first frequency response and a second path having a second frequency response. The second frequency response may be higher than the first frequency response. Signals from the first and second paths may be combined, creating an output signal having a desired gain and frequency. The parallel processing may adjust a gain of at least one of the first path and the second path. The parallel processing may equalize at least one of the first frequency response and the second frequency response. The input signal may be from a 10 GBit Ethernet channel and/or a Fibre channel. |
| US08090045B1 |
Data stream interleaving with non-monotonically arranged data rotations for spatially diverse transmission
Systems and techniques relating to processing multiple data streams transmitted over a wireless channel. In general, according to at least one implementation, a technique includes: obtaining data streams to be transmitted over a wireless channel using spatially diverse transmission; applying data rotations to respective data streams in connection with interleaving the data streams; and preparing the data streams for spatially diverse transmission over the wireless channel; wherein the applying is performed by an apparatus including at least one of electronic circuitry, computer hardware, or firmware; wherein the applying includes using a sequence of first, second, third, and fourth data rotation values with respective first, second, third, and fourth data streams; wherein the first, second, third, and fourth data rotation values oscillate in relative value within the sequence. The data rotation values can be fixed constants. The data rotations can include subcarrier rotations. The data rotations can include column rotations. |
| US08090039B2 |
Wireless transceiver and wireless transmitting/receiving method and program thereof
The present invention is provided with a wireless transceiver and wireless transmitting/receiving method and program thereof capable of improving the robustness against Doppler frequency by containing transmit diversity signals in one spreading region. In the present invention, the transmitter encodes the transmit signals using a space-time matrix and transmits the encoded space-time signals after being spread with different spreading codes, and the receiver de-spreads the received spread signals, in unit of time slot, with the spreading codes corresponding to the respective time slots and then decodes the de-spread signals using the space-time matrix. |
| US08090038B2 |
Channel equalizer and method of processing broadcast signal in receiving system
A channel equalizer for use in a receiving system includes an overlap unit, a first estimator, an interpolator, and a second estimator. The overlap unit overlaps a group of normal data packets including a head, a body, and a tail, and a known data region is periodically repeated in the body. The first estimator estimates CIRs of the known data regions according to a first algorithm, and the interpolator estimates CIRs of normal data regions in the body by interpolating the estimated CIRs of the known data regions. The second estimator estimates CIRs of normal data regions in the head and tail according to a second algorithm different from the first algorithm. A calculator calculates equalization coefficients based on the estimated CIRs and a compensator multiplies the overlapped data with the coefficients. A save unit saves the compensated data. |
| US08090037B1 |
OFDM modulation using a shaping filter
Reducing peak-to-average power ratio (“PAPR”) for modulation and demodulation is described. Complex sample values are obtained in a time domain for orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (“OFDM”) signaling. The complex sample values are transformed into a frequency domain. The set of spectral samples is multiplied with a filter spectrum to shape the set of spectral samples to provide spectral products. |
| US08090036B2 |
Transmitter and carrier leak detection method
A carrier leak compensating device (2) for adding compensation values to a received transmission signal, an analog quadrature modulator (4), a feedback device (5-7) for receiving and quadrature-detecting part of an output signal of the analog quadrature modulator and outputting a feedback signal in which the frequency of each carrier signal is the same as in the transmission signal, a carrier leak detecting device (800) for detecting an I-phase carrier leak and a Q-phase carrier leak on the basis of the difference between cumulative addition values of an amplitude/phase-adjusted feedback signal and the transmission signal, and a carrier leak compensation value controller (9) for updating the compensation values on the basis of the detected carrier leak. The number of samples for the amplitude/phase detection may be smaller than the number of cumulative addition samples. |
| US08090034B2 |
Transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus in a multicarrier transmission system and a transmission method and a reception method using the multicarrier transmission system
Inter-carrier interference caused by frequency fluctuations, amplitude fluctuations, phase fluctuations, or the like is reduced without reducing a transmission efficiency. A receiving end has a canceling filter section that alleviates the inter-carrier interference caused by the frequency fluctuations, the amplitude fluctuations, the phase fluctuations, or the like through filtering processing. A transmitting end has a precoding section that facilitates determination of demodulation data in a vector demodulation section on the receiving end through precoding processing. Or, the receiving end has a trellis decoding section that decodes the demodulation data through trellis decoding processing. |
| US08090027B2 |
Data compression using an arbitrary-sized dictionary
A data compression method improves Lempel-Ziv (“LZ”) compression by encoding the offsets produced during LZ compression as variable-bit-length (“VBL”) encoded integers, and outputting the VBL integers as part of the compressed data. Other integers produced during LZ compression, as well as integers produced by other data compression algorithms, can also be encoded using a VBL scheme. |
| US08090017B2 |
Method and apparatus for coding interlaced video data
Often hierarchical bi-directionally predicted frame structures are used for encoding a video picture sequence. The frames may consist of interlacing fields. A method for encoding interlaced video, wherein inter-prediction of fields is used and reference lists are assigned to the fields for indicating reference frames or fields, comprises that, if within such reference list a reference to another frame is included, then references to both fields of the other frame are included separately in direct sequence. Further, a temporal level is assigned to each of the frames according to their display order, and for the frames of all except one temporal level the quantization parameter is higher for one type of fields than for the other type of fields. |
| US08090003B2 |
Apparatus and method for modulating data message by employing orthogonal variable spreading factor (OVSF) codes in mobile communication system
A method for converting source data to a channel-modulated signal having a plurality of pairs of in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) data in a mobile station, wherein the mobile station uses at least one channel, includes the steps of: a) encoding the source data to generate at least one data part and a control part; b) generating at least one spreading code to be allocated to the channel, wherein each spreading code is selected on the basis of a data rate of the data part and the control part and spreading codes are selected so that two consecutive pairs of the I and Q data are correspondent to two points located on same point or symmetrical with respect to a zero point on a phase domain; and c) spreading the control part and the data part by using the spreading code, to thereby generate the channel-modulated signal. The method is capable of improving a power efficiency of a mobile station by reducing a peak-to-average power ratio in a mobile communication system. |
| US08089997B2 |
Laser device
The laser device has a gain medium, first and second clads sandwiching the gain medium in the thickness direction, and a cavity structure for resonating the electromagnetic wave generated in the gain medium. The gain medium includes a plurality of active regions for generating an electromagnetic wave and at lease one connecting region sandwiched among the active regions. The first and second clads are each formed of a negative permittivity medium having a permittivity the real part of which is negative relative to the electromagnetic wave. A potential-adjusting portion is arranged between the connecting region and the first clad and between the connecting region and the second clad for adjusting the electric potential of the connecting region. |
| US08089996B2 |
Light intensity boost for subpixel enhancement
Techniques are disclosed that enable fine features such as serifs and narrow strokes of texts to be produced by xerographic devices, for example. The fine features may be generated by subpixels which are produced when a pulse width used to image a pixel is shorter than a corresponding physical size of a laser beam spot used to write the image on a Xerographic photoreceptor. The laser driver may be modified to drive a light emitting element with a boost current profile that includes an overshoot above a steady state current at a rising edge. The overshoot results in a light intensity time profile that has an increased area for a subpixel. |
| US08089993B2 |
Sliceable router with packet over optical OFDM transmission
A sliceable router includes a forwarding engine; a routing engine coupled to the forwarding engine; multiple virtual packet interfaces coupled to the forwarding engine, wherein the interfaces shares an optical orthogonal frequency-division multiple accesses (OFDMA)-based programmable transceiver for interface virtualization; and one or more physical packet interfaces coupled to the forwarding engine. |
| US08089992B2 |
Systems and methods to measure the performance of a de-jitter buffer
Systems and methods to measure the performance of a de-jitter buffer are disclosed. In a described example, a method to measure adaptive de-jitter buffer performance includes transmitting a known audio signal via a plurality of packets over a packet-based network, recording a received signal based on the known audio signal, and analyzing the recorded signal to determine one or more of a lower de-jitter buffer size, an upper de-jitter buffer size, a de-jitter buffer expansion speed, or a de-jitter buffer contraction speed based on the recorded signal and the known signal. The example method further includes comparing the one or more of the lower de-jitter buffer size, the upper de-jitter buffer size, the expansion speed, or the contraction speed to a performance requirement, and correcting communication network performance based on the comparison. |
| US08089987B2 |
Synchronizing in-memory caches while being updated by a high rate data stream
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for high availability in data-stream applications using separate but synchronized nodes. Initially, a live node is designated to provide the data stream. Upon startup or restart, a standby node synchronizes its state with the live node. The initial synchronization is performed in two phases. In the first phase, the standby node connects to the same data stream (or a data stream with same content) and obtains the same symbols as the live node. In the second phase, the standby node obtains metadata from the live node for various symbols, such as symbols that are new to the standby node. Once synchronized, the live and the standby nodes then continue with separately processing the data stream. |
| US08089983B2 |
Reserving resources over a DOCSIS downstream external physical interface
In one example, a resource reservation protocol is modified to allow a Modular Cable Modem Termination System (M-CMTS) core to use the protocol to reserve, for a flow, network resources as well as a Radio Frequency (RF) channel extending from the remote PHYsical interface (PHY). The modifications allow the M-CMTS core to identify parameters to be used by the edge device for selecting an available RF channel to be reserved for the flow, or to request a particular one of the RF channels. Intermediary devices operating on the DEPI can also reserve resources for the flow without being reconfigured according to the protocol modifications. |
| US08089981B2 |
Method of resolving duplicate MAC addresses, network device management system, server, and information device
MAC addresses of information devices on a network are collected using a broadcast frame or multicast frame of Ethernet®. If duplicate MAC addresses are detected, an Ethernet® frame, including a device identifier of information device and a MAC address to be set, is sent by broadcast transmission or multicast transmission. The information devices receiving this Ethernet® frame compare the above device identifier with their own device identifiers. If they match, the MAC address is changed to that designated. Duplicate MAC addresses are thus resolved, enabling correct Ethernet® communications. |
| US08089975B2 |
Highly scalable internet protocol-based communications system
A highly scalable Internet Protocol (IP) based communications system which provides voice and other communication services to end-users. The instant system incorporates a unique architecture which simplifies scaling of services to hundreds of thousands and even millions of subscribers. The instant system architecture includes a means for directly connecting a plurality of peered service providers thereby obviating the need to move the communications across the PSTN. By bypassing the PSTN, the instant system can leverage the advantages of IP-based networks in meeting subscriber communications needs such as, without limitation, quality of service, service up-time, and advanced feature sets. Bypassing the PSTN also allows the peered partners to negotiate communications rates between themselves, without incurring PSTN carrier fees. |
| US08089971B1 |
Method and system for transmitting flow control information
Method and system for network communication between a first port and second port using plurality virtual lanes provided. The method includes: (a) configuring a threshold value for each of the plurality of virtual lanes; wherein the threshold value defines an amount of data that has to be moved from a receive segment of the second port, before a flow control packet is sent by the second port to the first port; (b) setting a timer value for each of the plurality of virtual lanes; wherein a flow control packet is sent by the second port after the timer expires; (c) monitoring the amount of data removed from the receive segment of the second port; and (c) sending a flow control packet if the amount of data exceeds the threshold value or if the timer set in step (b) has expired. |
| US08089968B2 |
Automatic prioritization of BGP next-hop in IGP convergence
In one embodiment, an inter-domain routing protocol stores an inter-domain routing protocol route having an associated next-hop address. A routing table is searched for an for an intra-domain routing protocol route that may be used to reach the next-hop address of the inter-domain routing protocol route. Such route is marked as an important route for convergence. Later, in response to a change in the network requiring a routing table update, the intra-domain routing protocol route marked as an important route for convergence is processed by an intra domain routing protocol before any other intra-domain routing protocol routes are processed that are not marked as important routes for convergence. |
| US08089967B2 |
Modification of a switching table of an internet protocol switch
Methods for modifying a switching table of an Internet Protocol (IP) switch. The methods include: receiving a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) option 43 request from a host of a LAN at an access port of the IP switch; transmitting the request to a DHCP server; intercepting a DHCP response for the request from the DHCP server; extracting an IP address from the intercepted DHCP response; and adding the extracted IP address to a corresponding entry (specific to the access port) of a switching table of the IP switch. The methods include: receiving an IP frame at an access port of the IP switch; reading an IP source address from the IP frame; and in the switching table either: creating a new entry including the IP source address and its associated port identifier or changing an existing entry based on the IP source address and the access port. |
| US08089959B2 |
Method and apparatus to schedule packets through a crossbar switch with delay guarantees
A method for scheduling cell transmissions through a switch with rate and delay guarantees and with low jitter is proposed. The method applies to a classic input-buffered N×N crossbar switch without speedup. The time axis is divided into frames each containing F time-slots. An N×N traffic rate matrix specifies a quantized guaranteed traffic rate from each input port to each output port. The traffic rate matrix is transformed into a permutation with NF elements which is decomposed into F permutations of N elements using a recursive and fair decomposition method. Each permutation is used to configure the crossbar switch for one time-slot within a frame of size F time-slots, and all F permutations result in a Frame Schedule. In the frame schedule, the expected Inter-Departure Time (IDT) between cells in a flow equals the Ideal IDT and the delay jitter is bounded and small. For fixed frame size F, an individual flow can often be scheduled in O(log N) steps, while a complete reconfiguration requires O(N log N) steps when implemented in a serial processor. An RSVP or Differentiated Services-like algorithm can be used to reserve bandwidth and buffer space in an IP-router, an ATM switch or MPLS switch during a connection setup phase, and the proposed method can be used to schedule traffic in each router or switch. Best-effort traffic can be scheduled using any existing dynamic scheduling algorithm to fill the remaining unused switch capacity within each Frame. The scheduling algorithm also supports multicast traffic. |
| US08089951B2 |
Method of transferring timing information over packet network
Timing information is transmitted over a network by sending time-stamped packets between a transmitter and receiver. The time-stamped packets are used to compute an estimate of the frequency deviation between the transmitter clock and the receiver clock. The local receiver clock is periodically updated to match the transmitter clock based on the estimate, which is preferably a least squares estimate. A multiple window approach is employed to increase update speed. |
| US08089950B2 |
Wireless communication equipment and wireless communication method
A mobile station 200 includes a receiving field level detecting unit 213 to convert a level of a wireless signal into an RSSI output, and a wireless frame timing deciding unit 214 to decide a wireless frame timing from the transient characteristic of the RSSI output. By deciding the wireless frame timing from the RSSI output, synchronous establishment can be realized even when the mobile station 200 does not include a demodulation circuit. The mobile station can perform the synchronous establishment without being increased in size. |
| US08089948B2 |
Header compression of multimedia data transmitted over a wireless communication system
Methods and apparatus are described for improving the transmission of multimedia data over wireless communication channels. These techniques include determining a physical layer packet size of the wireless communication system and determining a maximum size of a compressed header. Then, partitioning an information unit, wherein the size of the partitions are selected such that after a partition is encoded the aggregate size of the encoded partition and the compressed header are the size of the physical layer packet, or less. The techniques can be used for various types of information units, such as multimedia data, variable bit rate data streams, video streams, video teleconference stream, or voice over IP. The techniques can also be used with various over the air interfaces, such as, Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), or standards based on CDMA such as TIA/EIA-95-B (IS-95), TIA/EIA-98-C (IS-98), IS2000, HRDP, cdma2000, Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), and others. |
| US08089945B2 |
Communication method, and transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus using that communication method
A method for communicating in a communication apparatus includes receiving an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal transmitted from a base station, the OFDM signal including a plurality of carrier groups, each carrier group including a plurality of carriers. The plurality of carrier groups are assigned transmission data for a plurality of communication apparatuses, and each of the plurality of carrier groups adopts one of a first transmission mode in which the transmission data is transmitted using one modulated signal and a second transmission mode in which the transmission data is transmitted using a plurality of modulated signals. A carrier group, to which transmission data for the communication apparatus is assigned, is specified based on control information included in the received OFDM signal. Reception data associated with the specified carrier group is generated by decoding the one modulated signal used in the first transmission mode, when the first transmission mode is adopted for the specified carrier group, and reception data associated with the specified carrier group is generated by decoding the plurality of modulated signals used in the second transmission mode when the second transmission mode, is adopted for the specified carrier group. |
| US08089943B2 |
Data communications between short-range enabled wireless devices over networks and proximity marketing to such devices
A method for allowing short-ranged communication devices to communicate with each other using the Internet. Cell servers are provided in first and second zones linked to the Internet and adapted for transmitting voice and other digital data over the Internet such as using VoIP. The method includes registering users of short-range enabled devices, such as Bluetooth cell phones, with a communication system and storing a device identifier along with a user ID and password. A contact list is stored for each registered user. The method includes a registered user entering a cell serviced by a server, the server discovering the user's device, logging the user into the system based on the device identifier and an entered user ID and password, receiving a communication request to chat with one of the listed contacts, and establishing a communication session using time previously awarded to the user for receiving marketing content. |
| US08089941B2 |
Mobile communication device and system supporting personal media recorder functionality
A system and method for presenting information to a user of a mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention comprise receiving and presenting a first portion of media information to a user. While presenting the first portion of the media information to the user, a first signal may be received. In response to the first signal, a second portion of the media information may be received and buffered. A second signal may be received, and in response to the second signal, the second portion of the media information may be presented to the user. While the second portion of the media information is presented to the user, a third portion of the media information may be received and buffered. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise a mobile communication device that receives, presents and/or buffers various portions of media information. |
| US08089939B1 |
Predictive roaming by a wireless LAN client station
The present disclosure provides for a user equipment (UE) for use in a wireless computer network that has multiple wireless access points (APs). The UE can include a wireless transceiver that communicates with the computer network, a link quality assessor that assesses the quality of the communication link between the wireless transceiver and the first selected wireless AP, a link quality forecaster that forecasts a predicted future quality of the communication link as a function of the past quality of the communication link, and an AP switching module that 1) initiates an AP link quality scan to determine a second selected AP when the forecasted link quality falls below a first link quality threshold and 2) switches to the second selected wireless AP when the forecasted link quality falls below a second link quality threshold. |
| US08089938B2 |
Method of synchronizing with an uplink channel and a method of determining a propagation delay in a wireless communications system
A method of synchronizing with an uplink channel and a method of determining a propagation delay in a wireless communications system are provided. In the example method of synchronizing, a propagation delay between a target base station and a mobile station is calculated. Then, the calculated propagation delay is sent to the target base station. In the example method of determining a propagation delay, a first signal is received indicating a first measured chip offset between a downlink channel of a serving base station and a pilot signal of the target base station. A second signal indicating a second measured chip offset between an uplink channel of the mobile station and a pilot signal of the target base station is then received. A propagation delay between the target base station and the mobile station is calculated based at least in part on the first and second measured chip offsets. |
| US08089936B2 |
Communications system, communications processing method, and nodes
