| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08121679B2 |
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator with hot or cold thermal application
A Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator (TENS) and electrode pad that is capable simultaneously of delivering hot or cold thermal therapy for the relief of pain. |
| US08121677B2 |
Method for diagnosing a disease
Methods, systems, and apparatus to determine the presence of a disease condition in a medical patient by evaluating conductivity information. In some embodiments, point-attributes values may be obtained from conductivity data sets. This data may be compared to previously determined data, such as threshold values. In some embodiments, z-scores may be determined to combine a plurality of point-attribute values in formulation of a composite score for a patient. In some embodiments, z-scores may be weighted by overall accuracy of the point-attribute in predicting presence of the disease. |
| US08121663B2 |
Photoacoustic measurement of analyte concentration in the eye
In one aspect, the invention features a method and device for measuring blood concentration of a substance such as glucose in the aqueous humor by illuminating the aqueous humor with a light source at a frequency that is absorbed by the substance to the measured, and then sensing photoacoustically generated sound waves originated within the aqueous humor as a consequence of illumination by the light source. The blood concentration can be estimated from the amplitude of the sound waves received. The method may be combined with other optical techniques for glucose measurement and/or with optical or ultrasonic techniques for topographic mapping of eye structures. |
| US08121659B2 |
Slide mechanism
A slide module includes a slide middle part positioned and located between a slide glide and slide base for providing relative sliding movement with respect to one another such that the slide middle part moves a first distance with respect to the slide base and the slide glide moves a second distance with respect to the slide middle part.The slide glide may be attached to a cover part and the slide base may be attached to a base part such that the cover and base part are arranged for relative movement with respect to one another so that at least a first portion of the base part is revealed when the cover part is extended a first distance relative to the base part and the remaining portion of the base part is revealed when the cover part is extended a second distance relative to the base part. |
| US08121654B2 |
Apparatus and method for removing an echo signal in a signal transmission/reception apparatus of a communication system
A method and apparatus for removing an echo signal in a signal transmission/reception apparatus of a communication system is provided. A signal transmission/reception apparatus estimates an input channel response using a training sequence, generates a first signal by removing the input channel response from a first reception signal, detects an echo channel impulse response using the first signal, detects an echo signal removing coefficient using the echo channel impulse response, generates a second signal in which an echo signal is removed by applying the echo signal removing coefficient to a second reception signal, and removes the second signal from a third signal, wherein the first signal is received prior to receiving the second signal and the second signal is received prior to receiving the third signal. |
| US08121650B2 |
Menu displaying method in a mobile terminal
A menu displaying method in a mobile terminal. When a user opens a menu function, a list of menu items is displayed on a display. Upon user selection of a menu item from the list, the selected menu item is perceivably displayed. It is determined whether a sub-menu of the menu item has been set as status information of the menu item. If the sub-menu has been set as the status information, a bubble window having the status information is displayed near the menu item. |
| US08121646B2 |
Method and system for equalizing cable losses in a distributed antenna system
The invention is directed to a method and system for equalizing the signal losses over cable runs in a Distributed Antenna System (DAS). In a DAS, two or more antennae are connected to the system by cable runs that can vary widely in length. As a result, the signal loss over a given cable run can also vary widely which can impact the design and deployment of the DAS and reduce antenna spacing. In addition, for a broadband DAS that supports many frequency bands or ranges using a common antenna unit, the signal losses vary with respect to frequency further making it difficult to equalize the cable losses. According to one embodiment of the invention, the method and system provide for measuring and adjusting the signal losses of each cable run to be a predefined value. According to another embodiment of the invention, the DAS can include a hybrid passive-active antenna unit which includes a frequency multiplexer that separates the signal into frequency bands or ranges that are connected to an antenna element associated with a particular frequency band or range. Where a single frequency band needs to be amplified (or attenuated), a single band amplification block (SBAB) can be inserted in the connection between the frequency multiplexer and the antenna element to amplify (or attenuate) the desired frequency band. Where more than one frequency band need to be amplified (or attenuated), a multiband amplification block (MBAB) can be inserted in the connection between the frequency multiplexer and the appropriate antenna element to amplify (or attenuate) the desired frequency bands. |
| US08121641B1 |
Communication device
The communication device comprising a voice communicating implementer, a sound caller ID implementer, an auto time adjusting implementer, a calculation implementer, a word processing implementer, a stereo audio data output implementer, a digital camera implementer, a multiple language displaying implementer, a caller's information displaying implementer, a communication device remote controlling implementer, an icon software implementer, a spreadsheet displaying implementer, and a TV remote controlling implementer. |
| US08121640B2 |
Dual module portable devices
A dual module portable device may be provided. A motion of a first module of the dual module portable device may be detected. Based at least in part on the detected motion, a position of the first module may be determined relative to the second module of the portable device. Once the relative position of the first module has been determined, a portion of a user interface associated with the relative position may be displayed at the first module. |
| US08121634B2 |
Radio communication terminal device, radio communication base station device, and radio communication method
It is possible to provide a radio communication terminal device, a radio communication base station device, and a radio communication method capable of rapidly completing a handover even during DRX/DTX. In the devices and the method, a terminal (100) transmits a quality measurement result to a base station (150) at an Active interval. Here, the terminal (100) sets the DRX/DTX interval to a short interval since performance of a handover is predicted. The base station (150) which has received the quality measurement result transmitted from the terminal (100) recognizes that the terminal has set the DRX/DTX interval to a short interval and transmits a handover instruction to the terminal (100) at the Active interval, considering the shortened DRX/DTX interval. |
| US08121631B2 |
Method and communication system for calculating a rise-over-thermal (RoT) threshold value
A method for calculating a RoT threshold value in a communication system in which user terminals communicate with a base transceiver station, comprising the steps of providing a RoT minimum, maximum and margin, acquiring the maximum nominal transmit power of each user terminal, detecting the transmitted power of each user terminal, calculating the power difference between the maximum nominal transmit power and the transmitted power for each user terminal, and processing this power difference calculated for each user terminal, the RoT margin and the minimum and maximum RoT threshold to calculate the RoT threshold value. |
| US08121628B2 |
Vehicle telematics unit data upload deferral
A method for deferring a telematics data upload from a vehicle equipped with wireless telephony and wireless networking communications devices. The method steps include detecting the availability of a connection to one or more wireless networks along with an associated time of day during which the connection is available, determining that one of the one or more wireless networks is periodically available at a particular time of day, receiving a request to upload data from the vehicle to a central facility via a wireless telephony connection, delaying the data upload until the particular time of day, and uploading the data to the central facility via a wireless network connection to the previously determined particular wireless network. |
| US08121627B2 |
Method and mobile terminal for outputting automatic response message with implementation of schedule management function
Disclosed are a method and a mobile terminal for outputting an automatic response message informing a caller of a user's (i.e. recipient's) current schedule when the user is unable to answer an incoming call. The method includes receiving an incoming call, determining whether an automatic response key is pressed to output an automatic response message with implementation of the schedule management function, detecting any schedule information corresponding to the current time by reference to a schedule management table when the automatic response key is pressed, and sending a schedule informing message including the detected schedule information to a caller's terminal. |
| US08121626B1 |
Method and systems for short message forwarding services
Methods and systems are described for processing visual messages, such as text or multimedia messages, originated from a mobile phone. In an embodiment, a visual message from an originating wireless telephonic device is directed to an original destination address associated with a user. An indication that the visual message has been received at a first telecommunications system, wherein an original destination associated with the original destination address is not available to receive the originating wireless telephonic device visual message. The visual message is wirelessly transmitted to an alternate destination. |
| US08121625B2 |
System for enabling communication between computers and mobile telephones
There is disclosed a system and method for enabling text messages to be sent from a computer to a mobile device, and for a reply text message to be sent from the mobile device to the computer. An outgoing text message, including a reply telephone number, is sent from a source computer to a destination mobile device. The reply number that is sent is chosen on the basis of regions (either geographic or regions associated with particular mobile communications providers) with the reply number being “leased” for use with a particular outgoing message. A protocol exists for choosing an alternate reply number if the first choice is not available. Means are then also provided for forwarding a reply message received by receiving means associated with a reply number to the source computer. |
| US08121624B2 |
Message spoofing detection via validation of originating switch
Message spoofing is detected by an anti-spoofing application comparing a trusted switch address (i.e., corresponding to an originating switch having processed an incoming message) to an “affiliated” address (i.e., corresponding to a switch serving the location of the identified sender). Message spoofing is detected if the trusted address differs from the affiliated address. |
| US08121623B2 |
Method for reducing the delay time by a paging procedure in network-initiated data transmission in GPRS-mobile communication networks
The invention relates to a method for reduction of the incoming delay time in network-initiated data transmission in GPRS-mobile communication networks, wherein data transmission is initiated to a mobile communication terminal device in a ready state via a requesting network node, wherein the first data packet to be sent by the requesting network node has already been transmitted to the base station subsystem together with a Paging Request message. |
| US08121622B2 |
Method and system for providing location measurement of network based to mobile communication terminal by using G-pCell database according to location
Disclosed is a system and method for providing a mobile communication terminal with network-based location measurement according to locations by using a G-pCell database. The system includes an NPS for storing a neighboring base station database and a G-pCell database; and an SPC for detecting the location of a base station by parsing a base station signal received from the mobile communication terminal when a location measurement request signal is received from the mobile communication terminal, and determining a location of the mobile communication terminal by using a G-pCell pattern matching algorithm when the number of base stations neighboring the mobile communication terminal, detected by parsing the base station signal, is less than the stored number of neighboring base stations corresponding to the location of the base station, discovered using the neighboring base station database. Considering that the accuracy of location measurement may be lowered when the G-pCell pattern matching algorithm is applied to the upper stories of a high-rise building in an area where high-rise buildings stand closely together, such as a downtown area, the system and method selectively uses the G-pCell pattern matching algorithm or a location measurement algorithm based on triangulation to position a mobile communication terminal according to a rough location of the mobile communication terminal, thereby further improving the accuracy of location measurement. |
| US08121620B2 |
Location tracking of mobile phone using GPS function
A system, method, service and mobile device are disclosed for providing a location of the mobile device. The invention utilizes a mobile phone with a global positioning system (GPS) module which is located in a wireless network. A third party device is able to submit a location query to a mobile telephone service operator (MTSO). This location query includes the mobile phone's telephone number. Using the telephone number, the MTSO determines the base station with which the mobile phone is associated. The location query is then forwarded to the mobile phone via the base station. The mobile phone collects the GPS data from the GPS module and forwards the GPS data to the base station. The base station converts the GPS data to location information and forwards the location information to the third party device via the MTSO. |
| US08121618B2 |
Intuitive computing methods and systems
A smart phone senses audio, imagery, and/or other stimulus from a user's environment, and acts autonomously to fulfill inferred or anticipated user desires. In one aspect, the detailed technology concerns phone-based cognition of a scene viewed by the phone's camera. The image processing tasks applied to the scene can be selected from among various alternatives by reference to resource costs, resource constraints, other stimulus information (e.g., audio), task substitutability, etc. The phone can apply more or less resources to an image processing task depending on how successfully the task is proceeding, or based on the user's apparent interest in the task. In some arrangements, data may be referred to the cloud for analysis, or for gleaning. Cognition, and identification of appropriate device response(s), can be aided by collateral information, such as context. A great number of other features and arrangements are also detailed. |
| US08121615B2 |
Mobile station, wireless communication system and method of operation
A mobile station (105, 200) operable in a wireless communication system (100), the mobile station including means (218, 202 of 105) for reporting to a location server (104) of the system a current location of the mobile station and a controller (201 of 105) for controlling the means for reporting to report to the location server a current location of a second mobile station (107) detected to be near to the mobile station. A wireless communication system (100) in which the mobile station is operable and a method (500) operable in the system are also described. |
| US08121613B1 |
Method and system for obtaining emergency caller location
Methods and systems for obtaining the location of a caller during an emergency or other telephone call. Before or during a call, a phone system can obtain from one or more sources a subscriber access line identity associated with a subscriber location record that includes a subscriber access line identity attribute and a subscriber location attribute. A phone system can send a query that includes the subscriber access line identity to a subscriber location query system that returns a subscriber location record or a subscriber location to the phone system. The phone system can then display the caller location information to a phone system, an agent or operator so that emergency services can be quickly and accurately dispatched. Using similar procedure and a memory, phone systems can also determine if a subscriber phone has or is changing location. Methods for testing the emergency call capabilities of a subscriber access line. |
| US08121612B2 |
Method and system for improved WLAN location
Mobile units within an area are located using a wireless local area network. Reference signal transmitters are provided at selected fixed locations within the area. Reference signals are transmitted using the reference signal transmitters using a first selected channel of the wireless local area network. A computer is provided having a database relating signal characteristics of signals transmitted by the reference signal transmitters to location within the area At least one access point is coupled to the computer and provides wireless data communications between the computer and the mobile unit using one or more channels of the wireless data communications system that are different from the first data communications channel. A selected plurality of the reference signals are received at the mobile unit, signal characteristics of the received reference signals are determined and data representing the received reference signal characteristics is transmitted to the computer via the access point using the one or more data communications channels. The data representing reference signal characteristics is received at the computer and position of the mobile unit is determined using the database. |
| US08121611B2 |
SET initiated area event triggered positioning method in mobile communication system
A SET-initiated area event triggered positioning method in a session-based service system is disclosed. The method is variously performed according to a proxy mode or a non-proxy mode, and further according to which SLP (SUPL location platform) has a positioning procedure. |
| US08121610B2 |
Methods and apparatus for associating mapping functionality and information in contact lists of mobile communication devices
In one illustrative example, a method of providing mapping functionality in a contact list of a mobile communication device comprises the acts of providing a contact list organizer function in the mobile device for use in organizing a plurality of contacts of a contact book or list; identifying, through a user interface of the mobile device, a user input request to map a location of a selected one of the contacts of the contact list; and in response to the user input request, performing the following further acts of identifying an address of the location in one or more address fields of the selected contact; sending, to an address geocoding server via wireless network, a request for location coordinates with the address as an input; receiving, via the wireless network, latitude and longitude coordinates of the location in response to the request for the location coordinates; and causing a map corresponding to the location of the selected contact to be visually rendered in a display of the mobile device based on map rendering data for the location corresponding to the latitude and longitude coordinates received via the wireless network in response to a request for map data of the location. |
| US08121601B2 |
Methods for integrating cell measurement procedures of a communication apparatus and communication apparatuses utilizing the same
A communication apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus includes a processor, a first and a second subscriber identity card and at least one radio transceiver module. The processor is coupled to the first subscriber identity card, the second subscriber identity card and the radio transceiver module, merges a first neighbor cell list and a second neighbor cell list to obtain a merged neighbor cell list, tunes the radio transceiver module to the corresponding channel frequency/frequencies of the neighbor cells in the merged neighbor cell list to respectively receive signals from the neighbor cells therein, and accordingly measures and evaluates quality of the neighbor cells therein. |
| US08121599B2 |
System and method for inferring wireless trajectories in a cellular telephone network
A device includes a processor configured to determine a number of users in each of a plurality of wireless telephone cells of a trajectory in a wireless telephone network. The processor is also configured to determine handoff data between each adjacent pair of the wireless telephone cells, and to determine a first number of users traveling along the trajectory in the wireless telephone network while on a telephone call. The processor also calculates a total number of users associated with the trajectory in the wireless telephone network based on the handoff data between each adjacent pair of the wireless telephone cells, and based on the first number of users traveling along the trajectory while on the telephone call. |
| US08121594B2 |
Method and system for providing roaming services to inbound roamers using visited network Gateway Location Register
The present invention provides a method for providing roaming services to one or more subscribers, correspondingly associated with the one or more HPMNs, while the one or more subscribers are registered with the VPMN. The method includes allocating a pool of GTs to a Gateway Location Register (GLR) that is associated with the VPMN, where the pool of Global Titles (GTs) corresponds to at least one of: one or more VLRs associated with the VPMN, one or more SGSNs associated with the VPMN, one or more HPMNs, and one or more HLRs associated with an HPMN from the one or more HPMNs. The method further includes facilitating mobile communication of the one or more subscribers in the VPMN using the allocated pool of GTs. |
| US08121591B2 |
System and method for determining mobile telephone voice quality in a live network
A system and method for determining the quality of communications provided by a plurality of mobile telephones is provided. The method may comprise, for example, receiving one or more telephone voice signals from each mobile telephone; storing the one or more telephone voice signals in a memory; concurrently with aid receiving telephone voice signals from a mobile telephone, receiving one or more reference device voice signals from a reference device substantially co-located with the mobile telephone; storing the one or more reference device voice signals in a memory; determining voice quality data for the telephone voice signals; determining voice quality data for the reference device voice signals concurrently received with the telephone voice signals; and normalizing the voice quality data of the telephone voice signals from each mobile telephone based on the voice quality data of the reference device voice signals concurrently received with the telephone voice signals. |
| US08121589B2 |
Reporting measurements from a mobile station to a network and associated handover control method
A mobile station receives dedicated signaling from the network to obtain measurement configuration data specified for it. The measurement configuration data stored in the mobile station include: measurement object elements each designating communication resources on which measurements are requested by the network; reporting configuration elements each defining reporting criteria to trigger a measurement report from the mobile station to the network and a reporting format indicating at least one quantity included in the measurement report; and measurement identity elements each identifying a relationship between a measurement object element and a reporting configuration element such that any measurement report sent from the mobile station in accordance with this reporting configuration element includes at least one quantity measured on communication resources designated by the corresponding measurement object element. Storage by the mobile station of at least one measurement identity element identifying a relationship between a stored element, being a measurement object element or a reporting configuration element, and an unspecified element is enabled. |
| US08121586B2 |
Systems and methods for voice based search
Systems and methods are provided to facilitate voice-based search of information. For example, a portable device may be in a first orientation to present a display of a graphical user interface, such as a search interface presented within a web browser of the portable device. When the portable device is in a second orientation different from the first orientation, the portable device records a voice input for the graphical user interface. When the portable device is back to the first orientation, the portable device applies the voice input to the graphical user interface. When the user shakes the portable device, the portable device re-initializes the graphical user interface for a subsequent input. |
| US08121584B2 |
Methods for handling conference communication and the communication apparatuses utilizing the same
A communication apparatus is provided. A first subscriber identity card camps on a first cell belonging to a first wireless network capable of providing a conference communication service for the first subscriber identity card with at most N peer communication entities via a first radio transceiver module. A second subscriber identity card camps on a second cell belonging to a second wireless network via a second radio transceiver module. A processor builds a conference communication for the first subscriber identity card with at most (N−1) peer communication entities via the first cell, receives an add request to add a new peer communication entity to the conference communication, adds the second subscriber identity card to the conference communication via the first cell, and adds the new peer communication entity to the conference communication via the second cell. |
| US08121581B2 |
Wireless communications methods and devices selecting configurations from multiple configurations stored in nonvolatile memory
A wireless communications device obtains a configuration identifier and selects a wireless communications configuration from among a plurality of wireless communications configurations stored in a non-volatile memory of the wireless communications device based on the configuration identifier. The wireless communications device applies the selected wireless communications configuration to configure the device for use with a network. Respective ones of the plurality of wireless communications configurations may correspond to respective networks; and the configuration identifier may include a network identifier obtained, for example, from a subscriber identity module (SIM) engaged with the wireless communications device. |
| US08121579B2 |
Active mixer circuit and a receiver circuit or a millimeter-wave communication unit using it
The present invention provides a semiconductor integrated circuit including an active mixer circuit that is operated at low voltage, low noise, and low power consumption. It includes a transconductance amplifier, a transformer, and a multiplier, connects a transformer between the transconductance amplifier and the multiplier, and separates between the transconductance amplifier and the multiplier with respect to direct current inside the transformer. Further, each of the tranconductance amplifier and the multiplier is configured of transistors that are single-stacked between the supply voltage terminal and ground terminal. |
| US08121571B2 |
Method for second intercept point calibration based on opportunistic reception
A transceiver device that performs an intercept point calibration using signal interferers is described. The signal interferers include at least self-generated signal interferers or opportunistic signal interferers in surrounding areas. Due to non-linearity in the transceiver device, intermodulation distortion (IMD) signal components are generated. Filtering of the IMD signal components is performed to allow low-frequency components, such as a second order intermodulation (IM2) to pass through. A dynamic minimization algorithm is performed to minimize distortion effects of the low-frequency components. |
| US08121570B2 |
Method and system for flexible FM tuning
A system for processing signals is disclosed and may include a single chip having an integrated Bluetooth radio and an integrated FM radio. The single chip may include at least one processor that enables selecting from a range of FM channels, a particular frequency for one of the FM channels based on an intermediate frequency (IF). The particular frequency may be selected so that it is an integer multiple of a channel spacing between neighboring allocated FM channels within the range of FM channels, and may be offset by at most one-half the channel spacing. The at least one processor may enable determining a frequency error of the selected particular frequency for the one of the FM channels. The at least one processor may also enable determining, whether the particular frequency includes an on-frequency channel based on the determined frequency error. |
| US08121566B2 |
Broadcast receiver and broadcast channel seek method
A broadcasting receiver suitable for receiving broadcasting signal transmitted with signal format is provided in which carrier wave is allocated in a frequency channel with certain frequency offset and signal intensity, which comprises: an information acquiring means for acquiring information related to the frequency channel in seek; and a station existence determining means for determining whether the frequency channel is station-existent or not based on information acquired by the information acquiring means; and wherein, the information acquiring means acquires information for receiving intensity of carrier wave and information for frequency offset. |
| US08121562B2 |
Transmitter and hybrid communication method for capacity optimization and outage minimization
Embodiments of a system and method for communicating over a fading channel are generally described herein. A transmitter uses a water-filling technique at lower power levels when the channel is not experiencing fading and uses channel-inversion technique at higher power levels when the channel is experiencing some fading. The transmitter refrains from communicating when the channel is experiencing deep fading. An average transmit power specification is maintained over a predetermined period of time even though transmissions using the channel-inversion technique may significantly exceed the average transmit power specification. |
| US08121561B2 |
Power tuning system and method for power amplifier
An automatic power tuning system and method, and a transmitter employing either the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a power detector circuit coupled to an output of a transmitter, the transmitter having an integrator with a first, reference integrator current power control input, a second, integrator capacitor power control input and a plurality of driver fingers selectably employable by a third, driver finger power control input, the power detector configured to generate signals indicating an output voltage of the transmitter and (2) a digital processing circuit coupled to the power detector circuit and configured to employ the signals to determine at least near-optimum reference integrator current and integrator capacitor settings and select a number of driver fingers to employ to drive the output voltage. |
| US08121560B1 |
Pre-distortion with enhanced convergence for linearization
A pre-distorter is provided for distorting an RF input signal to provide a pre-distorted radio frequency (RF) input signal to an amplifier that provides an amplified RF output signal, wherein the RF input signal has an envelope. The pre-distorter includes: a radio-frequency signal processing circuit that distorts the RF input signal according to a polynomial of powers of the envelope, each power of the envelope being weighted by a corresponding pre-distortion weight; and a performance monitor operable to compare a version of the amplified RF output signal to a delayed version of the RF input signal to provide an error signal, wherein the performance monitor is configured to iteratively adapt the coefficients based upon a gradient of a cost function, the cost function being a function of the error signal. |
| US08121557B2 |
Configurable RF sections for receiver and transmitter and methods for use therewith
A transceiver includes an RF receiver section having a plurality of RF receiver stages configured in parallel, and a configurable RF transmitter section. The plurality of RF receiver stages are selectively enabled in response to a control signal. The configurable RF transmitter section is configured to operate in one of: a mixed signal mode of operation and a phase modulation mode of operation, in response to the control signal. |
| US08121554B2 |
Radio apparatus
A data rate is to be determined depending on circumstances. A control unit (30) transmits, at a predetermined frequency, a request signal by which to supply information on a data rate to a targeted radio apparatus compatible with a variable data rate. The control unit (30) receives rate information from the targeted radio apparatus. The control unit (30) sets a data rate used in the case of transmitting data, based on the information on a data rate contained in the rate information. The control unit (30) identifies the reliability level of the data rate contained in the rate information. And when the reliability level is low, the control unit (30) lowers the frequency at which the rate request signal is transmitted. |
| US08121553B2 |
Apparatus and method for determining channel quality indicator (CQI) using beamforming in multi-antenna system
An apparatus and a method for determining a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) using a beamforming in a multi-antenna system are provided. A transmitter for determining a CQI based at least partly upon the beamforming in the multi-antenna system includes a beam former for distinguishing frequency tone intervals having a constant channel across an entire frequency tone, forming a beam by multiplying frequency tones of the frequency tone interval having the constant channel by different beamforming weights, and transmitting a preamble signal. Hence, the users can be scheduled based at least partly upon the beamforming gain, and throughput can be enhanced through the practical MCS selection. |
| US08121549B2 |
Method and system for allocating resource in a communication system
A method for allocating resource in a communication system. The resource allocation method includes dividing a data transmission region into a first region and a second region; allocating resource of the first region when a first Mobile Station (MS) among MSs is an MS located in a non-interference region; and allocating resource of the second region when a second MS among the MSs is an MS located in an interference region. |
| US08121546B2 |
Bluetooth-enabled mobile terminal and fast device connection method thereof
A Bluetooth-enabled mobile terminal and fast device connection method is provided for reducing device connection latency and power consumption. The device connection method includes inquiring of devices by broadcasting an inquiry at an inquiry Power Control Level (PCL), requesting the devices responded to the inquiry for remote names by transmitting a remote name request, determining whether a device is selected among the devices responded to the remote name request, determining, when a device is selected, whether the selected device is a pre-paired device, attempting, when the selected device is a pre-paired device, pairing with the selected device at a preset PCL, and attempting, when the selected device is not a pre-paired device, pairing with the selected device at the inquiry PCL set for broadcasting the inquiry. |
| US08121542B2 |
Virtual connector based on contactless link
The today's mobile handheld and portable devices become slim and thin while need to communicate with other devices and accessories that are attached or at very short range. The interface (contact based physical connector) becomes a real challenge and unreliable to the consumer that needs to attached and detach its device several times a day.It is an object of the present invention to provide system and method of replacing a contact based physical interface (connector) with very short range wireless (contactless) interface. This technique is called “contactless virtual connector” or CVC.The method of the present invention is based on a transmission of a very low power and wideband RF signal. The new innovating mechanism replaces the traditional physical connector with new radiated signal technique that consumes very low power and may be cost competitive with the today's physical connectors.The innovated contactless technology may be used for small flexi-cable replacement in the handheld devices as flip or slider based handheld devices.Although the contactless technique is a wireless based solution, yet, the link may be well secured at the Physical layer when the near-field technique is used. |
| US08121540B1 |
Repeater system and method for providing wireless communications
A repeater system is supplied for providing wireless communications. In an example, a repeater system is supplied to receive user information with an antenna in a wireless signal at a first frequency and transfer the user information in an electrical signal at the first frequency. A frequency converter receives the user information in the electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the user information in the electrical signal at a second frequency. A first coupler receives the user information in the electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the user information in a capacitive signal. A second coupler receives the user information in the capacitive signal and transfers the user information in an electrical signal at the second frequency. A second frequency converter receives the user information in the electrical signal at the second frequency and transfers the user information in the electrical signal at the first frequency. An antenna receives the user information in the electrical signal at the first frequency and transfers the user information in a wireless signal at the first frequency. Additionally, a method of providing wireless communications using the above mentioned repeater system is also provided. |
| US08121539B2 |
Antenna arrangement
A multi-part, distributed antenna arrangement including: an antenna element as a first part; and a semiconductor chip as a second part, separated from the first part, wherein the semiconductor chip comprises integrated radio frequency circuitry and a coupling element for wirelessly coupling the integrated radio frequency circuitry with the antenna element. |
| US08121538B2 |
Communication system and handshake method thereof
A communication system and a handshake method thereof are provided. The communication system has a service path and comprises a BS, at least one MS, and an MS. One of the at least one RS is located within a coverage of the BS. The MS is located within a coverage of one of the at least one RS. The BS, the at least one RS, and the MS are configured to build the service path via handshaking according to a plurality of control signals, each of the control signals has an authentication code adopted to be authenticated completeness of the control signal, and each of the control signals is generated by one of the BS, the at least one RS, and the MS. |
| US08121534B2 |
System and method for sending and receiving images via wireless audio channels
A system and method for adding images to a wireless audio service. The invention is adapted for use in a system for wirelessly transmitting and receiving an audio data stream and includes an arrangement for providing an image and a mechanism for inserting the image into the data stream prior to transmission thereof. In the illustrative embodiment, a third arrangement is provided for receiving and decoding the data stream to extract and a fourth arrangement is included for displaying the image while the audio signal is output. The fourth arrangement may be a digital radio, i.e., a radio adapted to process digital signals, such as a satellite radio, high definition radio, digital AM or other suitable primarily audio wireless communication system. In a specific embodiment, the invention includes an arrangement for automatically inserting a selected image in the stream. In the illustrative embodiment, this arrangement includes a source selector, an image editor coupled to the source selector, an image resizer, an image compressor, and an arrangement for allowing a user to add text, color, style and/or other information to an image output by the compressor. The invention further includes an arrangement for adding images from an archive to the stream and a graphical picture show composer for providing an image queue. An image server is included for feeding the image queue to the output data stream provided by a system server such as an XM or Sirius satellite radio server. |
| US08121531B2 |
Apparatus and method for selective interfering with wireless communications devices
An apparatus operable to disable operation of wireless communications devices, for use within a vehicle, includes a drive circuit coupled to at least one active antenna element to produce interference within at least one wireless communications band of frequencies in response to movement of a vehicle above a defined threshold. The drive circuit being selectively disabled while the vehicle is moving above the defined threshold. The interference may take the form of a bare carrier wave, or may take the form of noise, and is transmitted at sufficient power to interfere with communication between the wireless communications device and a destination device. |
| US08121530B2 |
Image forming method and image forming apparatus
In an image forming method, an electrostatic latent image formed on a surface of a photoreceptor is developed into a developer image with a developer, and a printing paper transported on a transfer belt is brought into contact with the surface of the photoreceptor so as to transfer the developer image onto the printing paper. The printing paper is transported in a proper transport direction, in which a projection generated in one direction on the printing paper as a result of cutting the printing paper in a printing paper manufacturing process does not face a surface of the transfer belt at a leading edge of the printing paper being transported on the transfer belt. In this way, even in the presence of the projection generated when the printing paper is cut, the printing paper naturally strips off from the surface of the photoreceptor, thereby preventing toner contamination caused by a striping claw in contact with the leading edge of the printing paper. |
| US08121524B2 |
Developer supply container and image forming apparatus
A developer supply container includes a container body, a developer conveyance member, and a clog prevention member. The container body includes an outlet port and contains developer therein. The developer conveyance member includes a rotational shaft and a conveyance-member body. The conveyance-member body is supported by the rotational shaft and has flexibility. The developer conveyance member is disposed in the container body and conveys the developer to the outlet port for discharge. The clog prevention member is formed in the conveyance-member body in a position corresponding to the outlet port. The clog prevention member goes into the outlet port to protrude to outside of the container body as the rotational shaft rotates. |
| US08121521B2 |
Support structure for a photoconductive drum of a production printing system
A drum support structure of a production printing system is disclosed. The drum support structure secures a photoconductive drum within a printing system during operation. The drum support structure includes a plurality of ring members spaced in parallel along a longitudinal axis. The ring members have an outside diameter that corresponds with an inside diameter of the drum so that the ring members fit within the drum. The drum support structure also includes a plurality of connecting members that affix the ring members to one another. The drum support structure also includes an inner end cap that connects to an inner-most ring member through one or more connecting members and is adapted to contact one end of the drum. The drum support structure also includes an outer end cap that is adapted to fasten to an outer-most ring member and is further adapted to contact another end of the drum. |
| US08121511B2 |
Image forming apparatus and operation system for image forming apparatus
The present invention includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses connected to a network, and a server which controls the operation state of the image forming apparatuses via the network. The image forming apparatuses are operable in a normal operation mode and in one of plural power-saving modes with different power consumption. The server individually sets the operation mode of the image forming apparatuses in accordance with a preset power-saving operation policy, and controls the image forming apparatuses so that each of the image forming apparatuses operates in the preset operation mode in each predetermined time band. |
| US08121508B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
The image forming apparatus includes: an image former which, upon receiving a first instruction, feeds a sheet and performs an image forming operation to form an image on the sheet; a fixing part which (i) secures a fixing nip by bringing outer circumferential surfaces of first and second rotating bodies into contact with each other, (ii) upon receiving a second instruction, heats the first and second rotating bodies until a temperature thereof reaches a target temperature, and (iii) thermally fixes the image onto the sheet passing through the fixing nip; and a determiner which determines output timings of the first and second instructions such that a timing at which a leading end, in a sheet convey direction, of the image formed on the sheet reaches the fixing nip and a timing at which the temperature of the first and second rotating bodies reaches the target temperature match each other. |
| US08121503B2 |
Image forming apparatus, developing device, and method of adjusting developer
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 regulation member for forming a thin layer of the developer on the developer supporting member; a charge adjustment member for receiving a charge adjustment voltage and contacting with the thin layer of the developer formed on the developer supporting member to adjust a charge amount of the developer; and a charge adjustment voltage switching unit for switching the charge adjustment voltage applied to the charge adjustment member between an image forming voltage upon forming an image and a non-image forming voltage during a preparation operation. |
| US08121498B2 |
Image forming apparatus and developer supply method therefor
An image forming method and apparatus, the apparatus including a latent image carrier configured to carry a latent image thereon, a developing unit disposed facing the latent image carrier to develop the latent image with developer, a developer container containing the developer and attachable to the image forming apparatus, a developer detector configured to detect the presence of the developer in the developing unit, and a developer supply controller, and a disengagement detector configured to detect whether or not an intermediate transfer member is disengaged from the latent image carrier. The developer supply controller prohibits supply of the developer from the developer container to the developing unit when the developer detector detects that the developer is present in the developing unit, and when the disengagement detector detects that the intermediate transfer member is not disengaged from the latent image carrier. |
