| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08126391B2 |
Method and system for single chip satellite set-top box system
A system for an integrated set-top box may include a single integrated circuit chip (SICC). The SICC may include a first satellite receiver demodulator, at least a second satellite receiver demodulator and at least one processor, all integrated within the SICC. The at least one processor may be coupled to the first satellite receiver demodulator and the second satellite receiver demodulator. The at least one processor may generate separate encoded audio and video streams based on at least one demodulated signal received from the first satellite receiver demodulator and/or the at least the second satellite receiver demodulator. The at least one processor may include a MIPS processor, a floating point processor and/or at least one data transport processor. The system may also include a programmable memory integrated within the SICC. |
| US08126387B2 |
Sheet conveying device and image forming apparatus
A fluctuation detecting unit detects a fluctuation of an endless belt generated when a sheet is brought into contact with a predetermined position of the endless belt at an upstream side in a conveying direction from a nip portion based on fluctuation information acquired by a fluctuation information acquiring unit. An entry timing estimating unit estimates entry timing of the sheet into the nip portion based on a detection of the fluctuation. A correction control unit corrects a speed fluctuation of the endless belt generated when the sheet enters the nip portion by performing a feedforward control of a first driving unit based on the entry timing. |
| US08126386B2 |
Sheet feeder, image forming apparatus and sheet feeder control method
A sheet feeder includes a sheet feed roller provided at a position of the upstream side of an aligning roller along the sheet conveying direction, a clutch to transmit and cut off the driving force from a driving source to rotate the feed roller, a rotary shaft connected to the clutch in the rotatable state, a torque limiter provided on the rotary shaft, and an inertial member provided to the rotary shaft via the torque limiter. |
| US08126385B2 |
Image forming mechanism and image forming device
There is provided an image forming mechanism including: an image carrier containing a lubricant in a photosensitive layer that is formed on a surface of the image carrier, and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing section developing the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by a developer that contains the lubricant; and a cleaning member formed with a first layer that contacts the photosensitive layer, and a second layer that is formed of a material having a lower modulus of repulsion elasticity than the first layer and that is layered with the first layer and that does not contact the surface of the image carrier. |
| US08126381B2 |
Transfer apparatus and image forming device having the same
A transfer apparatus compensates for a floating movement of the a transfer belt, and an image forming device includes the transfer apparatus. The image forming device includes an image forming device body having an image forming unit, and a transfer apparatus to transfer an image formed by the image forming unit onto a printing medium. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer belt, a driving unit to rotate the transfer belt, and at least one regulating unit to regulate a floating movement of the transfer belt and the driving unit thus to be in position. |
| US08126380B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units forming a visible image by attaching charged developer to an electrostatic latent image, a transfer belt member being transferred the visible image formed by each of the plurality of image forming units, a plurality of tension members tightly stretching the transfer belt member, a primary transfer member transferring the visible image formed by the plurality of image forming units to the transfer belt unit, a secondary transfer member transferring the visible image transferred to the transfer belt member on a recording medium, and a fixing unit fixing the visible image transferred to the recording medium. The plurality of image forming units are disposed in at least two transfer regions formed by segmenting the transfer belt member by the plurality of the tension members. |
| US08126370B2 |
Developing unit and image forming apparatus having the same
Disclosed are a developing unit, in which a developing agent storing part is closed by an agitating member, and an image forming apparatus having the same. The developing unit includes a developing agent storing part to store a developing agent, a developing part connected to the developing agent storing part, and an agitating member rotatably provided in a channel between the developing agent storing part and the developing part to transfer the developing agent stored in the developing agent storing part to the developing part, wherein the channel is closed by the agitating member. |
| US08126367B2 |
Scorotron apparatus for charging a photoconductor
An apparatus (100) useful in charging a photoconductor in printing is disclosed. The apparatus can include a scorotron insulator (200) having a longitudinal axis, where the scorotron insulator can have a first insulator end at one end of the longitudinal axis and a second insulator end at an opposite end of the longitudinal axis. The scorotron insulator can include at least one first spring integrated into the scorotron insulator at an insulator end and at least one second spring integrated into the scorotron insulator at an insulator end. The apparatus can include a scorotron charging grid (300) coupled to the at least one first spring at an insulator end of the scorotron insulator and coupled to another insulator end of the scorotron insulator, where the scorotron charging grid can include an electrical connector. The apparatus can include a scorotron charge member (400) including a first scorotron charge member end coupled to the second spring at an insulator end of the scorotron insulator and the scorotron charge member including a second scorotron charge member end coupled to another insulator end of the scorotron insulator. The scorotron charge member can be configured to generate an electric field. |
| US08126366B2 |
Image forming apparatus in which drive transmission member engages drive input member
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus comprises an apparatus main body; a process unit having a drive input member; and a drive transmission member, wherein, the drive transmission member comprises: a guide core member having a distal end core portion which has a first outside diameter; and a proximal end core portion which has a second outside diameter that is larger than the first outside diameter; a reciprocating member in which the guide core member is inserted, the reciprocating member comprising: a distal end cylindrical portion which has a first inside diameter; and a proximal end cylindrical portion which has a second inside diameter that is larger than the first inside diameter; and a pressing member interposed between the guide core member and the reciprocating member for connecting the guide core member and the reciprocating member. |
| US08126365B2 |
Belt rotating apparatus and recording apparatus
A belt rotating apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes a circular belt; plural rollers about which the belt is entrained, the plural rollers including a drive roller which rotates the belt and an inclination change roller which can change an inclination thereof; a belt side edge sensor which measures a position of a belt side edge in a belt width direction of the belt; and a cutter which can trim the belt side edge. |