To the logical links established between the first node and the second node by use of the first protocol belonging to the first layer, a signal, which is a signal of the second protocol belonging to the second layer higher than the first layer and to which signal the information identifying the transmission source node is transmitted. The first and the second nodes manage the communications links in association with the node identifier added to the signal received through the communications links. |
| US08089933B2 |
Inter-radio access technology measurement system and method
A macrotechnology-based system is provided. The system includes a processor configured to promote macrotechnology-based transmission to a multi-mode user equipment of a signal including a plurality of data portions and a plurality of gaps between one or more of the plurality of data portions, at least one of the gaps used by the multi-mode user equipment for measurement of a signal strength of a microtechnology-based network. |
| US08089930B2 |
Wireless communication control method and radio terminal
A radio terminal, in a transmission opportunity of each of plural kinds of allocation request schemes for a first uplink radio resource, the transmission opportunity being periodically allocated from the base station, estimates timings that the first uplink radio resource is allocated from the base station when an allocation request of a corresponding allocation request scheme is transmitted, based on a cycle of the transmission opportunity and a turnaround time of the allocation request scheme, and transmits the allocation request to the base station in a transmission opportunity selected by the estimated timing. |
| US08089928B2 |
Apparatus and method for allocating resources in a transparent multi-hop relay network
A method for allocating resources in a multi-hop relay network includes establishing one or more relay links, single-hop access links, and multi-hop access links. The method also includes iteratively repeating the following steps until a single-hop data rate is approximately equal to a multi-hop data rate: allocating a first number of slots to the multi-hop access links; dividing the first number of slots among the multi-hop access links; allocating a second number of slots to the relay links; allocating a third number of slots to the single-hop access links; dividing the third number of slots among the single-hop access links; and comparing the single-hop data rate to the multi-hop data rate. The method also includes, upon the single-hop data rate being approximately equal to the multi-hop data rate, provisioning the first number of slots to each of the multi-hop access links, the second number of slots to each of the relay links, and the third number of slots to each of the single-hop access links. |
| US08089925B1 |
Radio communications system with a minimal broadcast channel
In one embodiment, the present invention comprises transmitting a broadcast burst in a broadcast channel from a base station of a radio communications system. The invention further comprises receiving a request burst from a user terminal, and transmitting a message burst from the base station to the user terminal from which the request was received. The message burst includes a description of the channels available on the radio communications system for receiving messages from user terminals. |
| US08089922B2 |
Cooperative transceiving between wireless interface devices of a host device with shared modules
A circuit includes a first wireless interface circuit that transceives packetized data between a host module and a first external device in accordance with a first wireless communication protocol. A second wireless interface circuit transceives packetized data between the host module and a second external device in accordance with a second wireless communication protocol. The second wireless interface circuit includes at least one module that is shared with first wireless interface circuit. The first wireless interface circuit and the second wireless interface circuit operate in accordance with a wireless interface schedule that includes a first time interval where the first wireless interface device and the second wireless interface device contemporaneously use the at least one module. |
| US08089920B2 |
Communications using a distributed mobile architecture
A communication apparatus is disclosed that includes a wireless transceiver and a computer readable storage medium. A mobile switching center (MSC) module is embedded in the computer readable storage medium. The MSC module includes an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) module configured to support generation of call detail records at the communication apparatus. A base station controller (BSC) module is also embedded in the computer readable storage medium. The communication apparatus is adapted to transmit Internet Protocol (IP) packet data to a second apparatus via a peer-to-peer IP connection. |
| US08089919B2 |
Packet transmission acknowledgement in wireless communication system
Transmitting an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) signal in association with a packet transmitted on an uplink is disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving a packet transmitted from a user equipment, decoding the packet, and determining whether the packet has been successfully decoded, transmitting an ACK signal or a NACK signal, based on the decoding result. Different transmission powers are allocated for the ACK signal and the NACK signal. Alternatively, the transmission power for the NACK signal selectively has an OFF level. The present invention optimizes the transmission powers for downlink ACK/NACK signals in accordance with the required reception quality of each of the ACK/NACK signals, and thus, enables the system to operate efficiently. |
| US08089917B2 |
Method, system and apparatus of implementing inter-system communications
Methods for implementing inter-system communications includes as follows: a serving base station selects a relay terminal, transmits a neighboring base station access request to the selected relay terminal; the relay terminal receives the neighboring base station access request, and accesses a neighboring base station; the relay terminal receives relay information, and communicates with the serving base station or the neighboring base station based on the relay information. Systems and apparatuses for implementing inter-system communications are also disclosed. With the methods, systems and apparatuses of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the probability of correct receipt of relay information at the neighboring base station may be improved. |
| US08089909B2 |
Method of transmitting/receiving data in sensor network for reducing overhearing of sensor nodes
Provided is a method of transmitting/receiving data in a sensor node for reducing overhearing of sensor nodes, and a sensor network which implements the method. A sender node having transmission data from among a plurality of nodes which perform a low power listening (LPL) operation in an asynchronous manner at predetermined time intervals, generates a long preamble including short preambles, each having information including a destination address of the transmission data, a remainder of the long preamble, and a length of the transmission data, and sequentially transmits the second preamble and the transmission data. A receiver node from among the plurality of nodes determines whether a valid signal is sensed during an active state in the LPL operation. If it is determined that the valid signal is sensed, the receiver node receives the short preamble transmitted from the sender node. The receiver node determines a duration time of a deactivated state of the receiver node based on the received first preamble, thereby reducing overhearing in the sensor network. |
| US08089903B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a logical separation of a customer device and a service device connected to a data storage system
A data storage system includes storage array and a switch that is configurable to create numerous network topologies within the system and to maintain separate communications paths between different computerized devices or networks and the storage array. For example, a user device and a service device, such as a system diagnosis device, can connect to the storage array through the switch. In order to isolate interaction or communication between the user and service devices, the switch can be logically partitioned into two distinct switches to form two distinct, isolated communications paths between the devices and the storage array. With isolated communications pathways established in the switch, in use, the service device is unable to access the user device coupled to the storage array. |
| US08089902B1 |
Serial attached SCSI broadcast primitive processor filtering for loop architectures
A method and system are provided for broadcast message filtering in SAS expanders. Common SAS topology defined by ANSI T10 specification only supports spanning tree topology (without loops) interconnection among multiple end devices and expander devices. Broadcast message filtering provides a mechanism to selectively discard broadcast messages, or primitives, in the SAS expanders to break the infinite loop path that broadcast primitives can traverse. This enables new SAS physical topologies with loops that are otherwise difficult or impossible to realize using SAS expanders that handle primitive broadcasts according to the definition of the SAS standard. By allowing redundant paths in a SAS topology, the problem of infinite broadcast flooding in SAS topology is reduced. Selectively forwarding broadcast messages can be based on whether the broadcast was originated at the source phy, or received by the source phy, or based on whether the source phy is a filtered phy. |
| US08089899B2 |
System and method for communicating using a multiserver platform
A method for communication is disclosed and may include performing, using one or more processors and/or circuits in a server platform, negotiating a rate at which one or more of a plurality of blade servers in the server platform communicate. Data may be communicated at the negotiated data rate by the one or more of the plurality of blade servers. The data rate may be negotiated in response to one or more packets received by the one or more of the plurality of blade servers. At least a portion of the data may be communicated from a first of the plurality of blade servers to a second of the plurality of blade servers at the negotiated data rate. |
| US08089898B2 |
Verifiable device assisted service policy implementation
Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device implements a service policy for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on a network; and monitors use of the service based on the service policy, in which the implementation of the service policy is verified. |
| US08089897B2 |
VPN intelligent route service control point trouble diagnostics
Systems and methods are described that analyze Layer 3 network performance between a network and its Intelligent Route Service Control Point (IRSCP) architecture to identify problems without having to disrupt customer service. |
| US08089895B1 |
Adaptive network flow analysis
A network analyzer includes a hardware-based accounting engine that generates accurate statistics for traffic within a computer network. As the network analyzer receives packets, the accounting engine associates the network packets with respective routing prefixes, and updates flow statistics for the routing prefixes. In this manner, the accounting engine maintains accurate flow statistics for all packets received by network analyzer. The network analyzer includes a control unit that generates prefix data to control the granularity of the traffic analysis. The control unit analyzes the flow statistics maintained by the accounting engine, and adaptively updates the set of prefixes to control the granularity of the statistics. The control unit may generate the prefix data as a forwarding tree having resolution nodes. Each node may associate a network prefix with forwarding next hop data, as well as respective analysis control data to enable or disable flow analysis for the prefix. |
| US08089892B2 |
Adaptive joint source and channel coding scheme for H.264 video multicasting over wireless networks
A method and apparatus for estimating packet loss rate are described including calculating a real packet loss rate in a time slot at the end of the time slot, estimating average packet loss rate for a subsequent time slot, estimating variance of packet loss rate for the subsequent time slot and estimating the packet loss rate for the subsequent time slot. A method and apparatus and also described for dynamically allocating available bandwidth for video multicast including selecting an intra-frame rate, determining a packet loss rate threshold, receiving user topology information, receiving channel conditions for each user, determining an optimal operation point for encoding and transmitting video frames in a subsequent time slot, adapting dynamically quantization parameters and a forward error correction code rate, encoding the video frames using the quantization parameters and applying forward error correction code with the forward error correction code rate to data packets of the video frames to generate forward error correction packets. |
| US08089887B2 |
Method for automatic signal routing in ad hoc networks
A method and system provide routing of signals through a communications network. A transmitted signal is received. The signal has an associated parameter that is monitored as the signal is received. The parameter indicates the extent to which prior retransmission of the signal has occurred. The signal is retransmitted only if its parameter satisfies at least one predetermined criterion. |
| US08089879B2 |
In-band flow control methods for communications systems
In the method, a source device places identifiers in data packets to be transmitted. The identifiers may include in-band flow control acknowledgment data in response to a flow control request transmitted from a destination device. When the destination device receives the transmitted data packets, the destination device will proceed based on the data contained in the data packets that are to be decoded at the destination device. If the decoded data packet contains in-band flow control acknowledgment data in response to a flow control request from the destination device, the destination device processes the data packets based on the received in-band flow control acknowledgment data. |
| US08089878B2 |
Allocating bandwidth in a resilient packet ring network by P controller
Implementations and techniques for allocating bandwidth in a resilient packet ring network by a P-type controller are generally disclosed. |
| US08089877B2 |
Method, system, program, and readable storage medium for providing service quality guarantee to network service
A method for guaranteeing a service quality of a network service is disclosed that includes the steps of storing a historical record of a network service quality, inputting an acceptable maximal service delay of the network service, inputting a desired control level between the service quality of the network service and the number of users of the network service, determining the content of service quality guarantee, which can be provided to each service node, with respect to each pair of service nodes in accordance with the historical record, the maximal service delay, and the control level between the service quality and the number of users, monitoring the service quality between a corresponding pair of service nodes in accordance with the content of service quality guarantee, and regulating the network service between a pair of service nodes in a case where degradation of service quality occurs between the pair of service nodes. |
| US08089874B2 |
Node repair in a mesh network
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for sensing a change in a network topology using a discovery node in a mesh network; transmitting an explore frame, based at least in part on the sensed change, from the discovery node to a destination node using an intermediate node; receiving a response to the explore frame from the destination node; determining at least one functional network route from the discovery node to the destination node based at least in part on route information received in association with the response to the explore frame, wherein the route information includes a node path; and transmitting an instruction to the destination node from the discovery node based on a reverse node path. |
| US08089872B2 |
Efficient load balancing and heartbeat mechanism for telecommunication endpoints
The present invention is directed to load balancing call signaling channels at the times that they are established, the use of variable frequency keep alive mechanisms depending on the state of the call signaling channel, and the establishment of a call signaling channel when resources are available or otherwise based on need. |
| US08089868B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method using variable transmission rate
A wireless communication apparatus includes a transmission section and a control section. The transmission section transmits data using wireless communication. The control section controls a transmission rate for the transmission section. The control section limits data size of data to be transmitted to at most a prescribed value and requests a transmission acknowledgement, during a period from immediately after a change in the transmission rate until number of times that the transmission section transmits data reaches a prescribed number of times. |
| US08089865B2 |
Multicast path management and protection
Provided is a multicast path management method for a connectionless communication. Also provided is a path protection function which is effective when a path has failed. A network is formed by a trunk and a branch path. The multicast path is managed by end-to-end and when a failure has occurred, an instruction is issued from the apex of the multicast tree to respective end-to-end paths so as to switch from the currently used channel to a backup path. Thus, upon failure, an individual path protection can be performed without affecting other parts of the tree to which the same multicast flow as the defective path is distributed or the distribution state of the multicast flow. |
| US08089861B1 |
Data verification using signature
A system processes packets in a network device and includes a memory for buffering the packets. The memory may store the packets in memory in data cells. To expedite packet processing, portions of the packet are extracted and placed in a notification, which is then used for packet processing operations, such as route lookup, policing, and accounting. The notification may also include address elements, such as address offsets, that define the locations of the data cells in memory. The address elements can be used to read the data cells from the memory when packet processing is done. If the notification cannot hold all the address elements, additional cells, indirect cells, are created for holding the remaining address elements. The indirect cells are formed in a linked list. The notification contains an address element. To prevent reading incorrect indirect cells, each indirect cell is written with a signature that is created based on the notification. When an indirect cell is read out, the signature is checked to determine whether it belongs to that notification. If the signature is not correct, this may mean that the indirect cell has not yet been written to memory, or that the indirect cell was in some way corrupted during writing, storing, or reading. |
| US08089856B2 |
Zero correlation zone based preamble for oversampled OFDM networks in URWIN
In an oversampled orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) orthogonal network, the preamble used for time synchronization does not have an ideal autocorrelation function due to guard bands, which degrade the accuracy of symbol timing. Therefore, a zero-correlation-zone (ZCZ) based preamble is used for time synchronization. Across correlation function (CCF) used for time synchronization is forced to 0 within a certain region around a main lobe. The length of the ZCZ is guaranteed to be larger than a cyclic prefix length of OFDM data symbols synchronization accuracy. |
| US08089854B2 |
Companded transmit path for wireless communication
This disclosure describes companded transmit path techniques that may be implemented in a wireless communication device to reduce power consumption and possibly simplify signal modulation. In accordance with this disclosure, in phase (I) and quadrature phase (Q) components of a transmit waveform are compressed at baseband, and an emphasis envelope is generated to represent this compression. The compressed I and Q components are then converted to analog signals and processed. This analog processing may include the mixing process in which the compressed I and Q signals are modulated onto a carrier waveform. The emphasis envelope signal is then used to expand the modulated waveform. |
| US08089853B2 |
Systems and method for orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing
Systems and methods for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing are provided. In one embodiment, a multi-carrier modem comprises: a receiver configured to receive a waveform comprising a plurality of spectrally overlapping carrier signals from at least two of a plurality of remote units, wherein the plurality of spectrally overlapping carrier signals are modulated using an inverse Fourier transform algorithm; a transmitter; a processor coupled to the transmitter, wherein the processor outputs data for transmission to the transmitter, wherein the processor applies an inverse Fourier transform algorithm to the data provided to the transmitter; a controller programed to instruct the transmitter to transmit a predetermined identifier on at least one of the spectrally overlapping carrier signals, the predetermined identifier identifying to a first remote unit a range of the plurality of spectrally overlapping carrier signals for the first remote unit to receive control information. |
| US08089851B2 |
Driving apparatus and recording/reproducing apparatus
A driving apparatus (1) is provided with: a fixed part (11) having a fixed-part plane (12); and a driven part (13) having a driven-part plane (14), which faces the fixed-part plane, and driven in a direction substantially parallel to the fixed-part plane, a liquid lubricant (30) is between the fixed-portion plane and the driven-part plane, the driven-part plane faces the fixed-part plane such that the driven-part plane is substantially parallel to the fixed-part plane. |
| US08089848B2 |
Optical pickup and optical information processing apparatus
A disclosed optical pickup for performing at least recording, reproduction, or deletion of information on a first, second, third, and fourth optical recording media having different recording densities includes a first light source configured to emit first light having a first wavelength λ1 corresponding to the first and second optical recording media; a second light source configured to emit second light having a second wavelength λ2 corresponding to the third optical recording medium; a third light source configured to emit third light having a third wavelength λ3 corresponding to the fourth optical recording medium; an objective lens configured to focus the first light, the second light, and the third light on corresponding recording surfaces of the first, second, third, and fourth optical recording media; and an aberration correcting unit between the objective lens and the first, second, and third light sources. |
| US08089843B2 |
Recording drive waveform adjusting method for manufacturing master disc, master disc manufacturing method, master disc manufacturing apparatus, and master disc
A recording drive waveform adjusting method for manufacturing a master disc is provided. The method includes forming an exposed area in an inorganic resist layer for test exposure by irradiating a master disc having the inorganic resist layer with laser light of a recording power based on a recording drive waveform according to a test recording signal. The method also includes obtaining reflected-light information by irradiating the exposed area formed in the test exposure with laser light of a reproducing power, determining whether the recording drive waveform is appropriate by using the reflected-light information, and correcting the recording drive waveform if the recording drive waveform is determined to be inappropriate in the determination. |
| US08089839B2 |
Method and system for fluid mediated disk activation and deactivation
Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms. |
| US08089838B2 |
Optical disc apparatus and tracking control method
An optical disc apparatus includes: a rotation section to rotate an optical disc including a spiral or concentric track with a predetermined track center, with a rotational center of the optical disc as the center; a light source to emit a light beam; an objective lens to collect the light beam on the optical disc; a lens drive section to drive the objective lens in a tracking direction; a light-receiving section to receive a reflected light beam and generate a light-receiving signal; a tracking error signal generation section to generate a first tracking error signal based on the light-receiving signal; an eccentric-state acquisition section to acquire an eccentric state of the track center; a correction section to generate a corrected tracking error signal; and a drive control section to drive the objective lens in the tracking direction by the lens drive section based on the corrected tracking error signal. |
| US08089833B2 |
Storage device and operating method therefor