| US08121492B2 |
Optical transmitting apparatus
An optical transmitting apparatus includes a modulating unit that branches an input light and performs independent phase modulation to branched optical signals of arms, a phase adjusting unit that changes a phase difference between the optical signals of respective arms according to a control signal, a combining unit that combines modulated lights having the phase difference, an acquiring unit that acquires a positive-phase signal and a negative-phase signal from the combining unit, a subtracting unit that obtains a difference between the positive-phase signal and the negative-phase signal acquired by the acquiring unit, a detecting unit detecting a power of a differential signal from subtraction by the subtracting unit, and a control unit that changes the control signal according to signal component intensity detected by the detecting unit. |
| US08121489B2 |
Optical transmitting and receiving system
Signals can be superimposed on optical phase even when low-coherency light is used, and a bit rate and a signal coding format similar to those used in ordinary optical communications can be used. A transmitter includes an asymmetric interferometer or an antisqueezed light generator to convert a train of single pulses into a train of dual pulses. A receiver also includes an asymmetric interferometer that provides the same delay time as that between the dual pulses. The receiver allows pulses originating in the same light source to interfere, so that signals can be superimposed on the phase even when a low-coherency light source is used. The delay time (optical path length difference) provided in the asymmetric interferometer is set to be longer than half the period of the pulses outputted from the optical pulse source. In the transmitter, two pulses are modulated as a unit, one of the two pulses being the rear pulse of a pair of dual pulses and the other pulse being the front pulse of the next pair of dual pulses. In the receiver, a balanced detector receives the modulated pulses, and the balanced detector only outputs interference pulses but does not output non-interference pulses. |
| US08121488B2 |
Infrared communication apparatus and infrared communication method
An infrared communication apparatus and method enabling data communication with a receiving device, regardless of a protocol with which the receiving device is compatible. A transmitting unit transmits a first packet to inquire whether a receiving device is compatible with a first protocol and transmits a second packet to inquire whether the receiving device is compatible with a second protocol, to the receiving device at least once, and transmits a plurality of third packets to inquire whether the receiving device is compatible with a third protocol, to the receiving device. A receiving unit receives a response packet indicating a protocol with which the receiving device is compatible, from the receiving device having received the first packet, the second packet, and the plurality of third packets. A data transmitting unit transmits data to the receiving device, based on the protocol indicated by the response packet received by the receiving unit. |
| US08121487B2 |
System and method for free space micro machined optical bench
An optical bench communicates light through free space in a plurality of trenches formed in the bench, each of the trenches formed by deep ion reactive etching and defined by two opposing side walls, such that the free space is between the opposing side walls. An exemplary embodiment has a first trench operable to receive the beam of light and operable to communicate the beam of light through the free space in the first trench; an angled reflection side wall operable to receive the beam of light routed through the first trench and operable to reflect at least a portion of the beam of light; and a second trench operable to receive the portion of the beam of light reflected from the angled reflection side wall and operable to route the portion of the beam of light through the free space in the second trench. |
| US08121484B2 |
Bi-direction optical module installing light-emitting device and light-receiving device in signal package
A bi-directional optical module with an improved optical crosstalk between the transmitter unit and the receiver unit is disclosed. The optical module provides the LD, the PD, the WDM filter secured with the block, and the package with the co-axial shape. The block provides a slant surface, where the WDM filter is secured thereon, the bottom surface facing the PD mounted on the package, and an aperture connecting the slant surface and the bottom surface. The PD is enclosed within a space formed by the bottom surface and the primary surface, which electrically and optically isolates the PD from the LD. |
| US08121474B2 |
Standby broadband light source for passive optical networks
Techniques are disclosed for a broadband service provider to maintain continuity of service in the event that a broadband light source fails in a passive optical network which uses injection-locked transmitters. Generally, a first broadband light source is connected to a passive optical network. Should the first broadband light source fails, it is disconnected from the network, and a second broadband light source is connected to the network. |
| US08121473B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a photometry unit dividing a subject into a plurality of regions and performing a photometry, a first calculating unit calculating a first control value based on a photometry result of the photometry unit, a comparing unit comparing the first control value with a maximum value of photometry values in the plurality of regions, a second calculating unit correcting the first control value depending on a comparison result by the comparing unit to calculate a second control value, an image pickup unit picking up an image of the subject according to the second control value and generates an image data, and a third calculating unit calculating a lightness improvement amount for a correction of dark area gradation of the image data depending on the comparison result. Therefore, optimum exposure adjustment and correction of dark area gradation can be performed depending on the subject. |
| US08121471B1 |
Focusing system for motion picture camera
A camera focusing system employs left and right video cameras flanking a principal photographic camera. The video cameras are coupled to respective video monitors, each of which has a vertical cursor line superimposed in the middle of the screen representing 90°. A cursor controller allows this line to be moved left and right. As the line is moved left or right to track a desired point of focus on the camera subject, the value increases or decreases from 90°. Software interprets the cursor displacement and determines a real world angular value based on calibration of the focusing system. The angular values are then used to compute the focal distance between the principal camera and the subject. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08121470B2 |
Focusing device, image pick-up apparatus, and control method
A focusing device includes a first focus-position determining unit configured to determine a focus position based on a change in a radio-frequency component in an image signal obtained with movement of a focusing lens, a second focus-position determining unit configured to determine a focus position by using a different process from a process performed by the first focus-position determining unit, a mode setting unit configured to select at least a first mode which uses a result with the first focusing-position determining unit together with the second focusing-position determining unit or a second mode which uses a result with the first focus-position determining unit without the second focus-position determining unit, and a control unit configured to control driving of the focusing lens according to selection by the mode setting unit such that the focusing lens is driven in the first mode at a higher speed than in the second mode. |
| US08121469B2 |
Autofocus system
An autofocus system includes an image pickup unit that takes a subject image formed by an optical system; an autofocus unit that performs focus adjustment on the optical system so as to bring into focus a subject within a predetermined AF area in a photographing image taken by the image pickup unit; a tracking unit that moves an AF frame, which indicates an outline of the AF area, in accordance with the movement of the subject within the photographing image taken by the image pickup unit; a face direction detection unit that detects a face direction of the subject from the photographing image; a face direction registration unit that registers the face direction of the subject together with coordinates which represent a position of the AF frame in the photographing image; a face direction comparing unit that compares the detected face direction of the subject with the registered face direction. |
| US08121467B2 |
Position controller for optical element
A position controller for an optical element of an optical system includes a first movable member supported by a support member to be movable relative thereto in a first direction orthogonal to an optical axis, a second movable member which holds the optical element and is supported by the first movable member to be movable relative thereto in a second direction which is nonparallel to the first direction, an electromagnetic actuator that produces a driving force for moving at least the second movable member in the second direction, and an insertion/removal drive mechanism for moving the second movable member between an anti-shake driving position, at which a position control for the second movable member can be performed using the electromagnetic actuator, and a removed position at which the second movable member is positioned outside a range of the position control that uses the electromagnetic actuator. |
| US08121460B2 |
Information recording medium and playback device for playing back 3D images
To aim to increase the use efficiency of a screen on which a subtitle is displayed together with a stereoscopic image. A video shift mode is set for each subtitle. When a stereoscopic image is played back, in accordance with the video shift mode of the subtitle, a video plane is shifted upward or downward to perform cropping processing of collecting black frames provided in the upper end and the lower end of the screen in either one of the upper end and the lower end so as to save a display region of the subtitle. |
| US08121459B2 |
Preview method
A preview method is discussed. According to an embodiment, the preview method includes calculating preview reproduction periods for respective chapters that are selected for reproduction, based on a set preview period; and reproducing each chapter for the preview reproduction period calculated for the corresponding chapter. |
| US08121458B2 |
Fiber distribution hub with swing frame and modular termination panels
A fiber distribution system includes one or more fiber distribution hubs (FDHs) that provide an interface at a termination panel between incoming fibers routed from a central office and outgoing fibers routed to network subscribers. Termination modules can be incrementally added to the termination panel. The FDH can include one or more optical splitter modules that split an optical signal into two or more signals. The optical splitter modules can be incrementally added along with one or more storage modules. The subscriber termination panel, optical splitters, and storage modules can be provided on a swing frame. |
| US08121456B2 |
Cable payout systems and methods
A method for deploying a telecommunications cable includes obtaining a payout arrangement including a length of cable, selecting one of the first end and the second end of the length of cable to access; accessing the selected end of the length of cable; and pulling the selected end to unwind the length of cable from the payout arrangement. In some embodiments, the cable is arranged around adjacent spools. In other embodiments, the cable is arranged within a container with access opening on the top and bottom. In still other embodiments, the cable is wound around a spool and at least one spacer. |
| US08121455B2 |
Carrier system for mounting telecommunication and data technology devices
The invention relates to a support system (5) for fixing telecommunication and data systems technology resources, comprising at least one profiled support (72), wherein the at least one profiled support (72) is constructed with fixing means on at least one side and with further fixing means (135) by means of which resources can be fixed to the front and/or rear (V, R) of the support system (5). |
| US08121454B2 |
Apparatus for the collection and transmission of electromagnetic radiation
A collector for propagating incident radiation is disclosed. The collector may comprise a light directing component coupled to a buffer component, a first propagation component coupled to the buffer component and configured to transmit the incident radiation into a collector region through one of a plurality of windows, and an optical transport assembly coupled to an end of the collector region and having a second propagation component. Each light directing component may be configured to redirect the incident radiation from a first direction to a second direction, and the collector region may include a plurality of regions exhibiting a refractive index value that gradually transitions from about 1.5 to about 2.0. The second propagation component may be further configured to retain the incident radiation. |
| US08121451B2 |
Module having a plurality of circuit boards stacked with a prescribed distance therebetween and optical connector for the same
An optical connector has a body, a mirror provided within the body, an optical waveguide path, and a linking section. The optical waveguide path extends from a first end face exposed on a part of the surface of the body, bending via the mirror up to a second end face exposed on a part of the surface of the body not parallel to the first end face. The linking section is formed so as to include the first end, face and has a mechanism linking the fixing member first end face to the second end face of the optical waveguide path of the fixing member. |
| US08121450B2 |
Coupling between free space and optical waveguide using etched coupling surfaces
A plasma-based etching process is used to specifically shape the endface of an optical substrate supporting an optical waveguide into a contoured facet which will improve coupling efficiency between the waveguide and a free space optical signal. The ability to use standard photolithographic techniques to pattern and etch the optical endface facet allows for virtually any desired facet geometry to be formed—and replicated across the surface of a wafer for the entire group of assemblies being fabricated. A lens may be etched into the endface using a properly-defined photolithographic mask, with the focal point of the lens selected with respect to the parameters of the optical waveguide and the propagating free space signal. Alternatively, an angled facet may be formed along the endface, with the angle sufficient to re-direct reflected/scattered signals away from the optical axis. |
| US08121448B2 |
Rotary transformer
A rotary transformer having first light-conducting curved tube segments, the first tube segments being disposed to form a first tubular arrangement, is disclosed. The rotary transformer has at least one first transmitter for producing first light signals and at least one first receiver for receiving the first light signals. The first light signals are transmitted from the first transmitter via the first tube segments to the first receiver. |
| US08121443B2 |
Optical transmission apparatus
An optical transmission apparatus includes an optical element that has at least one of a light emitting part and a light receiving part on a surface opposed to a mounting surface of the optical element, an optical waveguide that is made of a polymer material, and has an optical path deflecting part in a through hole or an opening, wherein the optical path deflecting part deflects an optical path of the optical with respect to the at least one of the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the optical element, and a substrate that has a mounting region on which the mounting surface of the optical element is mounted, and a plurality of waveguide holding parts, each holding the optical waveguide so that the optical path deflecting part of the optical waveguide is arranged opposite to the at least one of the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the optical element. |
| US08121439B2 |
End-to-end design of electro-optic imaging systems using the nonequidistant discrete Fourier transform
A unified design strategy takes into account different subsystems within an overall electro-optic imaging system. In one implementation, the design methodology predicts end-to-end imaging performance using a spatial model for the source and models for the optical subsystem, the detector subsystem and the digital image processing subsystem. The optical subsystem and digital image processing subsystems are jointly designed taking into account the entire system. Unconventional techniques such as the nonequidistant DFT (nDFT) are used to accelerate the design process. |
| US08121438B2 |
Aircraft doors
An alarm system for an aircraft door is disclosed. The alarm system comprises a sensor for sensing when the door operating handle is about to be gripped by an operator and an aural alarm associated with the sensor. The oral alarm sounds when the sensor detects that the handle is about to be gripped. Means are provided for arming the sensor and/or the aural alarm when the aircraft door is armed. |
| US08121435B2 |
Systems and methods for resolution switching
Systems and methods are provided for switching a resolution of an image, wherein the image includes at least one block. In some embodiments, the image is compressed. At least one compressed block in the compressed image is tagged, if the data size of the compressed block exceeds a threshold. A non-transition region is grown based on the at least one compressed block that is tagged until a safe-transition block is reached, wherein the non-transition region includes the at least one compressed block in the compressed image. The resolution of each compressed block in the non-transition region is reduced. |
| US08121434B2 |
Multi-pass image resampling
Multi-pass image resampling technique embodiments are presented that employ a series of one-dimensional filtering, resampling, and shearing stages to achieve good efficiency while maintaining high visual fidelity. In one embodiment, high-quality (multi-tap) image filtering is used inside each one-dimensional resampling stage. Because each stage only uses one-dimensional filtering, the overall computation efficiency is very good and amenable to graphics processing unit (GPU) implementation using pixel shaders. This embodiment also upsamples the image before shearing steps in a direction orthogonal to the shearing to prevent aliasing, and then downsamples the image to its final size with high-quality low-pass filtering. This ensures that none of the stages causes excessive blurring or aliasing. |
| US08121428B2 |
Accelerated image rendering
Systems and methods are presented for accelerated image rendering. In one implementation, the systems and methods receive digital image data and derive intermediate data associated with the digital image data to accelerate image rendering. |
| US08121425B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding multi-view image
Provided is a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding a multi-view image. By predicting a current picture based on at least one of an intra (I) picture of a previous image processing block and an I picture of a current image processing block, which is generated for a different view than a view at which the I picture of the previous image processing block is generated, and encoding the current picture based on the prediction, it is possible to prevent display quality degradation that may occur in images at views other than a base view. |
| US08121424B2 |
System, computer program product and associated methodology for video motion detection using spatio-temporal slice processing
A system, computer program product and associated methodology for video motion detection combines a series of images of a video sequence into an image volume having vertices of X, Y and t. The image volume is sliced in either the (X,t) or (Y,t) planes, filtered with a spatio-temporal filter and thresholded to reduce the amount of information. Then a search algorithm searches along search lines in a subset of the video sequence to locate motion. Motion can be detected by identifying lines that are not parallel to any of the vertices. Stationary subjects and lighting changes appear as lines parallel to one of the vertices. Thus, true motion can be distinguished from lighting changes. |
| US08121423B2 |
Remote user interface raster segment motion detection and encoding
Raster segment commands are generated by a delta encoder and are encoded for raster segments detected to have moved in the current frame with respect to a location of the raster segment in a previous frame. Raster segment motion commands are stored in a queue and, when written, copy a raster segment into the current frame from a previous payload or cache. When written from the queue to a payload, raster segment motion commands are applied to a copy of the current frame maintained at the server using a copy of the previous payload sent. When copying a raster segment from a raster segment cache, a raster segment cache command retrieves identified raster segment data from the raster segment cache and copies the raster segment into a particular location in the current frame at the client. The raster segment commands are sent to a client via a payload to copy a raster segment from a previous payload into the current frame at the client or from a raster segment cache to the current frame. |
| US08121421B2 |
Media content management
The invention relates to media management and combats media degradations arising when transcoding the media. The invention solves this by—generating processing hints based on the media transcoding. The hints are employed for controlling a post-transcoding processing of the transcoded media content in connection with rendering the media. The hints and this controlled processing increases the user-perceived quality when rendering the media by mitigating the media degradations caused by the transcoding. The processing hints could specify how the actual transcoding was performed by including values of the employed transcoding parameters or information of the alterations to the media caused by transcoding. Furthermore, instructions or commands for appropriate post-transcoding processing could also be processing hints according to the invention. |
| US08121418B2 |
Methods and systems for significance coefficient coding in video compression
A method for decoding significance coefficients in an encoded video sequence is described. An encoded video bitstream is received. Codebook table information is retrieved from the bitstream. Significance symbols are decoded using the retrieved codebook table information. Significance coefficients are decoded using the significance symbols. A plurality of transform coefficients is dequantized. An inverse transform is applied to a residual signal. A video sequence is constructed. A method for coding significance coefficients in a video sequence is also described. |
| US08121414B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and image forming apparatus
The number of pixels in an identified pixel region is counted, a feature point of the pixel region is extracted and the number of the feature points is counted when the number of the pixels counted has been determined to be equal to or higher than a first threshold value, whether the counted number of the feature points is equal to or lower than a second threshold value is determined, features is calculated based on the feature point extracted from the pixel region when the number of the feature points has been determined to be above the second threshold value, and the first threshold value is changed when the number of the feature points has been determined to be equal to or lower than the second threshold value. Image similarity determination process can be stably performed without any degradation in determination accuracy. |
| US08121413B2 |
Method and system for controlling browser by using image
Browser controlling method and system using an image are provided. The method includes inputting an image; recognizing the image; and executing a command based on the recognized image. Accordingly, the command based on the user's input image can be executed in the browser. Also, since the browser does not need to display various function buttons, the screen can be utilized more efficiently. |
| US08121412B2 |
Recognition of tabular structures
A number of regions and partitions may be created based on input handwritten atoms and a grammar parsing framework. Productions for tabular structures may be added to the grammar parsing framework to produce an extended grammar parsing framework. Each of the regions may be searched for a tabular structure. Upon finding a tabular structure, a type of tabular structure may be determined. Configuration partitions may be created, based on the added productions, and added to the created partitions. A set of configuration regions may be created based on the configuration partitions and added to the created regions. The productions for tabular structures and productions of the grammar parsing framework may be applied, as rewriting rules, to the atoms to produce possible recognition results. A best recognition result may be determined and displayed. A mechanism for correcting misrecognition errors, which may occur while recognizing tabular structures, may be provided. |
| US08121410B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for providing illegal use research service for image data, and system, apparatus, and method for providing proper use research service for image data
In a system for providing an illegal use research service for image data, the image data received from a terminal apparatus is registered as a research subject, a research condition for research whether or not the image data being registered is illegally used by a Web site on the network is set, image data that are identical or similar to the image data being the research subject from a web site on the network are searched for based on a feature amount and the research condition, and a search result is informed as a research report to the research client using said terminal apparatus. |
| US08121409B2 |
Method for handling static text and logos in stabilized images
To handle static text and logos in stabilized images without destabilizing the static text and logos, a method of handling overlay subpictures in stabilized images includes detecting an overlay subpicture in an input image, separating the overlay subpicture from the input image, stabilizing the input image to form a stabilized image, and merging the overlay subpicture with the stabilized image to obtain an output image. |
| US08121405B2 |
Systems and methods for skin-color-cognizant color mapping
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for adjusting image color values to accommodate a different color gamut. In some embodiments, colors within a skin-color region are preserved while colors outside the skin-color region are stretched to fill the new color gamut. |
| US08121404B2 |
Exposure control apparatus and image pickup apparatus
An exposure control apparatus for controlling an exposure adjustment mechanism on the basis of a captured image signal includes the following elements. A face detecting unit detects a face of a person appearing in a captured image on the basis of the captured image signal. A histogram data determining unit determines histogram data by setting a face detection region in the captured image according to detection information and detecting at least a brightness value of the face detection region from the captured image signal. A target brightness setting unit sets a target brightness range for desired brightness of the face. An exposure control amount determining unit determines, when a face is detected, an amount of control for the exposure adjustment mechanism by comparing the target brightness range with a brightness value at a peak of the histogram data or a brightness region in the vicinity of the peak. |
| US08121401B2 |
Method for reducing enhancement of artifacts and noise in image color enhancement
A method for enhancing the color of an image to be displayed on a display includes receiving an image having a plurality of pixels where each of the pixels has a plurality of color components. The image is filtered using a spatial filter in such a manner that the lower frequency content of the image is enhanced in such a manner that the dynamic range of the lower frequency content is increased. The filtered image is modified such that the higher frequency content of the image to obtain a modified image that includes the higher frequency content and the lower frequency content. |
| US08121392B2 |
Embedded imaging and control system
A stand alone imaging system is disclosed that captures undistorted, high resolution, stop-action images of objects (e.g., medicine pills) moving at automation speeds, processes the images in real time, and then performs real-time I/O based control that is a function of the image processing results. The imaging system has a form factor that enables it to be embedded inside a product (e.g., a pill dispenser). The imaging system also has a flexible I/O system so that a variety of different applications can be handled by changing only the programming and the external hardware connected to the device in which the imaging system is embedded. In the case of pill dispensing and quality control, a miniature, low cost imaging system can be embedded in a pill dispenser to obtain a pill image and then process the image in real time as the pill moves through a counting system. The embedded imaging system processes the images fast enough and with sufficient quality and resolution so as to command a pill counting mechanism to dispense or reject the pill based on the image processing results. Images of the pills can also be sent to a remote location or an archive. The embedded imaging system has sufficient processing power and I/O to control the entire pill counting mechanism. Lighting may be provided by a separate solid state lighting source which may be controlled by the embedded imaging system's camera or operated independently. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims. |
| US08121384B2 |
Method and apparatus for magnetic character recognition
A method for magnetic character recognition may include preparing standard array data of peak intervals; generating a regeneration waveform out of a character string of magnetic characters printed on a surface of an information data recording medium; segmenting a character waveform of each magnetic character out of the regeneration waveform; generating array data of peak intervals out of an array pattern of a plurality of intervals between peaks that are included in the character waveform; and comparing the array data of peak intervals with the standard array data of peak intervals; wherein, based on a comparison result of comparing the array data of peak intervals with the standard array data of peak intervals, a read character is identified with a character corresponding to an array data of peak intervals that shows the highest coincidence. |
| US08121382B2 |
Method for setting at least one control variable of a filter for noise reduction in medical images
A method for setting a control variable of a filter for noise reduction in medical images is provided. Image data of the medical images is classified into at least one noise region and at least one structure region. A variance measurement is performed either for all the image pixels or a subset of them to determine the edge thicknesses. A histogram is generated from the edge thicknesses. The maximum of the histogram is determined and a Gaussian curve is fitted to the histogram. A threshold value for noise and structure is determined as a function of the standard deviation of the Gaussian curve. The noise and structure are measured in the regions. The standard noise and structure deviations are determined and compared. The control variable is setup as a function of the comparison of noise and structure. The invention can be used for reduction of temporal noise in bandpass images. |
| US08121381B2 |
X-ray image processing apparatus and method
An X-ray image processing apparatus includes a site information determination unit configured to determine, based on discrete site information, continuous site information to be obtained by radiographing a moving image, an information acquisition unit configured to extract, from the discrete site information, image construction information, image processing method information, and X-ray exposure control method information, a computation unit configured to compute processing information about a site located between positions represented by the discrete site information using the information extracted by the information acquisition unit, an image processing unit configured to perform image processing based on the processing information which is computed by the computation unit, and an X-ray exposure control unit configured to perform X-ray exposure based on the processing information which is computed by the computation unit. |
| US08121380B2 |
Computerized imaging method for a three-dimensional reconstruction from two-dimensional radiological images; implementation device
A set of surface reference marks (26, 26′) detectable by a surface sensor (4) is disposed on the surface of the subject for acquiring three-dimensional or 3D surface images of the surface of the subject, the surface reference marks being radio-opaque; with each radiological image (3, 3′) acquired is associated a corresponding surface image acquired at substantially the same time; an iterative process includes a phase of incidence angle calculation (10) and a phase of deformation calculation (11), intended to determine (15) the relative positions of the radiological images and the surface images as well as to perform a positioning (16) in the three dimensions of the radiological images by assuming an absence of deformation of the subject, and intended to determine (19) and correct (21) on the radiological images the deformations of the subject for the relative positions determined in the phase of incidence angle calculation. |
| US08121374B2 |
Bands artifact reduction for cardiac CT imaging
A subject is imaged at a preselected phase point (34) which occurs in one or more successive cardiac cycles as the subject moves in an examination region (16). An illumination window (94) illuminates each reconstructed voxel (A, B, C) of the subject in phase point windows (92) adjacent surroundingly the preselected phase point (34). A temporal window (90) is determined which includes an integer number N of successive cardiac cycles, in which the phase point windows (92) are entirely included in the illumination window (94). The illumination window (94) is truncated in accordance with the determined temporal window (90). First and second regions (72, 74) are determined along an axial direction (Z), the first and second regions (72, 74) alternating with one another. A temporal weighting profile processor (64) generates a projection dependent temporal weighting profile (66). A temporal window processor (102) applies the normalized backprojection weights for each voxel which lies in an associated first region. A varying weight processor (110) continuously smoothly weights readings for each voxel lying in an associated second region (74). A backprojection processor (120) three-dimensionally backprojects the weighted readings into a volumetric image representation. |
| US08121372B2 |
Method for reducing image noise in the context of capturing an image using two different radiation spectra
The invention relates to a method for reducing image noise in the context of capturing at least one radiation-based image of a region of interest using two different radiation spectra, in particular two different x-ray radiation spectra, comprising the following steps: capturing raw images of the region of interest using the two different radiation spectra with in each case mutually paired measured values; and to separate different materials in the region of interest, applying to the captured raw images at least one inversion operator with integrated noise filtering, said operator describing a transition from a measured value pair to an assigned reconstruction value pair. |
| US08121371B2 |
Method of performing measurements on digital images
A first and a second image are expressed in a common coordinate system by applying a geometric transformation to the second image so as to map a structure in the second image onto a corresponding structure in the first image in a common coordinate system. Starting from initial values, the parameters of the geometric transformation are updated taking into account the result of an evaluation of a cost function.Measurements are performed in the common coordinate system. |
| US08121366B2 |
Alignment of fat-sat and non-fat-sat T1 weighted images in MRI applications
A method for aligning medical images, including: generating a learned joint distribution of intensities of corresponding voxels of images acquired by a first modality and a second modality, wherein the first and second modalities are different from each other; acquiring a first image of a patient using the first modality; acquiring a second image of the patient using the second modality; and aligning the first and second images based on the learned joint distribution. |
| US08121363B2 |
Thermographic image processing system
The system permits sharing both thermographic image processing and visualization across a single universal platform, thus allowing for sharing of processor resources and visualization of thermographic images on a variety of imaging (client) devices without high-performance graphical display cards. In a typical embodiment, a (e.g., medical) thermographic image 2D linear registration algorithm is implemented on a Cell Broadband Engine processor, which has nine processor cores on a chip and has a 4-way SIMD unit for each core. This multi-core processor technological advancement allows for the development of a thermographic image processing system that is used for thermographic image capturing modalities. A platform is used to provide a generalized medical thermographic image capturing and processing system, which handles different types of medical thermographic image apparatuses on a single data processing platform. |
| US08121358B2 |
Method of grouping images by face
A method of browsing face regions in digital images in a photo displaying system includes detecting a plurality of face regions from a plurality of images, grouping the face regions into a plurality of clusters based on similarities of the face regions, determining a degree of connection between the clusters, modifying the degree of connection between the clusters according to a relationship of the face regions, and displaying the face regions according to the degree of connection between the clusters. |
| US08121353B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for mapping information
An apparatus, system and method for mapping information. The apparatus for mapping information includes an information input unit providing image information and position-view information in a specified area, a three-dimensional model database storing three-dimensional model data of a structure within the specified area and generating a two-dimensional image from the three-dimensional model data using the position-view information, an image processing unit comparing the two-dimensional image with the image information to analyze the image information, a related information acquiring unit acquiring structure related information within the specified area with reference to the analyzed image information, and an information mapping processing unit mapping the structure related information on the image information and outputting a mapping result. |
| US08121350B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer program for determining a position on the basis of a camera image from a camera
An apparatus for determining a position on the basis of a camera image from a camera includes a Hough transformer, a positional description establisher and a database comparator. The Hough transformer is formed to identify circular arcs or elliptical arcs in the camera image or in a preprocessed version of the camera image derived therefrom, and to identify a plurality of straight stretches passing in various directions through the camera image or through the preprocessed version. The positional description establisher is formed to obtain a positional description describing the identified circular arcs or elliptical arcs and the identified straight stretches by parameters, on the basis of the identified circular arcs or elliptical arcs and on the identified straight stretches. The database comparator further is formed to compare the positional description with a plurality of comparative positional descriptions and to obtain information on a position as a result of the comparison. |
| US08121345B2 |
Vision guidance system and method for identifying the position of crop rows in a field
A system and method of identifying a position of a crop row in a field, where an image of two or more crop rows is transmitted to a vision data processor. The vision data processor defines a candidate scan line profile for a corresponding heading and pitch associated with a directional movement of a vehicle, for example, traversing the two or more crop rows. The candidate scan line profile comprises an array of vector quantities, where each vector quantity comprises an intensity value and a corresponding position datum. A preferential scan line profile in a search space about the candidate scan line profile is determined, and the candidate scan line profile is identified as a preferential scan line profile for estimating a position (e.g., peak variation) of one or more crop rows if a variation in the intensity level of the candidate scan line profile exceeds a threshold variation value. In addition, a template scan line profile may be utilized, where a candidate scan line profile is identified to be a preferential scan line profile if it is consistent with the template scan line profile. |
| US08121341B2 |
Data processing apparatus and method
A water marking system generates a water marked image frame for conveying a payload data word by combining at least one image frame with a two-dimensional water mark pattern. The water mark pattern includes plural regions each associated with one of symbols of the payload data word. Each region includes a two dimensional water mark block selected from a predetermined set of possible water mark blocks to represent the value of the payload data symbol associated with that region. A detecting data processing apparatus detects the payload data from a received water marked image frame, which has been encoded by utilizing a block match prior probability calculator operable to correlate each region of the water marked image frame with each of the water mark blocks from the set of water marked blocks) to form for each region a set of probability surfaces. |
| US08121339B2 |
Adaptive mark placement
A method of encoding a message into a document containing known information is disclosed. The method comprises identifying (1502) a plurality of logical information content categories associated with the known information, establishing (1503) a priority order in which said message is to be added to each of the categories, determining (1504) an amount of said message to be added to each of the categories, and encoding (1506) the message into the document according to the established priority order and the determined amount. |
| US08121338B2 |
Process for generating images with realistic text insertion
A method for generating an output image with realistic individual text inserts via software loaded on a computer is provided. The method comprises the steps of (1) providing a base image in a commercial graphical format with at least one position frame defined within the base image; the position frame defines an area within the base image where a text insert is insertable; (2) providing software loaded on the computer which transforms a low resolution image into a high resolution image; (3) defining a vector path within the position frame; (4) arranging the text insert along the vector path; (5) composing the text insert wherein the such step comprises the steps of (i) selecting individual elements, (ii) sizing the individual elements as a function of the vector path, (iii) assembling the elements into letters, and (iv) assembling the letters along the vector path to compose the text insert; and (6) entering text of the text insert via a user interface. |
| US08121337B2 |
Free air magnetic circuit and speaker
Disclosed is a free air magnetic circuit and speaker in which no pole piece is used. A magnet layer is located between a top plate and a back plate with a gap defined essentially in the center thereof. Into the gap, a wire coil attached to a diaphragm may be inserted. A magnet flux passes between the top and back plates. In some embodiments, the interior edge of each of the metal plates tapers toward the gap, and the magnet layer extends past the peripheral edge of each of the metal plates so as to discourage magnetic flux between the metal layers at the peripheral edge. |
| US08121335B2 |
Accentuated headwear
An article of accentuated headwear includes an attire portion configured for attachment to a wearer's head. An electronic visual display and an audio output device are operatively coupled to the attire portion. The headwear includes an electronic memory. A processor is in data communication with the electronic visual display, the audio output device, and the electronic memory. The processor includes programming to actuate the electronic visual display and the audio output device. The headwear includes a user interface for controlling the processor. The headwear includes a power source for powering the processor, the electronic visual display, the audio output device, and the electronic memory. |
| US08121332B2 |
Microphone mount for a cabinet
A microphone mount for mounting a microphone adjacent a speaker housed in a cabinet is defined by an elongate body having gripping fingers on opposite ends. The body is extendable and an elastic cord housed in the body normally pulls the gripping fingers together so that the mount may be extended and retained on a cabinet. A microphone interface is attached to one end of the body, which allows the user to position the microphone in any desired position relative to the speaker. |
| US08121331B2 |
Surface mount silicon condenser microphone package
The present invention relates to a surface mount package for a silicon condenser microphone. The inventive package uses a limited number of components which simplifies manufacturing and lowers costs, and features a substrate which performs functions for which multiple components were traditionally required, including providing an interior surface on which the silicon condenser die is mechanically attached, providing an interior surface for making electrical connections between the die and the package, and providing an exterior surface for making electrical connections between package and a user's printed circuit board. In some embodiments, the acoustic port is located in the substrate directly under the silicon condenser die which decreases the thickness of the inventive package. |
| US08121329B2 |
Expandable speaker assemblies for portable media devices
Speaker assemblies and cradles for portable media players are disclosed herein. Speaker assemblies can include means for contracting and expanding the speakers to facilitate viewing and listening to a PMP in multiple orientations. Preferred means for contracting and expanding the speaker casings are operably coupled with means for rotating the PMP, such that when the PMP is in a wide viewable configuration, the speakers are expanded. |
| US08121323B2 |
Inter-channel communication in a multi-channel digital hearing instrument
A multi-channel digital hearing instrument is provided that includes a microphone, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, a sound processor, a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter and a speaker. The microphone receives an acoustical signal and generates an analog audio signal. The A/D converter converts the analog audio signal into a digital audio signal. The sound processor includes channel processing circuitry that filters the digital audio signal into a plurality of frequency band-limited audio signals and that provides an automatic gain control function that permits quieter sounds to be amplified at a higher gain than louder sounds and may be configured to the dynamic hearing range of a particular hearing instrument user. The D/A converter converts the output from the sound processor into an analog audio output signal. The speaker converts the analog audio output signal into an acoustical output signal that is directed into the ear canal of the hearing instrument user. |
| US08121322B2 |
Method for identifying hearing aids within the scope of wireless programming
A method for identifying hearing aids is described wherein a wireless connection is established between a control device and at least one unidentified hearing aid, and which comprises the following procedural steps: a request is sent by the control device to at least one unidentified hearing aid; the request is received by the hearing aid addressed; a response is provided in the hearing aid addressed, whereby the response contains an individual identifier of the respective hearing aid; and the response is sent by the hearing aid addressed to the control device, whereby the response is transmitted at a point in time that is individually determined by the responding hearing aid. |
| US08121321B2 |
Hearing aids
The hearing aids comprise a microphone, a signal processor, and a receiver, and have a constitution in which the microphone generates an input signal from an input sound and generate an output signal and send it to the ear on the opposite side only when a specific condition is satisfied with respect to the input signal at the signal processor, and the receiver reproduces an output sound from the output signal. |
| US08121318B1 |
Two channel audio surround sound circuit with automatic level control
The two channel audio surround sound circuit with automatic level control includes a right amplifier, a left amplifier, a right automatic level control and a left automatic level control. A right input is coupled to a positive input of the left amplifier through the right automatic gain control. The right input is coupled to a negative input of the right amplifier and coupled to the output of the right amplifier with one resistor. A left input is coupled to a positive input of the right amplifier through the left automatic gain control. The left input is coupled to a negative input of the left amplifier and coupled to the output of the left amplifier with another resistor. |
| US08121311B2 |
Mixer with adaptive post-filtering
A noise reduction system includes multiple transducers that generate time domain signals. A transforming device transforms the time domain signals into frequency domain signals. A signal mixing device mixes the frequency domain signals according to a mixing ratio. Frequency domain signals are rotated in phase to generate phase rotated signals. A post-processing device attenuates portions of the output based on coherence levels of the signals. |
| US08121310B2 |
Sound receiving apparatus and method
A plurality of sound receiving units is installed onto an equipment body. An initial information memory stores an initial direction of the equipment body in a terminal coordinate system based on the equipment body. An orientation detection unit detects an orientation of the equipment body in a world coordinate system based on a real space. A lock information output unit outputs lock information representing to rock the orientation. An orientation information memory stores the orientation detected when the lock information is output. A direction conversion unit converts the initial direction to a target sound direction in the world coordinate system by using the orientation stored in the orientation information memory. A directivity forming unit forms a directivity of the plurality of sound receiving units toward the target sound direction. |
| US08121305B2 |
Fetal communication system
A compact fetal sound system delivers high-fidelity sound to a fetus in utero through a miniature, abdominally mounted driver with a convex diaphragm. No gel is necessary at the interface between the diaphragm and the mother's abdomen. Digital signal processing shapes the frequency spectrum of the sound transmitted to the fetus, so that after traveling through the attenuative tissue of the expectant mother the desired volume of sound and frequency content reach the ears of the fetus. As the term of pregnancy progresses, the frequency shaping provided by the digital signal processing automatically varies to compensate for changes in uterine lining thickness and the like. Preferred embodiments also include a microphone attached to the abdomen of the mother and signal processing to correct for frequency and amplitude distortions of sound eminating from the womb. Embodiments also include an elastic belt to maintain the transducer and microphone against the abdomen. |
| US08121296B2 |
Method and apparatus for security in a data processing system
Method and apparatus for secure transmissions. Each user is provided a registration key. A long-time updated broadcast key is encrypted using the registration key and provided periodically to a user. A short-time updated key is encrypted using the broadcast key and provided periodically to a user. Broadcasts are then encrypted using the short-time key, wherein the user decrypts the broadcast message using the short-time key. |
| US08121294B2 |
System and method for a derivation function for key per page
Disclosed herein are systems, methods and computer-readable media to perform data encryption and decryption using a derivation function to obtain a key per page of data in a white-box environment. The method includes sharing a master key with the sender and receiver, splitting the input data into blocks and sub-blocks, and utilizing a set of keys and a master key to derive a page key. In another aspect of this disclosure, the key validation and shuffling operations are included. This method allows for the derivation of a key instead of storing a predetermined key, thus maintaining system security in a white-box environment. |
| US08121287B2 |
System, method, and service for performing unified broadcast encryption and traitor tracing for digital content
A unified broadcast encryption system divides a media key tree into S subtrees, divides digital content into segments, and converts some of the segments into variations; the number of segments and variations is q. The system subdivides each of the subtrees into q/|S| subdivided subtrees, assigns a key media variant to each of the subdivided subtrees, and generates a unified media key block (MKBu). The system decrypts digital content by obtaining required key media variants from the MKBu, using the key media variant to find an entry in a variant key table, decrypt a title key, and locate a variant number from the variant key table. The system uses the variant number to identify which of the variations may be decrypted by the title key and uses the title key to decrypt segments and variations. |
| US08121286B2 |
Hash function with provable resistance to differential attacks
A system and method for coding data to help resist differential attacks. Data in m columns may be initialized to an initialized value. One new column of data may be mixed with a new input word and input to an advanced mixer. The advanced mixer may include linear mixing having indexed bytes and performing of exclusive-OR operation and transposing. An output of the advanced mixer may be a new m column state. A value of m could be 0 through 30. The value of m may have a preferred range of 27 through 36. Systems to implement the foregoing method are also described. |
| US08121281B2 |
Interactive process map for a remote call center
Provided is a method for operating a server computer to provide an interactive application to enable a plurality of client-specific protocols for a remote call center, the remote call center configured to receive a plurality of calls for a plurality of clients. The method includes linearly administering a plurality of states defined in a process map of client-specific protocols for a plurality of call types expected to be received for each client; displaying the process map at the remote call center via a graphical user interface; and enabling a client to remotely alter the process map over an internet connection in near real-time. |
| US08121279B2 |
Discussion unit with removable rim
The discussion unit (10) for use in a conference system is disclosed, which is adapted to be connected to at least one second discussion unit (10). The discussion unit (10) comprises an essentially closed casing (410) and at least one exchangeable portion (420). The at least one exchangeable portion (420) is removably mounted to the casing (410) and at least partially covers at least one outside part (424, 412) of the casing (410). The invention allows for an easy first installation of the exchangeable portion (420). Nevertheless, after installation, the exchangeable portion (420) is difficult to remove by a user (preventing unintended removal or removal by vandalism or “play instinct”), but allowing for an easy exchange of the exchangeable portion (420) by an installer and/or a service technician. |
| US08121278B2 |
Teleconferencing systems and methods
A method implemented by a teleconferencing system includes assigning a teleconferencing bridge to a teleconference responsive to at least a current workload of the teleconferencing bridge, and forwarding a first plurality of communication sessions corresponding to the teleconference to the teleconferencing bridge, wherein the teleconferencing bridge is configured to connect each of the first plurality of communication sessions to each other communication session among the first plurality of communication sessions. |
| US08121275B2 |
Temporary provisioned public call treatment for calls initiated from a private party device
Methods are disclosed for provisioning a private party telephony device for public call treatment on a temporary basis (for example, before allowing third party use of the device) and applying such public call treatment for call originations or terminations. Billing in public call treatment is arranged with assistance of an operator services platform with the user (for example, the third party user) of the private party telephony device. Advantageously, therefore, in public call treatment mode, the owner of the private party phone need not police third party use of the phone and will not be billed for such third party use. The owner may resume private call treatment when desired by converting the device from public mode to private mode. |
| US08121267B2 |
Forked-call ringback replacement system
A ringback replacement system for modifying or replacing certain communications network signals and tones in a roaming, forked-call, forwarded-call, or mobility environment is disclosed. Communications devices activate and interact with the ringback replacement system to allow for modification of the network service. |
| US08121256B2 |
Radiographic image data correction method and apparatus and radiography apparatus
Offset correction based on offset correction data is performed on radiographic image data that have been read out from a radiation image detector, and the offset correction data are updated. In the offset correction method, correction data for low-frequency components and correction data for high-frequency components, as the offset correction data, are generated based on offset image data that have been read out from the radiation image detector while the radiation image detector is not irradiated with radiation. Further, the correction data for low-frequency components and the correction data for high-frequency components are separately updated. |
| US08121253B2 |
Radiation therapy using beam modifiers placed against a patient's skin
A method for making a beam modifier to be used in radiation therapy includes defining a region of interest in a patient that is to receive radiation, with the region of interest being defined using an anatomy coordinate system format. Radiation treatment parameters are defined for the defined region of interest, and correspond to an initial type beam modifier to be coupled to an output of a radiation device. Design data on a beam modifier to be placed on the skin of the patient is generated, with the design data being based on the defined region of interest and the defined radiation treatment parameters for the defined region of interest. The design data is in the same anatomy coordinate system format as the defined region of interest that is to receive the radiation. The design data is treated as a new region of interest, and the radiation dosage to be applied to the new region of interest is re-calculated while taking into account the beam modifier to be placed on the skin of the patient. |
| US08121252B2 |
Use of planning atlas in radiation therapy
A method for determining a radiation treatment plan for a patient includes determining a reference plan, the reference plan including information regarding a reference region that has a different configuration from that of a region in the patient, and using the reference plan to determine the treatment plan for the patient. A method for use in a treatment planning process includes determining a reference plan that includes information regarding a reference region, determining a deformation field that registers the reference region in the reference plan with a region for a patient, and determining a result of using the reference plan as it applies for the patient. |
| US08121250B2 |
Method for calibration of a CT scanner
A method for calibration of a CT comprises sequentially positioning a phantom having a non-circular cross section and a length commensurate with the extent of a detector at a plurality of positions between an X ray source and the detector array or sequentially positioning a plurality of generally similar phantoms or sequentially positioning a same phantom at a plurality of positions between the X ray source and detector array of the CT scanner; acquiring calibration attenuation data for X rays that have been attenuated by traversing the phantom positioned at each of the plurality of positions; and calculating calibration corrections for CT scanner scan data from the calibration attenuation data. |
| US08121249B2 |
Multi-parameter X-ray computed tomography
The present invention relates to the field of x-ray imaging. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to methods, systems, and apparatus for imaging, which can be used in a wide range of applications, including medical imaging, security screening, and industrial non-destructive testing to name a few. Specifically provided as embodiments of the invention are systems for x-ray imaging comprising: a) a first collimator-and-detector assembly having a first operable configuration to provide at least one first dataset comprising primary x-ray signals as a majority component of its data capable of being presented as a first image of an object subjected to x-ray imaging; b) a second collimator-and-detector assembly having a second operable configuration or wherein the first collimator-and-detector assembly is adjustable to a second configuration to provide at least one second dataset comprising primary and dark-field x-ray signals as a majority component of its data capable of being presented as a second image of the object; and c) a computer operably coupled with the collimator-and-detector assemblies comprising a computer readable medium embedded with processing means for combining the first dataset and the second dataset to extract the dark-field x-ray signals and produce a target image having higher contrast quality than the images based on the first or second dataset alone. Such systems can be configured to comprise at least two collimator-and-detector assemblies or configurations differing with respect to collimator height, collimator aperture, imaging geometry, or distance between an object subjected to the imaging and the collimator-and-detector assembly. |
| US08121244B2 |
Dual shift register
Disclosed is a dual shift register that includes a first shift register configured to include a plurality of stages which sequentially output scan pulses using at least two clock signals with sequential and circular phases, and a second shift register configured to a plurality of stages which form pair with the respective stages of the first shift register and sequentially output the scan pulses using at least two clock signals. Each stage includes: a scan direction controller configured to respond to the scan pulses from previous and next stages and to selectively output forward and reverse direction voltages with opposite electric potentials to each other; and an output portion configured to respond to the output signal of the scan direction controller, to generate two sequential scan pulses using two of the at least two clock signals, and to distribute the sequential scan pulses to the previous and next stages. |
| US08121243B2 |
In-core-monitor-guide-tube supporting apparatus
Monitor-guide-tube fixing sections are fixed to portions on a core support plate side of a plurality of in-core monitor guide tubes disposed in a reactor vessel. The monitor-guide-tube fixing sections are fixed to the core support plate disposed in the reactor vessel to fix the in-core monitor guide tubes to the core support plate. This makes it possible to realize improvement of rigidity of the fixed sections of the in-core monitor guide tubes. A tie plate is fixed to the in-core monitor guide tubes. The in-core monitor guide tubes are coupled by the tie plate. This makes it possible to realize improvement of rigidity of the entire in-core monitor guide tubes. As a result, it is possible to realize vibration damping for the in-core monitor guide tubes. |
| US08121242B2 |
Frequency lock stability in device using overlapping VCO bands
A system and method are provided for frequency lock stability in a receiver using overlapping voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) bands. An input communication signal is accepted and an initial VCO is selected. Using a phase-locked loop (PLL) and the initial VCO, the frequency of the input communication signal is acquired and the acquired signal tuning voltage of the initial VCO is measured. Then, the initial VCO is disengaged and a plurality of adjacent band VCOs is sequentially engaged. The acquired signal tuning voltage of each VCO is measured and a final VCO is selected that is able to generate the input communication signal frequency using an acquired signal tuning voltage closest to a midpoint of a predetermined tuning voltage range. |
| US08121234B2 |
Multi-dimensional detector for receiver of MIMO system
Provided are a multi-dimensional detector for a receiver of an MIMO system and a method thereof. The multi-dimensional detector includes a first symbol detecting unit for calculating symbol distance values using an upper triangular matrix (R) obtained from QR decomposition to detect an mth symbol; a symbol deciding unit for deciding a symbol having a minimum distance value among the calculated symbol distance values from the first symbol detecting unit; and a second symbol detecting unit for calculating symbol distance values using an updated received signal y and the upper triangular matrix R to detect a (m−1)th symbol. |
| US08121232B2 |
Transmitting/receiving system and method of processing broadcast signal in transmitting/receiving system
A receiving system and a method of processing broadcast signal are disclosed herein. The receiving system includes a signal receiving unit, a detector, and a channel equalizer. The signal receiving unit receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and a data group including N number of training sequences. The detector detects N number of training sequences from the broadcast signal (wherein N≧5), wherein the detected N number of training sequences are received during N number of training sections. And, the equalizer estimates a channel impulse response (CIR) of N number of training sections, based upon the detected N number of training sequences, applies the channel impulse response estimated in M number of training sections (wherein N≧M) to a cubic spline interpolation function, so as to generate a channel impulse response of (N−1) number of mobile service data sections located between the N number of training sections, thereby performing channel-equalization on the mobile service data of the corresponding mobile service data section. |
| US08121228B2 |
Detecting a data frame
A detector (109) and corresponding method is configured for detecting presence of a data frame. The detector includes a first correlator (123) that is configured to provide a first plurality of correlations corresponding to similarity between data as received and first information, e.g., an ordered set of coefficients, that denotes the data frame and a second correlator (125) that is configured to provide a second plurality of correlations corresponding to similarity between the data as received and second information, e.g., another ordered set of coefficients, that denotes the data frame, where the second information includes a portion of the first information. Further included is decision logic (129) coupled to the first correlator and the second correlator, where the decision logic is configured to provide an indication (111) that the data frame is present based on the first plurality of correlations and the second plurality of correlations. |
| US08121227B2 |
Reception device
It is possible to demodulate a plurality of modulated signals transmitted from a plurality of antennas by using a comparatively small-size circuit with a preferable error ratio characteristic. Partial bit judgment units (509, 512) demodulates partial bits of the 64QAM-modulated signal by modifying which of the bits in the 6-bit strings constituting a symbol is to be demodulated depending on in which region of the IQ plane the reception signal point exists. This improves the partial bit error characteristic judged by the partial bit judgment units (509, 512), which in turn improves reliability of the reduced candidate signal point for use by a likelihood detection unit (518). As a result, it is possible to improve the error ratio characteristic of the final reception digital signals (322, 323). |
| US08121225B1 |
Estimating the angle of arrival of a signal received by an array of commutated antenna elements
The angle of arrival is estimated for a received signal received by an array of commutated antenna elements, wherein there is a temporal boundary at the instant of commutation between antenna elements. Samples of the signal received by the elements of the array are preprocessed to construct maximum-likelihood-estimates of the received signal for points in time that are immediately adjacent the temporal boundaries and thereby provide a preprocessed signal. A maximum-likelihood-estimation of the angle of arrival of the received signal is made for the array of commutated antenna elements by processing the preprocessed signal. |
| US08121223B2 |
Architectures for universal or software radio
A system and technique for providing to flexible, programmable frequency estimators and spectrum analyzers that can operate over extremely large bandwidths and yet provide high spectral resolution are described. The acquisition time and hardware complexity of one technique scale as O(N), where N denotes the number of frequency bins acquired. Embodiments are disclosed in which architectures are implemented using exponentially-tapered transmission lines and filter cascades. |
| US08121219B1 |
Decision directed timing recovery using multiphase detection
A sampled signal is processed by periodically sampling an input signal to obtain a set of samples. A first detection process is performed using the set of samples to obtain a first decision and a first error; the first detection process is associated with a first phase offset. A second detection process is performed using the set of samples to obtain a second decision and a second error; the second detection process is associated with a second phase offset. Either the first decision or the second decision is selected based at least in part on the first error and the second error. |
| US08121211B2 |
Adaptive switching techniques for hybrid automatic repeat request systems
An adaptive transmission selection technique is provided. A retransmission scheme is selected for a multiple-input-multiple-output wireless system. A plurality of communication techniques is provided for when a first device needs to retransmit a signal to a second device. The first device determines when the original signal, transmitted to the second device using beamforming techniques, needs to be retransmitted to the second device. If a retransmission is needed, the first device determines channel conditions with respect to the second device. The first device selects a retransmission scheme from a plurality of transmission schemes based on the channel conditions for retransmitting the signal. A first retransmission technique is selected when the channel conditions are static. A second retransmission technique is selected when the channel conditions are relatively slowly changing, and a third retransmission technique is selected when the channel conditions are relatively quickly changing. |
| US08121210B2 |
Apparatus and method for signal detection in multiple input multiple output wireless communication system
A Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless communication system is provided. A receiving end apparatus includes an estimator for estimating a channel between a plurality of Transmit (Tx) antennas of a transmitting end and a plurality of Receive (Rx) antennas of a receiving end; a filter for extracting a sum between interference and noise included in an Rx signal by using the estimated channel value and for computing a covariance matrix for the sum between the interference and the noise; and a detector for detecting a Tx signal by using a signal processing matrix generated from the covariance matrix. |
| US08121207B2 |
Method for transforming data, and method for transmitting and receiving data using the same
A method for transforming data to reduce an amount of data in a communication system equipped with several sub-carriers, and a data transmission method using the same are disclosed. The method for transmitting data using a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) in a communication system based on a plurality of sub-carriers includes: a) performing a Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) on first data; b) selecting a predetermined number of data from among the DCT-processed first data, and performing data processing on the selected data; and c) transmitting the data-processed resultant data to a reception end. A method for reducing an amount of overhead of transmission data for use in the multi-antenna communication system is disclosed. |
| US08121203B1 |
Ranging code detection
A ranging code present in a transmission from a transmitter to a receiver can be detected, and hence a time offset can be determined. For each of the possible ranging codes in a transmitted signal, a correlation is formed between a received signal and the ranging code for multiple subcarriers in the received signal. For multiple adjacent ranging subcarriers, the correlation is multiplied by a conjugate of the correlation of an adjacent ranging subcarrier in order to form a differential phase value. At least one ranging code in the transmitted signal can then be determined based on the differential phase values for said plurality of subcarriers. A time offset in the transmission from the transmitter to the receiver can then be determined, based on the differential phase values for the subcarriers, and based on the determined ranging code. |
| US08121199B2 |
Reducing the block effect in video file compression
We describe a method for reducing the block effect in video file compression including inspecting an image in a row and column direction, calculating an intensity vector of the block effect responsive to the inspecting, obtaining distribution data for the block effect responsive to the intensity vector, determining position information of the block effect responsive to the distribution data, and filtering the image responsive to the intensity vector and the position information. |
| US08121196B2 |
Method and apparatus for multi-threaded video decoding
A method and an apparatus for performing multi-threaded video decoding are disclosed. The method takes use of a multi-threaded scheme to process an encoded picture stream on a picture by picture basis. In the method, multiple threads are used for performing video decoding at the same time, such as one thread for the operation of parsing input bits into syntax elements of one picture implemented by the first thread, another thread for the operation of decoding the parsed syntax elements of another picture into pixel values implemented by the second thread, and the other threads for the operations of the non-reference picture, such as bidirectional predictive picture, including parsing input bits into syntax elements and the subsequent operation of decoding the parsed syntax elements into pixel values. Therefore, the decoding speed is substantially increased, and the decoding efficiency is enhanced. |
| US08121195B2 |
Memory reduced H264/MPEG-4 AVC codec
A method for reducing memory utilization in a digital video codec. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a second reference picture by downsampling a first reference picture using a pattern, wherein the pattern (i) comprises a two-dimensional grid and (ii) is unachievable by performing a vertical downsampling and separately performing a horizontal downsampling, (B) generating a third reference picture by upsampling the second reference picture and (C) processing an image in a video signal using the third reference picture. |
| US08121187B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing multiple bit rate video encoding and video stream switching
A Multiple Bit Rate (MBR) video coding method and apparatus for performing video encodings at multiple bit rates and for performing advantageous switching therebetween. Frequent switching points and high video coding efficiency are achieved with use of a plurality of video encodings at each of a plurality of bit rates, wherein the switching points between multiple encodings at a given bit rate are shifted with respect to one another so that the frequency of available switching points is significantly improved without a corresponding loss of coding quality. In addition, one or more “high quality” encodings may be provided at each bit rate, wherein the “high quality” encodings employ infrequent switching points, providing a very high quality encoding at the given bit rate which may be used (or switched to) whenever possible. |
| US08121176B2 |
Iterative interference canceler for wireless multiple-access systems with multiple receive antennas
This invention teaches to the details of an interference canceling receiver for canceling intra-cell and inter-cell interference in coded, multiple-access, spread spectrum transmissions that propagate through frequency selective communication channels to a multiplicity of receive antennas. The receiver is designed or adapted through the repeated use of symbol-estimate weighting, subtractive cancellation with a stabilizing step-size, and mixed-decision symbol estimates. Receiver embodiments may be designed, adapted, and implemented explicitly in software or programmed hardware, or implicitly in standard RAKE-based hardware either within the RAKE (i.e., at the finger level) or outside the RAKE (i.e., at the user or subchannel symbol level). Embodiments may be employed in user equipment on the forward link or in a base station on the reverse link. It may be adapted to general signal processing applications where a signal is to be extracted from interference. |
| US08121174B2 |
Signal quality measurement system
This disclosure relates to method, device and system for measuring signal quality in a communication system. An access point receives an uplink signal from a transmitter. The uplink signal contains a data portion and a result of a hash function. The uplink signal is received at a time based on a slot start time and a random timing offset and is received while a portion of a second signal is received from a second transmitter. The access point measures a noncoherent energy metric for the uplink signal. The access point computes a local result of the hash function using the data portion. The uplink signal is then discarded if the result of the hash function matches the local result of the hash function but the noncoherent energy metric is below a threshold value. |
| US08121171B2 |
Optical systems for laser arrays
Surface emitting laser arrays with intra-cavity harmonic generation are coupled to an optical system that extracts harmonic light in both directions from an intra-cavity nonlinear optical material in such a way that the focusing properties of the light beams are matched. |
| US08121170B2 |
Gain-coupled distributed feedback semiconductor laser including first-order and second-order gratings
A gain-coupled distributed feedback (DFB) semiconductor laser includes a grating formed by grooves through at least a part of an active region of a laser cavity. The DFB laser may be configured with a substantially pure gain-coupled grating and may be configured to provide facet power asymmetry. The grating may include at least a first-order grating section and a second-order grating section. A lasing wavelength may be obtained at the Bragg wavelength of the second-order grating section by substantially eliminating index coupling in the grating. The first-order grating section may act as a reflector for the lasing wavelength, thereby producing asymmetric power distribution in the laser cavity. |
| US08121168B2 |
Multibeam laser diode
A multibeam laser diode capable of improving heat release characteristics in the case of junction-down assembly is provided. Contact electrodes are provided respectively for protruding streaks of a laser diode device, and pad electrodes are provided to avoid the protruding streaks and the contact electrodes. The contact electrodes and the pad electrodes are connected by wiring electrodes, and the contact electrodes are covered with a first insulating film. Thereby, electric connection is enabled without straightly jointing the contact electrodes to a solder layer. A heat conduction layer configured of a metal is provided on the first insulating film, the heat conduction layer is jointed to the solder layer, and thereby the heat release characteristics are able to be improved even in the case of junction-down assembly. |
| US08121166B2 |
Side-emitting LED light source for backlighting applications
This invention relates to a side-emitting light device comprising two sub-assemblies which are optically bonded together. Each sub-assembly comprises a substrate, at least one light source disposed on the substrate, and a luminescent plate optically bonded with the at least one light source. The light source emits light of a wavelength capable of exciting luminescence light from the luminescent plate. The two sub-assemblies are arranged having the free surface of the luminescent plates facing each other. The side-emitting light device is for instance applicable for light sources comprising naked dies arranged with Thin Film Flip Chip (TFFC) technique or laser diodes. |
| US08121162B2 |
Nanocrystal structures
A structure including a grating and a semiconductor nanocrystal layer on the grating, can be a laser. The semiconductor nanocrystal layer can include a plurality of semiconductor nanocrystals including a Group II-VI compound, the nanocrystals being distributed in a metal oxide matrix. The grating can have a periodicity from 200 nm to 500 nm. |
| US08121158B2 |
Optical projection system and method for a cooled light source
A light projection optical system is presented. The system comprises a cooling chamber containing: a light source operative at a cool temperature being lower than 240K; a cooler unit capable of cooling said light source to said cool temperature during the light source operation,- an optical window permitting light emergence outside from the cooling chamber; and an optical unit accommodated in the optical path of light emitted by said light source and enabling emergence of this light through said optical window outside from the cooling chamber. |
| US08121152B2 |
Method for encoding broadcast channel protocol data unit based on broadcast control channel scheduling error in universal mobile telecommunications system
A method for encoding a broadcast channel protocol data unit (BCH PDU) based on a broadcast control channel (BCCH) scheduling error in a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) having a Node B and a radio network controller includes setting up a call between the radio network controller and the Node B to receive system information and scheduling information for a system information update from the radio network controller; initializing broadcast channel protocol data units and control information for every system frame number (SFN) at the Node B; and detecting the broadcast control channel scheduling error on the scheduling information for the system information update based on segment types of the system information when combining the system information for every system frame number. In case the broadcast control channel scheduling error is not detected, the broadcast channel protocol data units are encoded to be incorporated therein the system information. |
| US08121151B2 |
Reception apparatus and method and program
A decider decides whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed after a last one of first packets was received and a timeout thereby occurs. A second packet having a size of data greater than a size of data placed in each of the first packets is produced from a number of the first packets, the number being a first threshold value. Another decider decides, when the predetermined period of time has elapsed, whether a number of times by which the predetermined period of time has successively elapsed exceeds a second threshold value which is a permitted number of times of the timeout. A processing unit sets, when the second threshold value is exceeded by the number of times that the predetermined period of time has successively elapsed, the first threshold value so as to decrement the number of the first packets to be used to produce the second packet. |
| US08121150B1 |
Method and apparatus for processing variable-length packets in a buffer memory for transmission
Method and apparatus for processing variable-length packets in a buffer memory for transmission are described. In some examples, as each packet of the packets is written to a buffer memory, a length of the packet is obtained from a length field therein. For each packet of the packets, the length of the packet is compared with a threshold length. An encoded length for each of the packets is stored in a sideband memory, the encoded length for each packet of the packets being: (i) the length of the packet if the length satisfies the threshold; or (ii) a predefined value if the length of the packet does not satisfy the threshold. As each packet of the packets is read from the buffer memory, an end location of the packet is determined responsive to the encoded length thereof in the sideband memory. |
| US08121146B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for maintaining mobility resistant IP tunnels using a mobile router
A method, apparatus and system enable a mobile device to roam while maintaining a persistent IP tunnel. Specifically, a mobile router may be utilized to enable a mobile device to maintain a persistent IP tunnel while the device roams. In one embodiment, the mobile device is a virtual host and the mobile router is a virtual mobile router. |
| US08121145B2 |
Contention-based random access method with autonomous carrier selection
The method and apparatus described herein controls transmission from a plurality of user terminals to an access point on a random access channel in a wireless communication system. An access point determines an allowed information rate for each user terminal and transmits a rate control parameter indicative of the allowed information rates to the user terminals. The access point also computes a packet transmission probability and transmits the packet transmission probability to the use terminals on a common control channel. The packet transmission probability controls the number of user terminals that transmit in a given time slot to reduce collisions and increase the departure rate. The user terminals selectively transmit one or more packets to the access point in a time slot on the random access channel based on the allowed information rate and the packet transmission probability. |
| US08121143B2 |
Scheduling method for broadband wireless access system
A scheduling method for a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) system is provided. The scheduling method for a BWA system includes selecting a terminal having a highest priority using a scheduling algorithm, determining a burst region to be assigned to the terminal, and constructing a frame intended for the terminal according to the determination. The method improves network throughput and power conservation performance of subscriber stations. |
| US08121140B2 |
Cost containment of mobile datalink communications
A method for transmitting messages over a datalink communication system is disclosed. The method comprises assigning each message a cost index value based on prescribed factors for at least one message transmission attribute of the message and transmitting each message that satisfies a select transmission attribute over at least one mobile communications sub-network associated with a datalink communication system. |
| US08121139B2 |
Communication module and communication apparatus
A communication module mounted on a communication apparatus which includes plural communication modules, plural apparatus side signal processing circuits for processing a communication signal which is transmitted to and received from the communication modules by a predetermined communication speed, and a switch LSI for changing a destination of the communication signal, includes a switching portion for at least one of dividing the communication signal transmitted and received in a communication speed of the communication modules and combining the communication signals transmitted and received in a communication speed of an external apparatus, and a connector comprising a plurality of ports, the connector being connected to the switching portion. |
| US08121138B2 |
Communication apparatus in label switching network
In a label switching network using a plurality of labels, a communication apparatus receives signaling information for setting a first label switching tunnel. This signaling information includes one or more values of one or more labels representing one or more pseudowires accommodated in a first label switching tunnel, the bandwidth information of the pseudowire, and the bandwidth-sharing identifier. A bandwidth management table holding correspondence relationships between values of a plurality of labels, the bandwidth information, and the bandwidth-sharing identifiers are generated. One or more second label switching tunnels may be accommodated instead of one or more pseudowires. |
| US08121136B2 |
Dynamic discovery mechanisms via inter-domain routing protocol
In an embodiment, a method is provided at which it is used in a device. In this method, a logical identifier assigned to the device is identified and additionally, a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group is identified. The logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in a routing message, which is used in an inter-domain routing protocol, and this routing message is transmitted to a reflector device in communication with the device. The reflector device is configured to transmit the routing message to a remote device included in the computer network. |
| US08121134B2 |
Spoof checking within a label switching computer network
A label switching router (LSR) is described that spoof checks Multi-protocol Label Switching (MPLS) packets to prevent malicious or inadvertent injection of MPLS packets within a label switched path (LSP). The LSR ensures that MPLS packets received from an upstream label switching router (LSR) contain labels that were advertised to that upstream LSR. A software module associated with a signaling protocol, such as the Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP), the Label Distribution Protocol (LDP), or the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), is extended to utilize an MPLS forwarding table, and MPLS interface table, and a remote autonomous system table. A set of interfaces for which the label was advertised may be checked to determine whether an interface on which a packet was received is contained in the set of interfaces. The MPLS forwarding table may contain a spoof-check field used to specify one of several different types of spoof checks and to specify the set of interfaces. |
| US08121129B2 |
Optimizing throughput of data in a communications network
A method for transmitting data in a communications network is provided. The method comprises identifying a first data packet associated with a first transmission priority, wherein the first data packet encapsulates a plurality of messages designated for transmission to a destination; adding one or more additional messages to a second data packet associated with a second transmission priority to more optimally utilize capacity of the second data packet to encapsulate a plurality of messages, while the first data packet is being finalized for transmission, wherein the second transmission priority is less than the first transmission priority; and transmitting the first data packet before transmitting the second data packet. |
| US08121128B2 |
Method and apparatus for link control in a wireless communication system
Techniques for controlling transmission of packets on multiple links are described. In one design, a transmitter may generate packets of data for a receiver, assign the packets with sequence numbers from a single sequence number space, demultiplex the packets into multiple streams for multiple links, and send each stream of packets on the associated link to the receiver. The receiver may receive some packets in error, and the correctly received packets may be out of order. In one design, the receiver may maintain the largest sequence number of correctly received packets for each link. After detecting at least one missing packet, the receiver may send status information conveying the missing packet(s) and the largest sequence numbers for all links to the transmitter. The transmitter may use the largest sequence numbers for all links and its packet-to-link mapping to determine whether to quickly resend each missing packet or wait. |
| US08121126B1 |
Layer two (L2) network access node having data plane MPLS
The invention is directed towards techniques for forwarding subscriber frames through a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) aggregation network using MPLS labels. Layer two (L2) network devices, such as access nodes, of a service provider (SP) network implement MPLS functionality in the data plane, but do not implement an MPLS signaling protocol in the control plane. The L2 network devices include an interface for configuring a static pool of labels applied in the data plane of the L2 network device to output MPLS communications to the MPLS network. The access nodes may be configured by an administrator to maintain static pools of subscriber labels and MPLS labels. The access nodes autonomously allocate the subscriber labels to subscriber devices that request broadband services from a Broadband Services Router (BSR), and distribute the subscriber labels and MPLS labels as upstream assigned labels. |
| US08121119B2 |
Point-to multipoint (P2MP) network resource management
Techniques for managing resources in a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) network are disclosed. In some examples, a root station is adapted to transmit and receive network packets and leaf stations are adapted to transmit and receive the network packets from the root station. An electrical control system can be adapted to adjust a control error toward a zero value and adjust an output toward a steady state. The electrical control system may include feedback to control the root station based, at least in part, on the output of the electrical control system. |
| US08121117B1 |
Application layer network traffic prioritization
Layer-7 application layer message (“message”) classification is disclosed. A network traffic management device (“NTMD”) receives incoming messages over a first TCP/IP connection from a first network for transmission to a second network. Before transmitting the incoming messages onto the second network, however, the NTMD classifies the incoming messages according to some criteria, such as by assigning one or more priorities to the messages. The NTMD transmits the classified messages in the order of their message classification. Where the classification is priority based, first priority messages are transmitted over second priority messages, and so forth, for example. |
| US08121112B2 |
Method and system for processing voice traffic from a multi-channel link into a VoIP network over a broadband network