A storage device including a storage medium for storing data in the form of marks in multiple tracks aligned along track center lines, at least one read transducer for writing and reading said data stored in said storage medium, and an actuator for moving said storage medium relative to said at least one read transducer. The storage device further includes stored servo sequences, which are replicated by use of at least two different types of servo marks displaced by a given unique distance in a cross track direction relative to a respective track centerline, wherein the storage device is operable to retrieve servo sequences using read-back signals obtained from at least two different types of servo marks. |
| US08089832B2 |
Method and apparatus for immediately writing or reading files on a disc-like recording medium having control information on defect management
A method and apparatus for recording digital information signals on a removable rewritable medium include recording control information on defect management. The recording medium includes predefined locations for enabling booting and/or file system read/write, where at least one of the predefined locations contains the control information. |
| US08089831B2 |
Heat-assisted magnetic recording head including plasmon generator
A plasmon generator has an outer surface including a surface plasmon exciting surface, and has a near-field light generating part located in a medium facing surface. The surface plasmon exciting surface is a flat surface that faces an evanescent light generating surface of a waveguide with a predetermined distance therebetween. The surface plasmon exciting surface includes a width changing portion. The width of the width changing portion in a direction parallel to the medium facing surface and the evanescent light generating surface decreases with decreasing distance to the medium facing surface. A magnetic pole is located at such a position that the plasmon generator is interposed between the magnetic pole and the waveguide. The outer surface of the plasmon generator includes a pole contact surface that is in contact with the magnetic pole. |
| US08089828B2 |
Acoustic sensor element
A micromechanical acoustic sensor element, which has at least one diaphragm and at least one fixed counter element, the diaphragm being situated in a cavity between a substrate and the counter element and acting as movable electrode of a capacitor system, the counter element acting as first fixed counter electrode of this capacitor system, and at least one through hole being formed in the substrate for the application of sound pressure to the diaphragm. For fixation and strengthening purposes, the counter element is connected to the substrate via at least one support element. The support element is situated in the region of the cavity, and an opening is formed in the diaphragm for the support element. |
| US08089826B2 |
Ultrasonic device for detecting direction to object
A ultrasonic device detecting a direction to an object includes: a transmitting element of a ultrasonic wave; first and second receiving elements; a diffraction wave phase detector; an initial phase memory for an initial phase of a diffraction wave; a sound speed detector; a phase correction amount calculator calculating a phase shift caused by a sound speed change and calculating a phase correction amount based on the phase of the diffraction wave, the initial phase and the phase shift; a phase correction element correcting a phase of the reflection wave based on the phase correction amount; and a direction detector for detecting the direction to the object based on a difference between corrected phases of the reflection wave received by the first and second receiving elements, a distance between the first and second receiving elements, and a wavelength of the transmission ultrasonic wave corresponding to a sound speed. |
| US08089824B2 |
Memory controller with staggered request signal output
A memory controller having a time-staggered request signal output. A first timing signal is generated while a second timing signal is generated having a first phase difference relative to the first timing signal. An address value is transmitted in response to the first timing signal and a control value is transmitted in response to the second timing signal, the address value and control value constituting portions of a first memory access request. |
| US08089819B2 |
Semiconductor device and semiconductor signal processing apparatus
A memory cell mat is divided into a plurality of entries, and an arithmetic logic unit is arranged corresponding to each entry. Between the entries and the corresponding arithmetic logic units, arithmetic/logic operation is executed in bit-serial and entry-parallel manner. Where parallel operation is not very effective, data is transferred in entry-serial and bit-parallel manner to a group of processors provided at a lower portion of the memory mat. In this manner, a large amount of data can be processed at high speed regardless of the contents of operation or data bit width. |
| US08089818B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile-semiconductor-memory-device including a cell array having a plurality of MATs (unit-cell-array) disposed in a matrix, the MATs each include a plurality of first lines, a plurality of second lines crossing the first lines, and memory cells being connected between the first and second lines. The device further includes a first and second drive circuit selecting the first and second lines connected to the memory cells of each MAT that are accessed, and driving the selected first and second lines to write or read data. The memory cells form a page by being connected to each first line selected from the MATs. The device also includes a data latch latching the write or the read data in units of pages, where the first and second drive circuit drive the first and second lines multiple times to write or read data for one page in and out of the cell array. |
| US08089814B2 |
Method of reading data in a non-volatile memory device
A method of reading data in a non-volatile memory device compensates for a change in a reading/verifying result in accordance with a change of temperature. The method includes sensing a temperature of memory cells, setting a first voltage and a second voltage of a bit line sensing signal in accordance with the sensed temperature, precharging a bit line in accordance with the set first voltage, evaluating a change of a voltage level of the bit line based on whether a memory cell for a read operation is programmed, and sensing data of the memory cell in accordance with the set second voltage. The method may read/verify data constantly even though a temperature is changed. |
| US08089811B2 |
Flash memory devices with memory cells strings including dummy transistors with selective threshold voltages
Flash memory devices include a first memory cell string including a plurality of serially-connected memory cells and first and second serially-connected dummy transistors configured to couple the serially-connected memory cells to a bit line and a second memory cell string including a plurality of serially-connected memory cells and first and second serially-connected dummy transistors configured to couple the serially-connected memory cells to the bit line. The first dummy memory cells of the first and second memory cell strings have gates connected in common to a first dummy word line and have different threshold voltages and the second dummy memory cells of the first and second memory cell strings have gates connected in common to a second dummy bit line and have different threshold voltages. In some embodiments, the first dummy memory cell of the first memory cell string and the second dummy memory cell of the second memory cell string may have threshold voltages greater than a predetermined voltage and the second dummy memory cell of the first memory cell string and the first dummy memory cell of the second memory cell string may have threshold voltages less than the predetermined voltage. |
| US08089810B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving liquid crystal display
The present invention realizes a semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving liquid crystal (liquid crystal control driver IC) capable of easily setting drive conditions and the like according to specifications of a liquid crystal display to be used. An electrically-programmable nonvolatile memory circuit (EPROM) or an electrically erasable and programmable nonvolatile memory circuit (EEPROM) is provided in a semiconductor integrated circuit device for driving a liquid crystal display, and setting information is stored in the memory circuit. The memory circuit is constructed by a normal device which can be formed in the same process as a semiconductor manufacturing process of forming devices of other circuits. |
| US08089807B1 |
Method and system for data storage
A method and system for a Crash Protected Memory (CPM) system are provided. The system includes a Multi-Level Cell (MLC) memory module including a first memory portion and a processor communicatively coupled to the MLC memory module. The processor is programmed to write in the first memory portion a first digital value into a first level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and to write a second digital value into a second level of each data-storing cell wherein the first and second digital values are the same. The processor is further programmed to read a digital value from each level of each data-storing cell in the first memory portion and determine a single digital cell value for each data-storing cell. |
| US08089804B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory device using weak cells as reading identifier
A non-volatile semiconductor memory is configured to monitor for onset of a read disturbance (e.g., due to soft programming) and to carry out operations to protect data therein. A non-volatile semiconductor memory has a memory cell array that includes normal memory cells and a flag memory cell. The flag memory cell is configured to be more susceptible to electrical stress on its retention of data than the normal memory cells. The memory monitors data stored in the flag memory cell to monitor a data retention characteristic of the normal memory cells. |
| US08089802B2 |
Memory device and memory
Disclosed is a memory device including a memory layer retaining information thereon based on a magnetization state of a magnetic body, a fixed-magnetization layer having a fixed-magnetization direction formed on the memory layer through a non-magnetic layer, and two metal wiring lines formed adjacent to both ends of the fixed-magnetization layer. In the memory, the magnetization direction of the memory layer is changed by passing an electric current therethrough in a stacked direction to record the information on the memory layer. |
| US08089799B2 |
Semiconductor device and driving method of the same
The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a memory that has a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a control circuit that controls the memory, and an antenna, where the memory cell array has a plurality of bit lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of word lines extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and each of the plurality of memory cells has an organic compound layer provided between the bit line and the word line. Data is written by applying optical or electric action to the organic compound layer. |
| US08089798B2 |
Method for operating one-time programmable read-only memory
A method for operating a one-time programmable read-only memory (OTP-ROM) is provided. The OTP-ROM comprises a first gate and a second gate respectively disposed on a gate dielectric layer between a first doped region and a second doped region on a substrate, wherein the first gate is adjacent to the first doped region and coupled to the first doped region, the second gate is adjacent to the second doped region, the first gate is electrically coupled grounded, and the OTP-ROM is programmed through a breakdown effect. The method comprises a step of programming the OTP-ROM under the conditions that a voltage of the second doped region is higher than a voltage of the first doped region, the voltage of the second gate is higher than a threshold voltage to pass the voltage of the second doped region, and the first doped region and the substrate are at a reference voltage. |
| US08089788B2 |
Switched capacitor voltage regulator having multiple conversion ratios
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a switched capacitor voltage regulator to generate a regulated output voltage based on varying input voltages. The regulator is capable of operating at one of a plurality of voltage conversion ratios and selection of the one of a plurality of voltage conversion ratios is based on an input voltage received. The switched capacitor voltage regulator provides a lossless (or substantially lossless) voltage conversion at the selected ratio. The ratio selected provides a down converted voltage closest to the regulated output voltage without going below the regulated output voltage. The down converted voltage is adjusted to the regulated output voltage using a resistive mechanism to dissipate excess power (lossy). Selection of an appropriate conversion ratio limits the resistive regulation and losses associated therewith and increases the efficiency of the switched capacitor voltage regulator. |
| US08089782B2 |
High accuracy average output current control scheme for power current converter in critical DCM
High accuracy average output current control scheme for power current converter in critical DCM is composed of the reference block to generate preset reference; the reference calculation block, based on the power current converter's power topology, the correspondent algorithm is calculated to convert the input reference into correspondent output; the state detecting block, the states of power current converter are detected and the detected signals are converted into the same signal format as one of output from reference calculation block; the error detector is used to detect the error between the outputs from reference calculation block and state detected block and to trigger power driver block to turn off the power switch in the power current converter as the error is cross over zero; the zero state detector is used to detect when the states of the power current converter are cross over zero and trigger power driver block to turn on the power switch in the power current converter; the power driver block is controlled with both the error detector and the zero state detector to drive the power switch in the power current converter; based on the correspondent algorithm, the output of power driver block may be used for synchronizing calculation.With the invented control scheme, it makes the accuracy of average output current of the power current converter independent of input and output voltages, circuit devices accuracy of the power current converter, and makes the average output current in high accuracy control, control scheme implement in simple and low cost. |
| US08089781B2 |
Method and apparatus to limit maximum switch current in a switching power supply
An example integrated circuit for use in a power supply includes a switch, a terminal and a controller. The controller is coupled to control switching of the switch to regulate the output of the power supply in response to a feedback signal received at the terminal. The controller includes a comparator and an oscillator. The comparator is coupled to detect when a switch current through the switch exceeds a current limit and the oscillator is coupled to extend an off time of the switch in response to the comparator detecting that the switch current exceeds a current limit and if an on time of the switch is substantially equal to a sum of a leading edge blanking period and a current limit delay time period. The oscillator extends the off time of the switch independent of the feedback signal. |
| US08089779B2 |
Data processing system
A data processing system with at least one mainboard is arranged in a computer housing and at least one daughter card that can be electrically connected to the mainboard by at least one riser card. A metal carrier sheet accommodates and supports the riser card and the daughter card and can be arranged together with the riser card and the daughter card in the computer housing. A metal carrier sheet includes a retaining bracket constructed to fix the riser card on the metal carrier sheet without screws. The metal carrier sheet further includes at least one angle bracket and at least one retaining bolt constructed to fix the daughter card without screws on the metal carrier sheet. |
| US08089778B2 |
Hand-held electronic device
A hand-held electronic device including a body, a touch-sensing display area, and a holding area is provided. The touch-sensing display area located at a surface of the body is divided into several sub-touch-sensing areas disposed at a part of a surrounding region of the touch-sensing display area. The sub-touch-sensing areas have at least one access-sensing region. The access-sensing region is used for sensing a touch-control action so as to render the hand-held electronic device to perform a function corresponding to the touch-control action. The holding area is disposed outside the sub-touch-sensing areas. When a user only intends to hold the hand-held electronic device, the user's hands can put on the holding area and the hand-held electronic device would not perform any corresponding function. |
| US08089772B2 |
Mobile electronic device with side button module
A mobile electronic device is provided. The mobile electronic device includes a case having a sidewall; a circuit board mounted in the case, and a side button module attached to the case sidewall. The circuit board includes a switch disposed thereon. The side button module includes a positioning member secured to the case sidewall and a button secured to the positioning member. The button includes a base and an actuating protrusion protruding from the base. The base abuts the positioning member. The actuating protrusion extends through the positioning member and is configured to trigger the switch on the circuit board when actuated. The positioning member is sandwiched between the base and the actuating protrusion. |
| US08089770B2 |
Tool-less multi-stage insertion and securing mechanism for electronic mezzanine assemblies
A multi-stage mezzanine board mounting assembly within a computer chassis includes a mezzanine tray and mezzanine mounting brackets. The mezzanine tray includes a clamping mechanism. The mezzanine mounting brackets are disposed within the computer chassis and configured to engage with the mezzanine tray when the mezzanine tray is mounted thereon. The clamping mechanism is configured to clamp the mezzanine tray against the mezzanine mounting brackets such that the mezzanine tray is locked in place on the mezzanine mounting brackets. A method of installing a mezzanine board includes disposing mezzanine mounting brackets within a computer chassis; mounting a mezzanine tray onto the mezzanine mounting brackets such that insertion alignment members of the mezzanine tray engage with an engaging portion of the mezzanine mounting brackets; rotating rotatable clamping levers such that the mezzanine tray is locked in place on the mezzanine mounting brackets when the rotatable clamping levers are fully engaged. |
| US08089760B2 |
Notebook computer
A notebook computer includes a base; a top cover pivotally coupled via a first rotary shaft to the base and including a display panel disposed at an inner side thereof; a first plate member provided on an outer side of the top cover, a third plate member pivotally coupled at an end to the base via a second rotary shaft; and a second plate member pivotally coupled at an end to the first plate member and slidably coupled at an opposing end to the third plate member, such that the second and the third plate member are displaceable relative to each other. When the top cover is pivotally turned to an operation position, the second end of the second plate member is pushed against the third plate member to restrict the top cover and the third plate member from turning further, and hold the top cover to the operation position. |
| US08089758B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes a body, a cover, a sliding apparatus, and a latch assembly. The body defines two sliding slots. The sliding apparatus is received in the slots and is slidable relative thereto. The cover is foldable on the body and is rotatably coupled to the sliding apparatus. The latch assembly is fixed to the sliding apparatus. When the latch assembly clasps the body, the sliding apparatus is unlatched from the electronic device, and the cover is slidable relative to the body and is unfolded while the cover slides away from the body. |
| US08089755B2 |
Electronic devices with surface features
Electronic devices with surface features are disclosed. The electronic devices includes a processor and a display operatively coupled to the processor for presenting outputs to a user. The electronic devices also includes a housing having a first portion and a second portion coupled to the first portion to form an enclosure containing the processor and the display. The second portion includes a plurality of edges proximate to the first portion, an end surface spaced apart from the edges, and a plurality of side surfaces extending between the edges and the end surface. At least one of the side surfaces is canted relative to the end surface. |
| US08089752B2 |
Hard disk drive holder and electronic equipment employing the same
A hard disk drive holder fixes hard disk drives in electronic equipment, and includes at least one handling assembly and a bracket for receiving the handling assemblies. Each of the handling assemblies is fixed to one of the hard disk drives to push or pull the hard disk drive into or out from the bracket for replacement or repair, and includes a handle and a pair of handle seats. The handle includes a holding portion and two extending portions including a convex block. Each of the handle seats includes a housing cavity and a spring clip. The spring clip includes a first stopper portion, a second stopper portion and a hook portion. The convex block is movable between the first stopper portion and the second stopper portion to limit movement range of the handle. |
| US08089750B2 |
Multi-sectioned arms for portable electronic devices
Multi-sectioned arms are used as a basic mechanism for coupling the display and the base of a portable computer. With this mechanism, one single computer can support all of the following capabilities. The display can move continuously, relative to the back edge of the base, along any combination of up and down, backward and forward, and left and right directions. The display can be tilted up and down as well as sideway for viewing angle adjustment, and also set to portrait and landscape orientations. When the display is in conventional open or close positions, each arm can be folded and parked alongside and parallel to as well as away from the edge of the base. The arms can be detached from the computer. The base and the display can overlay each other in four ways. Finally, mechanical mechanisms for implementations of the arms and connections to the computer are presented. |
| US08089749B2 |
Easy opening folding type device
A portable electronic device with a first panel and a second panel connected to the first panel. The connection allows the panels to pivot relative to one another between a folded position and an un-folded position. A lock automatically engages and locks the panels when the panels are brought in the folded position and disengages when the panels are displaced relative to one another sidewardly. |
| US08089743B2 |
Voltage regulator having active foldback current limiting circuit
The present invention mainly relates to a voltage regulator, comprising: a P typed power MOS; a feedback circuit; a differential amplifier; a protecting circuit having a N-typed transistor current mirror; and an active foldback current limiting circuit rather than using a resistor. When the P typed power MOS is under short circuit current situation, the current at the output side of the current mirror is increased in order to limit the current flown through the power MOS. Meanwhile, the same purpose can also be served by increasing the current at the input side of the DC current mirror. |
| US08089741B2 |
Over-voltage protection device and method for manufacturing thereof
An over-voltage protection device and a method for manufacturing the over-voltage protection device are provided. The over-voltage protection device includes a substrate, a pair of electrode layers, a mask layer, and a sealing layer. The electrode layers are disposed on the substrate, and a gap is formed between the electrode layers. The mask layer is disposed over the gap and a portion of the electrode layers. The sealing layer covers the mask layer and the gap. |
| US08089737B2 |
Arc fault circuit interrupter and method providing improved nuisance trip rejection
An arc fault circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism and an arc fault detector structured to detect an arc fault condition operatively associated with the contacts. The arc fault detector includes a tuned current sensor structured to sense broadband noise of a current flowing through the contacts, a compression circuit including an input of the sensed broadband noise and an output. The compression circuit compresses the dynamic range of the sensed broadband noise. A minimum detector includes an input of the compression circuit output and an output of the minimum value of the minimum detector input. A processor includes a number of inputs and an output. One of the inputs is the output of the minimum value of the minimum detector. A trip mechanism cooperates with the output of the processor and the operating mechanism to trip open the contacts responsive to the detected arc fault condition. |
| US08089736B2 |
Driving device and protection method thereof