A microprocessor and a DSP are coupled with a cable modem and an IAD framer to terminate a DS1 link at a media terminal device. The processor performs call control operations and the DSP performs signal processing, such that call processing occurs at the device. The framer extracts or inserts call control information from robbed-bit signaling bits.Data streams from the DS1 link are formatted/packetized according to a protocol used by a VoIP network. VoIP is used to transmit the packetized call from the cable modem portion to a CMTS over a broadband network. QoS attributes are implemented on the derived data streams as would be done for calls generated by a standard PacketCable EMTA. |
| US08121110B2 |
Method and apparatus for locationing an object in a communication network
A method and apparatus for locationing an object in a communication network. The method includes transmitting by a wireless transceiver fixed to the object of unknown location a plurality of radio frequency (RF) packets to a plurality of locationing receivers (LRs) in the communication network. The method further includes determining by each locationing receiver the local time of arrival of the RF packet and places a time stamp on the received RF packet based on a corresponding local clock, wherein the local clocks of the locationing receivers are synchronized based on a plurality of RF beacon packets transmitted by at least one reference transmitter at a known location. |
| US08121104B2 |
Method and apparatus for blind transport format detection using discontinuous transmission (DTX) detection
Methods and apparatus are provided for blind transport format detection using Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) detection. According to one aspect of the invention, the transport format that was used to transmit information is determined by identifying a transition between a Discontinuous Transmission segment and a data segment included in the transmitted information; and determining the transport format based on a location of the transition of the Discontinuous Transmission segment. A cyclic redundancy check can optionally be performed for a plurality of possible transport formats, and then the step of identifying a transition can be limited to those transport formats having a valid cyclic redundancy check. |
| US08121102B2 |
Methods and apparatus for recovering from misconfiguration in a WLAN
A method of recovering from misconfiguration of APs and other networked components includes storing a “safe” configuration, implementing a configuration request received from a network operations center (NOC), then reverting to the stored configuration in the event that connectivity is not restored with the NOC within a predetermined time period. The NOC is configured to transmit one or more handshake messages to the AP after sending the configuration request. |
| US08121098B2 |
Method and system for transferring information between network management entities of a wireless communication system
A method and wireless communication system for transferring management information. The system includes at least one access point (AP) including a first management entity and a second management entity, and at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) including a third management entity and a fourth management entity. The AP transmits a management information base (MIB) information request action frame including a category field and an action details field to the WTRU. In response to receiving the information request action frame, the WTRU determines whether or not to provide management information to the AP. When the WTRU provides management information to the AP, the WTRU compiles management information stored in a MIB located in the WTRU and transmits a MIB information report action frame to the AP. The MIB lists a plurality of tables containing information associated with radio resource management (RRM) and at least one table containing physical layer measurements. |
| US08121096B2 |
Method and apparatus for circular buffer-based rate matching and burst multiplexing for packet data transmission in a communication system
A method and apparatus for circular buffer-based rate matching and burst multiplexing for data transmission. According to the method and apparatus, rate matching patterns are efficiently determined according to data code rates in a wireless communication system using CBRM, and burst multiplexing is performed in units of bits without using an external channel interleaver when several RLC data blocks are transmitted via radio blocks. Accordingly, data bits are distributed into and carried by a plurality of bursts, thereby improving transmission performance. |
| US08121089B2 |
Femto-BTS RF access mechanism
Femto cells that extend mobile network coverage into customer premises operate in a frequency band typically assigned to a macro network. As disclosed, to facilitate system discovery and registrations of mobile stations with femto cells, a carrier designates one the channels within the band as a primary channel for its femto cells. For example, neighbor list messages transmitted by macro network base stations can provide frequency and PN code information directing mobile stations to search the primary channel for a PN code of the femto cells. Also, a mobile station PRL may identify femto cells by SID/NID. The SID is that of the carrier's macro network, whereas the NID may be a NID of the macro network or one specifically assigned to femto cell operations. The PRL uses frequency acquisition information for the femto cells that is the same as or similar to that for one of the macro networks. |
| US08121087B2 |
Method of providing information of neighbor base station by mobile subscriber station in broadband wireless access system
A method of providing neighbor base station information via a mobile subscriber station in a broadband wireless access system is disclosed. In providing neighbor base station information (S316) to a serving base station from a mobile subscriber station in a broadband wireless access system, the present invention includes the steps of performing a scanning and a synchronization (S312, S313) on a mobile base station based on information provided from the serving base station (S311) and transmitting the neighbor base station information acquired from the scanning and the synchronization to the serving base station (S316) regardless of a presence or non-presence of a request from the serving base station. Accordingly, the present invention can efficiently transmit the neighbor base station signal intensity and frame information acquired by the mobile subscriber station. |
| US08121084B2 |
Area management system
A transmission area is specified flexibly in accordance with the contents of a flow. An area identification number (SHOG) is specified for each interlaced stream of wireless base stations. The same flow is sent at the same timing (or substantially at the same timing) in the interlaced stream specified for the same SHOG. A wireless terminal determines a neighbor sector or a neighbor wireless base station sending the same flow, in accordance with information given from the wireless base stations, and receives and combines the flows. |
| US08121083B2 |
Method and device for reporting request for uplink scheduling or emergency in wireless network
The object of the present invention is to provide a reporting strategy for uplink scheduling request information in wireless telecommunication network. Above all, a method for the user equipment to report the uplink scheduling request information to the base station in wireless telecommunication network is disclosed. Firstly, the user equipment computes the overall service data amount of all radio bearers in each group of radio bearers in the buffer of the user equipment; then the user equipment only reports group-related information of triggered one or more groups of radio bearers to the base station. The present invention further proposes a method in the user equipment in wireless telecommunication network for reporting the emergency information to the base station, that is, the user equipment judges whether each radio bearer is in the emergency, and when one or more radio bearers are in the emergency, the user equipment sends emergency indication information to the base station. By the combination of the two reporting method, the base station can realize efficient and fair scheduling. |
| US08121081B2 |
Method and apparatus signaling resource allocation
A method of signaling to a mobile terminal the radio resources that will be used in a wireless communication between the mobile terminal and a base station is described. The base station provides a plurality of radio resources. The method comprises the steps: splitting the plurality of radio resources into a set of partitions (124, 126), wherein each partition of the set of partitions comprises a set of virtual blocks (128, . . . , 138), wherein each virtual block of the set of virtual blocks is exclusively mapped to one or more radio resources of the plurality of radio resources; using an identification format (144) according to which a collection of one or more virtual blocks of the set of virtual blocks is identifiable; allocating at least a first virtual block (130, 132) for communication between the mobile terminal and the base station, first block identifier the at least first virtual block being identifiable by a first specification (146) according to the identification format; sending first block identifier the first specification to the mobile terminal. |
| US08121079B2 |
Method for allocating transmission capacities during a signal transmission, base station, and mobile terminal
Transmission capacities are allocated during a signal transmission from a base station of a cellular radio network to a number of mobile terminals, the base station simultaneously sending a plurality of oriented radio beams. A first candidate set of radio beams is defined, the main parameters thereof changing only slowly in relation to an acknowledgement time of the terminals. Information relating to the radio beams of the candidate set is then signaled to the terminals from the base station. Furthermore, pilot signals are emitted from the base station by the radio beams of the candidate set at short temporal intervals in relation to the variation time of the radio beams. The terminals respectively determine an SINR value for each of the radio beams of the candidate set by way of the received pilot signals and, for each received radio beam, respectively transmit an acknowledgement value determined on the basis of the corresponding SINR value to the base station. The acknowledgement values enable suitable combinations of radio beams for a subsequent signal transmission from the base station to be allocated to the different terminals. |
| US08121072B2 |
Adaptive modulation and coding
A mobile communication system for transmitting or receiving a signal among a user equipment and a base station, includes the user equipment and the base station. The user equipment includes a unit operable to measure a received signal quality, and a unit operable to report the measuring received signal quality to the base station or a selected modulation and coding scheme to the base station. The base station includes a unit operable to receive the measuring received signal quality at the user equipment or an information indicating a selected modulation and coding scheme at the user equipment. |
| US08121070B2 |
Security system for portable computer
A portable computer searches for preprogrammed wireless stations when it boots, and if it does not recognize any, stops booting the O.S. so that data cannot be accessed. In this way, should the portable computer be stolen and removed from its intended vicinity, data on the computer cannot be accessed by the thief. |
| US08121069B2 |
Adaptive data delivery
A system and a method for a wireless communication system (700) for adaptively delivering data to a wireless mobile communication device (702) based upon an availability status of the mobile device (702) in the wireless communication system (700) are disclosed. The wireless communication system (700) includes a host service (704) having data for the mobile device (702); a wireless router system (710) coupled to the host service (704) for determining the availability status of the mobile device (702) in the wireless communication system (700); and a wireless network (724) coupling the wireless router system (710) and the mobile device (702). The host service (704) transmits the data for the mobile device (702) if the availability status of the mobile device (702) is available, and queues the data in the host service (704) if the availability status of the mobile device (702) is unavailable until the availability status of the mobile device (702) becomes available. |
| US08121067B2 |
Quality of service provisioning using periodic channel time allocation
To maximize power saving performance without compromising on the QoS requirement of an application stream, a method and wireless network device generates a subset of a periodic service interval can be used for medium time allocation and data and information can be transmitted in contiguous medium time allocated this way. This selection of a period of time below service capacity allows multiple applications access the medium and for the selection of contiguous medium time during which data transmission can occur. |
| US08121066B2 |
Radio network expansion method
One objective of the present invention is to determine a location for a relay terminal in a radio network, without preparatory surveying a radio status, and to arrange the relay terminal at the location. Another objective is to provide a method for retrieving the arranged relay terminal. When a relay terminal is to be arranged, the relay terminal transmits a survey packet to examine the quality of communication with a communication terminal or other relay terminal. Where a location is appropriate, the relay terminal gives a notice. The arranged terminal relays communication. Further, when the relay terminal is to be retrieved, the relay terminal carried by a user transmits a retrieval packet to the arranged relay terminal, which notifies the user of its presence by light, sounds, or returning a packet. In this manner, a single relay terminal provides functions of arrangement, relay and retrieval. |
| US08121065B2 |
TDMA controller for a wireless communication system and method of operating same
A time division multiple access (TDMA) controller and method for operating the same includes a frame position module that generates a frame position signal. The controller also includes a signal module that generates a signal-on signal and a signal-off signal and a comparison module that generates a timing control signal based on the frame position signal, the signal-on signal and the signal-off signal. |
| US08121064B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and method of processing data in digital broadcasting system
A digital broadcasting system and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. A method for controlling a digital broadcast receiving system includes the steps of receiving a broadcast signal having mobile service data and main service data multiplexed therein, extracting transmission parameter channel (TPC) signaling information and fast information channel (FIC) signaling information from a data group within the received mobile service data, by using the extracted fast information channel (FIC) signaling information, acquiring a program table describing virtual channel information and service of an ensemble, the ensemble being a virtual channel group of the received mobile service data, by using the acquired program table, detecting a descriptor defining basic information required for accessing the received service, and, by using the detected descriptor, controlling the receiving system to enable access to the corresponding service. |
| US08121063B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling timers during re-establishing receiving sides in a wireless communications system
A communications device utilized in a wireless communications system has an RLC entity with a transmitting side and a receiving side. Handling timers during re-establishment of the receiving side includes only re-establishing the receiving side in the RLC entity of the communications device, stopping a first timer corresponding to the receiving side, and prolonging and not stopping a second timer corresponding to the transmitting side. |
| US08121062B2 |
Method and apparatus for cross-talk cancellation in frequency division multiplexed transmission systems
A method and apparatus are disclosed for canceling cross-talk in a frequency-division multiplexed communication system. The disclosed frequency-division multiplexed communication system employs multiple carriers having overlapping channels and provides an improved cross-talk cancellation mechanism to address the resulting interference. Bandwidth compression is achieved using n level amplitude modulation in each frequency band. An FDM receiver is also disclosed that decomposes the received broadband signal into each of its respective frequency bands and returns the signal to basehand in the analog domain. Analog requirements are relaxed by removing cross-talk from adjacent R-F channels, from image bands, and minimizing the performance degradation caused by In-phase and Quadrature-phase (I/Q) phase and gain mismatches in modulators and demodulators. The disclosed transmitter or receiver (or both) can be fabricated on a single integrated circuit. |
| US08121061B2 |
Efficient file management through granular opportunistic locking
Improved methods and systems for granular opportunistic locking mechanisms (oplocks) are provided for increasing file caching efficiency. Oplocks can be specified with a combination of three possible granular caching intentions: read, write, and/or handle. An oplock can be specified with an identifier that indicates a client/specific caller to avoid breaking the original oplock due to an incompatibility from other requests of the same client. An atomic oplock flag is added to create operations that allow callers to request an atomic open with an oplock with a given file. |
| US08121059B2 |
Wireless non-cellular network
A communication method includes monitoring a time division multiple access (TDMA) frame structure of a cellular system by a plurality of non-cellular nodes of a non-cellular network by using a common channel of the cellular system, and using the time division multiple access (TDMA) frame structure of the cellular system in the non-cellular network for exchanging data between at least some of the plurality of non-cellular nodes. |
| US08121058B2 |
Cognitive IP radio with repeaters
An operational mechanism enables extending the range of cognitive networks through the use of repeater transceivers and selective routing. |
| US08121050B2 |
Maintaining time of day synchronization
A technique for maintaining time synchronization between network nodes involves broadcasting a timing signal from a source node to its neighbors. The timing signal is transmitted in a dedicated source time slot of a super epoch comprising a number of epochs each having a number of time slots. A reply timing signal is received at the source node from a neighboring node designated as the destination node, where the reply timing signal is received in a dedicated destination time slot of the super epoch. The clock drift and propagation delay between the source and destination nodes are computed at the source node. At the neighboring nodes other than the destination node, clock drift can be computed using previous estimates of propagation delay. RTS and CTS exchanges from PTP packets can also be used to estimate the propagation delay in the source node and the clock drift in the destination node. |
| US08121048B2 |
Repeat control method in enhanced uplink asynchronous hybrid automatic repeat request
A repeat control method in enhanced uplink asynchronous hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) includes the following steps: (1) the network side adding a repeat timer parameter in the HARQ attribute of each dedicated media access control (MAC-d) entity flow, the user terminal setting the repeat timer value in the enhanced media access control (MAC-e) entity protocol data unit (PDU) according to the repeat timer parameter; (2) the user terminal performing the repeat control utilizing the repeat timer value in cooperation with the maximum repeat number. The wireless bearer QoS requirement and the cooperation working between the sender and the receiver are implemented. |
| US08121047B2 |
Access technology indication for Proxy Mobile Internet Protocol version 6
A Local Mobility Anchor/Agent (LMA), on seeing a Proxy Binding Update (PBU) with a same Network Access Identifier (NAI) but with a different access technology indication or interface identifier can assign a unique prefix to a mobile node (MN) via a PBAck message. The unique prefix avoids the creation of a duplicate address that would conflict with the address assigned to another interface that was configured using a prefix provided by the LMA. This solution can enable an MN to attach to different Mobility Access Gateways (MAGs) that are in different access networks of differing technologies but attached to the same LMA (i.e. the MAGs and the LMA are in the same PMIP6 domain) and not cause conflicts in prefix assignment or confuse the LMA into thinking that the MN had performed a handover (HO). |
| US08121046B2 |
Efficient block error rate evaluation in a femto cell network
System(s) and method(s) are provided to evaluate uplink or downlink block error rate (BLER) performance in a femto cell network. Data on uplink or downlink communication of data blocks for a set of femto access points (APs) is aggregated, wherein the selected is a fraction of a larger set of provisioned femto access points. The set of femto APs can be selected based at least in part on various criteria which can ensure that operation of the selected set of femto APs is a statistically meaningful representation of operation of the larger set of femto APs. Composite alarm thresholds facilitate triggering alarm(s) when a predetermined portion of the aggregated data reveal a BLER failure condition. Composite thresholds can be generated through analysis of aggregated uplink/downlink (UL/DL) BLER data for a set of femto APs. |
| US08121045B2 |
Channel quality indicator transmission timing with discontinuous reception
A user equipment (UE) is disclosed. The UE includes a processor configured to begin channel quality indicator (CQI) transmissions using an assigned periodic CQI reporting resource before the start of the on-duration of a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation mode. |
| US08121042B2 |
Reliability estimation methods for large networked systems
A computer-based method for determining a probability that no path exists from a specified starting node to a specified target node within a network of nodes and directional links between pairs of nodes is described. The nodes and directional links form paths of a reliability graph and the method is performed using a computer coupled to a database that includes data relating to the nodes and the directional links The method includes selecting a set of paths, from the set of all paths, between the starting node and the target node that have been determined to be reliable, calculating a reliability of the union of the selected path sets, setting an upper bound for the unreliability of the set of all paths, based on the calculated reliability, selecting a set of minimal cutsets from all such cutsets that lie between the starting node and the target node, calculating the probability of the union of the minimal cutsets, and setting a lower bound for the unreliability of the set of all cutsets. |
| US08121039B2 |
United route query method in the automatic switched optical network
A joint route query method in ASON. After the route controller in each route domain has received a route query request, it calls a routing algorithm based on the request and the route calculation is performed based on the route database of the current node; if the route calculation succeeds, a route query result is returned to the requester, if no complete route can be obtained, said route query request will be forwarded to the RC in the parent domain. Based on the request, the RC in the parent domain interacts with RCs in other domain of the same layer, and the RCs in the sub-domains contained in the parent domain to complete the route query, and calculates to obtain a complete route, then a route query result will be returned to the RC that initiates the request and this RC will return the route query result to the requester. |
| US08121038B2 |
Backward congestion notification
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a network interface system having at least one input port configured for receiving frames and a logic system comprising at least one logic device. The logic system may be configured to perform the following functions: determining a source address and a destination address of a frame received at an ingress port; calculating a flow hash based at least upon the source address and the destination address; forming a congestion management (“CM”) tag that includes the flow hash; inserting the CM tag in the frame; and forwarding the frame to the destination address. |
| US08121037B2 |
Fixed mobile convergence (FMC) with PDIF and SIP gateway
Apparatus and methods are described for establishing a connection to a wireless subscriber network over a wireless LAN. A secure tunnel is established between a PDIF and a mobile station. Both voice and data calls are exchange via the tunnel. Voice calls are forwarded to a SIP GW while data calls are routed to the Internet. |
| US08121036B2 |
Wireless mesh network for inter-component data communications in satellite systems
A network system for inter-component communications in an electronic device is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of components for an electronic device, where each of the components communicates with at least one other component over a communications medium for a wireless mesh network. Each of the components comprises a communications transceiver operable to determine network traffic load levels for an exchange of communication data between the components, and allocate the network traffic between at least one pair of the components over a plurality of wireless links within the wireless mesh network based on potential-field based measurements at each of the components. In addition, each of the communications transceivers share the exchange of the communication data between the components based on a prescribed priority level for allocation of the network traffic. |
| US08121034B2 |
Method for the optimised management of resources in a terminal comprising multiple interfaces
A method is provided for the transmission of data flows through multiple interfaces. The method includes: comparing a maximum throughput value offered by an interface with a cumulative value resulting from a sum of the throughputs attributed to the flows effectively travelling through the interface; and switching a flow to another interface when the maximum throughput value offered is less than the cumulative value. The method can be used to redirect data flows to an interface other than the current interface when a congestion is detected in the comparison step and to perform optimum dynamic management of the resources of different interfaces as a function of the operating conditions of the interfaces. |
| US08121031B2 |
Structure for a multi-scale network traffic generator
A design structure embodied in a machine readable storage medium for at least one of designing, manufacturing, and testing a design is provided. The design structure includes a network traffic generation system. The system can include a Markov modified Poisson process (MMPP) model, a packet scheduler coupled to the MMP model, a data store of transition windows defined for different defined scales, traffic generation parameter computing logic comprising program code enabled to compute traffic generation parameters for different scales according to respective states identified within different transition windows in the data store for the different scales, and a packet transmitter coupled to the packet scheduler. |
| US08121024B1 |
Technique for providing dynamic modification of application specific policies in a feedback-based, adaptive data network
A feedback-based adaptive network is described wherein at least a portion of the network elements report operating information relating to network conditions to a centralized data store. The information which is reported to the data store is analyzed by a policy engine, and updated control information may be generated. The updated control information may be fed back to selected network elements to thereby affect operation of the selected elements. In this way, the dynamic and automatic feedback control of network elements is provided. Events relating to changing conditions in the network may also be reported to selected elements. Additionally the adaptive, feedback-based network may include a network quality monitoring system for evaluating performance characteristics or other aspects of the network. If it is determined that a particular characteristic of the network does not conform with the standards established for that characteristic, the policy which controls that particular characteristic of the network may be automatically and dynamically modified to thereby affect the network performance. |
| US08121023B2 |
Coaxial network communication node and methods for communicating multimedia over a coaxial network with reduced-length cyclic prefixes
A coaxial network communication node receives multimedia content with one or more other nodes in a coaxial network. The node determines a delay-spread of a coaxial channel based on receipt of a probe from a transmitting node and configures a channel-shortening time-domain equalizer (TEQ) filter to effectively shorten the channel based on the delay spread. The node instructs the transmitting node to shorten a length of a cyclic prefix for subsequent packet-based transmissions to be received from the transmitting node. The probe is stored and reused until the channel-shortening TEQ filter converges. The nodes may be configured to communicate in accordance with the Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA®) specifications. |
| US08121022B2 |
MIMO OFDM system
A MIMO OFDM system includes a plurality of space-time encoders for encoding respective data blocks with independent space-time codes. The transformed data block signals are transmitted by a plurality of transmit antennas and received by a plurality of receive antennas. The received data is pre-whitened prior to maximum likelihood detection. In one embodiment, successive interference cancellation can be sued to improve system performance. Channel parameter estimation can be enhanced by weighting the channel impulse response estimates based upon a deviation from average. |
| US08121018B2 |
Signal transmitting method, signal receiving method and signal receiving device in OFDM system
A signal transmitting method, a signal receiving method, and a signal receiving device are adapted to an OFDM system. In the signal transmitting method and signal receiving method, double asymmetric training symbols are used for performing time-varying channel response estimation. In the transmitting method, asymmetric pilot sub-carriers are added in data sub-carriers to form a plurality of first and second training symbols. The pilot symbols in the first and second training symbols are asymmetrically configured. In the receiving method, a channel response corresponding to each pilot sub-carrier is estimated by using two adjacent asymmetric pilot symbols. The received data sub-carrier is then restored through the channel response. Through the signal transmitting method and signal receiving method, even in a transmitter or a receiver moving at a high speed, more bandwidths can be used to transfer data, and contents of the transferred data can be correctly estimated. |
| US08121017B2 |
Frame and signaling pattern structure for multi-carrier systems
A transmitting apparatus for transmitting signals in a multi carrier system on the basis of a frame structure, each frame including at least two signalling patterns adjacent to each other in the frequency direction and at least two data patterns, the transmitting apparatus including signalling mapping means to map signalling data on frequency carriers of each of the at least two signalling patterns in a frame, each signalling pattern having the same length, data mapping means to map data on frequency carriers of the at least two data patterns in a frame, transforming means to transform the signalling patterns and the data patterns from the frequency domain into the time domain in order to generate a time domain transmission signal, and transmitting means to transmit the transmission signal. A corresponding transmitting method and a frame pattern for a multi carrier system are also provided. |
| US08121011B2 |
Optical element, aberration correcting element, light converging element, objective optical system, optical pickup device, and optical information recording reproducing device
An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux. |
| US08121008B2 |
Evaluation apparatus, evaluation method, and program
An evaluation apparatus obtains an evaluation value of a signal read from an optical recording medium includes a reading device reading a signal recorded on the optical recording medium. Edge positions are detected of the read signal acquired by the reading device. A frequency distribution table is generated of the edge positions on the basis of an accumulation result of information of the edge positions detected by the edge position detection device. A first calculation of a T degree value is represented as [{Σfi×(xi−A)(2m+1)}/F]{1/(2m+1)} Formula 1 (wherein m is a natural number excluding zero) The variables xi, fi, F, and A represent the value of each of the classes, the frequency of each of the classes, the sum of the frequencies, and the weighted average value, respectively. |
| US08121007B2 |
Pseudo-overwriting data on write-once discs
A file system which is enabled to use a Metadata Partition instead of VAT for write-once discs, is provided by a pseudo-overwrite method. On applying this invention to a drive apparatus which supports pseudo-overwrite media, the file system distinguishes data to overwrite from data to append. When the data is newly written to a logical sector, the drive apparatus writes the data to a physical sector to which the logical sector corresponds. When the logical sector is overwritten the data is written to another unrecorded physical sector in the volume space, and remapping information that specifies the original address, and the remapping address are stored in the remapping table. |
| US08121006B2 |
Apparatus and method for using replacement areas having certain usage directions, based on whether defects are registered as re-allocated or contiguous re-allocated defect types, in a recording medium
To prevent the degradation in read access performance to replacement data caused by not selecting appropriate replacement clusters and to suppress the waste of the number of DFL registrations. Attention is paid to the usage direction of a user data area and that of a replacement area, and in the case where one CRD-type DFL registration can be made collectively in the sequential defect management processes, a replacement area of which the usage direction is the same as that of the user data area is selected. |
| US08121002B2 |
Multi-layered information recording medium, recording apparatus, and recording method
A multi-layered information recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the multi-layered information recording medium comprising: a user data area for recording user data; and a plurality of spare areas including at least one replacement region, wherein when the user data area includes at least one defect region, the at least one replacement region may be used in place of the at least one defect region, wherein a first spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a first user data area of a first recording layer, a second spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a second user data area of a second recording layer, and the first spare area and the second spare area are positioned approximately at the same radial position on the multi-layered information recording medium. |
| US08121001B2 |
Method and device for protecting a servo in reading signals on a defect disc
A device for protecting a servo in reading signals on a defect disc from disturbance and instability is provided. The device includes a defect detection unit and a logic combination unit. The defect detection unit receives a plurality of defect detection signals to detect various defects for setting a plurality of defect flag signals, wherein the plurality of defect detection signals at least include an envelope signal of a RF signal and bit modulation signals. The logic combination unit performs logic operation on the defect flag signals in order to detect a specified defect. The logic combination unit indicates a servo control unit generating low-pass output signals according to said plurality of defect flag signals for controlling related electromechanical devices to prevent from disturbance and instability when the specified defect is detected. A method for protecting a servo in reading signals on a defect disc is also provided. |
| US08120999B2 |
Optical disc apparatus and defocus correcting method
An optical disc apparatus in which a bias of a focusing error signal is changed to a value according to a recording power at timing corresponding to a predetermined address position before starting the recording and a defocus of an opposite polarity is preliminarily caused so as to set off a defocus which occurs at the start of the recording. |
| US08120997B2 |
Information processing apparatus including a communication unit that communicates with an IC chip and associated methodology
An information processing apparatus includes a communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from an IC chip of a recording medium, an authentication processing unit that executes mutual authentication processing with the IC chip, a list-display-screen outputting unit that reads identification information and usage control information and causes a display to display a list display screen, a selection input unit that receives a selection input from a user, a software reading unit that reads data of software selected according to selection input from the data area, an installation processing unit that causes the authentication processing unit to execute the authentication processing, reads key information necessary for installing the software, and executes installation processing for the software, and a usage-control-information updating unit that accesses the IC chip and updates the usage control information corresponding to the software. |
| US08120988B2 |
Delay locked loop circuit for preventing failure of coarse locking
A delay locked loop circuit includes a delay locked loop receiving an external clock, a frequency detector delaying an input frequency signal to generate a plurality of strobe signals and outputting a check signal indicating that the frequency of the input frequency signal is equal to or lower than a reference frequency when all of the strobe signals are positioned within a first-status section of one cycle of the input frequency signal, a delay lock reset unit generating a reset signal to reset the frequency detector and an activation signal to enable the delay locked loop to perform a delay lock process, and a direct phase detector controlling a coarse locking window on the basis of the check signal and generating a pair of phase detection signals indicating logic levels of the external clock. According to this configuration, since the coarse locking window is controlled as per a frequency band, it is possible to prevent a failure of a coarse locking and to achieve an improved circuit performance. |
| US08120987B2 |
Structure and method for decoding read data-bus with column-steering redundancy
A random access memory circuit enabling a decodable sense amplifier array for power saving with column steering redundancy. A first decoder receives an input address and accesses at least one memory cell in the array and is capable of executing column steering redundancy. A master redundancy signal is triggered when column steering redundancy is requested. A plurality of sense amplifiers, wherein, each sense amplifier in the plurality of sense amplifiers is coupled to at least one memory cell in an array of memory cells. A second decoder receives the input address and selectively activates a first set of sense amplifiers of the plurality of sense amplifiers and selectively activates a second set of sense amplifiers in the plurality of amplifier only when the master redundancy signal is activated. |
| US08120984B2 |
High-voltage selecting circuit which can generate an output voltage without a voltage drop
A high-voltage selecting circuit generates an output voltage with no voltage drop by means of an auxiliary NMOS transistor turning on the corresponding selecting PMOS transistor of the high-voltage selecting circuit when the voltage levels of a first input voltage and a second input voltage are equal. In addition, when one of the first input voltage and the second input voltage is higher than the other one, the high-voltage selecting circuit avoids the leakage current by means of an auxiliary PMOS transistor turning off the corresponding selecting PMOS transistor of the high-voltage selecting circuit. In this way, the high-voltage selecting circuit can correctly generate the output voltage according to the first input voltage and the second input voltage, and avoid the leakage current at the same time. |
| US08120980B2 |
Semiconductor memory device in which a method of controlling a BIT line sense amplifier is improved
A semiconductor memory device includes a sense amplifier, a sense amplifier driving signal driver, and a controller. The sense amplifier is configured to sense and amplify a signal of a bit line and a signal of a complementary bit line in response to a sense amplifier driving signal. The sense amplifier driving signal driver includes a first driving signal driver configured to drive via a transmission line the sense amplifier driving signal in response to a first sense amplifier control signal, and a second driving signal driver configured to drive via the transmission line the sense amplifier driving signal in response to a second sense amplifier control signal. The controller activates the first sense amplifier control signal in response to an active command, and toggles the second sense amplifier control signal while the first sense amplifier control signal is activated. |
| US08120979B2 |
Semiconductor memory devices having hierarchical bit-line structures
The semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array and a switching circuit. The memory cell array includes a plurality of first memory cells connected between word lines and first local bit lines, and a plurality of second memory cells connected between the word lines and second local bit lines. The switching circuit is configured to respectively connect the first local bit lines to first global bit lines during a first sensing period, and to respectively connect the second local bit lines to second global bit lines during a second sensing period of a reading operation. The semiconductor memory device further includes a sensing circuit configured to sense and amplify data from the first global bit lines during the first sensing period, and to sense and amplify data from the second global bit lines during the second sensing period of the reading operation. |
| US08120977B2 |
Test method for nonvolatile memory device
A test method for nonvolatile memory devices where, in one aspect of the method, a specific operation mode is selected according to a signal input through a single I/O pin in a period in which a write enable signal is inactivated. The write enable signal or a read enable signal is activated according to the selected operation mode. A plurality of signals is input through the single I/O pin in a period in which the write enable signal is activated. The plurality of signals is output through the single I/O pin in a period in which the read enable signal is activated. |
| US08120975B2 |
Memory having negative voltage write assist circuit and method therefor
A method of writing data to a selected column of a memory includes selecting a first column. The data writing is initiated by applying a logic high to a first bit line of the first column and a first potential to a second bit line of the first column that is lower than the logic high. The first potential is removed and a second potential is applied to the second bit line. The second potential is less than the first potential. The first potential may be ground, and the second potential may be a negative voltage. Reducing the write voltage for the bit line that is receiving a logic low improves its ability to be written. By first bringing the logic low to the first potential, which may be ground, and then further reducing the applied voltage, the requirements on the source of the second potential are reduced. |
| US08120970B2 |
Buffering systems for accessing multiple layers of memory in integrated circuits
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to data storage and computer memory, and more particularly, to systems, integrated circuits and methods for accessing memory in multiple layers of memory implementing, for example, third dimension memory technology. In a specific embodiment, an integrated circuit is configured to implement write buffers to access multiple layers of memory. For example, the integrated circuit can include memory cells disposed in multiple layers of memory. In one embodiment, the memory cells can be third dimension memory cells. The integrated circuit can also include read buffers that can be sized differently than the write buffers. In at least one embodiment, write buffers can be sized as a function of a write cycle. Each layer of memory can include a plurality of two-terminal memory elements that retain stored data in the absence of power and store data as a plurality of conductivity profiles. |
| US08120969B1 |
Semi-volatile NAND flash memory
Semi-volatile NAND flash memory systems, apparatuses, and methods for use are described herein. According to various embodiments, a semi-volatile NAND flash memory may be partitioned into various retention regions. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08120968B2 |
High voltage word line driver
A word line driver circuit coupled to a memory circuit word line includes pull-up, pull-up clamp, pull-down and pull-down clamp transistors, each having a source, a drain and a gate. For the pull-up transistor, the source is coupled to a first power supply, and the gate to a pull-up control signal. For the pull-up clamp transistor, the source is coupled to the drain of the pull-up transistor, the drain to the word line, and the gate to a pull-up clamp gate signal. For the pull-down transistor, the source is coupled to a second power supply, and the gate to a pull-down control signal. For the pull-down clamp transistor, the source is coupled to the drain of the pull-down transistor, the drain to the word line, and the gate to a pull-down clamp gate signal. The word line is coupled to one or more DRAM cells. Source to drain voltage magnitudes of the pull-up and pull-down transistors are less than a voltage between the first and second power supplies. |
| US08120964B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of operating the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a first node, a current source configured to have a current value determined according to a voltage supplied to the first node, and a memory cell string coupled to the first node, the memory cell string including at least one memory cell. Whether a memory cell included in the memory cell string has been programmed is determined based on the voltage supplied to the first node. |
| US08120963B2 |
Method and system for program pulse generation during programming of nonvolatile electronic devices
Aspects for program pulse generation during programming of nonvolatile electronic devices include providing a configurable voltage sequence generator to manage verify-pulse and pulse-verify switching as needed during modification operations of a programming algorithm for nonvolatile electronic devices, wherein more efficient modification operations result. In this manner, highly flexible bit sequence generation that can be easily managed by a microcontroller occurs, resulting in a shorter code length, a faster execution time, and ease of reuse in different devices. More particularly, fully compatible voltage sequence generation is introduced that can be applied on the terminals of the flash cells being modified and permits an efficient and time saving management of pulse-verify and verify-pulse switching. |
| US08120959B2 |
NAND string based NAND/NOR flash memory cell, array, and memory device having parallel bit lines and source lines, having a programmable select gating transistor, and circuits and methods for operating same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a nonvolatile memory array including a plurality of charge retaining transistors arranged in rows and columns. The device has a plurality source lines formed in parallel with the bit lines associated with each column. Row decode/driver circuits are connected to blocks of the charge retaining transistors for controlling the application of the necessary read, program, and erase signals. Erase count registers, each of the erase count registers associated with one block of the array of the charge retaining transistors for storing an erase count for the associated block for determining whether a refresh operation is to be executed. Groupings on each column of the array of charge retaining transistors are connected as NAND series strings where each NAND string has a select gating charge retaining transistor connected to the top charge retaining transistor for connecting the NAND series string to the bit lines. |
| US08120958B2 |
Multi-die memory, apparatus and multi-die memory stack
The multi-die memory comprises a first die and a second die. The first die comprises a first group of memory banks, and the second die comprises a second group of memory banks. The first group of memory banks and the second group of memory banks are coupled to a common memory interface. The common memory interface couples the multi-die memory with an internal connection. |
| US08120954B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for erasing memory
Methods, apparatus, and systems may operate to perform a pre-programming operation on a plurality of multiple level memory cells of a memory device. An example of applying such a pre-programming operation involves applying a series of voltage pulses to the plurality of multiple level memory cells, verifying a charge stored in the plurality of multiple level memory cells, and erasing the plurality of multiple level memory cells of the memory block based on a result from verifying the charge stored in the plurality of multiple level memory cells. |
| US08120953B2 |
Reading method of nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
Reading methods of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device are described herein. Methods may include supplying, to a word line, one of a voltage corresponding to a highest reading level or a voltage having a level higher than a first reading level of a read operation to be performed on the word line, and subsequently supplying a voltage of the first reading level to the word line and performing the read operation. |
| US08120947B2 |
Spin torque transfer MRAM device
The present disclosure provides a magnetic memory element. The memory element includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) element and an electrode. The electrode includes a pinning layer, a pinned layer, and a non-magnetic conductive layer. In one embodiment, the MTJ element includes a first surface having a first surface area, and the electrode includes a second surface. In the embodiment, the second surface of the electrode is coupled to the first surface of the MTJ element such that an interface area is formed and the interface area is less than the first surface area. |
| US08120946B2 |
Stacked magnetic devices
Techniques for improving magnetic device performance are provided. In one aspect, a magnetic device, e.g., a magnetic random access memory device, is provided which comprises a plurality of current carrying lines; and two or more adjacent stacked magnetic toggling devices sharing at least one of the plurality of current carrying lines in common and positioned therebetween. The magnetic device is configured such that at least one of the adjacent magnetic toggling devices toggles mutually exclusively of another of the adjacent magnetic toggling devices. In an exemplary embodiment, the magnetic device comprises a plurality of levels with each of the adjacent stacked magnetic toggling devices residing in a different level. |
| US08120943B2 |
Accessing a phase change memory
A memory employs a low-level current source to access a phase change memory cell. The current source charges an access capacitor in order to store sufficient charge for an ensuing access. When a memory cell is accessed, charge stored on the capacitor is discharged through the phase change memory, supplying a current to the phase change memory cell that is sufficient for the intended access operation and greater than that provided directly by the current source. |
| US08120939B2 |
ROM cell having an isolation transistor formed between first and second pass transistors and connected between a differential bitline pair
A semiconductor memory cell array includes an elongated continuous active region. First and second pass transistors are formed in the elongated continuous active region and form part of first and second adjacent memory cells, respectively, of a column of memory cells in the array. An isolation transistor is formed in the elongated continuous active region between the first and second pass transistors and biased in an off state. First and second word lines are coupled to the gates of the pass transistors for applying a reading voltage. The array includes a differential bit line pair including first and second bit lines, a first logic value being encoded into the memory cells by connecting the pass transistors to the first bit line and a second logic value being encoded into the memory cells by connecting the pass transistors to the second bit line. |
| US08120936B2 |
DC-to-AC power converting device
A power converting device is adapted for converting a DC voltage input from an external power source into an AC voltage output. The power converting device includes: a transformer having first and second windings each having opposite first and second ends; a clamp unit coupled to the external power source, and including a first switch coupled between a reference node and the second end of the first winding, and a series connection of a clamp capacitor and a second switch coupled across the first winding; and an inverting unit coupled to the first end of the second winding, and operable so as to output the AC voltage output based on an induced voltage across the second winding. |
| US08120933B2 |
Power converter with reverse recovery avoidance
A power converter includes a reverse-recovery avoidance scheme. The power converter may include deliver current from a direct current (DC) power source to an alternating current (AC) load. A first switch and second switch of the power converter may be operated to supply the AC load with positive current respective to the AC load from the DC power source. A third and fourth switch of the power converter may be operated to supply the AC load with negative current respective to the AC load from the DC power source. A first diode may be electrically coupled in series with the second switch and second diode may be electrically coupled in parallel with the first diode and the second switch. The second diode may conduct the positive current when the first switch is off and the second switch is on. A third diode may be electrically coupled in series with the fourth switch and a fourth diode may be electrically coupled in parallel with the third diode and the fourth switch. The fourth diode may conduct the negative current when the third switch is off and the fourth switch is on. |
| US08120932B2 |
Low voltage ride through
A system for connecting a wind turbine generator to a utility power network includes a first power converter that converts an AC signal from the wind turbine generator to a DC signal and supplies a controlled amount of reactive current to the wind turbine generator. The system also includes a second power converter, connected in series with the first converter, which converts the DC signal from the first power converter to a line-side AC signal and supplies a controlled amount of current to the utility power network. A power dissipation element is coupled to the first and second power converters for dissipating power from the first power converter. |
| US08120929B2 |
Electrical or electronic level indicator
An electrical or electronic level indicator is positioned in a plug-in housing 24. The plug-in housing 24 is closed with a cover 10. This cover 10 is furnished with a handle bar 11, which serves as an aid for removing the cover 10. Positioned inside the cover 10 are rotating cylindrical pins 12, 13 which allow the potentiometers 32 and/or switches 33 to be adjusted. The electrical components 32, 33 are positioned on a circuit board 30, which lies inside the cover 10. |
| US08120927B2 |
Printed circuit board
A printed circuit board is disclosed. The printed circuit board comprises a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface. A ground plane is on the bottom surface. A signal trace is on the top surface along a first direction. At least two isolated power planes are on the top surface adjacent to opposite sides of the signal trace, respectively. A conductive connection along a second direction couples to the two power planes, across the signal trace without electrically connecting to the signal trace, wherein the signal trace doesn't pass over any split of the ground plane. |
| US08120926B2 |
Interconnection assembly for printed circuit boards
A backplane has through holes for conductors to project through the backplane in arrays corresponding to respective circuit boards arranged along the front side of the backplane. The through holes include ground holes for receiving ground conductors in connection with a ground plane, and signal holes for receiving signal conductors free of connections with the ground plane. In accordance with a principal feature, the backplane is free of circuitry configured to interconnect signal conductors in the signal holes. This avoids problems associated with circuit density within the structure of a backplane. In accordance with another principal feature, each signal hole is wide enough to provide clearance for a respective signal conductor to extend fully through the signal hole free of contact with the backplane. The clearance contains air that serves as a dielectric to increase the impedance between adjacent signal holes, and thereby to reduce crosstalk and other problems associated with close proximity between signal holes. Additional through holes provide additional impedance at locations between adjacent conductor through holes. Such additional through holes for impedance control can be included in the circuit boards as well as the backplane. |
| US08120922B2 |
Apparatus for storing data
An apparatus for storing data and supplying stored data. The apparatus comprises a support unit having a plurality of connectors for connecting to a plurality of data storage elements, and a plurality of data storage elements. Each data storage element is connected to one of the connectors. The apparatus also comprises a cable having a first end connected to the support unit and a second end connected to a main part. The main part defining a first space containing a portion of the cable, and a second space for containing the support unit. The support unit is movable between (i) a first position providing access to the data storage elements and (ii) a second position in which the data storage elements are located within the second space. A guide means is configured to cause the cable to develop at least two loops within the first space while the support unit is moved to the second position. |
| US08120920B2 |
Computer system with heat sink
A computer system includes a chassis, a motherboard secured to the chassis, and a heat sink. A chip is mounted on the motherboard. A securing component secured to the motherboard adjacent the chip. The securing component defines an opening. Two positioning posts are located on the motherboard and adjoin two opposite edges of the opening. Each positioning post defines a fastener hole. A heat sink includes a main body and a fin portion located on the fin portion. The main body defines two through holes. The main body defines two recesses to expose the through holes. The heat sink is secured to the securing component, by two fasteners engaged in the through holes and the fastener holes. |
| US08120917B2 |
Heat dissipation device
An exemplary heat dissipation device includes first and second heat sinks adapted for being thermally attached to first and second electronic components, respectively; and a heat pipe thermally interconnecting the first heat sink with the second heat sink. |
| US08120912B2 |
Front-to-back cooling system for modular systems with orthogonal midplane configuration
A front-to-back cooling system allows cooling of an apparatus containing two orthogonal sets of modules. Each set of modules is independently cooled. A vertical set of modules is cooled with vertical air flow across the modules that enters from a front of the apparatus and exhausts from a back of the apparatus. A horizontal set of modules is cooled with horizontal front-to-back air flow. When the horizontal set of modules is at the front of the apparatus, a plenum extending exterior to the vertical set of modules allows exhausting horizontally flowing air to the rear of the apparatus. When the horizontal set of modules is at the rear of the apparatus, a plenum extending exterior to the vertical set of modules allows moving air from the front of the apparatus to a chamber holding the horizontal modules. |
| US08120910B2 |
Heat dissipating structure
A heat dissipating structure includes a frame. An accommodating space is formed inside the frame for accommodating a fan, and an opening is formed on a lateral side of the frame. The heat dissipating structure further includes at least one shutter connected to the frame in a rotatable manner. The fan is disposed on a side of the shutter. The shutter prevents airflow driven by the fan from flowing back to the other side of the shutter through the opening when the shutter rotates to a close position. The heat dissipating structure further includes a resilient component for providing a resilient force to the shutter so as to drive the shutter to the close position. |
| US08120909B2 |
Computer system with airflow guiding duct
A computer system includes a chassis, a motherboard, a heat sink and an airflow guiding duct. The chassis includes a chassis bottom wall, a first chassis sidewall, and a second chassis sidewall. The first chassis sidewall defines a first ventilation hole. The second chassis sidewall defines a second ventilation hole. The motherboard with a chip is secured to the chassis bottom wall. The heat sink is secured to the motherboard for cooling the chip. The airflow guiding duct is configured to guide airflow flowing from the second ventilation to the first ventilation hole. A fan is received inside the airflow guiding duct. |
| US08120908B2 |
Thermal management system for embedded environment and method for making same
A thermal management system for an embedded environment is described. The thermal management system includes a pleumo-jet that has at least one wall defining a chamber, at least one piezoelectric device on the at least one wall, and a compliant material within the at least one wall and encompassing the chamber. The compliant material has at least one opening providing fluid communication between said chamber and the embedded environment. A cooling system is also described. A method for making a pleumo-jet is also described. |
| US08120907B2 |
Airflow guiding and heat dissipating assembly for electronic device
An airflow guiding and heat dissipating assembly is mounted in an electronic device and has a base and at least one baffle being mounted on the base. Multiple electronic components are mounted on the base and are arranged in a line. Airflow flows along one electronic component upstream, past the baffle and then over the other electronic component downstream to take away heat from the electronic component. The baffle prevents the airflow from becoming turbulent and, therefore, temperatures of the electronic component are lowered efficiently. |
| US08120906B2 |
Mounting apparatus for electronic device
An electronic device includes an electronic component, a first fixing member, a second fixing member, and a locking member. The first fixing member and the second fixing member are respectively mounted on two sides of the electronic component. The locking member connects the first fixing member to the second fixing member. A pivot portion is formed on one side of the locking member to engage with the first fixing member. A latching portion is formed on the other side of the locking member to latch the second fixing member. |
| US08120905B2 |
Method to prevent access cover actuation during shock load
A latch apparatus includes a first portion having a first latch member maintained in a latched position by a first and a second resilient member. A second portion includes a second latch member maintained in a latched position by only the second resilient member. The second portion is movable both simultaneously with and independently of the first portion. An actuator is connected to move the first and second portions simultaneously. |
| US08120904B2 |
Chassis mounting system
A chassis mounting system includes a support section that is operable to be coupled to a structure. The support section includes a first arm extending from the support section. A second arm extends from the support section and is moveable relative to the first arm such that the distance between the first arm and the second arm may be varied in order to apply a gripping force on the structure when the structure is located between the first arm and the second arm. A locking device is operable to restrict the movement of the second arm relative to the first arm in order to secure the support section to the structure when the gripping force has been applied. A coupling section support member is located on the support section. A coupling section is operable to be mounted to a chassis. The coupling section includes a coupling member that is operable to engage the coupling section support member in order to couple the coupling section to the support section such that the support section supports the coupling section. |
| US08120901B2 |
Hard disk mounting device
A hard disk mounting device includes a receiving portion, a first adapter card, and a second adapter card. The receiving portion includes a bottom plate with a first end and a opposite second end. The first adapter card is attached to the first end of the bottom plate. The first adapter card includes a first connector located at a side of the first adapter card facing away from the second end of the bottom plate. The second adapter card is located at the center of the bottom plate, the second adapter card includes at least one connector e for connecting to a hard disk. The bottom plate includes at least one part for mounting hard disk, each part includes a first fixing mechanism for fixing a hard disk of a first size and a second mechanism for fixing a hard disk of a second size. |
| US08120900B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for a low-profile computer adapter card retainer plunger
A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for a planar adapter card retainer bracket that is removably attachable to a computer chassis and is formed with a plurality of plunger openings. Each plunger opening is configured to receive a respective adapter card retainer plunger. The adapter card retainer plunger is configured to extend from the bracket into the computer chassis to engage an edge of an adapter card thereby retaining the adapter card in a selected slot even if the adapter card is a low-profile adapter card. |
| US08120897B2 |
Television with folding stand
This disclosure generally relates to a television that includes a foldable stand for selective support of the device in a variety of positions and/or viewing orientations. In some cases, a television includes a display having a substantially flat display surface, a housing coupled to the display, and a stand having an elongated support leg, the support leg pivotably coupled to the housing about a pivot axis such that the stand is movable between a first position in which a majority of the stand is located within a perimeter of the display surface projected towards a back surface of the housing and a second position in which the stand is adapted, when placed on a support surface, to support the display in a viewing orientation. |
| US08120896B2 |
Strap device and electronic apparatus including the same
The present invention provides a strap device capable of, when used in a state of being attached to an electronic apparatus body including a display portion and a key input portion as an object, improving the visibility of the display portion and the operability of the key input portion and the touch panel without tilting the electronic apparatus body with the wrist. A strap device includes a substantially plate-shaped belt base to be attached to the object; and a strap belt formed in an annular shape and supported by a substantially center portion of the belt base rotatably within a plane substantially parallel to the belt base. The belt base includes a back part provided with a pivot fitting as a bearing member for supporting the strap belt rotatably and a front part facing the back part. The strap belt extends across the belt base from the front part to the back part of the belt base. |
| US08120894B2 |
Communication system and method employing line replaceable equipment racks on an aircraft
Systems and methods are provided for assembling a communications system on an aircraft. An intrabus, including communication lines and power lines, is detachably mounted within the aircraft. At least one intrabus interface panel provides access to the intrabus. A plurality of line replaceable equipment racks (LRERs) are preassembled prior to being loaded onto the aircraft and each includes electronic equipment affixed within the LRER and at least one rack interface panel that provides access to the electronic equipment. A plurality of cables couple the at least one rack interface panel of each LRER to the at least one bus interface panel. |
| US08120893B2 |
Tether-containing conducting polymers
A compound having the formula below. X is hydroxyl, a sulfonic ester or salt thereof, a phosphonate or salt thereof, a carboxylate or salt thereof, or a boronic ester or salt thereof. The value n is an integer greater than or equal to 2. A polymer made by polymerizing the compound. A method of: reacting NH2—(CH2—CH2—O)n—CH2—CH2—OH with thiophene acid chloride to form a (SC4H3)—CO—NH—(CH2—CH2—O)n—CH2—CH2—OH amide; reacting the amide with a vinyl sulfonic ester, a vinyl phosphonate, a vinyl carboxylate, or a vinyl boronic ester to form an intermediate; and converting the intermediate to a salt form. |
| US08120889B2 |
Tailored emitter bias as a means to optimize the indirect-charging performance of a nano-structured emitting electrode
Exemplary embodiments provide charging systems and methods for effectively delivering charges onto a receptor. The charging system can include a low velocity gas stream, an emitter assembly for providing cathode-to-anode field bias to generate charges from the low velocity gas stream, and an emitter-to-receptor (e.g., photoreceptor) electric bias to enhance the charge delivery to the receptor. The disclosed charging systems and methods can be used to achieve an optimal charging performance at a low projected cost for any suitable receptor that needs to be charged. Exemplary receptors can include a photoreceptor (PR) such as a belt PR or a drum PR, a toner layer, a sheet of media on which toner can be deposited, or a transfer belt in an electrophotographic printing machine. |
| US08120883B2 |
Protective device with improved surge protection
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring protection device that includes a housing assembly having a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals. A fault detection circuit is coupled to at least one of the plurality of line terminals and configured to generate a fault detection signal in response to detecting at least one fault condition in the electrical distribution system. A circuit interrupter assembly is coupled to the fault detection circuit. The circuit interrupter assembly is configured to couple the plurality of line terminals to the plurality of load terminals to form a conductive electrical path in a reset state, and decouple the plurality of line terminals from the plurality of load terminals in response to a fault detection signal in a tripped state. A voltage transient suppression circuit is connected between the plurality of line terminals, the voltage transient suppression circuit including a movistor differentially coupled relative to the at least one sensor circuit such that one lead of the movistor is coupled to a first line conductor disposed on a line side of the at least one sensor circuit and another lead of the movistor is coupled to a second line conductor disposed on a load side of the at least one sensor circuit. A movistor protection circuit is coupled in series to the movistor, the movistor protection circuit being configured to limit an amount of electrical energy applied to the movistor as a function of at least one electrical parameter. |
| US08120882B1 |
Protective electrical wiring device with light
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes an illumination assembly coupled to at least one detection circuit and disposed in the housing portion. The illumination assembly includes at least one light emitting element, an illumination circuit, and at least one lens disposed in at least one lens cover opening in optical communication with at least one light emitting element. The illumination circuit is configured to selectively drive the at least one light emitting element between a deenergized state and a light emitting state in response to an ambient light condition, a miswire condition, an end-of-life condition, a reset state or a trip state. The at least one lens has a surface area such that light emitted by the at least one light emitting element is directed into a spatial volume proximate the electrical wiring device. |
| US08120881B2 |
Head gimbal assembly and manufacturing method thereof, and disk drive device with the same
A HGA includes a suspension, a seed layer formed on a PZT holding region of a flexure of the suspension and a piezoelectric element deposited on the seed layer. The piezoelectric element is electrically connected with the suspension to form a PZT micro-actuator. The present invention simultaneously conducts the manufacture, mechanical assembly and electrical connection of the piezoelectric element and suspension, thus the present invention has simple operation process and short process time, high manufacture yield, sound mechanical, dynamic and static performance. In addition, the present invention firstly forms the seed layer on the flexure and secondly forms the piezoelectric element on the seed layer, wherein the seed layer is metallic material, metal oxide, non-metallic material, or inorganic salt, the seed layer enables to easily control the operation and assists to improve the performance of the HGA. Besides, the electrical connection between the piezoelectric element and the suspension could be performed by sputtering process, printing process, or plating process, thus the present invention has a less difficulty to operate and sound connection reliability. The present invention also discloses a method for manufacturing the HGA and a disk drive unit. |
| US08120873B2 |
Spindle motor and disk drive apparatus provided with the spindle motor
A spindle motor includes a rotary unit, a bearing mechanism, a stator, a base member, and a connector connected to a leader line extending from the stator through a communication hole of the base member. The connector includes a pedestal and a metal pin. The leader line is connected to a first pin terminal of the metal pin on a hole-positioning lower surface of a hole-defining portion of the pedestal. An upper surface of the metal pin is separated from the pedestal at a specified separation position between the first pin terminal and a second pin terminal. A connection position of the first pin terminal and the leader line on the hole-positioning lower surface is covered with an adhesive agent. The periphery of a gap between the metal pin and the pedestal over an extent from the first pin terminal to the separation position is sealed by the adhesive agent. |
| US08120861B2 |
Patterned polarization-sensitive optical elements and devices using the same
In general, in one aspect, the invention features an apparatus that includes a plurality of optical elements arranged to form an image of an object. The elements include a first element comprising one or more regions of a polarizing material, the regions being shaped as one or more visual features, a polarizer, and a mounting assembly including a first mount for the first element and a second mount for the polarizer. At least the first or second mount is rotatable with respect to an optical axis between a first orientation and a second orientation. In the first orientation, the visual features are visible in the image of the object and, in the second orientation, the visual features are not visible in the image of the object. |
| US08120855B2 |
Micro-optic security and image presentation system for a security device
A film material utilizing a regular two-dimensional array of non-cylindrical lenses to enlarge micro-images, called icons, to form a synthetically magnified image through the united performance of a multiplicity of individual lens/icon image systems. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system includes one or more optical spacers (5), a micro-image formed of a periodic planar array of a plurality of image icons (4) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes and positioned on or next to the optical spacer (5), and a periodic planar array of image icon focusing elements (1) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes, the axis of symmetry being the same planar axis as that of the micro-image planar array (4). A number of distinctive visual effects, such as three-dimensional and motion effects, can be provided by the present system. |
| US08120854B2 |
Interference films having acrylamide layer and method of making same
A method for forming a color shifting film on a support, the film comprising a reflective stack disposed adjacent to the support and an image is disclosed. The reflective stack comprises an at least partially transparent spacer layer comprising a substituted acrylamide polymer disposed between a partially reflective first layer and a reflective second layer. The acrylamide layer has a thickness sufficient to produce an interference color. |
| US08120851B2 |
Optical material and optical element, diffraction optical element, and stacked type diffraction optical element molded thereof
Use of an organic optical material whose Abbe's number (νd) and secondary dispersion (θg,F) satisfy the relationship θg,F≦−2νd×10−3+0.59 provides an optical material which causes reduced optical scattering, the optical material having excellent optical scattering characteristics and secondary dispersion characteristics equivalent to those of a compound in which fine particles of conductive metal oxides such as ITO are dispersed in an organic resin. |
| US08120849B2 |
Method for manufacturing retardation film, retardation film, polarizing plate, and liquid crystal display
A retardation film is manufactured by stretching a thermoplastic resin film while adjusting stretching ratio α [%], temperature β [° C.], and stretching speed γ [%/min] so that the following formulas (1) and (2) are satisfied when the thermoplastic resin film is stretched at the stretching ratio α [%], the temperature β [° C.], and the stretching speed γ [%/min], therefore, stretching unevenness can be prevented: Z>X (1) (X×100/k)×0.2<(Y−X)×100/k (2) here X represents yield stress [MPa] in a stress-strain curve, Y represents stress [MPa] in the stress-strain curve when the film is further stretched from the yield stress by k [%] which is the amount of strain until the yield stress, and Z represents stress [MPa] in the stress-strain curve when the film is stretched to α [%]. |
| US08120844B2 |
Image measuring apparatus
A fly eye integrator satisfying the following expression (1) is used for an illumination system: Φ×φ/f>M×DL×NAL (1) wherein Φ is a diameter of a circle inscribed to a fly-eye integrator injection end surface; φ is a diameter of a circle inscribed to an end surface of each of lens elements constituting the fly-eye integrator; f is a focal distance of each of lens elements constituting the fly-eye integrator; M is a zoom multiplication ratio of the image formation optical system; DL is field-of-view diameter required for the zoom low multiplication unit of the DL image formation optical system; and NAL is a numerical aperture required for the zoom low multiplication side of the image formation optical system. Thus, it is possible to provide an image measuring apparatus which can prevent insufficient NA from the low multiplication to the high multiplication of zoom and irregularities of the field-of-view. |
| US08120843B1 |
Dark channel array with scattering centers
In one of the embodiments, a dark channel array is provided which includes gain channels, each configured to emit an output beam from an output surface and to have a light wave propagating therethrough. It further includes a dark channel configured to emit an output beam from the output surface of the dark channel array and to have a light wave propagating in the dark channel, such that output beams from the plurality of gain channels are coherently coupled in phase with each other. The dark channel array is configured such that the dark channel captures a portion of the output beam from at least two of the plurality of gain channels by radiant coupling. |
| US08120839B2 |
Suspended particle device electronic control processes
A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device, a small number of SPD devices or thousands of such SPD devices installed in windows in automobiles, aircraft, trains, marine vehicles, residential homes, commercial buildings and skyscrapers. A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device or thousands of such SPD devices in the presentation of a multi-media special effects display. Textual messages, graphical images and simulated motion effects are driven. Such scalable apparatus being capable of driving and using several operational parameters of SPD materials such as frequency range, AC voltage and temperature so as to provide fine control of SPD characteristics such as switching speed and power consumption. |
| US08120837B2 |
Display media particles and information display panel using the same
A display media particle used for an information display panel having display media constituted of particles sealed between two substrates, at least one of which is transparent, for displaying information by moving the display media, is formed of a mother particle 32 made from materials including a base resin having child particles 33 added to a surface thereof. The base resin is a thermoplastic resin having a viscosity of no more than 1000 Pa·s at 260° C. and a shear rate at 122 s−1, and a heatproof temperature at no less than 430° C. Since optimal conditions of the viscosity and the heatproof temperature are specified, it is possible to round the resin effectively by a heat treatment for spheronization as a post-treatment after manufacturing. |
| US08120834B2 |
Optical property altering apparatus
An optical property altering apparatus includes an optical property altering element formed by inductors that are smaller than a wavelength of visible light, mutually connected by connecting lines, and arranged in a single plane; a photoconductor that is excited by incident light and generates alternating current of a frequency identical to that of the incident light; and an amplifying circuit that amplifies the alternating current generated by the photoconductor and supplies the amplified alternating current to the optical property altering element, where the optical property altering element, through supply of the alternating current from the amplifying circuit, arbitrarily alters its refractive index. |
| US08120827B2 |
Holographic storage system for reading a hologram stored on a holographic storage medium and a method carried out therewith
A holographic storage system for reading a hologram stored on a holographic storage medium. The system comprises: storage medium holding means; a spatial light modulator (SLM) for encoding a reference beam with a code pattern; a detector; and a servo control unit for determining a misalignment of the reference beam and the storage medium from the detected image and for acting upon the SLM to shift the code pattern. A method of reading a hologram stored on a holographic storage medium comprising: a) encoding a reference beam with a code pattern created by a spatial light modulator (SLM); b) detecting an image of the reconstructed hologram; c) determining a misalignment of the reference beam and the storage medium from the detected image; and d) shifting the code pattern on the SLM based at least in part on the misalignment. |
| US08120826B2 |
Optical information recorder (reflection holographic memory device)
A holographic memory device is described which records and reproduces binary image data by irradiating a holographic recording medium with signal light and reference light. The holographic memory device includes a system for aligning polarization of the signal light and reference light on the holographic recording medium by guiding the signal light and the reference light to be coaxially opposed. The holographic memory device further includes a random-phase modulation multiplex recorder and spatial-shift multiplex recorder that, together with the system for aligning polarization, significantly enhances recording density and improves recording capacity. |
| US08120817B2 |
Revising halftone image by adding dot to or filtering edge pixel
A halftone revision apparatus includes a screening unit to screen an input image, and a revision unit to detect edge pixels in the input image, and to add a dot to a detected edge pixel according to a number of white pixels adjacent to the detected edge pixel. Therefore, edges in the halftoned image can be improved. |
| US08120813B2 |
Method for printing mixed color and black and white documents
A method is described for managing a print shop system in which a plurality of printers are connected to and managed by a server. When a document to be printed contains both color and black and white pages, the server splits the print job into a color and a black and white sub-job. Each print job includes a job ticket containing a plurality of parameters and the document to be printed. The server splits the original print job by generating a color sub-document and a black and white sub-document based the color characteristics of the pages of the original document, and generating a color sub-job ticket and a black and white sub-job ticket based on the original job-ticket parameters, by suitably retaining some original parameters, overriding some, deleting some, retaining some with page shifting, and adding some parameters. The two sub-jobs are printed by two different printers and then merged. |
| US08120812B2 |
System and method for obtaining color consistency for a color print job across multiple output devices
A method for maintaining color consistency in an environment of networked devices is disclosed. The method involves identifying a group of devices to which a job is intended to be rendered; obtaining color characteristics from devices in the identified group; modifying the job based on the obtained color characteristics; and rendering the job on one or more of the devices. Modifications are computed by a transform determined by using the color characteristics of the output devices along with the content of the job itself. The method further maps colors in the original job to the output devices' common gamut, i.e., intersection of the gamuts of the individual printers wherein the color gamut of each device is obtained from a device characterization profile either by retrieving the gamut tag or by derivation using the characterization data in the profile. |
| US08120808B2 |
Apparatus, method, and program for laying out images
A user decides images to be laid out on one image. For each image showing presence of face among the decided images, a region decision means decides a display region including at least one face in the corresponding image, according to the number of faces therein and according to a distance between the faces in the case where the number of the faces is larger than 1. A layout image generation unit extracts the display regions from the respective images, and generates a layout image by laying out the extracted display regions on a background image. |
| US08120804B2 |
Image processing system, image managing device, method, storage medium and image processing device
An authentication server receives user information from an MFP, and acquires information on a service available for the user. The authentication server creates information on a menu screen having a selection function of selecting the service available for the user based on the acquired service information. The MFP receives the customized menu screen provided from the authentication server, and displays the menu screen on a display device. |
| US08120801B2 |
Print job management system for managing disturbances in a plurality of print jobs
A method is provided for managing the scheduling of a plurality of print jobs for a print shop. The method includes obtaining a print job input stream including the plurality of print jobs. Each of the plurality of print jobs is scheduled for processing unless at least one of the plurality of print jobs is determined to be a disturbance job, the disturbance job causing delays in processing of other print jobs in the plurality of print jobs that would not occur but for the existence of the disturbance job in the print job input stream. The disturbance job is then assigned a processing related value that increases over time, and scheduling of the disturbance job is delayed until the processing related value exceeds a selected threshold value. |
| US08120799B2 |
Methods and systems for accessing remote, descriptor-related data at an imaging device
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for providing access to remote, descriptor-related data at an imaging device user interface. Some aspects relate to accessing a service or product provider resource based on a descriptor that is sent from an imaging device to the selector. Some aspects relate to a selection between multiple providers when multiple providers match criteria defined by the descriptor. |
| US08120797B2 |
Methods and systems for transmitting content to an imaging device
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for sending content to an imaging device display using a browser and an embedded application. Some aspects relate to an interruptive process whereby a browser process is interrupted in order to display new browser content. Some aspects relate to an interruptive process whereby alarm or error content is pushed to the browser. |
| US08120795B2 |
Method of document protection
This invention relates to a method for preventing a copy of document, belonging to a technical field of entire copy protection of document. In the prior art, for some important documents, specially the secret ones, the reproduction of this kind of document is usually prohibited by its owner because of the security. But the technique in the prior art can not solve the problem of preventing unauthorized reproduction. The method of the present invention is intended to embed a shading pattern under the original image of anti-copy document by an application program installed in the copy device, and decide whether the document can be copied legally or not. By the method of present invention, it is possible to detect the watermark information of the anti-copy document accurately and quickly, and prevent the reproduction of the anti-copy document thoroughly. Moreover, an additional memory space is no need. |
| US08120792B2 |
Printing control apparatus and method
When a user enters control information for controlling a printing device, the information is stored in a user information storage unit. All combinations of items of the control information capable of being set by the user and values of items incapable of being set by the user, these having been selected so as to be the optimum values for the combinations, are stored as preset values in a combined information storage unit. An information storage unit compares a value in the user information storage unit with a value in the combined information storage unit. If a combination for which agreement is achieved is found in the combined information storage unit, this value is stored in a printing information storage unit and transmitted to the printing device. Thus, an optimum value can be selected and sent to the printing device even with regard to an item incapable of being selected by the user. |
| US08120791B2 |
Image synthesizing apparatus
There are provided a framing assisting means for displaying as a moving picture object data as well as a profile of an area that is synthesized with a foreground of selected background data on an LCD 26 in a first magnification, a recording means for storing the object data selected by a shutter instruction in a nonvolatile memory to correlate with the selected background data, and a playing means for displaying as a still picture the object data stored in the nonvolatile memory and the background data correlated with the object data on the LCD 26 by applying a magnification varying process that is used to display the object data on the LCD 26 in a magnification smaller than the first magnification. |
| US08120789B2 |
Method and system for processing an electronic document using streaming optimization via programmatic analysis of XML use
A method for processing an electronic document may include performing a programmatic analysis to determine all required portions of an input document to produce an output document. The method may also include generating an executable transformer to produce the output document from the input document. The method may further include producing the output document by transforming any streamable parts of the input document directly to corresponding parts of the output document without extraneous intermediate buffering. |
| US08120783B2 |
Biosensing apparatus and method using optical interference
A label-free interferometric biosensor is disclosed which is based on the self-mixing optical interferometer. Inside the biosensor, an incoming beam is divided into two beam portions which pass through a channel and bio materials, respectively. Interference of the portions is realized by the self-mixing effect and used to detect existence of an analyte, such as DNA or protein molecules. The label-free biosensor is compact and can be made on a chip using the semiconductor technology. It is also convenient to use due to moderate alignment requirement. Furthermore, an array of the interferometers fabricated on a chip enables high-throughput and highly parallel measurements. |
| US08120781B2 |
Interferometric systems and methods featuring spectral analysis of unevenly sampled data
In certain aspects, interferometry methods are disclosed that include providing one or more interferometry signals for a test object, wherein the interferometry signals correspond to a sequence of optical path difference (OPD) values which are not all equally spaced from one another because of noise, providing information about the unequal spacing of the sequence of OPD values, decomposing each of the interferometry signals into a contribution from a plurality of basis functions each corresponding to a different frequency and sampled at the unequally spaced OPD values, and using information about the contribution from each of the multiple basis functions to each of the interferometry signals to determine information about the test object. |
| US08120779B2 |
Optical coherence imaging systems having a mechanism for shifting focus and scanning modality
Some embodiments of the present invention provide adapters for use in posterior imaging systems. The adapters include lens set configured to adapt the posterior imaging system to operate as an anterior imaging system. Related optical coherence tomography systems and anterior imaging systems are also provided herein. |
| US08120769B2 |
Method and system for fiber properties measurement
A fiber measurement system for precision measurement of individual fiber properties, including length and fiber length distribution is provided. The fiber measurement system includes a fiber introduction system configured to introduce a plurality of individualized fibers. A fiber guidance enclosure is configured to receive the fibers from the fiber introduction system. The fiber guidance enclosure has an enclosed pathway and a viewing area. The viewing area has a height that limits mobility of the fibers in a Z-direction and the viewing area has a width that is wider than the enclosed pathway. A sensing system is provided for detecting the presence of the fibers within the fiber guidance enclosure. An imaging system is positioned proximal the viewing area of the fiber guidance enclosure to capture an image of the individualized fiber as the fibers pass through the viewing area. A controller is provided for analyzing the image data to determine at least one property of the fibers. |