A driving device includes a motor, a first rotating portion, a second rotating portion, a piezoelectric assembly, and a controlling unit. The motor includes a rotating shaft. The first rotating portion is fixed to the rotating shaft. The second rotating portion is engaged with the first rotating portion. The piezoelectric assembly is sandwiched between the first rotating portion and the second rotating portion. The controlling unit is electrically connected to the motor and the piezoelectric assembly. The controlling unit is configured for storing a predetermined voltage, and determining whether an electric voltage output by the piezoelectric assembly is greater than or equal to the predetermined voltage and inactivating the motor if the electric voltage output by the piezoelectric assembly is greater than or equal to the predetermined voltage. A protection method for the driving device is also provided. |
| US08089734B2 |
Magnetoresistive element having a pair of side shields
An MR element includes an MR stack disposed between first and second main shield portions, and a pair of side shields disposed on opposite sides of the MR stack in the track width direction. The first main shield portion includes a first exchange coupling shield layer that is exchange-coupled to a first antiferromagnetic layer. The second main shield portion includes a second exchange coupling shield layer that is exchange-coupled to a second antiferromagnetic layer. The MR stack includes a spacer layer, and first and second free layers with the spacer layer therebetween. The direction of magnetization of the first free layer is controlled by the first exchange coupling shield layer. The direction of magnetization of the second free layer is controlled by the second exchange coupling shield layer. Each side shield includes at least one shield-coupling magnetic layer that is in contact with and magnetically coupled to one of the first and second exchange coupling shield layers. |
| US08089730B1 |
Suspension assembly having a read head clamp
A suspension assembly includes a read head clamp attached to a flexure that includes structural, dielectric, and conductive layers. The clamp includes a cantilevered clamping arm sized so that its distal end is positioned to contact a leading face of a read head. The clamp also includes a wall positioned to face a trailing face of the read head. Each of a plurality of conductive probes defined in the structural layer is electrically connected to a corresponding one of a plurality of conductive traces defined in the conductive layer, by a plurality of conductive vias through the dielectric layer. Each of the plurality of conductive probes is bent out of the flexure plane and is positioned to contact the trailing face of the read head. A method for temporarily holding a read head is also disclosed. |
| US08089728B2 |
Head gimbal assembly, suspension for the head gimbal assembly, and disk drive unit with the same
A HGA comprises a slider and a suspension with a flexure having a tongue region for supporting the slider. A read/write transducer and a piezoelectric element are formed oppositely. The connecting points of the curve beams and the inner tongue of the tongue region are in mirror positions to a center point of the inner tongue, and the connecting points of each curve beam are located at opposite sides of a center axis of the flexure. The slider has multiple electrical pads electrically connecting with the read/write transducer. The inner tongue has multiple electrical pads. The flexure has multiple inner leads electrically connected with the electrical pads of the inner tongue formed on the curve beams. The structure of the HGA prevents the read/write transducer from damaged and cause the manufacture of the HGA simpler. The present invention also discloses a suspension and a disk drive unit. |
| US08089727B2 |
Managing data storage media and multiple cartridge memories of a data storage cartridge
A data storage cartridge comprises data storage media configured to store data for read and/or write access, wherein the data may be arranged in a plurality of partitions; and a plurality of cartridge memories. A control system, for example of a data storage drive, is configured to allocate at least portions of capacity of the data storage media to cartridge memories of the data storage cartridge; and to provide information defining the allocated portions of capacity to the cartridge memories. Each of the cartridge memories may have a separate user and thus provide access for that user to separate partitions. |
| US08089725B2 |
Magnetic head having a stepped or segmented wrap around shield and methods of formation thereof
According to one embodiment, a system comprises a magnetic pole having a media-facing end and a wrap around shield spaced from the magnetic pole, wherein the wrap around shield has a media-facing end positioned along three sides of the media-facing end of the magnetic pole and has inner, second, and middle regions separated by transitional regions. The inner region is closest to the media facing end of the magnetic pole, the second region is farthest from the media facing end of the magnetic pole, and the middle region is between the inner and second regions. A cross-sectional height of the inner region measured perpendicularly to the wrap around shield's media-facing end is less than a cross-sectional height of the second region, and a cross-sectional height of the middle region is greater than the cross-sectional height of the inner region and less than the cross-sectional height of the second region. |
| US08089724B2 |
Self-aligned perpendicular writer pole and front shield
A write pole structure includes a write pole having a tip region. A shield structure is spaced from the write pole by a gap at the tip region. The shield structure includes a front shield and a spacer layer on the back of the front shield. A yoke is formed on the write pole, and an end of the yoke is aligned with the back end of the spacer layer. |
| US08089723B2 |
Damping control in magnetic nano-elements using ultrathin damping layer
A write head and a method for forming the write head. The method includes providing a first pole and a second pole for the write head. The first pole and the second pole are formed from a ferromagnetic material. Regions of the write head including at least a portion of at least one of the first pole and the second pole of the write head are volumetrically doped with a dopant material selected from one of a 4d transition metal, 5d transition metal, and 4f rare earth metal. The dopant material is predetermined to provide a magnetic damping in the doped regions which is greater than the magnetic damping in the ferromagnetic material. |
| US08089721B1 |
Hermetic seal for discrete opening in disk drive housing
A hermetic seal is provided for sealing a discrete opening in a disk drive base plate. The hermetic seal comprises a sealing gasket that is disposed between planar facing surfaces of a component inserted through the opening and a recess formed on the interior of the base plate. As the gasket is compressed, a deformable plating applied to the gasket deforms and flows to fill microscopic voids that may be found in the abutting planar surfaces. Required access to the disk drive through the opening may be made in a rework process without destroying the seal. To seal the opening of the drive again, the sealing gasket is simply recompressed between the planar abutting surfaces. The invention also comprises a method by which to seal the castings of the disk drive housing, to include the base plate and top cover the disk drive. The method generally includes a two-time resin impregnation process to fill exposed pores on the surface of the castings. |
| US08089717B1 |
Data reproducing apparatus for improving data recording efficiency
When the format control circuit detects bit synchronization information in a sector to be reproduced on a magnetic disk, the format control circuit activates a read gate signal for commanding to read out the sector from the magnetic disk. When symbol synchronization information on the magnetic disk is detected, a SYNC detection circuit produces a synchronization information detection signal. The format control circuit calculates an end position of the sector on the magnetic disk on the basis of the synchronization information detection signal to inactivate the read gate signal. The data correction circuit and the decoding circuit reproduce data and ECC in the sector read out from the magnetic disk during the period that the read gate signal is active on the basis of the synchronization information detection signal to produce the data and ECC to a data bus. The data flow control circuit processes the data and ECC on the data bus after the elapse of a reproduction delay time on the basis of the synchronization information detection circuit. |
| US08089716B2 |
Magnetic tape, magnetic tape apparatus, servo pattern recording apparatus, magnetic tape producing method, and magnetic tape recording method
Provided is a magnetic tape that includes a data band, including servo patterns, data, and a guard space. The servo patterns is formed along a longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape with an interval provided between each of the servo patterns, each of the servo patterns formed across a full width of the data band. The data is recorded between the servo patterns. The guard space is left between each of the servo patterns and the data. |
| US08089715B1 |
Split sector formatting of storage disks
Formatting a storage disk is disclosed. A first portion of a sector of the storage disk is defined. The first portion precedes a defect and has a first length that varies based on a detected location of the defect. A second portion of the sector of the storage disk is defined. The second portion follows the defect and has a second length that varies based on the detected location of the defect. |
| US08089713B2 |
Detection of hard-disc defect regions using soft decisions
In a hard-disc drive, a defect region on the hard disc is detected by generating two statistical measures (e.g., β1(k) and β2(k)) based on signal values (e.g., x[n] or y[n]) and soft-decision values (e.g., L[n]) corresponding to the signal values. The measures are compared to detect the location of the defect region of the hard drive. Using the soft-decision values reduces fluctuations in a ratio of the statistical measures compared to a ratio formed from statistical measures that are not based on soft-decision values, resulting in a more-reliable test for detecting defect regions. |
| US08089707B2 |
Diaphragm changing device
The invention relates to an optical imaging device, in particular an objective 1 for microlithography in the field of EUVL for producing semiconductor components, having a beam path 2, a plurality of optical elements 3 and a diaphragm device 7 with an adjustable diaphragm opening shape. The diaphragm device has a diaphragm store 7a, 7b with a plurality of different diaphragm openings 6 with fixed shapes in each case, which can be introduced into the beam path 2. |
| US08089706B2 |
Fixed-focus lens
A fixed-focus lens disposed between a magnified side and a minified side. The fixed-focus lens has an optical axis and includes a reflective system and a refractive system. The reflective system includes a reflection mirror with a negative refractive power. The refractive system is disposed between the reflection mirror and the minified side and includes a first lens group and a second lens group. The first lens group has a positive refractive power. The second lens group is disposed between the first lens group and the minified side, and has a positive refractive power. The fixed-focus lens satisfies F/H>0.23, where F is an effective focal length and H is an image height. |
| US08089705B2 |
Objective lens for optical pick-up
There is provided an objective lens for an optical pick-up. The objective lens includes a first surface on a light source side, and a second surface on an optical disc side. The first surface has a convex shape. The objective lens is formed to be a single-element lens having a numerical aperture of 0.75 or more. In this configuration, the objective lens satisfies a condition: 0.95<(n−1)·tan θmax<1.50 (1) where θmax represents a maximum angle of a normal to the first surface with respect to an optical axis in an effective diameter of the first surface, and n represents a refractive index of the objective lens. |
| US08089703B2 |
Lens driving apparatus
Disclosed is a lens driving apparatus. The lens driving apparatus includes a base formed at a center thereof with a first opening; a housing coupled with the base and having a second opening corresponding to the first opening; a yoke installed on the base and including a horizontal plate having a third opening corresponding to the first opening and a vertical plate protruding upward from the horizontal plate; a bobbin movably installed in the yoke and coupled with a lens module; a coil fixedly disposed around the bobbin; a plurality of magnets provided at the vertical plate of the yoke to face the coil; and a spring installed on at least one of upper and lower portions of the yoke to return the bobbin, which has moved up due to interaction between the magnet and the coil, to its initial position. |
| US08089701B2 |
Zoom lens system, imaging device and camera
A zoom lens system of the present invention has a plurality of lens units each composed of at least one lens element and, in order from the object side to the image side, comprises: a first lens unit having negative optical power and composed of two lens elements; a second lens unit having positive optical power; and a third lens unit having positive optical power, wherein in zooming, the lens units are moved such that an interval between the first lens unit and the second lens unit should decrease and that an interval between the second lens unit and the third lens unit should increase, so that magnification change is achieved, and wherein the condition is satisfied: 1.5 |
| US08089698B1 |
Wide-angle optical lens assembly
A wide-angle optical lens assembly comprises, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with a negative refractive power having concave image-side surface, a second lens element with a positive refractive power, a third lens element with a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens element with a positive refractive power having convex image-side surface, at least one surface of the fourth lens element thereof being aspheric. By such arrangement, total track length and photosensitivity of the wide-angle optical lens assembly can be effectively reduced while retaining large field of view and superb image quality. |
| US08089689B1 |
Apparatus and method for optical gain fiber having segments of differing core sizes
Apparatus and method for amplifying laser signals using segments of fibers of differing core diameters and/or differing cladding diameters to suppress amplified spontaneous emission and non-linear effects such as four-wave mixing (FWM), self-phase modulation, and stimulated Brillouin and/or Raman scattering (SBS/SRS). In some embodiments, different core sizes have different sideband spacings (spacing between the desired signal and wavelength-shifted lobes). Changing core sizes and providing phase mismatches prevent buildup of non-linear effects. Some embodiments further include a bandpass filter to remove signal other than the desired signal wavelength and/or a time gate to remove signal at times other than during the desired signal pulse. Some embodiments include photonic-crystal structures to define the core for the signal and/or the inner cladding for the pump. Some embodiments include an inner glass cladding to confine the signal in the core and an outer glass cladding to confine pump light in the inner cladding. |
| US08089683B2 |
Optical processing
A modular routing node includes a single input port and a plurality of output ports. The modular routing node is arranged to produce a plurality of different deflections and uses small adjustments to compensate for wavelength differences and alignment tolerances in an optical system. An optical device is arranged to receive a multiplex of many optical signals at different wavelengths, to separate the optical signals into at least two groups, and to process at least one of the groups adaptively. |
| US08089682B2 |
Electrochromic device using polyphthalate and process for preparing the same
Example embodiments provide an electrochromic device using polyphthalate as an electrochromic material and a process for preparing the same. The electrochromic device in accordance with example embodiments enables the production of a solid nanoscale electrochromic device having a bistability using polyphthalate as an electrochromic material, and easy formation of a red electrochromic layer which was not reported in a conventional art. Accordingly, the electrochromic device of example embodiments can be usefully employed for fabrication of RGB color electrochromic displays. |
| US08089681B2 |
Electrochromic device based on layer by layer deposition
An electrode is described. The electrode includes a substrate having a first and a second surface, a conductive layer, multilayer structure having alternating layers of at least one polymer layer and at least one electroactive chemical bound nanoparticle layer. The conductive layer is disposed on the second surface of the substrate, and the multilayer structure is disposed on the conductive layer. |
| US08089670B2 |
Method for upsampling color correction tables, an apparatus for creating an upsampled color corretion table, and a program for upsampling color correction tables
A method of forming a multidimensional upsampled table, which includes a plurality of upsampled contents and a plurality of upsampled columns and a plurality of upsampled rows, includes reading a multidimensional unsampled table having a plurality of unsampled content values. The multidimensional unsampled table has a plurality of unsampled columns and a plurality of unsampled rows. The multidimensional unsampled table is monotonic in the plurality of unsampled columns and is monotonic in the plurality of unsampled rows. The method further includes performing a Piecewise Cubic Hermite Interpolating Polynomial (PCHIP) interpolation to upsample the multidimensional unsampled table and to create the multidimensional upsampled table, and storing the multidimensional upsampled table. The PCHIP interpolation is independent of an order of interpolation direction. |
| US08089669B2 |
Apparatus and control method for image reading, image forming apparatus
It is made possible to determine image characteristics in a reading image while the image of an original is being read. A first line sensor (9R2, 9G2, 9B2) is arranged on a board and reads the original image. A second line sensor (9K1) has a larger number of pixels than the first line sensor and is arranged on the board to read the original image earlier than the first line sensor. An image signal processing characteristic control unit (46) uses an output of the second line sensor as a control signal to control the processing characteristic of the image signal read by the first line sensor. |
| US08089667B2 |
Method for determining parameters relevant to the print quality of a printed product
The invention provides a method for determining parameters relevant to the print quality of a printed product. A macroscopic photogram of a measuring field of the printed product is recorded using a camera having a macro lens. An actual value of a parameter relevant to the print quality is determined from the macroscopic photogram. The actual value is compared to a nominal value of the parameter relevant to the print quality. Whether the measuring field is printed with adequate quality is determined based on the comparison of the actual valve with the nominal value of the parameter relevant to the print quality. |
| US08089666B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an upper cover attached to a main body, an image forming part provided in the main body and configured to record an image on a sheet, an image reading part having a document press member, and a lock mechanism. The upper cover is configured to be pivotable on a support axis with respect to the main body. The image reading part is slidably mounted on the upper cover. The document press member is configured to open and close with respect to a housing of the image reading part in a direction similar to a direction in which the upper cover opens and closes. The lock mechanism is configured to prevent the document press member from opening over a slidable range of the image reading part when the upper cover is opened. |
| US08089664B2 |
Image reading device
An image reading device according to one aspect of the invention comprises: a conveying unit configured to convey a recording medium; a first transmissive portion having a first surface that allows the recording medium to pass the first surface; a second transmissive portion having a second surface on which a recording medium is allowed to be placed; an image reading unit comprising a line sensor extending in a first direction and movable on a second path, the second path continuously extending below the first transmissive portion and the second transmissive portion; and a driver configured to move the image reading unit on the second path. A relative distance between the line sensor and the first surface changes in the second path below the first transmissive portion. The recording medium can be read at positions having the relative distances different one another. |
| US08089657B2 |
Device, program and method for calibration of an image presenting system
A calibration device comprises a relative-value correction unit that performs a normalization for the measured output value based on a possible range of a measured output value and a normalization for a desired output value corresponding to the measured output value based on a range of the desired output value, an absolute-value correction unit that performs a normalization for the measured output value and the desired output value based on the range of the desired output value, a relative-value calibration unit that calibrates the measured output value normalized by the relative-value correction unit with reference to a characteristic of the desired output value normalized by the relative-value correction unit, and an absolute-value calibration unit that calibrates the measured output value normalized by the absolute-value correction unit with reference to the desired output value normalized by the absolute-value correction unit. |
| US08089656B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes an input control unit that receives an input of image data and a first image-processing unit that performs first image processing on image data received from an image reading unit thereby obtaining first-processed image data. A first output control unit selectively-outputs the first-processed image data to any of the input control unit and an external storage unit. A second image-processing unit receives the first-processed image data from the input control unit and performs second image processing on the first-processed image data thereby obtaining second-processed image data, and a second output control unit outputs the second-processed image data. |
| US08089655B2 |
Personalized gift cards for imaging products and services
A method for producing a gift card for a gift imaging product, comprises receiving an order of the gift imaging product from a user, producing the gift imaging product, producing the gift card by the user for the gift imaging product; and consolidating the gift card with the gift imaging product into one package. |
| US08089654B2 |
Interactive application for retrieving content via imaging of printed substrate
An interactive application for execution on a handheld display device having an image sensor, a transceiver and a touch-sensitive screen. The interactive application is configured to operatively control the device so as to perform the steps of: determining interaction data using image data captured by the image sensor, the image data being captured by imaging a printed substrate containing printed content; sending the interaction data to a computer system, thereby causing the computer system to retrieve display data corresponding to the printed content; receiving the display data from the computer system; and displaying content based on the received display data. The touch-sensitive screen enables interaction with the displayed content. |
| US08089653B2 |
Document processing apparatus, method and program for variable printing with document file dividing
There is provided a document processing apparatus capable of, when acquiring a document based on a template file created by a variable printing system after converting the document into its own format, constructing a document in a format in which a concept of a record is introduced and preferably enabling operations for the unit of the concept of the source record, a document processing method and a program. In a computer 100 which issues to a printer 107 a print job for printing document data in which specified variable data is put into specified areas, template data into which the variable data can be merged is imported based on records; a segment is tentatively set for the template data, for each imported record; and the template data in which predetermined variable data is merged at predetermined areas is acquired on the basis of a record for which a segment is tentatively created. |
| US08089652B2 |
Licensing method for use with an imaging device
A licensing method includes the steps of establishing a licensing vendor; providing an imaging device that uses an imaging media in forming printed images on print media, the imaging media including an initial supply amount of an imaging substance; associating a usage license with at least one of the imaging device and the imaging media, the usage license defining a first usage threshold at which a consumer is prompted to acquire a new license; and providing a license monitoring mechanism communicatively coupled with the imaging device, the license monitoring mechanism performing the steps of tracking an amount of usage of the imaging media by the imaging device; determining whether the amount of usage of the imaging media by the imaging device has reached a usage threshold; and upon reaching the usage threshold, then prompting the consumer to acquire the new license from the licensing vendor. |
| US08089651B2 |