| US08120768B2 |
Method and system for standardizing microscope instruments
Methods and apparatus for standardizing quantitative measurements from a microscope system. The process includes a calibration procedure whereby an image of a calibration slide is obtained through the optics of the microscope system. The calibration slide produces a standard response, which can be used to determine a machine intrinsic factor for the particular system. The machine intrinsic factor can be stored for later reference. In use, images are acquired of a target sample and of the excitation light source. The excitation light source sample is obtained using a calibration instrument configured to sample intensity. The calibration instrument has an associated correction factor to compensate its performance to a universally standardized calibration instrument. The machine intrinsic factor, sampled intensity, and calibration instrument correction factor are usable to compensate a quantitative measurement of the target sample in order to normalize the results for comparison with other microscope systems. |
| US08120762B2 |
Light guide and optical sensing module input device and method for making same
A light guide has a first surface and a second surface with diffractive structures. A slanted facet is provided at one corner of the light guide. The diffractive structures have concentric fringes centered near the slanted facet. Fringes are arranged such that a light beam directed from the first surface at a location P toward the second surface is diffracted by the fringes only if the beam encounters the diffractive structures at a certain direction. The diffracted beam is guided and exits through the slanted surface at an exiting angle, which is correlated to the location P. If the light guide is illuminated in such a way that when an object is present at the first surface, it changes the light intensity of the exiting light beam. By detecting the exiting angle and the change of light intensity, the location of the object can be determined. |
| US08120760B2 |
Method and apparatus for separating a composite liquid into at least two components and for determining the yield of at least one component
Method and Apparatus for predicting the yield of a selected cellular component from a composite blood product by sensing the movement of the separated cellular component or another component during expression from a separation container to a collection container to produce a signal indicative of the movement, and predicting the yield of the separated cellular component from the signal. |
| US08120747B2 |
Method for integrating LCD monitor circuitry
A method and a device for integrating LCD monitor circuitry using a single-layered printed circuit board so as to improve the productivity and reduce the cost of manufacturing LCD monitors. |
| US08120744B2 |
Liquid crystal cell assembly and liquid crystal cell manufacturing method
A liquid crystal cell assembly includes a first substrate member on which at least first electrodes are formed on each of cell regions which respectively correspond to liquid crystal cells and are arranged to be adjacent to each other, a second substrate member on which at least a second electrode opposing the first electrodes is formed on each cell region to correspond to each cell region of the first substrate member, and frame-like seal members which are arranged between the first substrate member and second substrate member, include common sides each formed by continuously connecting at least two adjacent side, are formed into frames that respectively define the cell regions, and bond the first and second substrate members. |
| US08120743B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and production method thereof
A production method of a liquid crystal display device that is constructed by placing liquid crystals between a first substrate and a second substrate. The production method includes a step of applying seal material onto the first substrate such that the seal material surrounds a liquid crystal filling area, and a step of bonding the first substrate and the second substrate together. The layer of the seal material is formed such that the thickness becomes smaller than the thickness of the liquid crystal layer in the portion corresponding to the display area when the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded together. |
| US08120735B2 |
Transflective liquid crystal display
Pixels of an LCD are divided into two sub-pixels, one for a reflective mode and one for a transmittive mode. The cell gaps of both sub-pixels are the same, improving fabrication ease. A novel photoalignment technique is used together with a shadow mask in an embodiment of the invention. Double exposure of the alignment layer with different orientations produces different alignment directions, thereby achieving the different LCD modes for the sub-pixels. |
| US08120732B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with different liquid crystal layer thicknesses corresponding to different color regions
A full-color lateral-electric-field LCD device has an organic transparent film having three different thicknesses for the pixels having RGB colors. The thicknesses dR, dG, dB of the organic transparent film and the representative wavelengths λR, λG and λB of the color filters satisfy the following relationship: dR:dG:dB≈λR:λG:λB. The different thicknesses provide different thicknesses for the LC layer, to improve the image quality of the LCD device in a slanted viewing direction. |
| US08120730B2 |
Hybrid polarizer
A hybrid polarizer includes an absorbing element having a first major surface and a second major surface. The hybrid polarizer also includes a first birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the first major surface of the absorbing element, the first birefringent reflective polarizer having a first pass axis and a first block axis. The hybrid polarizer further includes a second birefringent reflective polarizer disposed on the second major surface of the absorbing element, the second reflective polarizer having a second pass axis and a second block axis. |
| US08120727B2 |
Array substrate of TFT-LCD and a method for manufacturing the same
The present invention relates to an array substrate of TFT-LCD and Method for manufacturing the same. The array substrate includes: gate lines, data lines, pixel electrodes and TFTs formed on a substrate; and a grid graph formed on each of the pixel electrode to make each of the pixel electrodes be simultaneously a built-in polarizer and change natural lights into linear polarized lights. The method for manufacturing an array substrate includes: forming a graph including gate electrodes and gate lines on a substrate; depositing continuously a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer and a doped semiconductor layer, and forming graphs of semiconductor layers and doped semiconductor layers above the gate electrodes; forming graphs of source electrodes, drain electrodes, data lines and pixel electrodes, in which a grid graph formed on each of the pixel electrode to make each of the pixel electrodes be simultaneously a built-in polarizer and change natural lights into linear polarized lights. In the present invention, there is no need to attach polarizer of absorption type to the array substrate after being disposed with the color filter substrate as a cell, thereby reducing the production cost of the TFT-LCD, and which is propitious to reduce the thickness of the TFT-LCD and increase the power utilization efficiency greatly of LCD. |
| US08120722B2 |
Display device with a bottom chassis
A display device may include a display panel, at least one optical sheet on the display panel, a light guide plate on the at least one optical sheet, and a bottom chassis having a side surface part on which the display panel is seated, an inner side part having at least one step from the side surface part, the at least one optical sheet and the light guide plate being in the inner side part. |
| US08120721B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
It is an object to provide a liquid crystal display device which has excellent viewing angle characteristics and higher quality. The present invention has a pixel including a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a first resistor, a second resistor, a first liquid crystal element, and a second liquid crystal element. A pixel electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a signal line through the first switch. The pixel electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a pixel electrode of the second liquid crystal element through the second switch and the first resistor. The pixel electrode of the second liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a Cs line through the third switch and the second resistor. A common electrode of the first liquid crystal element is electrically connected to a common electrode of the second liquid crystal element. |
| US08120715B2 |
Torque limiter, display screen turning apparatus comprising torque limiter and television set including torque limiter
This torque limiter includes a first rotating member integrally provided with a plurality of fragment portions in a concentric manner and having a spring storage portion enclosed with the plurality of fragment portions, a second rotating member having a lid portion arranged to cover the spring storage portion of the first rotating member and a fit portion fitted with the outer peripheral surfaces of the plurality of fragment portions of the first rotating member and a spring member press-fitted into the spring storage portion enclosed with the inner peripheral surfaces of the plurality of fragment portions of the first rotating member thereby bringing the plurality of fragment portions into pressure contact with the fit portion of the second rotating member, for transmitting driving torque in response to pressure contact force applied by the spring member. |
| US08120707B2 |
UFD-accomodating multimedia system
The present disclosure relates to display devices, external storage devices and methods of operating the same. In some embodiments, a display device that detects a coupling with an external media device is provided. Before device coupling, the display device displays a video signal from a first source. In response to the detected coupling, the display device may mix or superimpose a video signal received from the external storage device with the video signal from the first source. In some embodiments, a multi-mode external storage device that provides a file download mode, a video menu mode, and a content display mode is disclosed. The external storage device is operative to couple with different types of hosts via a multi-use device port. In response to a detected coupling with a host display device, the external storage device adopts the menu mode, which allows a user to select a given content item for display and/or playback. |
| US08120706B1 |
Video system and method for automatic size and position adjustment according to the incoming stream
We describe and claim a video system and method for automatic size and position adjustment according to the incoming stream. A detection module detects a size and a position of video including an aspect ratio of video on at least one channel of at least one video input source. An execution module adjusts a scale mode responsive to the detection of the size and position or aspect ratio of the video. Once the aspect ratio has been detected and the scale mode adjusted responsive to the detection, video is provided to the display of a display device. The detection and execution modules crop unintentional vertical blanking interval (VBI) lines from upconverted video signals. An on screen display includes a selection for active management that provides for automatic detection of size and position information, or a manual control mode for selection by the user. |
| US08120704B2 |
Image display apparatus, signal processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer program product
An image display apparatus includes an interlaced-to-progressive converter configured to receive input of interlaced signals and to convert the interlaced signals into progressive signals including interpolated pixels generated by interpolation; a level converter configured to adjust output levels of the interpolated pixels included in the progressive signals generated by the interlaced-to-progressive converter; and a display unit employing a frame-holding display method, configured to output an image obtained through the level conversion by the level converter. |
| US08120701B2 |
Modular portable motion control system
A modular portable motion control camera system includes one or more motion control blocks that are connected together directly to each other, connected together with connecting hardware, or connected to other equipment to be moved by the motion control block to create robotic camera control systems. Each motion control block has its own mechanics, servo motor, control circuitry, and interface connections. The motion control blocks are networked together and controlled with a computer running custom motion control software to allow complex individual or synchronous control. Each motion control block includes a body with a rotating motorized plate. Inside the body each motion control block has its own motor control circuitry, servo motor, and gears to bring motion from the motor to the rotating motorized plate. Electrical connectors are inserted into the body to provide all the necessary electrical connections. Mounting tabs on each end of the body have evenly spaced threaded holes and countersunk through holes. Through these mounting tabs and holes, the motion control block easily mounts to other motion control blocks, to accessories, or to anything object or equipment user wishes to attach it to. The rotating motorized plate has threaded mounting holes and alignment grooves so that other parts and accessories can be easily attached and aligned. |
| US08120700B2 |
Image sensor power supply
An image sensor may have a power supply voltage regulator controlled by a feedback loop. The feedback signal may be derived by applying the supply voltage at a point distant from the voltage regulator to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which may be a spare channel of an ADC provided for the output of the pixel array. The digital feedback loop may be controlled via a chip I2C bus. |
| US08120695B2 |
Camera module having a lens barrel holder including a protrusion inserted in a recess in a sidewall of the lens barrel and providing good coaxiality
A camera module includes a lens barrel assembly and a lens holder. The lens assembly includes a lens barrel and a lens received in the lens barrel. The lens include an optical axis. The lens barrel defines a recess in a sidewall of the lens barrel. The barrel holder includes a peripheral sidewall, an inner flange formed on an inner surface of the peripheral sidewall, and a protrusion extending from the inner flange. The peripheral sidewall of the barrel holder is threadedly engaged with the lens barrel. The protrusion extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis and is inserted in the recess. |
| US08120691B2 |
Image capturing appatatus and method for use in a mobile terminal
Provided are an image capturing apparatus and method for use in a mobile terminal. The image capturing method includes when an image capturing menu is selected during a preview operation, pausing the preview operation; releasing an image sub-processing of the preview operation; and resuming the preview operation and capturing the image. Accordingly, the mobile terminal can minimize the difference between the preview operation stop time and the capture time, which may be generated by the data processing time increased during capturing the image at high pixel resolution. Therefore, the mobile terminal can provide the captured image naturally. |
| US08120687B2 |
Signal reading method, signal reading circuit, and image sensor
A signal reading method successively outputs a read signal by scanning a voltage value of an integrating capacitor in an image sensor in which a plurality of sensor parts are arranged in a two-dimensional array made up of rows and columns and each sensor part includes the integrating capacitor accumulating a charge obtained by integrating a photocurrent output from a sensor. A first integration of the photocurrent using the integrating capacitor and a first sampling and holding using a sample and hold capacitor are performed in a first time interval, during a time of one frame made up of the first through third time intervals. A second integration of the photocurrent using the integrating capacitor is performed in the second time interval, and processes in the first and second time intervals are performed in common with respect to all of the sensor parts simultaneously. A vertical scan is started by selecting the row in an order starting from a first row. |
| US08120684B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device and method of manufacturing same
Disclosed herein is a solid-state image pickup device including: a photoelectric conversion section configured to convert incident light into a signal charge; a transfer transistor configured to read the signal charge from the photoelectric conversion section and transfer the signal charge; and an amplifying transistor configured to amplify the signal charge read by the transfer transistor, wherein a compressive stress film having a compressive stress is formed on the amplifying transistor. |
| US08120683B1 |
High resoultion digital imaging apparatus
An integrated application specific integrated circuit having a detection layer, a time delayed integration capability, data acquisition electronics, and a readout function is provided for detecting breast cancer in women. The detection layer receives x-ray radiation and converts the received energy to electron pairs, one of which is received by pixels. The time delay integration is on the chip and a part of the readout architecture. The detector may be a hybrid silicon detector (SiPD), a CdZnTe detector, or a GaAs detector. |
| US08120679B2 |
Image processing method
An image processing method for executing edge enhancement for an original image includes: extracting edge components based upon the original image; correcting the extracted edge components by attenuating the individual edge components so that a frequency distribution related to intensity of the edge components approximates a Gaussian distribution assuming a specific width; and executing edge enhancement for the original image based upon the corrected edge components. |
| US08120675B2 |
Moving image recording/playback device
A moving image recording/playback device records a moving image of a subject. In the case of recording, the moving image recording/playback device sequentially outputs a plurality of image frames that constitute the moving image at a predetermined frame rate and, for the plurality of image frames, records whole image frames at intervals of a predetermined number of frames and partly records other image frames, onto at least one recording medium. In the case of playback, when reading a partly recorded image frame, the moving image recording/playback device generates a display frame from the partly recorded image frame and a recorded whole image frame. |
| US08120672B2 |
Digital camera for recording a still image while shooting a moving image
In a digital camera, when snapshot shooting is instructed during recording of a moving image, a shot still image is temporarily pushed aside in a memory area for use in pushing aside (7a) in a frame buffer (7). A currently shooting motion image and a still image are displayed in parallel on a display (9), so that a user can confirm a content of a snapshot. The moving image continues to be recorded even during a push-aside operation. After a moving image processing is completed, the still image is processed by an image correcting circuit (4). The frame buffer (7) comprises a plurality of frame recording areas, and is shared on the occasions of a moving image processing and a still image processing. In a normal moving image processing, these areas are utilized in a cyclic manner, and when the still image is shot, any of areas will be utilized. Thereafter, the rest of areas are utilized in the cyclic manner for the moving images. The recording function for the moving image and still image is improved at low cost, it becomes easy to take a snapshot, and the merchandise size is not increased. |
| US08120669B2 |
Digital camera with reduced image buffer memory and minimal processing for recycling through a service center
A digital camera system in which capture, processing and storage functions are partitioned differently than in existing systems. A hand-held digital camera is used with a workstation that may exist in a commercial image processing service center. A minimal amount of image data processing is performed in the digital camera, thereby allowing significant digital camera cost reductions due to lower memory requirements, lower processing requirements, and lower power requirements. Real-time single pass image compression techniques are employed within this digital camera to permit rapid gathering and storage of raw or minimally processed image data. The workstation to which the image data are transferred performs the image processing normally done within existing cameras. This processing takes advantage of the increased computational power that is possible to have in such a workstation, compared to that of a small camera, and the increased time over which such processing may be performed. |
| US08120666B2 |
Image pickup apparatus
An image pickup apparatus including a chromatic aberration of magnification correction device to correct chromatic aberration of magnification of an image by converting coordinates of pixel data of multiple color components of the image using multiple first coordinate conversion memories corresponding to the multiple color components and a distortion correction device to correct distortion of the image corrected with regard to the chromatic aberration of magnification by converting coordinates of the pixel data of multiple color components of the image at one time using a second coordinate conversion memory shared by the multiple color components. |
| US08120664B2 |
Digital camera
This invention includes an imaging device that photographs a subject, a display device that has a display screen displaying image data photographed by the imaging device, a zoom device that varies the display screen, an extraction device that extracts a predetermined feature portion from image data photographed by the imaging device, a directive device that directs the display device so as to display a predetermined feature portion extracted by the extraction device in a predetermined form, and a controller that controls the directive device so as not to direct a display on the display device in accordance with the varying magnification of the zoom device. Namely, an icon of the extraction result is not displayed while the zoom is in action, so that it can avoid an inappropriate display in which the icon display does not correspond to a photographed subject due to the subject's quick movement or a sudden change in its size within a picture frame. |
| US08120662B2 |
System and method for efficiently transferring data from an electronic camera device
A system and method for efficiently transferring data from an electronic camera device includes a camera device that is configured to capture image data and temporarily store the image data into an economical limited local buffer memory. A transfer manager from the camera device may then periodically arbitrate for access to a wireless communications network, and may transfer the captured image data from the buffer memory to a designated data destination, such as an image service on a distributed computer network like the Internet. A system user may then efficiently access the transferred image data from a dedicated storage location on the data destination by utilizing any appropriate data-access device, such as a personal computer device or a portable electronic device. |
| US08120661B2 |
Image stabilizer
A method for digital video image stabilization, the method including: estimating, from at least one portion of a frame, global frame displacement between an initial reference digital video frame and a current frame in a video sequence of frames; verifying, for the entire frame, the validity of the estimated frame displacement; and compensating for the estimated frame displacement by aligning at least one frame in the sequence with respect to the initial reference frame; wherein the step of aligning includes producing a corrected motion vector for the frame to be aligned and displacing the frame within the video frames sequence in accordance with the corrected motion vector. |
| US08120654B2 |
Device and method for detecting defect on end face of glass sheet
A device for detecting a defect on the end face of a glass sheet is provided with: an image pick-up device having at least two CCD cameras for image-picking up the end face of the glass sheet from outside the glass sheet and in two directions diagonal to both front and back surfaces thereof; an illuminating device having a nearly C-shaped ring illumination capable of applying illuminating light in its center axis direction and having an opening slit; and an image processing device for processing the image signals acquired from the CCD cameras to determine the quality of the end face. The glass sheet is loosely inserted in the opening slit so that the end face agrees with the center axis of the ring illumination; the illuminating light is applied to the end face; and the end face is image-picked up by the image pick-up device. The image signals thus acquired are processed by the image processing device, thereby detecting the presence/absence of the defect on the end face. |
| US08120652B2 |
System for controlling vehicle equipment
A system for automatically controlling vehicle equipment includes a controller to generate control signals. The control signals are derived based on information obtained from the image sensor as well as other detected parameters pertaining to the detected light source(s), the vehicle having the inventive control system, and the ambient environment. The control circuit may simply turn certain vehicle equipment, for example exterior lights, on or off, or change the brightness, aim, focus, etc. to produce various beam patterns that maximize the illuminated area in front of the vehicle without causing excessive glare in the eyes of other drivers. |
| US08120651B2 |
Video capture assembly
A video capture assembly is provided with a video recording device disposed inside a protective case. A device interface inside the case is coupled to a video input connector that protrudes outside said case. An image sensor is coupled via a flexible cable to the video input connector. |
| US08120648B2 |
Method for displaying stereoscopic image
The invention discloses a method for displaying a stereoscopic image, wherein the stereoscopic image includes a first-eye image and a second-eye image. The method is to firstly calculate a shift of the first-eye image with respect to the second-eye image. Then, the method moves the first-eye image for a length of a shift. Afterward, the method outputs the moved first-eye image and the second-eye image to display the stereoscopic image. Thereby, the parallax of the stereoscopic image is adjusted, so as to enhance the synthesizing effect of the stereoscopic image created. |
| US08120645B2 |
Stereo camera unit
An adjuster plate is provided between a front rail and a camera unit body having cameras. Pre-dimensioned positioning pins protrude from upper and lower surfaces of the adjuster plate. The positioning pins protruding from the upper surface of the adjuster plate are positioned by being fitted in pin fitting holes provided in the front rail. The positioning pins protruding from the lower surface of the adjuster plate are positioned by being fitted in pin fitting holes provided in the camera unit body. Even when the positions of the pin fitting holes in the front rail are changed, it is possible to cope with the change by only changing the protruding positions of the positioning pins. |
| US08120644B2 |
Method and system for the dynamic calibration of stereovision cameras
The present invention generally provides a method of performing dynamic calibration of a stereo vision system using a specific stereo disparity algorithm adapted to provide for the determination of disparity in two dimensions, X and Y. In one embodiment of the present invention, an X/Y disparity map may be calculated using this algorithm without having to perform pre-warping or first finding the epipolar directions. Thus information related to camera misalignment and/or distortion can be preserved in the resulting X/Y disparity map and later extracted. |
| US08120640B2 |
Videophone apparatus
Between a display of a videophone apparatus and a cover thereof, there are disposed lenses 114, 116, 118 and a half mirror, having sufficiently small areas as compared to the surface areas of the display and the cover. The half mirror enables light from the display to transmit to the cover, and reflects light from the outside, so as to lead to a camera. The camera is disposed at a position at which the light reflected by the half mirror can be imaged. Lenses 114, 116 are disposed in opposite positions sandwiching the half mirror. Light from the display passes through lens 114, transmits through the half mirror, and further, passes through lens 116, so as to be led to the cover. Also, light from the cover passes through lens 116, and is reflected by the half mirror, and then passing through lens 118, so as to be led to the camera. |
| US08120638B2 |
Speech to text conversion in a videoconference
Various embodiments of a method for automatically converting audio speech in a videoconference into text information are described. According to one embodiment of the method, a videoconferencing device at a first endpoint in the videoconference may receive a stream of video information and audio information from a videoconferencing device at a second endpoint in the videoconference. The audio information includes speech of a participant at the second endpoint. The videoconferencing device at the first endpoint may automatically convert the speech into text information. |
| US08120635B2 |
Exposure head and an image forming apparatus
An exposure head, includes: a lens array that includes a light transmissive substrate whose length in a first direction is greater than a length thereof in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a first lens that is arranged on the light transmissive substrate, and a second lens that is arranged on the light transmissive substrate at the first direction of the first lens, the first lens and the second lens being connected in the first direction; and a head substrate that is provided with a first light emitting element that emits a light toward the first lens and a second light emitting element that emits a light toward the second lens. |
| US08120626B2 |
Flexible display device and method for changing display area
A display device to change an image displayed in a display area when the display area is changed includes a memory, a location output unit and a screen display unit. The memory stores size information of a display area displayed on a screen and the image data of the displayed image. The location computing unit computes a start point of the changed display area when the display area is changed. The display unit decodes data corresponding to the size of the display area based on the computed new start point from the image data to display the decoded data in the display area. Since the start point is obtained with center point of the changed display area and its size information and then a display area to be displayed is determined based on the start point, a current search location is maintained even when the screen is swung. |
| US08120622B2 |
Proxy direct 3-D device and remote rendering
Systems, methods and computer readable media are disclosed for an overlaying requester to send graphics commands to a game connected to the overlaying requester via a dummy graphics application programming interface (API) object that the game will render over normal game-play graphics. In addition to allowing the overlaying requester to send graphics commands to the game in general, the dummy graphics API object can also limit the extent of the interaction between the overlaying requester and the computerized gaming system. |
| US08120620B2 |
Graphics system and drawing method thereof
A graphics system including: a register storing data of a clipping frame of a frame buffer; a register storing offset data of a figure; a register storing data of a clipping frame of a stencil buffer that is larger than the clipping frame of the frame buffer and storing position data of a reference basing point, on a stencil buffer, for drawing a non-offset figure or an offset figure; and a pixel filling-in module for drawing onto a stencil buffer a masking determination result of a pixel relating to the figure on the basis of data of the clipping frame of the stencil buffer and the figure, and also drawing the non-offset figure or the offset figure onto the frame buffer by referring to the stencil buffer onto which the masking determination result is drawn, the position data of a reference basing point stored in the register, and the data of the clipping frame of the frame buffer. |
| US08120619B2 |
Character display device and character display method
The present invention is intended to speed up rendering that is performed in the course of displaying a document that contains both icons and characters. A character display device that displays a document containing both icons and characters includes: a searching unit that searches the position in the document where an icon appears, a counter unit that counts the number of characters which successively appear until the position where the icon appears searched by the searching unit; and a rendering unit that renders the same number of characters, which successively appear, as the number of characters counted by the counter after designating the attributes shared by the characters, and then renders the icon after designating the attributes of the icon. |
| US08120618B2 |
System and method for visualization of objects using energy minimization of customized potential functions
The present invention, an object display system, provides a system and method for positioning objects on a viewing area. One embodiment can be viewed as providing a method comprising the steps of specifying a plurality of objects, specifying a plurality of object pairs from the plurality of objects, specifying a potential function for each one of the specified object pairs, specifying a similarity value (s) for each one of the specified object pairs, determining an energy (e) for each one of the potential functions and solving for the minimum total energy (E) of the plurality of potential functions such that a distance (r) between each of the specified object pairs is determined. |
| US08120617B2 |
Color conversion with many input channels
A method and apparatus for color conversion useful for color devices having a large number of input channels, for example CMYK color printers having additional inks used to enhance the color printer's gamut. The color conversion is performed using a strata collection of look-up tables that stratify an n-dimensional color space into sets of lower dimensional subspaces. For lower dimension subspaces, the associated look-up tables may be closed, while for a higher dimension subspace, an associated look-up table may be open, leaving gaps in the subspace not enclosed by a look-up table. A color management module using the strata collection for color conversion may determine if a color conversion is for a color value that falls within a gap. If so, the color management module may use a relatively complex interpolation process. If not, the color management module may use a relatively simple interpolation process. |
| US08120614B2 |
Screen compression for mobile applications
One embodiment of the invention sets forth a technique for compressing and storing display data and optionally compressing and storing cursor data in a memory that is local to a graphics processing unit to reduce the power consumed by a mobile computing device when refreshing the screen. Compressing the display data and optionally the cursor data also reduces the relative cost of the invention by reducing the size of the local memory relative to the size that would be necessary if the display data were stored locally in uncompressed form. Thus, the invention may improve mobile computing device battery life, while keeping additional costs low. |
| US08120611B2 |
Information processing apparatus and information processing method
In an information processing apparatus (1) according to the invention, a GMCH (13) is connected to a CPU (11) through a CPU bus (12), and an ICH (15) is connected to the GMCH (13) through a dedicated bus (14). The GMCH (13) includes a graphics controller (131) which borrows a part of a memory (171) mounted to a memory card (17) in order to execute display processing. A graphics card (19) can be connected to the GMCH (13). In this case, a graphics controller (131) becomes a stop state. While the graphics card (19) is connected to the GMCH (13), the CPU (11) instructs the graphics controller (13) to execute processing other than display control processing, for example, processing such as MC and IDCT. As a result, it is possible to reduce a load applied to the CPU (11). |
| US08120605B2 |
Image apparatus for providing three-dimensional (3D) PIP image and image display method thereof
An image apparatus which provides a three-dimensional (3D) picture-in-picture (PIP) image, and an image display method thereof are provided. The image apparatus includes a graphic processor which adds a graphic representation to a main image to be displayed on a display, and a controller which controls the graphic processor to add a 3D form to the main image. Therefore, it is possible to provide a user with a single PIP image in which various sub-images are graphically represented in 3D. |
| US08120602B2 |
Flat panel display with clock being generated insider the data driver using XOR logic with the data signal and a second signal generated from the data signal using a encoding scheme as the two inputs that are transmitted to a clock generator inside the data driver
The plasma display panel device according to the present invention includes a the data driver that includesa data IC applying a driving signal to at least one address electrode and a data driver applying a driving data signal to the data IC to reduce EMI and ensure timing margin according to high rate switching operations of the plural switches included in the data IC, wherein the data driver generates a first synchronization signal if N−1th data is different from Nth data and maintains and applies the first synchronization signal to the data IC if the Nth data is different from N+1th data. |
| US08120601B2 |
Display drive apparatus, display apparatus and drive control method thereof
A display drive apparatus for driving a display pixel including a light-emitting element and a drive element in which one end of a current path is connected to the light-emitting element. The display drive apparatus has a specific value detection section detecting a difference value between a measured voltage detected at one end of a data line when a reference current is applied via the data line and a standard voltage corresponding to the reference current so as to obtain a specific value corresponding to variation of an element characteristic of the drive element, and a gradation signal correction section generating a corrected gradation signal by correcting a gradation signal according to display data based on the specific value so as to apply the corrected gradation signal from the one end of the data line to the display pixel. |
| US08120599B2 |
Method of automatically recovering bit values of control register and LCD drive integrated circuit for performing the same
A method of automatically recovering bit values of a control register includes storing command data inputted from a host in the control register and a portion of a graphic RAM (GRAM), and while a scanning operation is performed by the GRAM, outputting the command data stored in the GRAM to the control register and refreshing the control register. |
| US08120598B2 |
Low-leakage gate lines driving circuit for display device
A gates-line driving circuit of a display device includes a plurality of stages that are serially connected to each other, where each stage includes a plurality of transistors and a plurality of capacitors and receives a scanning start signal, a plurality of clock signals, and first and second gate-off voltages Voff1 and Voff2 of different magnitudes, where some of the transistors are turned off with the first gate-off voltage, and others of the transistors are turned off with the second gate-off voltage. |
| US08120594B2 |
Three-dimensional contact-sensitive feature for electronic devices
An electronic device is formed at least partially from a deflectable material that generates an electrical signal in response to contact. The first material is integrated with a display module to provide a shaped feature on the exterior surface of the display module. The shaped feature detects contact with an external object on one or more contact points, where contact with the contact points corresponds to a defined input for a processor of the electronic device. |
| US08120592B2 |
Touch sensing substrate and touch sensing liquid crystal display
A touch sensing substrate includes a substrate, first and second sensing series, a first dielectric layer, first and second dummy sensing series, a second dielectric layer, and a common electrode. The first sensing series are electrically insulated from each other, and so are the second sensing series. The first and the second sensing series are covered by the first dielectric layer. The first and the second dummy sensing series are disposed on the first dielectric layer. The first and the second dummy sensing series are disposed above the first and the second sensing series, respectively, and the dummy sensing series and the sensing series corresponding thereto have the same potential. The first and the second dummy sensing series are covered by the second dielectric layer. The common electrode is disposed on the second dielectric layer. A touch sensing liquid crystal display having the above-mentioned touch sensing substrate is also provided. |
| US08120581B2 |
Integrated control system with keyboard video mouse (KVM)
Methods and apparatus are provided for efficiently controlling source computers connected to a display system. A control computer, source computers, and a video processor are connected over a control network. Input signals such as keyboard and mouse input signals are provided to the video processor and the source computers through the control network. The source computers are also connected to the video processor through a video interface, such as multiple Digital Video Interface (DVI) lines. The use of a hybrid system allows flexibility in configuring and using the control network while providing high throughput and low latency for video sent to the video processor. |
| US08120578B2 |
Controller system and method for controlling a cursor
A controller for controlling a cursor includes an identifying module for identifying at least one of a first period when a cursor is in motion and a second period when the cursor is not in motion, and a calibrating module for calibrating an input parameter signal using a first hands-off test during the first period and a second hands-off test, different than the first hands-off test, during the second period. |
| US08120574B2 |
Storage medium storing game program and game apparatus
In the present invention, a strike determination range is set for an object in a game space. A straight line passing through coordinates in a three-dimensional space corresponding to coordinates on a touch panel input by a player, where a virtual camera is placed at the origin, is calculated. It is determined whether or not the straight line strikes an object in the game space. If the straight line strikes an object, the object is zoomed in and displayed. |
| US08120573B2 |
Color sequential timing controlling circuit and both color sequential display system and method thereof
In a line data sorting unit of a color sequential timing controlling circuit, inputted pixels/sub-pixels are buffered, sorted, and outputted. The pixels/sub-pixels are also sorted by a color data sorting unit according to the color sequential method and colors of sub-pixels so that a driving controller writes sorted sub-pixels of various colors onto a display panel within a short time variation to generate a full-color frame. The line data sorting unit buffers pixels/sub-pixels as a matrix, and loads the buffered pixels/sub-pixels line-by-line with respect to the matrix, where the pixels/sub-pixels are arranged and read in parallel according to sizes of lines of the matrix and a number of simultaneously-activated gate lines of a scanning driver. |
| US08120572B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel
In a liquid crystal display panel, each pixel unit includes first and second pixels, a first scan line coupled to the first pixel, and a second scan line coupled to the second pixel via an active element. During a first scan period, the first scan line, the second scan line and the active element are all activated to write a first voltage to the first and second pixels. During a second scan period, the first scan line remains activated but the second scan line and the active element are deactivated so that a second voltage is written to the first sub-pixel and the second sub-pixel is maintained at the first voltage. |
| US08120570B2 |
Systems and methods for tone curve generation, selection and application
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for calculating and selecting tone curves for image enhancement. |
| US08120568B2 |
Source driver structure for display and output control circuit thereof
The present invention discloses an source driver circuit scheme for displayer, which comprises a shifter register to register data signal, a line buffer coupled with said shifter register to latch the data signal, a level shifter coupled with line buffer to level output electrical potential, a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to convert digital signal to analog signal, an output buffer coupled with said digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to output converted signal, and an output control circuit coupled with output buffer. Said output control circuit comprises a D flip-flop and CMOS switching element to output a LP_out signal and control the data signal output of the source driver IC to avoid the power-on noise of the displayer. |
| US08120564B2 |
Low power driving method and driving signal generation method for image display apparatus
By a low power consumption driving method for an image display apparatus, unusual display may be prevented even if gate driving is not enough. When a rising edge of an output enable pulse is detected, a logic LOW gate driving signal is discharged to GND. When a falling edge of the output enable pulse is detected, the gate driving signal at GND is charged to logic HIGH. When a rising edge of the next output enable pulse is detected, the gate driving signal at logic HIGH is discharged to GND. When a falling edge of the next output enable pulse is detected, the gate driving signal at GND is charged to logic LOW. The image display apparatus is driven by the generated gate driving signals. |
| US08120553B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device
An organic light emitting diode display device and a driving method thereof are disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display device comprises: a display panel having an m-number of first data lines and an n-number of gate lines crossing each other, an m-number of second data lines and the n-number of gate lines crossing each other, pixels formed at common crossing regions, and an n-number of reset lines arranged corresponding to the n-number of gate lines one by one and connected to the adjacent pixels; a data driving circuit for converting input digital data into a real data voltage and an inverse data voltage and selectively supplying the real data voltage and the inverted data voltage to the first and second data lines; a gate driver for sequentially supplying scan pulses to the gate lines; and a reset pulse supply unit for sequentially supplying reset pulses to the reset lines. |
| US08120550B2 |
Edge emission electron source and TFT pixel selection