Right information managing device, information processing system, and computer readable medium
A right information managing device includes: a right information storage that associates both old right information and new right information with a target user, and that stores, as first right information showing the right to use of the target user for an information processor, the information associated with the target user; a detecting unit that detects a start of a use of the information processor based on the new right information by the target user; and a use limiting unit that limits the use of the information processor based on the old right information by the target user in accordance with a result obtained by the detecting unit. |
| US08089647B2 |
Information processing device and method, and data communication system for acquiring document data from electronic paper
An information processing device to generate data pertaining to a document from electronic paper which has a display section to display and retain the document, and a memory to store document identification data, includes a document data storage unit which stores document electronic data, a communication unit which acquires document identification data from the electronic paper, a reading unit which scans the display section, a data extraction unit which extracts from the document data storage unit document electronic data corresponding to the document identification data, a difference processing unit which extracts a note image appended on a surface of the display section according to a difference between an image from the extracted document electronic data and an image of the scanned display section, and a data generation unit which associates data of the extracted appendix image and the extracted document electronic data, thereby generates data pertaining to the document. |
| US08089644B2 |
Image-processing device, recording medium, and method
There is provided an image-processing device having a receiving unit that receives first variable print data including a plurality of records and designation information designating a rendering program; an image generation unit that performs the image generation process in which the rendering program is executed with regard to the plurality of records included in the first variable print data to generate output images corresponding to each of the plurality of records, wherein when an error occurs because of a first record of the plurality of records during generation of an output image corresponding to the first record, the image generation unit continues the image generation process by changing a record to be processed from the first record to a record which is to be processed later than the first record; and a variable print data generation unit that generates second variable print data including the first record. |
| US08089643B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer-readable recording medium storing information processing program
An information processing apparatus which converts input image data having a data format before conversion into image data having a data format after conversion is disclosed. The information processing apparatus includes a data format storing unit which stores processing capability information of the information processing apparatus and information of the data formats after conversion by correlating the processing capability information with the information of the data formats after conversion, a processing capability information determining unit which determines the processing capability information of the information processing apparatus, and a data format conversion controlling unit which converts the input image data having the data format before conversion into the image data having the data format after conversion based on the determined result by the processing capability information determining unit by referring to the data format storing unit. |
| US08089642B2 |
Image forming apparatus driver, operation setting device for image forming apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image forming system for post-processing
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a sheet based on image data and performing post-processing with respect to the sheet having the image, includes a post-processing designator for designating a post-processing side of a sheet bundle, and a post-processing position with respect to the post-processing side. The post-processing designator identifies four sides of the sheet based on combination information relating to combination of discrimination as to whether the post-processing side is a long side or a short side of the sheet, and discrimination as to whether the post-processing side is a left side, a right side, an upper side, or a lower side of the sheet, depending on whether the image to be formed on the sheet is a portrait image or a landscape image, and designates the post-processing side by using the combination information. |
| US08089641B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus including: a controller for generating expanded image data; a local bus connected with the controller; a plurality of generic buses which are independent from each other; a plurality of image processing sections, each of which is respectively connected to each of the plurality of generic buses, for executing image processing of the expanded image data to generate processed image data; a plurality of bridges, each of which connects the local bus with each of the plurality of independent generic buses; and a memory section for storing at least one of the expanded image data and the processed image data, wherein the plurality of image processing sections share execution of image processing of the expanded image data generated by the controller, and the memory section memorizes the processed image data. |
| US08089640B2 |
Printer configuration determined by format on a print medium
On operation of a printer for a digital tachograph in a motor vehicle, the input of the specification for the desired print is regularly time-consuming and error-prone due to the deep menu structure of the user guide. A solution is provided whereby the print medium (3), in addition to the size format, comprises an additional layout (21) and the print unit (12) of the printer (2) outputs a particular content of the impression on the print medium (3) depending on the embodiment thereof. The user can thus specify the desired content of the impression with selection of a print medium (3) for an advantageous sectional introduction. |
| US08089634B2 |
Optical element and method of calibrating a measuring apparatus comprising a wave shaping structure
Optical element having an optical surface, which optical surface is adapted to a non-spherical target shape, such that a long wave variation of the actual shape of the optical surface with respect to the target shape is limited to a maximum value of 0.2 nm, wherein the long wave variation includes only oscillations having a spatial wavelength equal to or larger than a minimum spatial wavelength of 10 mm. |
| US08089633B2 |
Test method for surface figure of large convex mirrors
A method of testing a convex mirror surface figure in which an optical quality substrate material is used having a convex front surface and a rear surface polished to a precise optical figure to create a lens. The lens is then tested by a standard interferometric or wavefront lens-testing method and the convex surface coated once a desired curvature is obtained. Null testing may be attained by passing a collimated interferometer beam through a focusing lens shaped to counter the predicted spherical aberration introduced by a perfect convex mirror/lens. A nominal rear surface figure of the mirror/lens may be used if a precisely figured test window is contacted with the rear surface using a refractive index-matching substance with an index of refraction closely matching the index of refraction of the test optic. |
| US08089623B2 |
Normalization of data
Methods for normalizing output from an instrument employing a reference standard or non-fluorescing substance disposed within at least one of a plurality of reaction chambers. The method comprises collecting and analyzing a signal associated with the reference standard or non-fluorescing substance to determine a normalizing bias. The normalizing bias is then applied to the data signal collected from a remainder of the plurality of reaction chambers. |
| US08089622B2 |
Device and method for evaluating defects in the edge area of a wafer and use of the device in inspection system for wafers
A device for evaluating defects in the edge area of a wafer (6) is disclosed. The evaluation may also be performed automatically. In particular, the device includes three cameras (25, 26, 27), each provided with an objective (30), wherein a first camera (25) is arranged such that the first camera (25) is opposite to an edge area on the upper surface (6a) of the wafer (6), wherein a second camera (26) is arranged such that the second camera (26) is opposite to a front surface (6b) of the wafer (6), and wherein a third camera (27) is arranged such that the third camera (27) is opposite to an edge area on the lower surface (6c) of the wafer (6). |
| US08089619B2 |
Process for manufacturing a microstructured optical fibre and method and system for on-line control of a microstructured optical fibre
A manufacturing process of a microstructured optical fiber including a void-containing region, includes the steps of: drawing a microstructured optical fiber along a longitudinal direction from a heated preform, wherein the optical fiber is continuously advanced along the longitudinal direction; directing a radiation beam at a longitudinal position in the longitudinal direction of the optical fiber so as to produce an interference pattern; detecting the interference pattern and producing at least one electrical detection signal corresponding to the interference pattern and including a plurality of signal fringe cycles; feeding the first detection signal into a first counter circuit; determining a first number of interference fringe increments in the plurality of signal wave fringe cycles of the at least one detection signal by using the first counter circuit; determining the outer diameter of the optical fiber, and controlling the microstructure of the optical fiber during advancement of the optical fiber. The step of controlling includes at least one step selected from: (a) controlling the first number of interference fringe increments within a reference number range of reference numbers of interference fringe increments, and (b) calculating a microstructure length value. |
| US08089618B2 |
Laser distance measuring device
The laser distance measuring device of the present invention comprises an emitting part having a laser generating device with a first spectral bandwidth arranged on an emitting optical path and a collimating lens. The emitting part also has an optical filter with a second spectral bandwidth which is less than the first spectral bandwidth. The laser distance measuring device also has a receiving part having a photoelectric receiving and conversion device to receive the measuring beam reflected by the object to be measured and convert it into an electric signal. Using the optical filter, most of the unneeded portions of the laser beam emitted from the laser are filtered out so that the useful proportion of the measuring beam of the laser beam is improved and the ranging capability of the laser distance measuring device under a bright or strong light environment is enhanced. |
| US08089616B2 |
Pattern forming method and apparatus, exposure method and apparatus, and device manufacturing method and device
During a period after starting exposure to a plurality of shot areas subject to exposure on a wafer until completing the exposure, a light via a slit pair arranged on a stage that holds the wafer, of illumination light via a pattern generating device, is received, and information on a positional relation between an illumination light and the stage (and hence a positional relation between the illumination light and the wafer) is detected. With this operation, even if the information on the positional relation between the illumination light and the wafer varies due to some reason, information on the variation can be detected while performing the exposure to the plurality of shot areas. Accordingly, high-precision exposure can be achieved in an exposure operation, by considering this detection results. |
| US08089615B2 |
Substrate holding apparatus, exposure apparatus, exposing method, and device fabricating method
A substrate holding apparatus includes a base part and a support part that is formed on the base part and supports a rear surface of the substrate. A first circumferential wall is formed on the base part, has a first upper surface that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part, and surrounds a first space that is between the substrate, which is supported by the support and the base part. A second circumferential wall is formed on the base part, has a second upper surface that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part, with a gap interposed therebetween, and surrounds the first circumferential wall. A third circumferential wall is formed on the base part, has a third upper surface that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part; and surrounds the support part and the second circumferential wall. A fluid flow port is capable of supplying gas to a second space that is between the first circumferential wall and the second circumferential wall. A first suction port suctions fluid from a third space that is between the second circumferential wall and the third circumferential wall. |
| US08089613B2 |
Lithographic apparatus, excimer laser and device manufacturing method
A CD-pitch dependency for a lithographic pattern printing process is related to the spectral intensity distribution of radiation used for projecting the pattern. A CD-pitch dependency can vary from one system to another. This can result in an iso-dense bias mismatch between systems. The invention addresses this problem by providing a lithographic apparatus including an illumination system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a projection system for projecting a patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate, and a substrate table for holding the substrate, with a controller to provide an adjustment of the spectral distribution of radiant intensity of the projection beam. The adjustment of the spectral intensity distribution is based on data relating to an iso dense bias, and comprises a broadening of the spectral bandwidth or a change of shape of the spectral intensity distribution. |
| US08089609B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A lithographic apparatus comprises an immersion fluid system and an interferometric temperature detection system. The immersion fluid system is configured to provide immersion fluid to an exposure system. The interferometric temperature detection system is configured to measure a temperature of the immersion fluid. |
| US08089608B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus includes an immersion space forming member (70) which fills an optical path space (K1) for exposure light (EL) with a first liquid (LQ) to form an immersion space, and a temperature regulating mechanism (60) which suppresses a change in the temperature of the immersion space forming member (70) accompanying deactivation of formation of the immersion space. |
| US08089603B2 |
Fabrication method of liquid crystal display panel
A method of fabricating an LCD panel includes the following steps. A patterned black matrix layer is formed on a first surface of the first substrate, wherein the patterned black matrix layer includes a plurality of black-matrix patterns disposed at boundaries of adjacent first and second sub-pixel regions. Then, a first color filter layer is formed and patterned such that the patterned first color filter layer is disposed in the first sub-pixel regions and covers surfaces of the black-matrix patterns at a side of first sub-pixel regions concurrently. After that, a second color filter layer is formed and patterned so that the patterned second color filter layer is disposed in the second sub-pixel regions. A plurality of spacers are disposed on the first surface, disposed on the surfaces of the black-matrix patterns and the surface of the first color filter layer covering the black-matrix patterns. |
| US08089596B2 |
Transflective liquid crystal display device and color liquid crystal display device
A vertical alignment liquid crystal layer is sealed between a first substrate having a first electrode and a second substrate having a second electrode, each pixel region has a reflective region and a transmissive region, and a gap adjusting section is provided on one of sides of the first substrate and the second substrate which sets a thickness (gap) of the liquid crystal layer which controls a phase difference of incident light to the liquid crystal layer so that a gap in the reflective region is smaller than a gap in the transmissive region. An alignment controller which divides alignment of the liquid crystal within a pixel region is provided in the pixel region on at least one of the sides of the first substrate and the second substrate. It is also possible to optimize by changing the gap in red, green, and blue. |
| US08089593B2 |
Optical resin film, optical compensation sheet, polarizing plate and liquid crystal display
An optical resin film is provided, in which a wavelength dispersion of a retardation in planar direction and a wavelength dispersion of a retardation in thickness direction are independently controlled, is provided and has at least an additive having a negative intrinsic birefringence. |
| US08089589B2 |
Semi-transmissive-type liquid crystal display device and method for manufacturing same
A semi-transmissive-type liquid crystal display device is provided which is capable of preventing an electric erosion reaction between a reflective film made of Al (aluminum) or an Al alloy and a transparent electrode film made of ITO or a like (Indium Tin Oxide) and of inhibiting occurrence of a flicker caused by a residual DC (Direct Current) voltage in the reflective film. In the semi-transmissive-type of a liquid crystal display device, a transmissive region to provide light from a backlight source and a reflective region to receive ambient light are placed in a pixel region and a transparent electrode film is formed above a reflective film formed in the reflective region on an active matrix substrate with a second passivation film being interposed between the reflective film and the transparent electrode film. |
| US08089582B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising at least one groove having an end portion that stops short of the non-adjacent opposite side surfaces and extends in a direction perpendicular to the non-adjacent side surfaces
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device having a light guide plate that is capable of providing improved liquid crystal display performance without generating a striped image. The liquid crystal display device includes a light guide plate, which illuminates a liquid crystal panel from its rear surface, and light sources, which shed a light ray on the light guide plate. The rear surface of the light guide plate is separated into a plurality of rear surface divisions by concave grooves. The light sources can adjust the brightness of each rear surface division. The display performance of the liquid crystal panel is improved by individually managing a plurality of regions of the liquid crystal panel, which correspond to the rear surface divisions, and darkening a rear surface division that corresponds to a region where the black color is predominant. |
| US08089579B1 |
System and method for providing a light control mechanism for a display
The present invention is a display assembly including: a display, a backlight module and a plurality of grills. The backlight module generates light rays for illuminating the display. The generated light rays exit the backlight module and are directed to a set of grills (ex.—Black Matrix substrates), which are configured between the backlight module and the display. The grills are configured for allowing a first portion of the light rays (ex.—light rays directed toward an eye position of a viewer of the display) to pass through the grills to the display, but are also configured for blocking a second portion of the light rays (ex.—light rays directed away from the viewer), thus preventing the second portion of light rays from reaching the display. The first portion of light rays are then received by and emitted from the display towards the eye position of the viewer. |
| US08089576B2 |
Liquid crystal display module comprising a backlight unit having at least one guide terminal inserted through at least one through hole of the main frame and method of fabricating the same
A liquid crystal display module includes: a liquid crystal display panel; a backlight unit under the liquid crystal display panel, the backlight unit having at least one guide terminal facing side surfaces of the liquid crystal display panel; a main frame supporting the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight unit; a bottom frame combined with the main frame to surround the backlight unit; and a top frame combined with the main frame to cover upper edge portions of the liquid crystal display panel. |
| US08089574B2 |
Active matrix substrate, display, and television receiver
An active matrix substrate includes a transistor, a pixel electrode, a drain lead electrode connected with the drain electrode of the transistor, and a contact hole connecting the drain lead electrode and the pixel electrode. A non-electrode through-bore portion is created on the drain lead electrode, and an opening of the contact hole crosses the through-bore portion. As a result, any changes or decreases in the contact area between the drain lead electrode and the pixel electrode may be prevented or reduced significantly, while the open area ratio can be improved. |
| US08089573B2 |
Liquid crystal panel, liquid crystal display apparatus and television receiver
A liquid crystal panel (10) includes an active matrix substrate on which a transistor (12), a pixel electrode (17), signal lines (15, 16) and backup wirings (8a, 8b) for recovering a defect in the signal line are formed; a color filter substrate on which a common electrode (counter electrode) is formed; and a liquid crystal material provided between the active matrix substrate and the color filter substrate. The backup wirings (8a, 8b) are (electrically) connected to the common electrode on the color filter substrate, through (i) a protection circuit (9) for discharging an undesired electric charge that occurs in the backup wirings (8a, 8b) and (ii) a sealing adhesive (6). With this configuration, it becomes possible to reduce problems (for instance, unexpected short-circuiting of the backup wiring and the signal line) caused by the undesired electric charge that occurs in the backup wirings. |
| US08089566B2 |
Television tuner integrated circuit and television tuner for attenuating interference signal
A tuner integrated circuit is connected, in a preceding stage thereof, to an RF amplifier including a UHF dual gate FET and a VHF dual gate FET. In the reception of a signal of the UHF band, a television signal output from the UHF dual gate FET is input to a UHF RF circuit via a UHF multiple-tuning circuit. In the reception of a signal of the VHF band, a television signal output from the VHF dual gate FET is input to a VHF RF circuit via a VHF multiple-tuning circuit. A VHF input terminal of the VHF RF circuit is connected to the ground via between a collector and an emitter of a transistor. In the reception of the signal of the UHF band, the transistor is turned on. |
| US08089565B2 |
Digital signal receiver and method for controlling the same
A digital signal receiver comprises a signal separating section (11), a clock signal generating section (12), a video data processing section (14), an audio data processing section (15), and a control section (17). The clock signal generating section (12) generates an operation clock signal (105) for the signal separating section (11), the video data processing section (14), and the audio data processing section (15). The control section (17) pauses the signal separating section (11), the video data processing section (14), and the audio data processing section (15) until receiving a clock stability signal (108) indicating that the operation clock signal (105) is stable, the clock stability signal (108) being generated by the clock signal generating section (12). |
| US08089560B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program
An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a correction interval setting unit for setting a correction interval; a correction interval dividing unit for dividing the correction interval into a black side interval and a white side interval; histogram calculating units for calculating a total number of luminance histograms of the black side interval and the white side interval, respectively; gain setting units for setting gains of a γ curve for raising the luminance and a γ curve for lowering the luminance, respectively; gamma curve generating units for generating a gamma curve for raising the luminance and a gamma curve for lowering the luminance, respectively; a gamma curve combining unit for combining the gamma curve for raising the luminance and the gamma curve for lowering the luminance; and a luminance conversion unit for performing the luminance conversion process using the combined gamma curve. |
| US08089556B2 |
Flat display and driving method thereof
A method for driving a flat display is disclosed. Each row of the flat display includes N pixels, that is used to display M pixel data in a row of a image frame, wherein M and N are positive integers and M is larger than N. The method includes, in a first time division, the N pixels display N pixel data out of the M pixel data, and in a second time division, the N pixels display the remaining M-N pixel data. |
| US08089553B2 |
Lens drive device, image pickup device and lens drive method
A lens drive device in at least one lens barrel holding a lens moveably includes a motor to drive the lens; an acceleration detection section to detect an acceleration; and an output control section to control an output of the motor corresponding to the acceleration detected by the acceleration detection section. The output control section determines whether the acceleration detected by the acceleration detection section falls within a predetermined acceleration range or not. When the acceleration is determined to be within the range, a further determination of whether the lens drive device is in a stationary state is performed. When it is determined not being in the stationary state, the motor is driven by a maximum drive voltage. When it is determined being in the stationary state, a further determination of whether the posture is horizontal or not is performed. |
| US08089551B2 |
Photographic apparatus
A photographic apparatus comprises an imaging sensor, an image-processing unit, and a display unit. The imaging sensor obtains image data. The image-processing unit performs an image-processing operation on the image data. The display unit displays an image-processing setting picture having a setting-status indication area and a color status indication area. The setting-status indication area shows a setting status of the image-processing operation. The color status indication area displays a diagrammatic representation of a color status in the image-processing operation corresponding to the setting status. |
| US08089550B2 |
Image sensing apparatus, control method thereof, and program
An image sensing apparatus includes a display control unit which controls an image display unit to display an image sensed by an image input unit. The image sensing apparatus also includes a signal strength detection unit which detects, from a sensed image, a luminance area formed from pixels satisfying a predetermined luminance condition, and a special area detection unit which detects, from a sensed image, an object area having a predetermined feature. The display control unit controls the image display unit to display an assist image representing the luminance area, so as to be superimposed on a sensed image. The display control unit changes the assist image display method between a case in which the luminance area and object area overlap each other and a case in which they do not overlap each other. |
| US08089544B2 |
Image sensor and driving method therefor
This disclosure concerns an image sensor including: an imaging area; row selection lines; and column signal lines, wherein a pixel includes: a photodiode; a capacitor connected to the photodiode at a first node; a reset transistor connected between the first node and a first power supply; a comparator comparing the potential of the first node with a reference voltage, and outputting a result to a gate of the reset transistor; a counter connected to the comparator, counting an inversion count of an output signal from the comparator, and outputting a digital value according to the inversion count, the output signal being generated from the comparator when the potential of the first node reaches the potential of the first power supply; and a selection transistor connected between the counter and one of the plurality of column signal lines, and having a gate connected to one of the row selection lines. |
| US08089539B2 |
Phase adjusting device and related art thereof
A characteristic detecting unit detects characteristics of a digital imaged signal at every phase shift interval set in advance. A timing adjustment unit gives a phase adjustment instruction of a pulse so as to converge to an imaging phase in the digital imaged signal at which the characteristics are a predetermined value or within a predetermined range. A shift interval switching unit switches the phase shift interval according to photographing conditions of an imaging element. |
| US08089537B2 |
Image processing system and image processing program for defective pixel correction
An image processing system can realize a more accurate and high-quality correction of defective pixels by including an image pickup device, an obtaining unit obtaining information showing positions of defective pixels occurred at the image pickup device, a creating unit creating discrimination information showing the positions of the defective pixels in an image generated via the image pickup device, a detecting unit detecting a correlativity with neighborhood pixels by each defective pixel, and an estimating unit estimating a pixel value by each defective pixel in accordance with a detected result by the detecting unit. Incidentally, the image processing system is configured by an imaging device and a computer recording an image processing program, in which the imaging device includes the image pickup device, the obtaining unit, and the creating unit, and the image processing program may make the computer function as the detecting unit and the estimating unit. |
| US08089536B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes an information extraction unit which extracts foreign substance information which is information of a position and size of a foreign substance in an image sensing plane of an image capture unit and is recorded in association with captured image data and lens information of a lens used when acquiring the captured image data, which is recorded in association with the captured image data, a conversion unit which converts the foreign substance information extracted by the information extraction unit into second foreign substance information form on the basis of the lens information extracted by the information extraction unit, and an interpolation unit which interpolates a pixel corresponding to the foreign substance in the captured image data on the basis of the second foreign substance information form. |
| US08089534B2 |
Multi illuminant shading correction using singular value decomposition
Methods and systems for determining shading correction coefficients of an imaging device. An inversion surface is determined based on an image captured by the imaging device. The inversion surface is approximated using the captured image and eigenvectors associated with singular values of the inversion surface, to form multiple reconstruction weights. A polynomial fit is applied to: i) the multiple reconstruction weights to determine a first set of polynomial coefficients and ii) the eigenvectors to determine a second set of polynomial coefficients. The first and second sets of polynomial coefficients are used to form the shading correction coefficients. |
| US08089532B2 |
Method and apparatus providing pixel-wise noise correction
Methods and apparatuses providing pixel-wise noise correction using pixels to provide reference values during pixel readout operations. |
| US08089531B2 |
Image processor, image acquisition apparatus, storage medium of image processing program and image processing method
An image processor includes an inter-superimposed-image deformation acquisition unit configured to acquire deformation information between superimposed images included in a multiple image in which images of a subject are superimposed, an image deformation unit configured to generate at least two deformed images by performing deformation processing with respect to the multiple image at least twice to be geometrically deformed based on the acquired deformation information between superimposed images, and a signal intensity relationship acquisition unit configured to acquire signal intensity relationship information indicative of a relationship between signal intensities of the superimposed images included in the multiple image. The image processor further includes a signal processing unit configured to perform addition processing of the at least two deformed images generated from the deformation processing by using the acquired signal intensity relationship information. |
| US08089523B2 |
Image pickup apparatus performing automatic photographing processing, image pickup method and computer-readable recording medium recorded with program thereof
Disclosed is an image pickup apparatus comprising: an image pickup section to pick up a subject image; and a central processing section to perform processing of arbitrarily setting at least one automatic photographing condition among a plurality of kinds of automatic photographing conditions, judging whether “the set automatic photographing condition” is satisfied or not, and instructing the image pickup section to pick up a recording subject image when “the set automatic photographing condition” is judged to be satisfied. |
| US08089522B2 |
Spatial-temporal multi-resolution image sensor with adaptive frame rates for tracking movement in a region of interest
A sensor includes an array of pixels to capture an image, the array of pixels arranged as a plurality of pixel groups, each of the pixel groups having a two or more pixels coupled to a shared floating diffusion node for outputting merged image signals from the pixel groups, at least one inter-pixel switch to control transfer of electrical charge from a floating diffusion node for a first one of the pixel groups to a floating diffusion node for a second one of the pixel groups to temporarily store a portion of a previous image frame within the floating diffusion node for the second one of the pixel groups, and a motion comparator to compare an image signal from the first one of the pixel groups with an image signal from the second one of the pixel groups to detect motion between a current frame and the previous frame. |
| US08089521B2 |
Imaging device, image processing method, image processing program, and recording medium
Disclosed is an imaging device including: imaging means for capturing an image; moving image data generation means for generating moving image data as image data for a moving image from an image captured by the imaging means; still image data generation means for, when the moving image data generation means generates the moving image data, generating still image data as image data for a still image from an image captured by the imaging means; and display data generation means for, when the moving image data is generated, generating first display data for displaying an image corresponding to the moving image data and, when the still image data is generated, generating second display data for displaying an image representing generation of the still image data in parallel with generation of the first display data. |
| US08089514B2 |
Moving image communication device, moving image communication system and semiconductor integrated circuit used for communication of moving image
A communication processor sets a storage request signal to be effective when it is judged that a packet cannot be transmitted and sets the storage request signal to be ineffective when it is judged that the packet can be transmitted. A data processor makes a buffer memory store encoded data therein when it is confirmed that the storage request signal is effective. The data processor reads the encoded data from the buffer memory and transmits the read encoded data to a packet generator when it is confirmed that the storage request signal is ineffective and the encoded data is stored in the buffer memory. The data processor receives the encoded data from the encoder and transmits the received encoded data to the packet generator when it is confirmed that the storage request signal is ineffective and the encoded data is not stored in the buffer memory. |
| US08089512B2 |
Driving support device, driving support method and computer program
A driving support device, a driving support method, and a computer program provide an image of the peripheral environment of a vehicle which is captured by a camera. The traveling state of the vehicle is obtained and, based on same, a blind spot region for a driver created by a right front pillar, as it would appear after a predetermined period of time, is calculated by taking into consideration the time lag between capture of an image by the camera and projection of that image by a projector. An image corresponding to the calculated blind spot region is extracted from the image captured by the camera, and the extracted image is projected onto the inside surface of the right front pillar. |
| US08089511B2 |
Universal joint and image display unit
Provided is a universal joint capable of freely regulating a mounting angle of one member with respect to the other member, and an image display unit using the same. The image display unit (1) includes an image display unit main body (100) having a convex surface (101) forming a part of a specific spherical surface, and an intermediate member (200). The intermediate member (200) includes a guide member (220) having a concave surface (221) that is a curved surface corresponding to the convex surface (101) and is supposed to come into contact with the convex surface (101) when the image display unit main body (100) and the intermediate member (200) are fixed to each other, and a magnet (230) provided at a position substantially the center of the guide member (220) and capable of being fixed to the convex surface (101) by attraction. When this convex surface (101) is allowed to slide on the concave surface (221), a mounting angle of the image display unit main body (100) with respect to the intermediate member (200) can be regulated. |
| US08089508B2 |
Capsule type medical system
The present invention provides a capsule type medical system capable of displaying different images on a monitor in such a display mode that a diagnosis can be easily made when one capsule type endoscope includes a plurality of image pickup units. A capsule type endoscope includes a plurality of image pickup elements for generating different image data and a storage unit for previously storing image pickup procedures of the image pickup elements, and records or transmits the different image data, captured in accordance with any of the procedures stored in the storage unit, in time series. An extracorporeal display unit includes a display control section for controlling a method for displaying the different image data recorded or transmitted. |
| US08089504B2 |
Terminal with projected display
A mobile data and/or communication terminal is provided which includes an optical system for the generation of a projected display as well as parts for stabilizing the display when the terminal is moved. |
| US08089500B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus provided with the same
An optical scanning device cover, covering an upper portion of an optical scanning device, includes an exposure window, a close stopper, an open stopper, and a rotation cam plate. A projection to be held in a link portion of a rotation cam is fixedly provided on a shutter. When the rotation cam is rotated in a direction of an arrow R(1) from a state in which the shutter is closed, A-side of the shutter turns until the shutter comes into contact with the open stopper to open that side of shutter, and thereafter, the B-side of the shutter turns to open that side of the shutter. |
| US08089492B2 |
On-screen colour selection
A method of displaying colors for selection by a user in which a range of first color attributes (e.g. hue) is displayed in a first linear selection bar. The first color attributes varying along the length of the first selection bar. The method further comprising displaying a range of second color attributes (e.g. saturation and brightness) in a second linear selection bar. The second color attributes varying along the length of the second selection bar. A method for selecting colors in which a color from under the pointer is selected as soon as it has been left in the same position for a predetermined period of time. |
| US08089488B2 |
Virtualization of graphics resources
Graphics resources are virtualized through an interface between graphics hardware and graphics clients. The interface allocates the graphics resources across multiple graphics clients, processes commands for access to the graphics resources from the graphics clients, and resolves conflicts for the graphics resources among the clients. |
| US08089485B2 |
Method for constructing data structure used for proximate particle search, program for the same, and storage medium for storing program
A method for constructing a data structure of a proximate particle search is executed by a GPU, and computes a simulation of a physical object by converting three-dimensional digital image data to two-dimensional digital image data. The memory for a bucket is composed of buckets for dividing a memory space that is created in accordance with a space in which the physical object occurs. A writing step is provided in which a scattering function (GPU: vertex shader) is used by the GPU to read a particle coordinate and the particle number of a particle stored in the bucket and write the particle coordinate and the particle number to a two-dimensional image space. |
| US08089481B2 |
Updating frame divisions based on ray tracing image processing system performance
An image processing system may perform various tasks in an effort to evenly distribute workload amongst workload managers. According to one embodiment of the invention, the image processing system may divide a frame of pixels into different regions and assign responsibility for the regions to different workload managers in order to evenly distribute workload. The workload managers may be responsible for performing operations relating to determining or maintaining the color of the pixel within the region or regions which they are responsible. According to another embodiment of the invention, the image processing system may re-divide the frame into new regions based on relative workloads experienced by the processing elements to evenly distribute workload. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the invention, the image processing system may re-partition a spatial index based on relative workloads experienced by the processing elements to evenly distribute workload amongst workload managers. |
| US08089480B2 |
Method for meshing a curved surface
A curved surface meshing method is provided. The method meshes a three-dimensional curved surface by meshing a parameter plane, mapping triangles generated on the parameter plane to triangles in a three-dimensional space to get a 3D meshed curved surface. The method may generate substantially well-proportional distributed triangles on curved surfaces of three-dimensional models of objects. |
| US08089478B2 |
Model simplification apparatus and program
A model simplification apparatus performs: inputting a 3D geometric model; forming a surface mesh on the input geometric model and registering the surface mesh as an initial mesh; classifying the surface mesh into partial surface meshes, and calculating feature quantities of the partial surface meshes; inputting each group of mesh elements of the geometry features as reference feature shapes; searching for groups of mesh elements of similar geometry features to the reference feature shapes. Furthermore, removing group of mesh elements corresponding to the similar feature shapes from the initial mesh, and forming simplified mesh parts instead of removed similar feature shapes. |
| US08089477B2 |
Display device and method for controlling the same
A display device is provided which includes a luminescence element, a data line, and a switch connected between an electrode of the luminescence element and the data line. A voltage generation circuit supplies a pre-charge voltage to the data line. A current generation circuit supplies an inspection current to the electrode of the luminescence element plural times through the data line and the switch. A voltage detection circuit detects, the plural times, voltage values of the electrode supplied with the inspection current. When a difference between the voltage values is at least a predetermined value, the voltage generation circuit supplies the data line with an updated voltage that is higher than the pre-charge voltage. |
| US08089474B2 |
Location sensing system and method employing adaptive drive signal adjustment
Systems and methods provide for adaptive drive signal adjustment to improve reception of a stylus signal at a location sensor. A location sensing system includes an untethered stylus comprising circuitry configured to receive a drive signal and transmit a stylus signal. The circuitry is configured to be energized by the received drive signal and includes frequency-sensitive circuitry. A location sensor includes a controller and a sensing array. The location sensor is configured to generate the drive signal and receive the stylus signal. The controller is configured to adjust a parameter of the drive signal that improves receptivity of the stylus signal by the location sensor. |
| US08089470B1 |
Finger/stylus touch pad
A touch pad module to implement user input functions to an electronic device. The touch pad module includes a sensor layer which, when used in conjunction with an insulative layer and contiguous conductive layer enable the touch pad module to sense both finger and stylus input data to the electronic device. |
| US08089467B2 |
Keyboard frame with induction light source
A keyboard frame with induction light source is disclosed, which comprises: a frame, a light guide plate, a signal line, a thermal sensor, a light source, a control circuit and a switch. As the light guide plate having the signal line disposed thereon is received in the frame while the thermal sensor and the light source is further disposed on the signal line and connected thereto, temperatures of a hand detected by the thermal sensor is transmitted to the control circuit where it is converted into electric signals and then send to the light source for directing the same to perform a color changing operation accordingly and thus cause the keyboard frame to display various coloring/lighting effects. With the aforesaid structure, not only the keyboard frame is fun to play for its ability to display various lighting/coloring effects, but also it is able to act as a thermometer for measuring human body's temperature. Moreover, the switch is used for controlling the on/off of the light source so that the keyboard frame can be personalized based on users preferences. |
| US08089466B2 |
System and method for performing optical navigation using a compact optical element
A system and method for performing optical navigation uses an illumination optical element positioned between a light source and a navigation surface to bend and collimate a beam of light from the light source, which may be originally emitted in a direction normal to the navigation surface. The illumination optical element includes a concave surface to receive the beam of light from the light source and a convex surface to transmit the beam of light from the illumination optical element toward the navigation surface. The beam of light incident on the navigation surface produces light, which is received at an image sensor array to capture frames of image data for displacement estimation. |
| US08089465B2 |
Speckle interference laser tracking
An optical tracking system is disclosed that provides more precise tracking and better performance in an optical mouse. It involves provides a collimated laser, and imaging a reflection of the collimated laser, such that the reflection has a substantially linear phase gradient. The reflection of the laser includes a pattern of speckles due to optical interference effects. The speckles are imaged such that the substantially linear phase gradient restricts any variation in intensity of the imaging of the speckles during a translating motion of the reflection, thereby providing superior tracking performance. |
| US08089464B2 |
Computer mouse
A collapsible computer mouse includes a main cover, a collapsible portion, and a hinge assembly hinging the main cover and the collapsible portion. The hinge assembly includes a first bracket, a second bracket, a restricting member, at least one resilient member, a fastener, a third bracket, and a connecting member. The first bracket, the second bracket, the restricting member, the resilient member, and the fastener are sleeved on the shaft. A protrusion is formed on of the first bracket or the restricting member, and a sliding slot is defined in the other. Elastic force created by the resilient member engages the protrusion in the sliding slot, such that the hinge assembly is self-locking. |
| US08089463B2 |
Chargeable wireless mouse attachable to a computer host via a wireless signal receiver having a charging plate
A chargeable wireless mouse includes a mouse body, a chargeable battery, a charging slot and a wireless signal receiver. A magnetic element and an electricity conducting structure are disposed within the charging slot. The wireless signal receiver includes a USB connecting part and a charging plate member. The wireless signal receiver is connected with a computer host via a USB connecting port. When the wireless signal receiver is accommodated within the charging slot, the metallic plate member is magnetically attracted by the magnetic element and the wireless signal receiver is clamped by the electricity conducting structure, so that the wireless signal receiver is fixed in the charging slot. At the same time, the charging plate member is contacted with the conducting member such that electricity is transmitted to charge the chargeable battery. |
| US08089456B2 |
Inputting information using holographic techniques
A method for inputting commands to a holographic input system, includes the steps of generating a virtual image of an input device by illuminating a hologram of the input device by means of a corresponding reference beam, the hologram being prerecorded on a holographic support; optically detecting a position of at least one actuator for operating the input device with respect to the virtual image of the input device; and issuing at least one command signal corresponding to the position of that at least one actuator as optically detected. The optical detection operation further includes providing at least one actuation hologram corresponding to the at least one actuator being placed at a specified position with respect to the virtual image of the input device, illuminating the at least one actuator with a beam, in order to obtain scattering into a corresponding object beam interacting with one actuation hologram through the corresponding object beam; generating a respective actuation detection beam through the interaction; and detecting the respective actuation detection beam to issue the command signal. |