The present invention relates to a display device that employs edge emitters as a source for pixel electrons. The edge emitters allow the viewing glass plate to be made very small or eliminated, thereby substantially reducing the size of or eliminating the spacers typically utilized in conventional display devices and thereby enabling a simple and compact assembly structure. In one embodiment a pixel configuration comprises a phosphor area disposed between a plurality edge emitters, each of which are associated with tynes that are adapted to reduce the distance between the emitters and that separate the phosphor area into segments such that the emitters emit electrons when the voltage between a phosphor segment and the an emitter exceed a threshold voltage to cause the phosphor segment to emit light. |
| US08120546B2 |
Indefinite materials
A compensating multi layer material includes two compensating layers adjacent to one another. A multi-layer embodiment of the invention produces sub-wavelength near-field focusing, but mitigates the thickness and loss limitations of the isotropic “perfect lens.” An antenna substrate comprises an indefinite material. |
| US08120540B1 |
RF antenna system having low-power requirements for RFID tag communication
An RF antenna system for RFID tag communication includes a terminal and wire antennas extending therefrom. Each wire antenna has a first end electrically coupled to the terminal and a second end that is unencumbered. At least a portion of each wire antenna to include the second end thereof is flexible in at least one direction so that an RFID tag of an RFID-tagged object contacts at least one of the wire antennas. |
| US08120539B2 |
Antenna formed with case and method of manufacturing the same
There are provided an antenna integrally formed with a case and a method of manufacturing the same. An antenna integrally formed with a case according to an aspect of the invention includes: a case unit forming an exterior of an electronic device, a radiator comprising a radiation unit tightly fixed to an outer surface of the case unit and terminal units each extending from an end portion of the radiation unit, passing through the case unit, and exposed on the inside of the case unit, and contact pins provided on a board disposed in an interior space of the case unit and electrically connected to the individual terminal units. |
| US08120537B2 |
Inclined antenna systems and methods
In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, a method and system for designing an inclined antenna array with a hybrid mechanical-electronic steering system with improved radiation performances at low elevation angles is presented. In an exemplary embodiment, a radiating element structure is attached to a mounting surface and includes a patch antenna and a ground plane. The bottom edge of the patch antenna is farther from the mounting surface than the top edge of the patch antenna. If the radiating element structure is used in an inclined array antenna, then the patch antenna has an uncovered view of a low elevation angle. Furthermore, at least a portion of a patch antenna may be uncovered and have a clear view. A clear view of the low elevation angle results in increased directivity and increased polarization quality due to reduced signal scattering. |
| US08120536B2 |
Antenna isolation
A dual polarized antenna element having improved antenna isolation is disclosed by the present invention. The antenna element includes a first feeder for feeding the antenna element in a first polarization direction, and a second feeder for feeding the antenna element in a second polarization direction. According to the present invention, a compensation line is arranged between the first and the second feeders for compensating for an imbalance caused by an essentially capacitive coupling between the first and second feeders. The compensation line is connected to the first and second feeders in close proximity to a radiating part of said antenna element, and has a short electrical length θ and a high impedance relative to an impedance of the first and second feeders, respectively, thereby giving the compensation line an essentially inductive character. |
| US08120532B2 |
Beamforming RF circuit and applications thereof
A beamforming radio frequency (RF) circuit includes a plurality of antennas, a plurality of amplifiers and an adjust module. The plurality of antennas is operably coupled to interrelate a plurality of beamformed signal components with a beamformed signal. The plurality of amplifiers is operably coupled to interrelate the plurality of beamformed signal components with a plurality of adjusted signal components. The adjust module is operably coupled to interrelate coordinates of a signal with the plurality of adjusted signal components. |
| US08120531B2 |
Signal processing apparatus for multi-mode satellite positioning system and method thereof
A signal processing apparatus for a multi-mode satellite positioning system includes a band-pass filter, a local oscillator circuit, a first mixing circuit, a second mixing circuit, an analog-to-digital converter and a baseband circuit. By properly allocating a local frequency, radio frequency (RF) signals of a Global Positioning System (GPS), a Galileo positioning system and a Global Navigation System (GLONASS) are processed via a single signal path to save hardware cost. |
| US08120529B2 |
Method and apparatus for autonomous, in-receiver prediction of GNSS ephemerides
Methods and apparatus for autonomous in-receiver prediction of orbit and clock states of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are described. Only the GNSS broadcast message is used, without need for periodic externally-communicated information. Earth orientation information is extracted from the GNSS broadcast ephemeris. With the accurate estimation of the Earth orientation parameters it is possible to propagate the best-fit GNSS orbits forward in time in an inertial reference frame. Using the estimated Earth orientation parameters, the predicted orbits are then transformed into Earth-Centered-Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates to be used to assist the GNSS receiver in the acquision of the signals. GNSS satellite clock states are also extracted from the broadcast ephemeris and a parameterized model of clock behavior is fit to that data. The estimated modeled clocks are then propagated forward in time to enable, together with the predicted orbits, quicker GNSS signal acquision. |
| US08120523B2 |
Method of eliminating ground echoes for a meteorological radar
The present invention relates to a method of eliminating ground echoes for a meteorological radar. The ground echoes being received from a predetermined area by a radar, the radar illuminating, for a predetermined number R of transmission recurrences, the area over a number P of distance cells, the method includes a step for calculating a spatial statistical parameter of the cluttered echoes received by the radar in response to the recurrences over an analysis path for distance cells, and a step to compare the spatial variation level of the spatial statistical parameter along the analysis path, the echoes being considered to be ground echoes when the level of said variation is greater than a predetermined threshold. |
| US08120522B2 |
System and method for inspecting a wind turbine blade
A wind turbine blade inspection system includes a frequency modulated continuous wave radar system configured to be movable with respect to a wind turbine blade while transmitting reference microwave signals and receiving reflected microwave signals and a processor configured for using a synthetic aperture analysis technique to obtain a focused image of at least a region of the wind turbine blade based on the reflected microwave signals. |
| US08120517B2 |
Digital-analog conversion circuit and output data correction method of the same
A digital-analog conversion circuit includes a correction unit that adds a correction bit to a lower-order bit of externally input first digital input data and outputs second digital input data, and a conversion unit that receives the second digital input data and outputs an analog value, and the correction unit generates the second digital input data by manipulating data of a lower-order bit of the second digital input data around a point at which an error between the analog value and an expected value set for the first digital input data becomes larger than a preset value. |
| US08120515B2 |
Knowledge based encoding of data with multiplexing to facilitate compression
Methods, apparatuses, and articles of manufacture for encoding data and decoding encoded data based on one or more knowledge representation describing the data, which may include one or more finite automata; for multiplexing the encoded data, after encoding the data; and for de-multiplexing the encoded data, before decoding the encoded data, are described herein. |
| US08120514B2 |
Controller and electronic device using the same
An exemplary controller includes a transparent chamber, an opaque liquid, and four photoelectric sensors. The transparent chamber includes four pipe-shaped arms. The four pipe-shaped arms are in a common plane parallel to the vertical direction and extend away from a common end towards vertical up, horizontal left, vertical down, and horizontal right directions to form four closed distal ends when the controller is in a normal orientation. The opaque liquid is sealed within the transparent chamber so that an air bubble is formed within the transparent chamber. The four photoelectric sensors are U-shaped and cap the four closed distal ends respectively and are configured for detecting which closed distal end the air bubble is located, thereby outputting electrical signals to be coded as control signals. |
| US08120511B2 |
Stand-alone miniaturized communication module
A device for continuous measurement of the forces acting upon a movable compressible playable object is provided with at least one transmitter communicating with at least one receiver outside the movable object. The at least one receiver transforms signals received and evaluates them online. The movable compressible playable object, for instance a ball, includes at least one pressure sensor and/or at least one three-dimensional acceleration sensor as well as a converter for transforming signals therefrom to transmit them to the transmitter. A method for the use of this device causes activation of the transmitter in the movable object so that a system is created for the measurement of the forces acting upon such an object wherein the received measuring signals are present in evaluated form, online or offline, to be analyzed. By means of the activation method, the active sensor system is initiated to receive and transmit measuring signals. |
| US08120510B2 |
Data logging and transmitting device
A data logging device (1) that includes more than one communication devices (7), a stored instruction list (6), input ports (3), output ports (8), data buffers (4) and a processing unit (5); wherein: the data logging device (1) collects, processes and forwards data and/or predetermined signals to one or more external locations (10); the data/predetermined signal is independently transmitted to said one or more external locations (10) using one or more communication devices (7) and/or frequencies; such that, if a chosen communication device is not available, or cannot reliably transmit the data/predetermined signal to said one or more external locations (10), then the processing unit (5) consults the instruction list (6) and selects the next predetermined communication device (7), until transmission is successful or the instruction list (6) dictates another action. |
| US08120508B2 |
Cable link for a wellbore telemetry system
A cable link may include a first link connector in signal communication with at least one sensor in a drill string and coupled to the drill string, a second link connector spaced apart from the first link connector and in signal communication with a telemetry system, the second connector link coupled to the drill string, and a linking cable having signal connectors at each end thereof, the linking cable having at least one of an electrical conductor and an optical fiber therein, the signal connectors each configured to latch proximate a respective one of the first and second link connector. |
| US08120507B2 |
Two-tier streamer communication system
A two-tier communication system for a seismic streamer. The communication system operates over an unshielded twisted-pair communication line extending the length of the streamer. Repeater units having a repeater function and a device controller function divide the twisted pair into line segments. Coils on each segment couple signals inductively to collocated external devices in a low-speed 2400 baud FSK data link between the devices and an associated device controller. A Gaussian 8-level FSK high-speed 60 kbit/s data link is established along all the segments with the repeaters re-transmitting boosted signals along the entire length of the communication line. The coils are transparent at the high-speed data rate. Time division multiple access (TDMA) or frequency division multiple access (FDMA) is used to accommodate the two links on the single twisted pair. |
| US08120501B2 |
Window with built-in devices that senses carbon monoxide and opens itself powered by light
A window with built-in devices that senses carbon monoxide; powered only by the exterior daylight; that automatically opens by itself and sounds an alarm when a dangerous level of carbon monoxide is sensed to release the accumulated carbon monoxide and let the clean air with fresh oxygen enter the contaminated area to prevent or minimize poisoning and/or death of humans & animals without the need of any human physical action; the provided contacts can be connected to a private alarm station to alert the Fire & Police Departments to provide immediate assistance to the endangered humans & animals and protect the opened residence. |
| US08120499B2 |
Baby cord
The present invention, in one embodiment, is a belt like device comprised of two sections connected together with magnets. The free ends of the two sections can be equipped with clips for securing each section to either child or caregiver. When the caregiver gets out of the vehicle the magnets and their respective sections separate, and a tune, tone, song, or some other audible signal is played through a speaker on the device. The audible signal could be activated by the use of a magnetic sensor or magnetic switch. The audible signal would alert and remind the caregiver that a child is still in the vehicle. |
| US08120496B2 |
IC tag label
An IC tag label includes an inlet substrate, an IC chip protection sheet, 4 which is mounted on one surface of the inlet substrate 11 and an antenna pattern and an IC chip which are mounted on the other surface of the inlet substrate. An adhesive layer is mounted on the other surface of the inlet substrate to cover the antenna pattern and IC chip. An opening, which serves as a clearance for the IC chip, is formed in a portion of the IC chip protection sheet-4, the portion corresponding to the IC chip. |
| US08120493B2 |
Direct communication in antenna devices
Provided are a method, system, and device in which non-RF (radio frequency) data signals are transmitted to a non-RF data port connected to an antenna of a device. The non-RF data signals from the non-RF data port are coupled to a data bus using a low frequency coupler of the device. RF signals are blocked from the data bus using the low frequency coupler of the device. In another aspect, RF signals are transmitted to the antenna of the device and are coupled to an RF port using a high frequency coupler of the device. Non-RF data signals are blocked from the RF port using the high frequency coupler. Additional embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08120491B2 |
Wheeled vehicle mounted with RFID tag, RFID tag, speed measurement system, and speed measurement method
An RFID tag having a memory portion for holding information on a wheeled vehicle is mounted on the wheeled vehicle, and an external interrogator and the RFID tag exchange information with each other. Further, an RFID tag having a memory portion for holding information on a wheeled vehicle and a communication device for exchanging information with the RFID tag are set on the wheeled vehicle. When the external interrogator and the RFID tag exchange information with each other, the communication device holds information of a situation, for example, speed information, information on date and time, and the like in the memory portion in the RFID tag. |
| US08120487B2 |
Power-saving wireless input device and system
A power-saving wireless input device and an associated system are included. The wireless input device comprises an antenna, an RFID transponder, an energy-storing unit, and a sensing unit. The RFID transponder receives an AC signal via the antenna, and converts the AC signal into a DC signal. The energy-storing unit receives the DC signal for charging. The sensing unit, which is powered by the energy-storing unit, generates an input signal to the RFID transponder. The RFID transponder demodulates the AC signal to generate a request signal, and performs load modulation according to the input signal to generate a reply signal in response to the request signal. The reply signal is then transmitted via the antenna. |
| US08120486B2 |
Methods and systems for tracking RFID devices
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for tracking and monitoring tagged objects in an RFID environment is described. By varying RFID reader antenna output power levels and detecting RFID devices in the vicinity, data about position and orientation of the RFID devices can be gathered. This gathered data is used to correlate with pre-stored data about RFID devices' position and orientation. Such a correlation then can be used to infer data about neighboring RFID devices based upon data stored in the database. Such an inferential technique also results in a faster analysis of position and orientation data of RFID devices, and also leads to faster tracking of RFID enabled devices. Unnecessary reads and high power operations of the RFID reader are also avoided. |
| US08120482B2 |
System and method of enhanced RFID transport device sensor network
A mobile sensor system and method for managing inventory of a store includes at least one radio frequency identification (RFID) scanner for receiving readings from RFID tags, at least one external sensors for detecting at least one external events other than RF signals from the RFID tags, and a processor configured to update an RFID database for storing the readings from the RFID tags, wherein the update is based on a correlation function of the readings from the RFID tags and the external events detected at the at least one external sensors. |
| US08120481B2 |
Emergency services notification station and door unlock device
When a person believes that he/she is having a heart attack, a pendant (or other communications device) can be activated to communicate an emergency services request signal to an emergency services notification station (e.g., that houses an AED). Once the emergency services notification station receives the emergency services request signal, the emergency services notification station can notify anyone in the area of the pending emergency (e.g., by sounding a siren and/or flashing a light and/or vibrating). The emergency services notification station can utilize an address display such that someone passing by is informed of the address of the person that needs assistance. |
| US08120480B2 |
Sensing circuit board communications module assembly
Methods, devices, and systems for electronic wireless communication in circuits for monitoring one or more activities of an individual are disclosed. One circuit board assembly embodiment includes a carrier board portion having a module contact pattern to electrically connect a module, selected from a plurality of different module types each having a contact pattern that corresponds to the module contact pattern of the carrier board portion, to a number of electrical components attached to the carrier board portion; a sensor portion for sensing one or more activities of an individual, the sensor portion electrically connected to the carrier board portion; and a communications module portion selected from the plurality of different module types, wherein the module portion has a contact pattern that corresponds to the module contact pattern and wherein the communications module portion is electrically connected to the carrier board portion via the module contact pattern. |
| US08120479B2 |
Vehicular instrument device and vehicle with vehicular instrument device
A vehicular display device that includes a transmissive first liquid crystal display unit having a plurality of display elements; a transmissive second liquid crystal display unit superposed on the first liquid crystal display unit and having a plurality of display elements; and a controller for controlling the display elements of the first second liquid crystal display units, so as to display information required by a driver of the vehicle. The information displayed by the display elements includes at least first information indicative of a status of the vehicle, second information for confirming an operating setting of a vehicle-mounted device on the vehicle, and third information for indication to the driver. The controller controls the display elements to selectively display the information by selectively energizing and de-energizing the display elements, and further controls the display elements to simultaneously display the information in a non-overlapping manner. |
| US08120477B2 |
Flexdoor status display
A method is provided for displaying a closed state of a motor vehicle door which can adopt at least two closed states depending on driving speed, in particular a motor vehicle door, that includes, but is not limited to two door leaves which open in opposite directions to one another, that also includes, but is not limited to a lock for achieving the closed states on an electromechanical basis. The method has the steps of, without limitation, detecting an actual closed state of the motor vehicle door and signaling the actual closed state of the motor vehicle door. A status display is also provided that carries out the method, a locking system with a status display is provided, and a motor vehicle door is provided with a locking system. |
| US08120475B2 |
Security-feature-equipped on-vehicle device and security-feature control method of on-vehicle device
A security-feature-equipped on-vehicle device includes: a vibration detection unit that detects vibration; an alarm sound output unit that outputs a predetermined alarm sound from a speaker; and an alarm sound control unit that going outs from a sleep mode to move into a warning mode when vibration is detected for the first time by the vibration detection unit, causes the alarm sound output unit to output the alarm sound at a predetermined first volume level, shifts from the warning mode into an alarm mode when vibration is detected for the second time within a predetermined time period, and causes the alarm sound output unit to output the alarm sound at a predetermined second volume level higher than the first volume level. |
| US08120473B2 |
Smart modem device for vehicular and roadside applications
A method and system are provided in which maintenance vehicles collect information from sensors and operators, forward the collected information to a server, and, in response, receive maps and operator instructions. |
| US08120472B2 |
Car security alarm device
A portable alarm device (100) for guarding a car (200) or another mobile object having a lockable compartment against theft or burglary, comprising: a housing (1) having at least one opening (2) and a microphone (4) therein for detecting infrasound; electrical circuitry (5) within housing (1) for processing signals and for transmitting an alarm signal on the detection of a forced entry; and a built-in power supply (7), i.e. batteries. The housing (1) is provided with steering features (2,9,11) for ensuring the existence of an unobstructed air path to opening(s) (2) regardless of the orientation and position assumed by the alarm device (100) being put rapidly into the coupe of the car by a staff member. The steering features may be legs (9) proximate to opening (2), a grating (10) surrounding opening (2), or alternatively surrounding the entire housing (1), or may be comprised of a number of openings in housing (1), spaced around the housing. |
| US08120470B2 |
Method of and apparatus for controlling electronic appliance
An edge signal extractor generates an edge signal according to a sound wave generated for controlling the electronic appliance. According to the edge signal, an edge pulse generator generates an edge pulse. If a predetermined number of such edge signals are generated, a controller displays, on a display of the electronic appliance, one of menu images associated with control operations of the electronic appliance in an active state. The controller alternately displays, in an active state, the menu images on the display at predetermined intervals. When the edge pulse is generated, the controller carries out the control operation associated with the presently displayed menu image with respect to an electronic appliance. |
| US08120467B2 |
Mobile portal for RFID applications
A mobile portal for RFID applications includes an RFID reader for reading identifications of proximately located RFID tagged items in the environment. A communicator is coupled to the RFID reader to receive the read identifications and then communicate the received read identifications over the wireless interface, through one of the gateways, to the central data processing system. Each mobile portal may be actuated for RFID read operations in response to information sensed concerning operation of the mobile asset/vehicle. Additionally, the central data processing system may issue instructions concerning mobile asset/vehicle operation, with those instructions communicated over the wireless interface to the mobile portal. Responsive to implementation of those instructions, the mobile portal actuates the RFID reader and compares the read identifications to identifications of certain RFID tagged items to be manipulated which were identified in the received instruction. |
| US08120464B2 |
RFID reader and method for removing a transmission carrier leakage signal
A radio frequency identification (RFID) reader is provided, having a transmitting circuit that generates a transmitted signal to operate an RFID tag, a receiving circuit that receives a received signal including a tag signal from the RFID tag and a transmission carrier leakage signal leaking from the transmitting circuit, and a leakage removing circuit that senses a phase and amplitude of the transmission carrier leakage signal inputted to the receiving circuit, converts the transmitted signal from the transmitting circuit into a signal having a phase opposite to that of the transmission carrier leakage signal and an amplitude equal to that of the transmission carrier leakage signal, and synthesizes the converted signal and the received signal inputted to the receiving circuit. |
| US08120463B2 |
RFID protocol for improved tag-reader communications integrity
The present invention provides a means by which the reliability of communication between any RFID reader and tag in an RFID system is improved by using an “interleaved parity” algorithm. The improved reliability is obtained by computing, on one RFID device, an interleaved parity code for a message, sending the message with the code from the RFID device, receiving the message on the other RFID device which computes another interleaved parity code for the received message. The two parity codes are compared and if the codes are the same, the message can be parsed and interpreted. If the codes indicate that one bit of the message is incorrect, the incorrect bit is corrected and the message is parsed and interpreted. Otherwise, a request for a new message is sent to the RFID device, and, if appropriate, an indication of two erroneous bits is also sent. |
| US08120458B2 |
Ferrite core and transformer using the same
A ferrite core includes an end face portion, a pair of outer legs protruding from the end face portion, and a center leg protruding from the end face portion between the pair of outer legs. A width W1 close to one end portion of the center leg in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to a facing direction of the outer legs is smaller than a width W2 close to the other end portion. According to this configuration, a circuit component may be positioned close to the end portion. A transformer includes the ferrite core. |
| US08120457B2 |
Current-controlled variable inductor
A variable inductor comprises one or more magnetic cores providing magnetic flux paths. An inductor coil is wound around one or more inductor sections of the one or more magnetic cores. An inductor magnetic flux flows through one or more closed flux paths along the inductor sections of the magnetic core. A control coil is wound around one or more control sections of the one or more magnetic cores. A control magnetic flux flows through one or more closed flux paths along the control sections of the magnetic core. Under this arrangement, the inductor magnetic flux substantially does not flow through the control sections of the magnetic core and the control magnetic flux substantially does not flow through the inductor sections of the magnetic core. The closed flux paths associated with the inductor magnetic flux and the closed flux paths associated with the control magnetic flux share one or more common sections of the magnetic core not including the control sections and inductor sections. The inductance of said variable inductor is varied by varying said control magnetic flux. |
| US08120455B2 |
Transformer structure
A transformer includes a case, a magnetic device and a thermally conductive layer. The case has a receptacle. The magnetic device is disposed within the receptacle, and includes a winding member and a magnetic core assembly. The thermally conductive layer is arranged between the magnetic device and the case for electrically isolating the magnetic device from the case. The heat generated by the magnetic device is transferred to the case through the thermally conductive layer and dissipated away to ambient air. |
| US08120454B2 |
Electromagnetic actuating device
An electromagnetic actuating device comprising an armature unit which can be moved along a longitudinal axis relative to a stationary core by passing a current through a coil device, said armature unit being designed to form or define a fluid flow channel, wherein the armature unit has at one end an axially elongate cylindrical section, to which an annular groove-shaped section of reduced outer diameter is connected in the direction of the longitudinal axis, wherein the fluid flow channel extends into the annular groove-shaped section, wherein the fluid flow channel runs through the elongate cylindrical section in the manner of a through-channel, in particular a through-bore, running obliquely with respect to the longitudinal axis, so that a first opening at the end side and/or an opposite second opening of the through-channel are provided outside the cylindrical outer wall of the elongate section. |
| US08120449B2 |
Magnetically tunable filter with coplanar lines
The invention relates to a magnetically tunable filter having a filter housing and having two tunable resonator spheres which comprise magnetizable material and are arranged next to one another in two filter branches. Each filter branch comprises a coplanar line arranged on a substrate layer and extending in the direction of an electrical connection, as well as a common coupling opening so that the two filter branches are connected to one another. A resonator sphere is respectively positioned on each side of the coupling opening inside the two filter branches. |
| US08120446B2 |
Electronic component
An electronic component includes a layered substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers stacked, and three resonators provided within the layered substrate. One of the three resonators includes resonator-forming conductor layers of a first type and a second type that each have a short-circuited end and an open-circuited end, relative positions of the short-circuited end and the open-circuited end being reversed between the first and second types. The resonator-forming conductor layers of the first type and the second type are arranged to be adjacent to each other in a direction in which the plurality of dielectric layers are stacked. |
| US08120445B2 |
Planar EMI filter comprising coreless spiral planar windings
An EMI filter for use between a power source and an electronic product is formed of at least one planar element including a pair of opposed coreless spiral planar windings, and a planar capacitor. This enables the integration of common mode and differential mode filters into integrated planar structures. Furthermore the planar EMI filter may be combined with an active filter element to provide a hybrid EMI filter comprising both passive and active elements with superior performance. |
| US08120443B2 |
Radiofrequency or hyperfrequency circulator
A circulator with at least three ports (p1, p2, p3) comprises two identical electromechanical micro-switches of the series type (MEMS1, MEMS2) formed on the same substrate, a first micro-switch being disposed in order to allow the transmission of a radiofrequency or microwave signal from an input port (p1) to a port (p2) designed to be connected to an antenna, a second micro-switch being disposed in order to allow the signal transmission between the port (p2) designed to be connected to an antenna and said output port. Application to a radiofrequency or microwave telecommunications system. |
| US08120442B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes transmission lines for conveying signals and transition detectors, each of which checks whether a transmission signal on each of the plurality of transmission lines is transited. If the signal is transited, its transition shape is detected. A signal mode determining unit determines signal transmission modes between adjacent transmission lines in response to output signals from the plurality of transition detectors. Delay units are coupled to the respective transmission lines for adjusting transmission delays of the transmission signals depending on corresponding output signal from the signal mode determining units. |
| US08120436B2 |
System and method for implementing an oscillator
In one embodiment, a system for generating an oscillating signal includes a transconductance amplifier comprising a single-ended output and a differential input. The system also includes only one feedback loop coupled to the transconductance amplifier. The feedback loop includes a low pass filter configured to receive the output of the transconductance amplifier. Also, the feedback loop includes a high pass filter configured to receive the output of the first low pass filter and output a signal to only one terminal of the differential input of the transconductance amplifier. |
| US08120429B1 |
Voltage-controlled oscillator methods and apparatus
Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a clock signal with relatively high bandwidth and relatively low phase noise. A circuit of the invention can include a pair of transistors serially coupled between a signal of relatively high voltage and a source of relatively low voltage, where a voltage of the signal of relatively high voltage can vary according to a voltage of a variable control signal. A gate of one of the pair of transistors can be coupled to an input clock signal, and an output node between the pair of transistors can be coupled to an output clock signal. The circuit can also include a third transistor, whose drain and source are coupled to the output clock signal, and whose gate can be coupled to a gear input signal. This circuit can advantageously operate under at least two different gears, each with different bandwidth and phase noise characteristics. |
| US08120427B2 |
Circuit arrangement and method for power regulation and amplifier arrangement
A circuit arrangement and method for power regulation and an amplifier arrangement for power regulation are described. |
| US08120425B2 |
System and method for common mode translation
System and method for common mode translation in continuous-time sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters. An embodiment includes a loop filter having an RC network coupled to a differential signal input, a Gm-C/Quantizer/DAC circuit (GQD) coupled to the loop filter, a common-mode level adjust circuit coupled to signal inputs of the GQD, and a tuning circuit coupled to the GQD and the common-mode level adjust circuit. The GQD evaluates an input signal provided by the RC network, computes a difference between a filtered input signal and the feedback quantization signal to generate an error signal, measures the error signal, and compensates for the error signal with sigma-delta noise-shaping. The common-mode level adjust circuit alters a common-mode level of a differential input signal to be substantially equal to a desired common-mode level and the tuning circuit provides a compensation voltage to the common-mode level adjust circuit based on a difference between the common-mode levels. |
| US08120416B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit can include a first voltage pad, a second voltage pad, and a voltage stabilizing unit that is connected between the first voltage pad and the second voltage pad. The first voltage pad can be connected to a first internal circuit, and the second voltage pad can be connected to a second internal circuit. |
| US08120413B2 |
Charge pump circuit
A charge pump circuit includes a switch unit adapted to transmit charges from the input of the charge pump to the output of the charge pump; a transmission unit adapted to control turn-on or cut-off of an MOS transistor in the switch unit; and a charging unit in one-to-one correspondence with a PMOS transistor in the switch unit and adapted to store charges to boost the transmission voltage. A first NMOS transistor and at least two PMOS transistor are used as the switch unit during transmission of the charges, so that normal work can be enabled with high transmission efficiency in the case of a low source voltage. |
| US08120409B2 |
Programmable delay circuit with integer and fractional time resolution
A programmable delay circuit capable of providing a delay with integer and fractional time resolution is described. In one exemplary design, an apparatus includes first and second delay circuits. The first delay circuit provides a first delay of an integer number of time units. The second delay circuit couples to the first delay circuit and provides a second delay of a fraction of one time unit. The first delay circuit may include multiple unit delay cells coupled in series. Each unit delay cell may provide a delay of one time unit when enabled. The second delay circuit may have first and second paths. The first path may provide a shorter delay when selected, and the second path may provide a longer delay when selected. The second path may be coupled to at least one dummy logic gate that provides extra loading to obtain the longer delay for the second path. |
| US08120401B2 |
Methods and systems for digital pulse width modulator
In one embodiment, the digital pulse width modulator of these teachings includes comparators and a number of phases and capable of increasing resolution without increasing clock frequency. In another embodiment, the digital pulse width modulator (DPWM) of these teachings includes equality comparators and a number of phases and increases resolution without increasing clock frequency. A further embodiment of the system of these teachings includes a priority encoded comparator component (in one instance including a number of comparators) comparing duty cycle commands against preset minimums, that embodiment being referred to as a frequency Foldback component. Other embodiments and embodiments of the method of these teachings are also disclosed. |
| US08120400B2 |
Phase locked loop circuit
A Phase Locked Loop circuit, includes: a main path through which an input signal is propagated, and an actual signal is output; a main feedback path through which the actual signal is fed back to an input stage of the main path; and a local feedback path through which feedback is carried out from a path middle of the main path to a path middle of an input stage side; the main path including a phase detector, a loop filter, and a controlled oscillator, and the local feedback path including a replica portion, a delay portion, a first subtracter, and a second subtracter. |
| US08120393B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a initialization signal generating unit configured to vary a voltage level of an external voltage in response to a detection signal, the external voltage enables a power-up signal, an internal voltage generating unit configured to produce an internal voltage, the internal voltage generating unit is initialized by the power-up signal, and a detection signal generating unit configured to produce the detection signal in response to a voltage level of the internal voltage. |
| US08120388B2 |
Comparator, sample-and-hold circuit, differential amplifier, two-stage amplifier, and analog-to-digital converter
A comparator includes a sampling capacitor, a first switching unit which is connected to an input end of the sampling capacitor and which applies an input signal to the input end of the sampling capacitor, a second switching unit which is connected to the input end of the sampling capacitor and which applies a reference signal to the input end of the sampling capacitor, an output transistor connected to an output end of the sampling capacitor in a source follower connection manner or an emitter follower connection manner, and a third switching unit which is connected to an output end of the sampling capacitor and which maintains maintaining a voltage at the output end of the sampling capacitor to be constant. The input signal is compared with the reference signal. |
| US08120386B2 |
Amplifiers using gated diodes
A circuit comprises a control line and a two terminal semiconductor device having first and second terminals. The first terminal is coupled to a signal line, and the second terminal is coupled to the control line. The two terminal semiconductor device is adapted to have a capacitance when a voltage on the first terminal relative to the second terminal is above a threshold voltage and to have a smaller capacitance when a voltage on the first terminal relative to the second terminal is below the threshold voltage. The control line is coupled to a control signal and the signal line is coupled to a signal and is output of the circuit. A signal is placed on the signal line and voltage on the control line is modified (e.g., raised in the case of n-type devices, or lowered for a p-type devices). When the signal falls below the threshold voltage, the two terminal semiconductor device acts as a very small capacitor and the output of the circuit will be a small value. When the signal is above the threshold voltage, the two terminal semiconductor device acts as a large capacitor and the output of the circuit will be influenced by both the value of the signal and the value of the modified voltage on the control line and therefore the signal will be amplified. |
| US08120383B2 |
Voltage level translation
A virtual zero delay unidirectional high voltage logic to low voltage CMOS logic voltage level translator can be achieved using a capacitive voltage divider coupled with the standard protection diodes commonly incorporated in low side logic (e.g. Xilinx Spartan-3E FPGA's). The complete voltage level translator will work equally well on frequencies from DC up to the rated operational frequency of the driver and receiver. Load side parasitic CMOS input capacitance in this case is ironically an asset rather than a liability since it can be used effectively as one element of the capacitive voltage divider. High voltage logic (e.g. 0 to 5V) can thus interface to lower voltage CMOS logic (e.g. 2.5V or 3.3V) with a minimum of additional external components and with virtually zero time delay. |
| US08120380B2 |
Comprehensive application power tester
An electronic device power testing method is provided in which applying a nominal voltage to an electronic component, introducing a voltage disruption to the nominal voltage, and repeating the voltage disruption for a specified number of instances is done. The present invention also can be implemented as an electronic device power tester. |
| US08120379B2 |
Operating characteristic measurement device and methods thereof
A device includes an integrated circuit device having a sensor to measure an operating characteristic of the device. The sensor provides information based on the measured operating characteristic to a trigger module. In response to the information indicating the measured operating characteristic meets a threshold associated with a device failure, the trigger module provides an indication to a storage element, which stores information indicating the threshold has been met. In the event of a failure of the integrated circuit device, the storage element can be accessed by a device analyzer to retrieve the stored information to determine the cause of the device failure. |
| US08120377B2 |
Integrated circuit having secure access to test modes
Methods for enabling a secure test mode, and integrated circuits (IC's) implementing the same are disclosed. An IC may include a secure functional unit that is protected from access from test access circuitry during normal operation. The secure functional unit may be rendered inaccessible the test access circuitry of the IC following a completion of a test that includes testing of the secure functional unit. An embodiment of an IC that includes circuitry to delay entry into a test mode while a chip-level reset is performed is also contemplated. Entry into the test mode may be delayed until all circuitry of the IC has been fully reset in order to clear stored information. |
| US08120376B2 |
Fault detection apparatuses and methods for fault detection of semiconductor processing tools
Fault detection apparatuses and methods for detecting a processing or hardware performance fault of a semiconductor production tool have been provided. In an exemplary embodiment, a method for detecting a fault of a semiconductor production tool includes sensing a signal associated with a test component of the production tool during operation of the production tool and converting the signal to an electronic test signal. A prerecorded signature signal corresponding to the test component is provided and the test signal and the prerecorded signature signal are compared. |
| US08120375B2 |
Method for using probe card
An apparatus for use with a wafer prober and a probe card comprising a stiffening member having a feature defining a first plane. The stiffening member is mountable atop the central portion of the probe card. A reference member is provided to mount to the wafer prober and has an underside with a feature defining a second plane. When the feature of the stiffening member defining the first plane is urged against the feature of the reference member defining a second plane the probe tips of the probe card are substantially planarized relative to the wafer prober. |
| US08120372B2 |
Probe card for inspecting light receiving device
The present invention is provided to quickly and efficiently inspect a plurality of CCD sensors. In the present invention, a plurality of openings is formed in a circuit board of a probe card. A plurality of vertical-type probe pins is connected to a lower surface of the circuit board. A guide board is installed at the lower surface of the circuit board, and respective probe pins are inserted into respective guide holes of the guide board. The guide board is made of a transparent glass board. During an inspection, inspection light emitted from a test head passes through the openings of the circuit board and the guide board, so that it is irradiated onto the plurality of CCD sensors on the substrate. Since the plurality of probe pins can be arranged at a narrow pitch without blocking the inspection light, adjacent CCD sensors on the substrate can be inspected simultaneously. |
| US08120368B2 |
Method of monitoring the clean/rinse/dry processes of patterned wafers using an electro-chemical residue sensor (ECRS)
A method of improving the clean, rinse and dry processes during the manufacture of ICs, MEMS and other micro-devices to conserve solution and energy while completing the process within a specified time. An electro-chemical residue sensor (ECRS) provides in-situ and real-time measurement of residual contamination on a surface or inside void micro features within the sensor representative of conditions on production wafers. The measured impedance can be used to determine what process variables and specifically how process conditions affect the rate of change of the measured impedance. The in-situ measurements are used to design and optimize a production process and/or to monitor the production run in real-time to control the process conditions and transfer of a patterned wafer through the processes. |
| US08120367B2 |
Analog input device
An analog input device including a scanning circuit including a first insulation transformer insulating an analog signal inputted from a thermocouple, a power supply section charging a test voltage used for disconnection detection of the thermocouple, a second insulation transformer in which the scanning circuit and the power supply section are connected in parallel, and a control circuit for outputting a pulse signal to be inputted to the second insulation transformer. The second insulation transformer insulates and transfers a drive pulse for switching the scanning circuit and a power supply pulse for feeding power to the power supply section. The control circuit carries out a timing control so that the drive pulse and the power supply pulse are not outputted at the same time. Accordingly, an insulation transformer for application of a test voltage is not required, and thus the total number of the components is reduced to a great extent and reductions in costs and size thereof are realized. |
| US08120365B2 |
Power control unit
A power control apparatus for controlling charging and discharging of a plurality of storage devices, including a voltage measuring device for measuring voltages of the storage devices, a current measuring device for measuring currents flowing through the storage devices, a status detecting device for detecting the operating status of each of the storage devices from values measured by the voltage measuring device and the current measuring device, and a charging/discharging controlling device for controlling currents, voltages, or power according to the operating status of each storage device detected by the status detecting device to charge or discharge the storage devices. |
| US08120364B2 |
Stand alone battery monitoring system with alert
A stand-alone battery monitoring system coupled to a battery product having a positive pole and a negative pole, a housing and an electronics package contained within the housing. A sensor is coupled to and communicates with the battery product and the controller. Multiple code segments form software on the controller, the software includes a code segment acquiring battery product data for voltage and internal temperature from the sensor, a segment filters the acquired battery product data into modified battery product data and processing the modified battery product data against stored parameters, a segment stores battery product data in the portion of memory and retains the battery product data to provide historical battery product data. A code segment compares the stored data against threshold levels and an indicator sends an alert if the code segment comparing the stored battery product data against threshold levels determines that data is beyond those levels. |
| US08120363B2 |
Voltage drop compensation for an electric power storage device charging system
A system includes an electrical energy storage device that may be in the form of one or more batteries, a charger to selectively charge the electrical energy storage device, and charger cabling sized to electrically interconnect the storage device and the charger together and span a distance separating them. The charger cabling is initially connected across the charger without the storage device to determine information specific to voltage drop caused by the cabling. The system is then reconfigured so that the cabling connects the storage device to the charger for charging. During this charging operation the previously gathered information is used to compensate for the voltage drop along the cabling as the storage device is charged with the charger. |
| US08120361B2 |
Azimuthally sensitive resistivity logging tool
Various systems and methods for implementing an azimuthally sensitive resistivity logging tool are disclosed. One such method involves transmitting a primary magnetic field from one or more coils placed on a drill collar and receiving several electrical signals, where each of the electrical signals is received from a respective one of several sensors. The sensors are distributed around a circumference of a drill collar, and an axis of at least one of the sensors is perpendicular to an axis of the drill collar. Each of the electrical signals indicates a respective magnitude of a measurement of a reflected magnetic field, where the reflected magnetic field is reflected from an anomalous geological formation. The method calculates a vector measurement of the reflected magnetic field, based upon the electrical signals. |
| US08120358B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging with high spatial and temporal resolution
Methods, systems, and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are described. In one example, the method includes applying a sample-selective magnetic field gradient sequence along a slice direction to partition responses from a sample under magnetic resonance imaging into a plurality of different regions of slices in the k space, applying spiral readout gradients to the sample to obtain echo data from the sample, and applying a Time Resolved Imaging of Contrast Kinetics imaging technique to sample the different regions of slices in the k space. |
| US08120357B2 |
Method and system for fluid characterization of a reservoir
A method for determining fluids in a formation. The method includes obtaining open hole measurements for a borehole in the formation; identifying points in the borehole from which to obtain pressure measurements using the open hole measurements; obtaining pressure measurements at the identified points in the borehole; applying an excess pressure technique to the pressure measurements to identify a plurality of pressure compartments in the borehole; characterizing fluid in each of the plurality of compartments; and developing a drilling plan based on characterization of fluids in each of the plurality of compartments. |
| US08120350B2 |
Clamp meter with safe trigger mechanism
This invention provides a clamp meter with safe trigger mechanism which allows an operator to take electrical measurements of the conductors safely, particularly in case of the electrical conductor elements situated in congested or awkward locations and positions. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the trigger is placed at the underside of said clamp meter so as to allow convenient access to it for the fingers of a hand while the clamp meter is held in the hand. The trigger mechanism of the invention may be operated with single or multiple fingers. The invention also allows the hand to maintain its ‘clinched-fist’ position throughout the measurement process, thereby eliminating the need to open the hand any time during the process. The invention thus makes the electrical parameter measurement operation using clamp meters safer than for the conventional meters. |
| US08120349B2 |
Waveform measuring apparatus wherein the peak-to-peak amplitude is measured
A waveform measuring apparatus includes: a digital filter for removing a large-amplitude changing component from an input signal and for outputting a resultant output signal with a small-amplitude noise component left therein; a window generating section for receiving a differential signal between this input signal and the resultant output signal of the digital filter and for generating a window indicating a position of an edge portion of the differential signal; and a ringing measurement section for extracting, from the resultant output signal of the digital filter, a portion of waveform which is indicated by the window generated by the window generating section and for measuring at least a peak-to-peak amplitude of the portion of waveform. |
| US08120347B1 |
Sample and hold circuit and method for maintaining unity power factor
An AC electrical system has a source voltage and current interconnected through an energy storage device with a load. A unity power factor control circuit maintains unity power factor incorporating the steps of producing a sample and hold voltage related to the input voltage and an output voltage where the sample and hold voltage maintains constant values between pulses of a clock signal. A modulated signal at each clock pulse fall produces a current feedback voltage proportional to the source current, and as long as it is less then the sample and hold voltage, an inductor stores energy, and delivers it to the load each time the feedback voltage exceeds the sample and hold voltage and energy stored in the inductor is thereby delivered to the load, whereby controlling the amount of energy stored, the input voltage and current are drawn into phase thereby maintaining unity power factor. |
| US08120346B2 |
Methods and apparatus for current sensing
Methods and apparatus for current sensing according to various aspects of the present invention sense the current in a circuit, such as an inductor circuit. The current sensing systems may comprise an RC element connected such that the RC time constant matches the L/R time constant of the inductor. The current sensor may be configured to generate voltages that are proportional to the instantaneous current in the inductor with scaled gain for a wide range of inductor self resistance (DCR) values. |
| US08120342B1 |
Current report in current mode switching regulation
A voltage regulator includes a switch configured to alternately couple and decouple a voltage source through a inductor to a load, a feedback circuitry configured to generate a feedback current proportional to a difference between a desired voltage and an output voltage at an output terminal, a current sensor configured to measure the feedback current, a controller configured to receive the feedback current level from the current sensor and, in response thereto, to control a duty cycle of the switch, and a current mirror configured to generate a reporting current proportional to the feedback current. |
| US08120341B2 |
Switching power converter with switch control pulse width variability at low power demand levels
A power control system includes a switch mode controller to control the switching mode of a switching power converter. The switch mode controller generates a switch control signal that controls conductivity of a switch of the switching power converter. Controlling conductivity of the switch controls the switch mode of the switching power converter. The switch mode controller includes a period generator to determine a period of the switch control signal and to vary the determined period to generate a broad frequency spectrum of the switch control signal when the determined period corresponds with a frequency in at least a portion of an audible frequency band. Generating a switch control signal with a broad frequency spectrum in the audible frequency band allows the system to utilize switching frequencies in the audible frequency band. |
| US08120340B2 |
Control device for an interleaving power factor corrector
In an interleaving power factor corrector, a control device interleavingly drives first and second converting circuits such that the power factor corrector generates a voltage output (Vo), and includes first and second control modules generating respectively first and second driving signals (Q_master, Q_slave) that correspond respectively to first and second control signals for controlling operations of power switches of the first and second converting circuits. A phase modulating module generates a reset signal (S_PTCL) based on an inverted first driving signal (Qn_master) and a feedback compensation signal (Vcomp) outputted by the first control module, and a reset signal (S_syn) outputted by the second control module. When one of the reset signals (S_syn, S_PTCL) has a predetermined level, the second driving signal (Q_slave) has a level for switching the power switch of the second converting circuit to an OFF-mode. |
| US08120339B2 |
Switching power supply with switching circuits
A switching power supply has first and second switching units and a control unit. Each switching unit has a switching element performing a switching operation to intermittently receive electric current from a battery while accumulating electric power in a coil and discharging this power to an output terminal. A resistor earthed is serially connected with each switching element. The resistance of the first resistor receiving the first current from the first switching element is lower than that of the second resistor receiving the second current from the second switching element. A maximum value of the first current is higher than that of the second current due to the difference between the resistors. The control unit controls the switching operations of the elements to boost the voltage of the battery and stops the switching operations in response to the first current exceeding an upper value. |
| US08120331B2 |
Power supply device, scanner power supply device, and image forming apparatus
A power supply device accumulates charges generated by a photovoltaic unit. The power supply device includes a first capacitor having a first capacitance, in which the charges generated by the photovoltaic unit are charged; a second capacitor having a second capacitance that is larger than the first capacitance; and a switching unit that switches between a first connection of connecting the photovoltaic unit to the first capacitor and a second connection of connecting the first capacitor to the second capacitor. |
| US08120330B1 |
Amplitude lock loop for producing constant amplitude oscillator ramp signal
An oscillator that includes an energy storage system configured to store energy, a ramp circuit configured to generate an oscillating ramp signal having a slope that is a function of the amount of energy stored in the energy storage system, a charge circuit configured to controllably deliver energy into or remove energy from the energy storage system, a comparator circuit configured to compare the oscillating ramp signal with a reference signal; and/or a charge control circuit configured to cause the charge circuit to deliver energy into or remove energy from the energy storage system based on the comparison by the comparator circuit. |
| US08120326B2 |
Rechargeable battery with an internal discharger for shifting the load state of the battery to a lower load state
A rechargeable battery having a switch connects an internal load to the battery so that the battery can be shifted to a predetermined, lower load state. To shift the rechargeable battery into a lower load state for long-term storage, a Zener diode is connected in series with a resistor and the switch. The rechargeable battery voltage, which corresponds to the predetermined, lower load state, is selected as the breakdown voltage of the Zener diode. Manual actuation of the switch shifts the rechargeable battery to a lower load state, if the current load state is higher than the predetermined, lower load state. A digital version has a digital circuit connected electrically to the switch which is arranged for measuring the rechargeable battery voltage and which in the ON state triggers the switch if the measured rechargeable voltage exceeds a value that corresponds to the predetermined, lower load state. |
| US08120324B2 |
Method and apparatus to provide battery rejuvenation at or near resonance
A system and method adapted to rejuvenate batteries at or near the resonant frequency of the battery. The present invention takes a battery and applies a modulated current charging signal to increase battery performance. A resonant signal is adapted to re-train and adjust battery materials for proper operation. By repeated charge/discharge cycling, battery memory decreases and/or battery capacity increases, thereby improving the battery capacity. |
| US08120322B2 |
Charge equalization apparatus
The present invention relates to a charge equalization apparatus, in which series-connected batteries are divided into modules having certain sizes, and intra-module charge equalization and inter-module charge equalization are simultaneously performed, thus improving charge equalization performance and reducing the circuit size. |
| US08120318B2 |
Battery charger for two types of rectangular battery packs
The battery charger is provided with a holding cavity 2 that allows a first rectangular battery pack 30 and a second rectangular battery pack 40 to be loaded in a detachable fashion. The holding cavity has a rectangular opening and has first charging terminals 5A to contact first rectangular battery pack electrode terminals 32, and second charging terminals 5B to contact second rectangular battery pack 40 electrode terminals 42 established on a first perimeter wall 4A and second perimeter wall 4B, which are perpendicular. The battery charger charges the first rectangular battery pack through the first charging terminals when it is loaded in the holding cavity with electrode terminals 32 in contact with the first charging terminals. The battery charger charges the second rectangular battery pack through the second charging terminals when it is loaded in the holding cavity with electrode terminals in contact with the second charging terminals. |
| US08120314B2 |
Portable electronic device and capacitive charger providing data transfer and associated methods
The electronic apparatus includes a portable electronic device and a charger for capacitively charging the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is temporarily placed adjacent the charger. The portable electronic device includes a device data communication unit and an associated battery, and a pair of device capacitive electrodes, defining a device conductive footprint, to receive a charging signal to charge the battery. The charger includes a base having an area larger than the device conductive footprint and able to receive the portable electronic device thereon in a plurality of different positions, and an array of charger capacitive electrodes carried by the base. A charger controller selectively drives only the charger capacitive electrodes within the device conductive footprint with a charging signal to capacitively charge the battery. A charger data communication unit communicates with the device data communication unit via the charger capacitive electrodes and device capacitive electrodes, e.g. by modulating data onto the charging signal. |
| US08120307B2 |
System and method for providing constant loading in AC power applications
A system and method are provided for constant loading in AC power applications where at least one turn-on point of at least one half cycle of a modulating sine wave is randomly selected; at least one turn-off point is determined; and at least one slice located between the at least one turn-on point and turn-off point is removed. The slices may be removed by utilizing insulated gate bipolar transistors or field effect transistors. |
| US08120306B2 |
Voltage source inverter with a voltage offset
Methods and apparatus are provided for operation of a voltage source inverter. A method of operating a voltage source inverter having an output with multiple voltage phases having a DC voltage level, the method comprising sensing a low output frequency condition; determining a DC voltage offset responsive to the low output frequency condition; and applying the DC voltage offset when operating the voltage source inverter resulting in a change to the DC voltage level of the multiple voltage phases. |
| US08120305B2 |
Method for starting single phase induction motor and electronic relay using the same
An electronic relay for single phase induction motor, the electronic relay including a triac located between a start winding and a start capacitor of the single phase induction motor to control current flow of the start winding and an induced voltage detection circuit to detect an induced voltage of the start winding proportional to an angular velocity of the motor. The electronic relay is adapted to detect a zero-point voltage of a motor line voltage before start of the motor and to calculate an acceleration torque during start of the motor. The electronic relay is programmed to turn on the triac when the zero-point voltage of the motor line is detected and to turn off the triac when the acceleration torque begins decreasing. |
| US08120304B2 |
Method for improving motion times of a stage
Methods and systems for, in one embodiment, accelerating a stage through a clearance height in a first direction and decelerating the stage in the first direction while accelerating in a second direction are shown. The stage is moved in a third direction and a determination is made whether the stage movement in the second direction is below a threshold value before continuing to move the stage further in the third direction. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction and is parallel and opposite to the third direction. |
| US08120303B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling inertial system
Suppression of vibration of a load machine without reducing the responsiveness of the load machine to an operation command is achieved by a method and an apparatus for controlling an inertial system intended to control an inertial system that has a motive power generator and a load machine that are coupled to each other via a torque transmission element. Acceleration command information that designates the acceleration of the load machine is multiplied by a predetermined gain to produce a vibration suppression control variable. The vibration suppression control variable is added to the position command to form a vibration suppression control command, and the inertial system is controlled according to the vibration suppression control command. |
| US08120297B2 |
Control of synchronous electrical machines
A synchronous motor having phase windings which are split or tapped and in which the conduction angle of the applied alternating current is varied at one or more taps to allow the motor to start in a controlled direction and be torque controlled to synchronous speed. |
| US08120285B2 |
Driving method for discharge lamp, driving device for discharge lamp, light source device, and image display apparatus
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure, a driving device for a discharge lamp includes an alternating current supply section and a frequency switching section. The alternating current supply section supplies two electrodes of the discharge lamp with an alternating current. The alternating current includes a plurality of modulation periods with each modulation period including a highest frequency term and a lowest frequency term. The frequency switching section varies a frequency of the alternating current non-monotonically between the highest frequency term and the lowest frequency term of the modulation period in response to a predetermined condition being satisfied. |
| US08120284B2 |
Light emitting diode driving device and method thereof
A light emitting diode (LED) driving device and an LED driving method thereof are provided. The LED driving device includes a voltage generator, a circuit and a compensation circuit. The voltage generator is used to provide a positive voltage and a negative voltage, and the circuit is coupled to the positive voltage and the negative voltage. Herein, the circuit includes a load and an LED which are coupled to each other in series. The compensation circuit is used to sense voltages of two ends of the load, so as to generate a compensation signal and adjust the positive voltage and the negative voltage through the compensation signal. Therefore, voltage stress of the LED driving device is reduced by using the provided positive voltage and the provided negative voltage. |
| US08120282B2 |
Discharge lamp lighting device, control method for the same, and projector
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure a discharge lamp lighting device includes a controller configured to control an AC conversion circuit to perform AC conversion control for controlling the timings at which a polarity of the discharge lamp driving AC current is reversed. The controller is configured to control the power control circuit to perform current control for controlling a current value of the DC current. The controller changes the cumulative energy supplied to each electrode of a discharge lamp in one cycle of the AC current for the discharge lamp driving in accordance with a cyclical pattern. The cyclical pattern includes a plurality of segmented periods during each of which the cumulative energy is maintained at a same level for a plurality of cycles of the AC current for the discharge lamp driving, and a level of the cumulative energy in at least two of the segmented periods differ from each other. |
| US08120278B2 |
LED driving circuit
The present invention provides an LED driving circuit including: an inverter unit for switching an input power source; a plurality of transformers including a plurality of primary windings connected to the inverter unit and connected to each other in series and a plurality of secondary windings each of which is coupled with each of the primary windings; a plurality of rectification units each of which is connected to each of the secondary windings; and a plurality of LEDs each of which is connected to each of the rectification units. |
| US08120275B2 |
Inverter and lamp driver including the same
The present invention relates to an inverter and a lamp driver having the same. The inverter includes a first switch having a first body diode, a second switch having a second body diode, a transformer including a first side coil in which a first current and a first voltage are generated according to switching operations of the first switch and the second switch and a second side coil having a predetermined winding ratio with respect to the first side coil, and a controller for controlling each switching operation of the first switch and the second switch. The controller turns on one of the first switch and the second switch corresponding to one of the first body diode and the second body diode, and a current flows through the first switch and the second switch during a dead time. |
| US08120274B2 |
Controlling circuit for a light emitting device
A controlling circuit and a controlling method are disclosed. The controlling circuit includes a plurality of switches and a comparator. The first terminals of the switches are respectively coupled to one of a plurality of LED channels. The switches are conducted according to a plurality of switching signals respectively, wherein the switching signals are asserted alternately. The first input terminal of the comparator is coupled to the second terminals of the switches and the second input terminal of the comparator receives a reference voltage for the comparator to compare the voltage of the first input terminal with the voltage of the second input terminal so as to output a comparison result. In this way, whether the LED channels work abnormally or not may be detected. In addition, the hardware cost may also be reduced by employing fewer comparators through a sharing mode. |
| US08120272B2 |
AC delay angle control for energizing a lamp
A control circuit for a lamp. The control circuit is used in conjunction with an alternating current (AC) variable voltage power source to energize the lamp. The control circuit includes a voltage sensing component for sensing the voltage of an voltage input signal from the power source for energizing the lamp. The control circuit includes a controller configured to estimate a delay angle as a linear function of the sensed voltage. The control circuit includes an AC converter for modifying the voltage input signal according to the estimated delay angle to generate an AC voltage output signal having a constant root mean square voltage for energizing the lamp. |
| US08120271B2 |
Multi-lamp driving circuit
A multi-lamp driving circuit for driving a plurality of lamp groups includes an inversion circuit configured to drive the plurality of lamp groups and a current balance circuit electrically connected between the inversion circuit and the plurality of lamp groups. The current balance circuit includes a plurality of transformers, each including a first magnetic loop composed of a first primary winding and a first secondary winding and a second magnetic loop composed of a second primary winding and a second secondary winding. Numbers of turns of the second primary winding and the second secondary winding of each of the plurality of transformers are equivalent, and numbers of turns of the first primary winding and the first secondary winding of each of the plurality of transformers are equivalent. |
| US08120268B2 |
Lighting device and method of control based on chemistry composition of power source
A lighting device is generally illustrated having a light body having forward facing light sources including a visible white light source, visible colored light source and an infrared light source. Additionally, a side facing light source is provided. The light body also includes switches for activating the visible light sources and a three-position switch for activating the IR light source and the side facing light source. The light source of the lighting device may further be controlled based on a detected chemistry composition of the power source. |
| US08120267B2 |
Light emitting diode driving circuit
A LED driving circuit includes a bridge rectifier, a high-bias-voltage diode, a balancing capacitor, a driving chip, and a switch. The bridge rectifier receives external AC power and outputs a full-wave or half-wave AC power. One terminal of the high-bias-voltage diode and one terminal of the balancing capacitor are electrically coupled to a balancing node. The other terminals of the high-bias-voltage diode and the balancing capacitor are electrically coupled to the bridge rectifier and grounded respectively. The driving chip receives operating power from the balancing node, and outputs driving signals to operate the switch, so as to drive an LED. Through the arrangement of the forward bias voltage direction of the high-bias-voltage diode, the balancing capacitor is only discharged to the driving chip. Therefore, the capacitance value and the volume of the balancing capacitor, the space occupied by the driving circuit, and the cost of the driving circuit are reduced. |
| US08120265B2 |
Lamp driver for operating a gas discharge lamp
A lamp driver circuit for operating a gas discharge lamp (La) is proposed, which comprises a switched mode power supply circuit (SMPS) and a first and a second output terminal (OT1, 0T2) for supplying a lamp current to the gas discharge lamp (La). The lamp driver circuit further comprises an output capacitor (CO) connected between the SMPS circuit and a ground terminal (GT) and comprises a resistive shunt (Rsh) connected between the ground terminal (GT) and the second output terminal (0T2) for determining the lamp current. An output current sensing circuit for determining a SMPS output current is comprised in the lamp driver circuit instead of a further resistive shunt, which would require a differential voltage measurement. The output current sensing circuit comprises a sensing resistor (RS) connected in series with a sensing capacitor (CS), the series connection being connected in parallel to the output capacitor. |
| US08120263B2 |
Portable lighting device and method thereof
A portable lighting device includes a power source, a controller, and a load. The controller comprises a power input terminal which is electrically connected to the power source via a switch. The load is electrically connected to a power output terminal of the controller and is capable of providing a feedback signal. The controller regulates the power being provided to the load according to the feedback signal and a conduction status of the switch. |
| US08120262B2 |
Driving circuit for multi-lamps
A circuit is used for driving a plurality of lamps, such as Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFLs). The lamps are paired to form a plurality of pairs of lamps. Each of the plurality of pairs of lamps has two lamps which are coupled to each other in series. The plurality of pairs of lamps are coupled in parallel. The circuit comprises a switch circuit, a transformer, and a plurality of balance chokes. The switch circuit is used for converting a DC electric power into a first AC electric power. The transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding. The primary winding of the transformer is coupled to the switch circuit for receiving said first AC electric power and energizing the secondary winding to generate a second AC electric power from the secondary winding to energize the plurality of lamps. Each of the balance chokes includes a first winding and a second winding. The first winding and the second winding of each of the balance chokes are coupled to two of the plurality of pairs of lamps in series, respectively, so as to balance currents flowing through those two pairs of lamps. |
| US08120260B2 |
Wireless convenience lighting system and method of making same
A wireless convenience lighting system, comprises a base unit, the base unit connectable to an AC power supply, the base unit having a transmitter structure emitting at least one signal indicating one of an AC power loss or the AC power on, a remote lighting unit having a light source, and auxiliary power supply and a receiver structure, the receiver structure receiving the signal from the base unit, the base unit wirelessly activating the light source of the remote lighting unit when the AC power is lost. |
| US08120258B2 |
Magnetron
The present invention provides a magnetron which can conduct more magnetic flux in the active space at the periphery of a cathode structure to thereby further improve the efficiency of a magnetic circuit. The magnetron of the present invention includes an anode cylinder on which inner wall a plurality of anode vanes are provided, a pole piece provided on an end side of the anode cylinder, a circular magnet provided on the vicinity of the pole piece, and a magnet ring provided between the anode cylinder and the circular magnet. An outer diameter of the magnet ring is smaller than or equal to the outer diameter of the circular magnet and larger than or equal to the outer diameter of the anode cylinder. The magnet ring has a portion on a surface of the pole piece side whose normal line is non-parallel to the central axis of the anode cylinder. |
| US08120255B2 |
Plasma display panel comprising electric charge retention property
A plasma display panel (PDP) includes a front panel having a front glass substrate, a display electrode formed on the substrate, a dielectric layer formed to cover the display electrode, and a protective layer formed on the dielectric layer. Further, the PDP includes a rear panel facing the front panel so that a discharge space is formed, wherein the rear panel includes an address electrode in a direction intersecting the display electrode, and includes a barrier rib partitioning the discharge space. The PDP also includes a seal material providing a seal between the front panel and the rear panel at outer peripheries thereof. In the protective layer, a base film is formed on the dielectric layer and aggregated particles of metal oxide crystal particles are attached to the base film and distributed over a surface of a region inside the seal material. |
| US08120253B2 |
Plasma display panel
A plasma display panel (PDP) with improved address voltage margin and reduced noise brightness such as discharge light or background light during an address discharge. The PDP includes a plurality of barrier ribs between a front substrate and a rear substrate to define a plurality of main discharge spaces and a plurality of auxiliary discharge spaces along a stepped surface of the barrier ribs. The auxiliary discharge spaces provide a shorter discharge path than the main discharge spaces. Address electrodes are provided on the rear substrate for generating address discharges together with the scan electrodes on the front substrate at locations adjacent to the auxiliary discharge spaces. Phosphor layers are respectively formed in the main discharge spaces, and a discharge gas is injected in the main discharge spaces and the auxiliary discharge spaces. |
| US08120252B2 |
Plasma display panel
A plasma display panel (PDP) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the PDP includes i) a front substrate and a rear substrate spaced apart from and facing each other and ii) a barrier rib portion dividing a space between the front substrate and the rear substrate into a plurality of discharge cells, wherein the barrier rib portion comprises first barrier ribs and second barrier ribs formed on the first barrier ribs, wherein the second barrier ribs are less in width than the first barrier ribs, wherein the widths of the first and second barrier ribs are defined along a first direction substantially parallel with one of the front and rear substrates, and wherein the second barrier ribs are closer to the first substrate than the first barrier ribs. The PDP may further include i) an anti-reflection layer formed on the second barrier ribs, ii) a plurality of discharge electrodes separately disposed on the front substrate substantially in parallel with each other across the front substrate, iii) a plurality of address electrodes formed on the rear substrate to cross the discharge electrodes, iv) phosphors formed in the discharge cells and v) a discharge gas filled in the discharge cells. |
| US08120243B2 |
Material for organic photoelectric device, and organic photoelectric device thereby
A material for an organic photoelectric device, the material including a compound represented by the following Chemical Formula 1: wherein, in Chemical Formula 1, HTU and HTU′ are independently hole transporting units, and R1 to R3 are independently a substituent selected from the group of hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C6 to C30 aryl, a substituted or unsubstituted C2 to C30 heteroaryl, and a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C30 alkyl, wherein the term “substituted” refers to one substituted with a halogen, a C1 to C30 alkyl, a C1 to C30 haloalkyl, a C6 to C30 aryl, a C2 to C30 heteroaryl, a C1 to C20 alkoxy, or combinations thereof. |
| US08120242B2 |
Transistor and process of producing the same, light-emitting device, and display
A transistor capable of modulating, at low voltages, a large current flowing between an emitter electrode and a collector electrode. A process of producing the transistor, a light-emitting device comprising the transistor, and a display comprising the transistor. The transistor comprises an emitter electrode and a collector electrode. Between the emitter electrode and the collector electrode are situated a semiconductor layer and a sheet base electrode. It is preferred that the semiconductor layer be situated between the emitter electrode and the base electrode and also between the collector electrode and the base electrode to constitute a second semiconductor layer and a first semiconductor layer, respectively. It is also preferred that the thickness of the base electrode be 80 nm or less. Furthermore, a dark current suppressor layer is situated at least between the emitter electrode and the base electrode, or between the collector electrode and the base electrode. |
| US08120241B2 |
Display device having a white light source and a dichroic layer
A display device includes a substrate, a white light source on the substrate, a dichroic layer between a viewing surface of the display device and the white light source, the dichroic layer being configured to allow light of a predetermined wavelength band to be transmitted therethrough, and a ¼ wavelength layer between the dichroic layer and the white light source. |
| US08120237B2 |
Photoluminescent composition and light source device
A phospholuminescent composition is provided that includes a phosphor having a composition represented by SrxBa2-xSiO4:Eu, wherein 0≦x≦2. The phospholuminescent composition also includes a magnesium salt added to the phosphor. The composition has an excitation spectra such that the ratio of the intensity at a wavelength of 440 nm to the intensity at a wavelength of 360 nm is in the range of 0.82 to 0.85. Alternatively, the composition has an excitation spectra such that an intensity at a wavelength of 440 nm ranges from 1.2 to 1.3 times an intensity of said phosphor alone at a wavelength of 440 nm. |
| US08120236B2 |
Light-emitting structure having leakage current limited by an electrical conductor with an adjustable frequency and an adjustable potential
A flat or substantially flat light-emitting and/or UV (ultraviolet)-emitting structure including first and second dielectric walls facing each other and defining an internal space containing a light source, first and second electrodes for the light source, which generate electric field lines with at least one component perpendicular to the first and second electrodes, the first electrode being supplied or capable of being supplied by a high-frequency electromagnetic signal f0, and as an outer cover for the first electrode, an electrical safety system that includes an electrical conductor separated from the first electrode by a dielectric, the protective conductor being connected or capable of being connected to an electrical power supply with a potential V and/or with a frequency f that are adjusted so that the peak value of external leakage current is equal to 2 mA or less if f is zero, or 0.7 mA or less if f is non-zero. |
| US08120231B2 |
Inertial drive actuator
There is provided an inertial drive actuator in which, a small-sizing is easy, including a first displacement generating mechanism of which, one end is adjacent to a fixed member, and a first displacement is generated in the other end thereof, a second displacement generating mechanism of which, one end is adjacent to the fixed member, and which generates a second displacement in the other end thereof, a driving mechanism which applies a voltage for displacing the first displacement generating mechanism and the second displacement generating mechanism, a vibration substrate which is connected to the other end of the first displacement generating mechanism and the other end of the second displacement generating mechanism, and which is displaceable in a plane in which, there exist a direction of the first displacement and a direction of the second displacement, a mobile object which is disposed to be facing the vibration substrate, and which moves with respect to the vibration substrate by an inertia with respect to a displacement of the vibration substrate, and a friction controlling mechanism which changes a frictional force between the mobile object and the vibration substrate. |
| US08120230B2 |
Acoustic wave device
An acoustic wave device includes an acoustic wave element including an IDT electrode provided on a substrate, and a protective film arranged to cover the acoustic wave element so as to stabilize characteristics. The protective film is a silicon nitride film composed of silicon and nitrogen as main components and when a composition ratio of the silicon to the nitrogen is represented by 1:X, X is about 1.15 or less. |
| US08120228B2 |
Slip ring assembly
A split slip ring assembly formed from first and second halves of a slip ring having a contact surface for rotational engagement with a stationary brush element for transferring electrical signals there between. The contact surface has a smooth surface at the junction of the first and second halves. A fastener locates the first and second halves to form a ring shape. An electrical contact on the ring carries electrical signals between the slip ring and the brush element. An alignment element aligns the first and second halves to form the smooth surface at their junction. |
| US08120223B2 |
Permanent magnet machine with offset pole spacing
An internal permanent magnet machine has multiple rotor sections, each section having multiple rotor laminations. Permanent magnets are placed asymmetrically in lamination openings to attenuate oscillations in torque caused by harmonic components of magnetic flux. |
| US08120221B2 |
Power generation and conversion platform
A power generation and conversion platform where power can be readily generated and converted from one form to another is disclosed. The system includes a central column having a plurality of components. These components include an electric motor, a power source for driving the motor, a flywheel coupled to the motor, a torque converter coupled to the flywheel, an electric generator that is driven by the flywheel and a number of electrical capacitors which are cyclically charged by the electric generator and discharged in the manner of a Marx generator. |
| US08120218B2 |
Stator, motor, and method of manufacturing stator
A stator core of a stator has a plurality of teeth extending radially. A plurality of connector pins project from a partition plate. Wires each have a wire connection portion drawn out from the corresponding one of coils. Each wire is electrically connected to the corresponding connector pins by winding the wire connection portions around the connector pins. |
| US08120215B2 |
Motor and control unit thereof
A motor and a control unit therefor comprise: salient rotor poles and salient stator poles, which are arranged along circumferences of phases A, B and C with an even interval therebetween; magnetic paths for passing magnetic fluxes, the paths permitting the magnetic fluxes passing through the salient rotor and stator poles of each phase to return to the rotor side; and substantially looped windings arranged between the salient stator poles of individual phases and the magnetic paths for passing magnetic fluxes, wherein currents are supplied to the windings in synchronization with the rotational position of the rotor to thereby output torque. Since the structures of the stator, the rotor and the windings are simple, productivity is enhanced, whereby high quality, small size and low cost can be realized. |
| US08120213B2 |
Electric fence energiser system
A method and a system for controlling the operation of an energizer which delivers energy to a fence in the form of a succession of pulses, the energy or waveshape of each pulse is varied in a manner which is dependent on the amount of energy which is lost by the fence for at least one pulse which is applied to the fence. |
| US08120212B2 |
Method for the control of an electric fence energizer
Method for the control of an electric fence energizer of any given power, guaranteeing that, during each pulse emitted by the energizer, any human body that might have come into contact with the electric fence since a recent pulse does not run the risk of receiving a dangerous electric shock by reason of the pulse in progress. |
| US08120211B2 |
Timing-device equipped energy-saving socket
A timing-device equipped energy-saving socket includes an enclosure, in which the enclosure is deposed a power plug on one side, and deposed a variety of power sockets on the sides without deposing the power plug. The enclosure is deposed a control device inside. When the power plug receives the AC power, the AC power can not be transmitted to the control device and the power socket if the control device does not operate. If the control device operates, the AC power is supposed to supply power to the control device and the power socket. When the control device measures that the power supply time is out, the AC power supply ceases to supply power to the power socket. Thus the AC power can not be transmitted to the control device and the power socket, and the purpose of energy saving and zero power consumption can be achieved. |
| US08120209B2 |
Voltage sensing device for an individual cell of a group of battery cells
A voltage sensing device with which high-precision voltage sensing is possible without the need to obtain a unique correction constant for each device. A pair of voltage input nodes NCk and NCk-1 is selected from voltage input nodes NC0-NCn in switch part 10, and they are connected to sensing input nodes NA and NB in two types of patterns with different polarity (forward connection, reverse connection). Sensing input nodes NA and NB are held at reference potential Vm by voltage sensing part 20, and current Ina and Inb corresponding to the voltage at voltage input nodes NCk and NCk-1 flows to input resistors RIk and RIk-1. Currents Ina and Inb are synthesized at different ratios in voltage sensing part 20, and sensed voltage signal S20 is generated according to the synthesized current Ic. Sensed voltage data S40 with low error is generated according to the difference between the two sensed voltage signals S20 generated in the two connection patterns. |
| US08120204B2 |
Load sharing device and parallel power supply therewith
A load sharing device for load balancing among a plurality of power supply modules connected in parallel to a single load includes a common voltage control signal output unit and output voltage control units corresponding to the power supply modules, respectively. The common voltage control signal output unit generates a common voltage control signal from output voltages of the power supply modules and outputs the common voltage control signal to the power supply modules. The output voltage control units detect output currents of the power supply modules and control the output voltages of the power supply modules to be in a predetermined voltage range according to the common voltage control signal and the detected output currents. |