| US08089452B2 |
Electrophoresis device, electronic apparatus, and driving method of electrophoresis device
An electrophoresis device includes a first substrate having a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on a surface thereof, a second substrate having a common electrode formed on a surface thereof and disposed to face the pixel electrodes, and an electrophoretic layer disposed between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode. The electrophoresis device makes electrophoretic particles migrate by keeping the potential of each pixel electrode constant and changing a voltage to be applied to the common electrode. The device also includes a voltage control means which supplies a voltage whose minimum voltage is not less than V3 and whose maximum voltage are not more than V4 to the common electrode, in a case where a potential which appears in each pixel electrode when a minimum voltage V1 is supplied to a voltage supply means to each pixel electrode is set to V3 and a potential which appears in each pixel electrode when a maximum voltage V2 is supplied to the voltage supply means is set to V4. |
| US08089451B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus equipped with the same
A display device and an electronic apparatus equipped with such a display device are provided. The display device includes a liquid crystal display that displays an image; normal-illumination LEDs that emit illumination light and a partial-illumination LED that emits illumination light; a light guide unit having a first incidence surface and a second incidence surface, and configured to optically guide the illumination light received by the first incidence surface to the entire surface of the liquid crystal display and to optically guide the illumination light received by the second incidence surface to a predetermined region having the same aspect ratio as the liquid crystal display; and a switch button used for switching the size of the image displayed on the liquid crystal display to the size corresponding to the entire surface or the size corresponding to the predetermined region. |
| US08089450B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
According to the present invention, in a liquid crystal display device which intermittently drives (burst driving) a light source device having a discharge tube which is arranged to face a main surface of a liquid crystal display panel in an opposed manner and is turned on in response to an alternating electric field, the resistance between first and second active elements which constitute a resonance circuit at a primary side of a driving circuit of the light source device and the reference potential in the driving circuit is set higher when burst driving of the discharge tube assumes the turn-OFF state than when the burst driving of the discharge tube assumes the turn-ON state. Due to such a constitution, it is possible to lower the luminance when the burst driving is in the turn-OFF state than when the burst driving is in the turn-ON state without extinguishing the discharge tube when the burst driving is off whereby it is possible to suppress blurring of motion pictures whereby blurring of the motion picture can be suppressed and luminance of the image can be increased. |
| US08089449B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus
Provided is a liquid crystal display apparatus capable of stopping the brightness control of a back light source on the featuring quantity of an input video signal, in case a multi-plane display was performed. The liquid crystal display apparatus comprises a liquid crystal panel (6) for displaying a picture, a light source for irradiating the liquid crystal panel (6), a backlight unit (7) for controlling the light source, a two-plane control unit (3), and a brightness control unit (4). In accordance with the featuring quantity of the input video signal, the brightness control unit (4) performs the control of the emitting brightness of the back light source, upon the backlight unit (7). In case it is decided by a notice from the two-plane control unit (3) that the display mode for displaying a plurality of planes was selected, the brightness control unit (4) controls the backlight unit (7), so that the emitting brightness of the back light source may be kept constant irrespective of the featuring quantity of the input video signal. |
| US08089447B2 |
Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal display and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel, a data drive circuit, a gate drive circuit, and a timing controller. The data drive circuit generates a pre-charge data voltage during pre-charge time and generates a real-charge voltage to be displayed on the liquid crystal display panel during real-charge time. The gate drive circuit supplies a first gate pulse synchronized with the pre-charge data voltage to the gate lines during the pre-charge time while shifting a gate pulse in a downward direction and an upward direction depending on an up/down signal, and then supplies a second gate pulse synchronized with the real-charge data voltage to the gate lines from a falling edge of the first gate pulse at intervals equal to or longer than scanning time of 1 line during the real-charge time. |
| US08089445B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus includes a switching element having a first gate electrode, a source and drain electrode, a channel area formed between the source and drain electrode, and a second gate electrode. The second gate electrode is electrically insulated from the first gate electrode through the channel area, and different control voltages are applied to the second gate electrode according to the control period of the first gate electrode. The different control voltages are applied to the second gate electrode according to the turn on/off states of the switching element for increasing the turn on current in the channel area and for minimizing the turn off (leakage) current in the channel area. |
| US08089439B2 |
Image display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate with a liquid crystal layer therebetween, a seal material joining the first substrate and the second substrate to each other, a plurality of gate signal lines and a plurality of drain signal lines, wherein the gate signal lines and the drain signal lines being formed on the first substrate, and a plurality of drive circuits connected to the first substrate. Data transmission signal lines are formed on the first substrate, wherein the data transmission signal lines are connected electrically between the drive circuits, and at least a part of at least one of the data transmission signal lines is positioned between the seal material and the first substrate. |
| US08089438B2 |
Data line driver circuit for display panel and method of testing the same
A data line driver circuit includes a D/A converter circuit including a first gradation voltage selecting circuit controlling transistors of a first group to select a gradation voltage of a first polarity based on a first display data. A second gradation voltage selecting circuit controls transistors of a second group to select a gradation voltage of a second polarity based on second display data. A first gradation voltage signal line transfers the first polarity gradation voltage and a second gradation voltage signal line transfers the second polarity gradation voltage. A test switching circuit operates in response to a test signal to form a short-circuit between the first and second gradation voltage signal lines, to allow a leakage current to be measured between a drain and a source in each of at least one transistor of the first group and at least one transistor of the second group. |
| US08089436B1 |
Image stability in liquid crystal displays
One method of controlling a backlight for image stability in a liquid crystal display (LCD) device including providing a sequence of display image information to a plurality of pixel elements of the LCD device, turning the backlight of the LCD device to an off state during a first portion of a refresh cycle of the pixel elements, and turning the backlight of the LCD device to an on state during a second portion of the refresh cycle of the pixel elements to display a display image based on a first display image information item from the sequence of display image information on the LCD device. |
| US08089434B2 |
Electroded polymer substrate with embedded wires for an electronic display
A sheet in an electronic display is composed of a substrate containing an array of wire electrodes. The wire electrodes are preferably electrically connected to patterned transparent conductive electrode lines. The wire electrodes are used to carry the bulk of the current. The wire electrodes are capable of being extended away from the substrate and connected directly to the printed circuit board. The transparent conductive electrode (TCE) is used to spread the charge or voltage from the wire electrode across the pixel. It is a patterned film and must be at least 50% transparent, and, for most applications, is preferably over 90% transparent. In most display applications, the electroded surface of the electroded sheet has to be flattened. Use of a thin polymer substrate yields a light, flexible, rugged sheet that may be curved, bent or rolled. |
| US08089433B2 |
Contrast ratio enhancement system using black detector
The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method of enhancing a contrast ratio of a display device. An exemplary method comprises determining a quantity of pixels in a frame of video data having a predetermined level of blackness, comparing the quantity of pixels to a reference value, and modulating an illumination signal based on a quantity of pixels exceeding the reference value. |
| US08089432B2 |
Display device
A display device that can prevent linear unevenness (uneven line) generated in one direction of a display image and can provide excellent display qualities includes a pixel including sub-pixels of n-colors (where n is an integer of 4 or more), and a signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels, the pixel and the signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels being disposed in a display region. The signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels is disposed on a display region center side of a sub-pixel positioned at least one terminal of the display region. The signal line arranged to drive sub-pixels is not disposed on a non-display region side of the sub-pixel positioned at the at least one terminal. The sub-pixel positioned at the at least one terminal has a color other than a color with the highest luminance of the n-colors. |
| US08089431B2 |
Instructions controlling light modulating elements
The present invention provides a various methods, systems and devices for controlling light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators. In some embodiments of the present invention, a recursive feedback method is used to control light modulating elements and/or spatial light modulators. |
| US08089429B2 |
Display apparatus and drive method therefor, and electronic equipment
A drive section sequentially supplies respective scanning lines with a control signal and supplies respective signal lines with a video signal to carry out a correction operation for holding a voltage equivalent to a threshold voltage of a drive transistor in a holding capacitance, and subsequently performs a write operation for writing the video signal in the holding capacitance, and before the correction operation, the drive section switches potentials at the bias line and adds a coupling voltage to one current terminal of the drive transistor via an auxiliary capacitance to carry out a preparation operation for an initialization to set a potential difference between a control terminal and the one current terminal of the drive transistor larger than the threshold voltage. |
| US08089428B2 |
Flat panel display apparatus
In an image display apparatus using an FED or an organic EL element, image display that is high in illumination uniformity and high in image quality can be performed. A display element with a matrix structure which conducts linear sequential driving which determines the luminance by a current is used, a threshold voltage of a cathode line immediately before one select period has been terminated where a control electrode line is sequentially driven is measured by a threshold voltage measuring section, the measured threshold voltage is recorded for each of the pixels, and a driving signal at the time of selecting the pixel is corrected by using the value of the recorded threshold voltage, to thereby control electric charge that is emitted from a cathode. |
| US08089427B2 |
Display control circuit for vacuum fluorescent display
The invention provides display control circuits for Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFDs). The display control circuit controls a plurality of display units of the VFD and comprises an image signal generator generating a plurality of image signals, a clock signal generator generating a clock signal, and a plurality of control signal generators. Each control signal generator receives one of the image signals and the clock signal, generates a control signal for one of the display unit, and determines the duty cycle of the control signal according to the received image signal and the clock signal. The brightness of one display unit varies with the duty cycles of the corresponding control signal. The clock signal generator comprises a plurality of flip-flops coupled in series and a plurality of logic gates. |
| US08089426B2 |
Plasma display panel drive method of determining a subfield, having a low luminance, for performing an every-cell initialization operation and setting a width of a sustain pulse of the subfield for performing the every-cell initialization operation
A plurality of subfields of a field period includes a subfield for performing an every-cell initialization causing an initial discharge in every discharge cell in an initialization period, and includes a subfield for performing a selective initialization causing the initial discharge in a predetermined discharge cell in the initialization period. In a low-luminance subfield, the every-cell initialization is performed, and a low-luminance subfield is subsequently located (in the field period) to the subfield for the every-cell initialization. In a sustain period of the subfield for performing the every-cell initialization or a sustain period of the low-luminance subfield, a width of a first sustain pulse is set wider than a width of a second sustain pulse, and the width of the second sustain pulse is set wider than the width of a third sustain pulse and subsequent others. |
| US08089423B1 |
Automatic configuration of multiple monitor systems
Control of multiple display screens associated with a computer, wherein the auxiliary screen display content that depends on conditions of the computer. During some times the auxiliary screen displays content associated with the presently executing program, and during other times the auxiliary screen displays history information. The rules can be automatically changed or manually changed. |
| US08089421B2 |
Dielectrically loaded antenna
A dielectrically loaded multifilar antenna has an electrically insulative solid core bearing an antenna element structure having four pairs of substantially helical radiating elements spaced apart around a central axis of the antenna. Each pair of oppositely located antenna elements forms part of a conductive loop having an effective electrical length in the region of N guide wavelengths at the operating frequency, where N is an integer and is at least 2. Typically, each helical element executes substantially a full turn around the axis on the outer surface of the core. The antenna offers an improved gain-bandwidth product compared with typical prior dielectrically loaded multifilar helical antennas, and a 3 dB beamwidth of at least 90° for circularly polarized radiation. |
| US08089418B2 |
Antenna structure
An antenna structure that includes a magnetic film coated on a textured backside of an antenna substrate to reduce the size of antenna from an average size of the antenna for a predetermined frequency band. |
| US08089415B1 |
Multiband radar feed system and method
A feed for an antenna configured for use with a radar system or a satellite communication system is configured to operate in multiple bands. The feed comprises a plurality of concentric waveguides. The feed further comprises a first pair of diametrically opposed probes forming a first axis and electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of concentric waveguides. The feed further comprises a second pair of diametrically opposed probes forming a second axis and electrically coupled to the at least one of the plurality of concentric waveguides. The first and second axis are orthogonal and the first and second pairs of diametrically opposed probes are configured to generate a sum beam and difference beam in the at least one of the plurality of concentric waveguides. |
| US08089414B2 |
Wall-mounted electrical device with modular antenna bezel frame
An electrical device comprises a bezel frame that is configured to fit within a faceplate. The bezel frame includes an antenna element. The electrical device further comprises a radio frequency circuitry component in electrical communication with the antenna element and configured to receive a control signal from the antenna element and a housing, which includes a housing cover. The housing cover is located between the antenna element and the radio frequency circuitry component. The electrical device further comprises one or more connectors configured to place the antenna element and the radio frequency circuitry component in electrical communication. The one or more connectors protrude through the housing cover. |
| US08089413B2 |
Radio apparatus and antenna adapted for contactless communication
A radio apparatus having a casing and an antenna is provided. The casing has first, second and third faces. The second face and the third face correspond to a side face and another side face of the first face, respectively. The antenna is formed by a conductive line in such a way that the conductive line forms a first loop shape, a second loop shape and a third loop shape, that the first loop shape includes a first portion and a second portion positioned adjacent to a third portion of the second loop shape and a fourth portion of the third loop shape, respectively, that directions of currents distributed on the first portion and the third portion if the antenna is fed are almost same, and that directions of currents distributed on the second portion and the fourth portion if the antenna is fed are almost same. |
| US08089412B2 |
Antenna device and radio communication device
There is provided with an antenna device includes a conductive ground plane; an antenna including a radiating element; at least one variable capacitor having one end connected to the conductive ground plane; a plurality of switch elements having one ends connected to the other end of said at least one variable capacitor and other ends connected to the antenna at different locations; a switch controlling unit configured to control an ON/OFF state of each of the switch elements; and a capacitor controlling unit configured to control a capacitance of said at least one variable capacitor. |
| US08089409B2 |
Patch antenna device and antenna device
A patch antenna device and an antenna device that are miniaturized while avoiding degradation of radiation characteristics, such as gain and efficiency. A first electrode is formed on a front surface of a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped dielectric substrate. A second electrode is formed on a rear surface of the dielectric substrate. The first electrode is connected through a coaxial cable to a power supply unit. The width W of each of the first and second electrodes is smaller than or equal to a quarter of the length L thereof, and the thickness T of the dielectric substrate is larger than or equal to the above width W. Advantageously, the second electrode is set so as to be longer than the first electrode, and both end portions of the second electrode are bent and arranged on both end surfaces of the dielectric substrate. |
| US08089408B2 |
Robust low-frequency spread-spectrum navigation system
Methods and apparatus are described for a navigation system. A process includes providing a plurality of transmitters distributed throughout a desired coverage area; locking the plurality of transmitters to a common timing reference; transmitting a signal from each of the plurality of transmitters. An apparatus includes a plurality of transmitters distributed throughout a desired coverage area; wherein each of the plurality of transmitters comprises a packet generator; and wherein the plurality of transmitters are locked to a common timing reference. |
| US08089399B2 |
System and method for refining a WLAN-PS estimated location using satellite measurements in a hybrid positioning system
This disclosure describes a system and method for refining a WLAN-PS estimated location using satellite measurements. In some embodiments, the disclosure relates to a method of determining the location of a WLAN and satellite enabled device by using two or more satellite measurements to refine an initial WLAN based location determination. The method can include estimating a position of the WLAN and satellite enabled device using a WLAN positioning system, gathering satellite location measurements from at least two satellites, determining an uncertainty area around the WLAN location estimate based on the expected error of the WLAN location estimate, wherein the uncertainty area has a plurality of possible location solutions, and determining the device location estimate inside the WLAN location uncertainty that best satisfies the satellite measurements. |
| US08089396B2 |
System and method for volume visualization in ultra-wideband radar
Herewith disclosed a method for volume visualization in ultra-wideband radar and a system thereof. The method comprises perceiving processing provided in order to facilitate a meaningful representation and/or an instant understanding of the image to be displayed, said perceiving processing resulted in generating one or more perceiving image ingredients. The perceiving image ingredient may be, for example, a shadow added to the reconstructed image, a position-dependent color scheme applied to the reconstructed image, a color scheme adapted to external lighting conditions and applied to the reconstructed image, a Halo artificially added to the reconstructed image, a distinctive color scheme applied to time-invariant and time-variant elements of the reconstructed image, etc. |
| US08089393B2 |
Relating target tracking
An exemplary system and method are for tracking a target in a decentralised network having a plurality of sensing nodes. Each node makes observations of a target, performs a multiple models tracking algorithm based on the observations, and updates tracking information stored therein. Each node communicates the updated track information to selected other nodes in the network. In response to receiving track information from another node, each node fuses the receiving track information with local track information. |
| US08089391B1 |
Weather radar system and method using data from a lightning sensor
A weather radar system or method can be utilized to determine a location of a weather hazard for an aircraft. The weather radar system can utilize processing electronics coupled to an antenna. The processing electronics can determine presence of the hazard in response to data related to returns received by the weather radar antenna and data from a lightning sensor. The system can include a display for showing the hazard and its location. |
| US08089387B2 |
Quantizing circuits with variable parameters
Systems, methods, and devices for obtaining data from a data location. The method may include generating a first value by sensing a data location under a first condition and generating a second value by sensing the data location under a second condition. The method may further include combining the first value with the second value to identify data conveyed by the data location. |
| US08089383B2 |
Programmable digital-to-analog converter
A multi-mode digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to operate in a plurality of modes. |
| US08089382B2 |
Sampling/quantization converters
Provided are, among other things, systems, methods and techniques for converting a continuous-time, continuously variable signal into a sampled and quantized signal. According to one representative embodiment, an apparatus includes multiple quantization-noise-shaping continuous-time filters, each in a separate processing branch and having an adder that includes multiple inputs and an output; an input signal is coupled to one of the inputs of the adder; the output of the adder is coupled to one of the inputs of the adder through a first filter; and the output of a sampling/quantization circuit in the same processing branch is coupled to one of the inputs of the adder through a second filter, with the second filter having a different transfer function than the first filter. |
| US08089373B2 |
Sign system for roads
A sign system for roads includes a back sign. The back sigh has a mount affixed to the ground that is adjacent to a road. A back sign device is affixed to the mount. The mount has a front face that is visible to oncoming traffic. The back sign device is located on a rear face visible to traffic that has passed the back sign, wherein a driver may observe the back sign device in a mirror mounted upon their vehicle after passing the back sign device and the back sign provides information to the driver. The sign system for roads may further include a broadcasting unit. The broadcasting unit may be in communication with a receiving unit being positioned in a vehicle and is adapted to communicate with the driver. When the driver of said vehicle approaches the back sign, the receiving unit can alert the driver of additional information. |
| US08089369B2 |
Child seat check fixture
Disclosed herein are embodiments of a check fixture for measuring the accessibility of a lower car seat anchor to a user installing a car seat, and methods thereof. One embodiment of a check fixture comprises a body having a rear end and a front end, the body defining a longitudinal axis. The front end comprises an anchor-engaging structure and the rear end comprises a force gauge interface. The fixture also comprises a flange at least partially circumferentially positioned around the body at a longitudinal position a distance from the front end. The flange includes a bearing surface substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the bearing surface sized and configured so that when the front end is moved into engagement with the anchor, the bearing surface engages the seating material adjacent the access aperture. The engagement of the flange with the seating material generates a reactive force. |
| US08089365B2 |
Wiper control method and wiper control device
A wiper control method and a wiper control device which can stabilize wiping rhythm of a wiper while ensuring required wiping and smoothly respond to change of a rainfall situation are provided. An adhesion cycle of a raindrop adhering on a detection surface is detected, a current adhesion cycle to be the basis when determining an intermittence time of a wiper is determined based on the detected raindrop adhesion cycle, the wiper intermittence time is determined based on the current adhesion cycle, a raindrop adhesion cycle shorter than the current adhesion cycle is detected, and when the raindrop adhesion cycle shorter than the current adhesion cycle is detected a predetermined number of times, the current adhesion cycle is changed to a shorter adhesion cycle and the wiper intermittence time is determined based on the changed current adhesion cycle. |
| US08089359B2 |
Security device for constraining an article having an elongate element
Systems and apparatus for a security device for an article having a constrained elongate member are disclosed. |
| US08089358B2 |
Method and system for inputting user instructions of a user controllable telecommunications device
A method, a system, and a device for inputting user instructions of a user-controllable telecommunication device. An RFID transponder is introduced into a sphere of scope of an RFID transceiver and the RFID identification data of the RFID transponder is transmitted to the RFID transceiver. The RFID identification data and/or RFID transceiver identification are transmitted to a collection module by the RFID transceiver. An assigned user instruction is selected by the collection module and by tables containing RFID identification data and tables containing RFID transceiver identifications accessible by the collection module and controlling the user-controllable telecommunication device by the collection module in accordance with the selected user instruction. |
| US08089348B2 |
Information service system for vehicle
An information service system for a vehicle includes: an information obtaining element for obtaining information, which includes classification information for defining an importance level and an urgency level; a plurality of information output elements having various sensory types so that the information output elements inform the information of an user with various sensory types; a user load detector for detecting a physical and mental load of the user; a selector for selecting one or more information output elements according to the classification information; and a controller for controlling to output the information with the one or more information output elements. The selector selects the one or more information output elements based on the physical and mental load and a priority order of the information. |
| US08089346B2 |
System and method for managing restaurant customers and placing orders
A system and method is provided to facilitate the owners of the restaurants in managing their restaurant business and facilitate customers of the restaurants in at least placing orders. The system comprises a local server, plurality of hand held devices and an internet based application. The local server is associated with a restaurant. The restaurant has a plurality of hand held devices, the hand held devices facilitating a customer of the restaurant to place an orders in the restaurant by comunicating with the local server. The internet based application is deployed on a sever; the internet based application sends data to the local server and recieves data from the local server. |
| US08089344B1 |
Method and system for miniature passive RFID tags and readers
This invention makes possible small size, long range, reliable, low-power, low-cost RFIDs fulfilling the needs of the industry and the roadmap set for RFID, as by Walmart and the DoD. Tag energization and data communication take place by independent means. The invention employs low-power communication means, such as ultra wideband (UWB), for transfer of data between Tag and Reader, and relatively high power narrowband means to remotely energize the Tag. Said means of powering and communication mechanisms, further, are independent of the underlying process, or technology, of implementation of the Microchip on the Tag, as well as from the transceiver technology aboard the Reader. As such, they provide an ideal method and system by which to power and communicate with RFIDs, through cycles of evolution and changes in physical implementation technology. |
| US08089339B2 |
Wireless device as programmable vehicle key
Methods and wireless devices for providing secure operation of a vehicle. In one such method, a key for accessing a vehicle is detected, a vehicle operation policy associated with the key is retrieved, and operation of the vehicle consistent with the vehicle operation policy is permitted. The key may be embedded within a wireless device such as a cellular telephone. The vehicle operation policy may include an access control rule that may indicate to enable, partially enable, or disable a vehicle operation feature. Where the intended operation of the vehicle is not consistent with the access control rule, the operation may not be permitted and an enforcement action may be taken, such as disabling a feature of the vehicle. |
| US08089338B2 |
Variable attenuator
The invention discloses a variable attenuator, comprising two or more resistors each resistor having its own effective resistance value, and means for simultaneously short circuiting at least a portion of two or more of said resistors, whereby simultaneously changing the effective resistance values. The variable attenuator of the invention is suitable for use in various high frequency and microwave circuits and systems, and has the features of a wide frequency band, small size, easy fabrication, low cost, and so on. |
| US08089333B2 |
Inductor mount method and apparatus
The invention comprises an inductor mounting method and apparatus. An about annular inductor is mounted using a non-conducting clamp element passing at least into a center opening of the inductor. Mounting hardware forces the clamp element toward a mounting surface to edge mount the inductor, where the mounting hardware, non-conducting clamp element, and mounting surface minimally contact the inductor. The minimal contact allows greater surface area for liquid, convective, and/or radiative cooling of the inductor. The inductor is optionally composed of particles of magnetic material coated with carbon and embedded into an epoxy to yield a distributed gap material. |
| US08089332B2 |
Superconducting power transforming apparatus
The present invention relates to a superconducting power transforming apparatus. The superconducting power transforming apparatus according to the present invention comprises a transformer housing having a transforming cable passing hole and filled with a liquid cooling means; a superconducting transformer housed in the transformer housing in a state that the superconducting transformer is immersed in the liquid cooling means; a tap changer housing having a tap changing cable passing hole and vacuum-sealed from outside; a power tap changer housed in the vacuum tap changer housing; and a cable linking pipe vacuum-sealed from the transformer housing and the tap changer housing, and linking the transforming cable passing hole with the tap changing passing hole in order that a transformer winding tap cable connecting the superconducting transformer and the power tap changer passes through. Consequently, it is possible to guarantee stable operation of a superconducting transformer which works at an extremely low temperature and a power tap changer as like On-Load Tap Changer which works at low temperature. |
| US08089329B2 |
Semiconductor switch, semiconductor switch MMIC, changeover switch RF module, power resistance switch RF module, and transmitter and receiver module
A semiconductor switch for switching a signal according to input power and maintaining performance of a receiver system with a simple configuration. The semiconductor switch comprises: a first FET connected between a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal; a first transmission line connected between the first input/output terminal and a third input/output terminal; a second transmission line parallel to the first transmission line; and a detector circuit connected to one end of the second transmission line, for outputting a DC voltage corresponding to power level of the high frequency signal, branched by the second transmission line. The first FET is controlled and switched according to an output from the detector circuit to switch between a route from the first input/output terminal to the second input/output terminal and a route from the first input/output terminal to the third input/output terminal. |
| US08089326B2 |
PVT-independent current-controlled oscillator
The invention discloses a PVT-independent current-controlled oscillator, including a PV-controller, a current-controlled oscillator and a T-controller. The current-controlled oscillator is coupled to the PV-controller and outputs an oscillation frequency. The T-controller is coupled to the PV-controller and the current-controlled oscillator, providing a total current to be shared by the PV-controller and the current-controlled oscillator, wherein the PV-controller decreases the shared current of the current-controlled oscillator by increasing the shared current of the PV-controller if the oscillation frequency is higher than a predetermined frequency due to a process variation of the current-controlled oscillator, and increases the shared current of the current-controlled oscillator by decreasing the shared current of the PV-controller if the oscillation frequency is lower than the predetermined frequency due to the process variation of the current-controlled oscillator, thereby dynamically adjusting the oscillation frequency. |
| US08089325B2 |
Oven controlled multistage crystal oscillator
An object of the invention is to provide an oven controlled crystal oscillator that prevents a reduction in characteristics due to temperature rise in the crystal vibrator and circuit elements other than the oscillating stage, and that increases energy efficiency of a heater element, to thereby facilitate temperature control. The oven controlled crystal oscillator of the invention is an oven controlled multistage crystal oscillator provided with: a crystal vibrator; circuit elements of an oscillating stage, a buffering stage, and a temperature control circuit; and first, second, and third circuit substrates, wherein the configuration is such that: on the first circuit substrate or the second circuit substrate, there are arranged the heater element and the circuit element of the oscillating stage thermally bonded to the heater element; on the third circuit substrate, there are arranged the circuit element of the buffering stage, and at least the circuit elements of the temperature control circuit excluding the heater element and the temperature sensor element; and the third circuit substrate is distanced in the vertical direction and thermally isolated, with a clearance, from the first and second circuit substrates. |
| US08089320B2 |
Differential amplifier and oscillator
In one embodiment, the differential amplifier (DA) includes a first inverter inverting a first input signal and outputting the inverted first input signal to a current supply controller and a current drain controller. A second inverter inverts the first input signal and outputs the inverted first input signal as an output signal of the DA. The current supply controller supplies current to the first and second inverters in response to the inverted first input signal output from the first inverter during a first period. The current drain controller drains current from the first and second inverters in response to the inverted first input signal output from the first inverter during a second period. The output signal of the DA and the first input signal have differential phases with respect to each other and oscillate between logic high and low levels during the first period and the second period. |
| US08089315B2 |
Programmable gain amplifier
A programmable gain amplifier comprising alternatively selectable parallel circuits in a front end and independently selectable serial amplification circuits in a back end. The front end may include, for example, a plurality of transconductors in parallel and each configured to generate a current proportional to a received voltage. A ratio of the generated current to the received voltage being different for each of the transconductors. The back end is configured to receive an output of a selected member of the parallel circuits and may include a plurality of current or voltage mode amplifiers in series. For example, the back end may include a plurality of current-mode gain stages and switches configured to control which of the current-mode gain stages are used to amplify the output of the front end. The programmable gain amplifier may be used between a signal receiver and an analog to digital converter. |
| US08089309B2 |
Transimpedance amplifier input stage mixer
A Gilbert cell mixer design is disclosed. Instead of using a differential transconductance stage as typically done, the design employs a differential transimpedance amplifier input stage. By utilizing a transimpedance input stage to the Gilbert mixer, feedback is used to obtain higher linearity without sacrificing noise performance. The transimpedance input stage supplies a current signal to the cascode connected Gilbert switching quad, so the transimpedance amplifier output is taken from the collector of the transimpedance amplifier output transistor, instead of the emitter as normally done with transimpedance amplifiers. |
| US08089307B2 |
Charge transfer in a phase-locked loop
A phase-locked loop arranged to generate an output signal having a first frequency that is a static value times the frequency of a reference signal, the phase-locked loop comprising a signal generator arranged to generate the output signal, a divider arranged to receive the output signal and divide the output signal to form a feedback signal, the divider being arranged to vary the divisor by which the output signal is divided to cause the output signal to have a frequency that is said static value times the frequency of the reference signal, a comparison unit arranged to compare the feedback signal with the reference signal, one or more current generators arranged to output current pulses in dependence on said comparison, a summation unit arranged to receive the current pulses output by the current generator(s) and form a single current pulse therefrom and a loop filter arranged to filter the single current pulse to form a control signal for controlling the signal generator, the phase-locked loop being arranged such that the current generator(s) generate(s) a first current pulse dependent on a phase-difference between the feedback signal and the reference signal and a second current pulse whose magnitude and sign are dependent on an error in the feedback signal that is caused by the variation of the divisor, and the summation unit receives the first and second current pulses and stores an electrical charge representative of those current pulses and the summation unit outputs a single current pulse dependent on the electrical charge stored by the summation unit, said single current pulse being representative of a phase-difference that would have existed between the reference signal and the feedback signal if the feedback signal had been formed by dividing the output signal by said static value and not by the varied divisor. |
| US08089306B1 |
Intelligent voltage regulator
An intelligent voltage regulator circuit in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can include a variable voltage generator that is coupled to receive an input voltage. Additionally, the intelligent voltage regulator circuit can include a processing element that is coupled to the variable voltage generator. The processing element can be coupled to receive programming for controlling a characteristic of the intelligent voltage regulator circuit. The processing element can be for dynamically changing the characteristic during operation of the intelligent voltage regulator circuit. |
| US08089304B1 |
Clock frequency division methods and circuits
Frequency division methods and circuits are provided for producing an output clock signal with a frequency related to the frequency of an input clock signal by a predetermined factor. The method and circuit rely on the input clock signal and on feedback from the output signal to produce an intermediate signal. The frequency of the intermediate signal is divided to produce the output clock signal. The method and circuit may be implemented using few circuit components. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and circuit may be used to produce an output clock signal with a frequency that is two-and-a-half times lower than the frequency of the input clock signal. |
| US08089302B2 |
Time interleaved track and hold
The present application relates to an apparatus comprising a first transistor element, with at least three terminals, and at least one switching unit. The present application relates also to a method, computer readable medium having a computer program stored thereon and a track and hold circuit comprising the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a first transistor element with at least three terminals, wherein a first terminal is supplied with a first voltage, and wherein a second terminal is supplied with a second voltage. The apparatus comprises a first switching unit, wherein a third terminal is connected to ground potential via the first switching unit. The transistor element comprises a predefined threshold voltage. The first voltage and the second voltage are predefined alternating voltages. The transistor element is configured such that in case a differential voltage between the first predefined alternating voltage and the second predefined alternating voltage is higher than the predefined threshold voltage and the first switching unit is not conductive the third terminal is charged with the first predefined alternating voltage. |
| US08089301B2 |
Inverter and logic device comprising the same
The inverter includes a driving transistor and a loading transistor having channel regions with different thicknesses. The channel region of the driving transistor may be thinner than the channel region of the load transistor. A channel layer of the driving transistor may have a recessed region between a source and a drain which contact both ends of the channel layer. The driving transistor may be an enhancement mode transistor and the load transistor may be a depletion mode transistor. |
| US08089298B2 |
Integrated circuit device with dynamically selected on-die termination
In an integrated circuit device having dynamically selected on-die termination, a set of data inputs are coupled respectively to a set of termination circuits, each termination circuit having multiple controllable termination impedance configurations. A termination control signal input is provided to receive an indication that the integrated circuit device is to apply one of the controllable termination impedance configurations at each of the data inputs, and a logic circuit applies one of a first and a second of the controllable termination impedance configurations at the data inputs based on the indication received at the termination control signal input and an internal state of the memory device, such that during a first internal state corresponding to the reception of write data on the data inputs, the first of the controllable termination impedance configurations is applied at each of the data inputs, and during a second internal state following the first internal state, the second of the controllable termination impedance configurations is applied at each of the data inputs. |
| US08089296B2 |
On-chip measurement of signals
A method, system, and computer usable program product for in an integrated circuit are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A signal to be measured is identified in the IC. The signal is provided as a first control voltage input to a first VCO in the IC. A first output frequency is generated from the first VCO, the first output frequency having a first frequency value corresponding to the signal. The signal is provided as a second control voltage input to a second VCO in the IC. A second output frequency is generated from the second VCO, the second output frequency having a second frequency value corresponding to the signal. The first and the second output frequency values are exported from the IC. A mean value and a standard deviation of the signal are computed using the output first and second frequency values. |
| US08089295B2 |
Wafer level balanced capacitance design for magnetic heads
Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems and apparatus for testing electronic components, and more specifically for testing magnetoresistive heads. A pair of top shield pads and a pair of bottom shield pads may be formed in a kerf region of a wafer on which magnetoresistive heads are formed. The top shield pads, bottom shield pads, and a magnetoresistive head may form a circuit that may be coupled with a testing circuit to exchange test signals configured to test the magnetic head. The pair of bottom shield pads may provide balanced impedance to substrate that nullifies the effects of broadband noise. |
| US08089292B2 |
System and method of measuring probe float
A system and method allow accurate calculation of probe float through optical free-hanging and electrical planarity measurement techniques. In accordance with an examplary embodiment, probe float may be determined by acquiring a free-hanging planarity measurement, obtaining a first electrical contact planarity measurement, and calculating probe float using results of the acquiring and the obtaining operations. |
| US08089288B1 |
Charge accumulation capacitance sensor with linear transfer characteristic
A method and apparatus for capacitance sensing uses an offset feedback voltage to linearize a charge-transfer characteristic. |
| US08089285B2 |
Implementing tamper resistant integrated circuit chips
A method and tamper resistant circuit for resisting tampering including reverse engineering in a semiconductor chip, and a design structure on which the subject circuit resides are provided. A sensing device for detecting a chip tampering state is formed with the semiconductor chip including the circuitry to be protected. A tamper resistant control signal generator is coupled to the sensing unit for generating a tamper resistant control signal responsive to a detected chip tampering state. A functional operation inhibit circuit is coupled to the tamper resistant control signal generator for inhibiting functional operation of the circuitry to be protected responsive to the tamper resistant control signal. |
| US08089282B2 |
Test assembly for a circuit breaker
A test assembly for a circuit breaker with a single pole module having first and second conduction paths electrically isolated from each other via an interior wall of the module and a circuit board. The test assembly includes an axle at an upper portion of the interior wall and having a first end and a second end extending along opposite sides of the interior wall, a test actuation member configured to be actuated, and a spring in operable communication with the test actuation member and in signal communication with the circuit board. The spring contacts the test actuation member and the first end of the axle when the test actuation member is actuated, the axle conducts an electrical signal to the spring, and the spring provides a test signal to the circuit board initiating a test operation of the circuit breaker. |
| US08089281B2 |
Doubly resonant high field radio frequency surface coils for magnetic resonance
A radio frequency coil comprises an annular conductor or parallel annular conductors (22, 22c, 22d) configured to support: (i) a uniform electrical current distribution generating a first B1 field (B1,uniform) at a first magnetic resonance frequency directed out of a plane of the annular conductor or conductors; and (ii) a sinusoidal electrical current distribution generating a second B1 field (B1,sine) at a second magnetic resonance frequency directed parallel with the plane of the annular conductor or conductors. A magnetic resonance scanner comprises: a magnet (10) generating a static magnetic field (B0); a magnetic field gradient system (14) configured to superimpose selected magnetic field gradients on the static magnetic field; and said radio frequency coil including said annular conductor or parallel annular conductors (22, 22c, 22d). |