| US08126358B2 |
Image forming apparatus having member for moving developer carrier in and out of contact with photosensitive element included in drum unit
An image forming apparatus can include a main body, and a drum unit movable between an inside position which is inside of the main body and an outside position. The drum unit may include a photosensitive drum. Also, a displacing member may be provided that can be displaced to a first position where the developing roller contacts the photosensitive drum and a second position where a developing roller separates from the photosensitive drum. |
| US08126356B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a lock mechanism releasable by lifting an upper cover
An image forming apparatus includes: a housing including a photosensitive member and having an opening at an upper portion of the housing; an upper cover connected to the housing at one end of the upper cover via a hinge and configured to move between an opened state and a closed state; an exposure unit supported by the upper cover and configured to face the photosensitive member when the upper cover is in the closed state; and a lock mechanism. The lock mechanism is releasable by lifting the upper cover so that the upper cover becomes to the opened state. |
| US08126352B2 |
Image forming apparatus and developer cartridge
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier; a developing device configured to hold a developer carrier to supply developer to the image carrier, the developing device movable to a contacting position where the developer carrier contacts the image carrier and to a spaced position where the developer carrier is spaced from the image carrier; and a memory element disposed in the developing device. The developing device comprises: a pressing force input portion configured to receive pressing force to make the developer carrier contact the image carrier; and a spacing force input portion configured to receive spacing force to make the developing device move from the contacting position to the spaced position. At least one of the pressing force input portion and the spacing force input portion comprises a terminal electrically connected to the memory element. |
| US08126350B2 |
Information processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and job processing method for the same
An information processing apparatus including an acquisition unit configured to acquire configuration information for each of a plurality of paper feed units including type and number of sheets of paper capable of storage in each paper feed unit, a generation unit configured to, based on type and number sheets of paper required to be used for an externally acquired print job and the configuration information acquired by the acquisition unit, generate paper allocation information for associating a paper feed unit with type and number of sheets of paper to be stored in the paper feed unit so as to reduce replacement of paper, an addition unit configured to add the paper allocation information generated by the generation unit to the print job, and a transmission unit configured to transmit the print job with the paper allocation information added by the addition unit to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08126344B2 |
Image forming apparatus with variable amplitude alternating current to mitigate image defects and photoconductor wear
An image forming apparatus including an image carrier that includes a photoconductive layer on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a charging member that comes in contact with the image carrier and charges the photoconductive layer, and a feeding section that supplies a current to the charging member by applying a vibration voltage with an alternating current component superposed on a direct current component, wherein the alternating current component may contain a first amplitude that eliminates charging non-uniformity when the vibration voltage is applied with a uniform amplitude and a second amplitude that is smaller than the first amplitude. |
| US08126341B2 |
Image forming apparatus with a counting unit
An image forming apparatus includes a counting unit that, when a driving unit for rotating an image carrier is operating, adds a predetermined first count value to a total count value in a predetermined timing and that, when the driving unit is being stopped, subtracts a predetermined second count value from the total count value in every predetermined timing; and a suspending unit that suspends printing when the total count value becomes equal to or larger than a preset suspend value. |
| US08126338B2 |
Method and apparatus for repeaterless high-speed optical transmission over single-mode fiber using coherent receiver and electronic dispersion compensation
Repeaterless transmission of differential phase-shift keying (DPSK) at 10.7 Gb/s over at least 304 km of standard single-mode fiber is obtained through use of a coherent optical receiver including electronic dispersion compensation. High receiver sensitivity and high tolerance to nonlinearities of DPSK, allow overcoming a total link loss of 58 dB with a 3 dB system margin, through use in the receiver of heterodyne detection to preserve phase distortions resulting from chromatic dispersion, to permit electronic dispersion compensation to be used. |
| US08126335B2 |
Methods and apparatus for next generation access passive optical networks
Methods and apparatuses for controlling transmission of converged data packets and for media access through a single next generation access (NGA) passive optical network (PON) which can coexist with EPON and GPON based systems and can interoperate with a 10 GEPON. A converged data packet is transmitted between a first node and a second node of the NGA network under NGA management control. The converged packet has a format which unifies a GEM header with the 10 GEPON preamble header and certain fields replaced in a EPON packet format to accommodate information corresponding to the preamble elements of a GEM packet. The converged data can be encoded in the line code of the 10 GEPON protocol, allowing use of a control protocol based either on MPCP or GTC for the NGA. Node apparatuses include NGA elements which enable preparation, encoding/decoding and transmission of converged packets. |
| US08126334B2 |
Method for detecting a signal on a passive optical network
A transceiver assembly is provided for use in an optical telecommunications network. The circuitry arrangement in the transceiver of the present invention generates a ranging signal that is transmitted along the fibers attached thereto and then filters the return signal in an manner that eliminates virtually all of the noise effects found on the fiber to provide a highly reliable timing signal for an accurate delay calculation. A band pass filter is supplied in line before the input signal is allowed to pass to the ranging signal detector and comparator thereby allowing only a signal at the fundamental frequency of the input signal to pass, thereby eliminating false signal detect triggers. |
| US08126333B2 |
Optical transmission system and synchronization method using time reference pulse
An OLT includes a first transmitter and receiver unit for transmitting and receiving signals with ONUs, a first communication control timer, a measurement unit for measuring a round trip time (RTT) between the OLT and each of ONUs, an advance notice time generation unit for generating an advance notice time signal by adding a predetermined time to a time information that indicates a time in the first communication control timer in response to a first time reference pulse, and a unit for controlling the first transmitter and receiver unit to transmit the generated advance notice time signal to each of the ONUs, and to transmit signals indicating measured RTT/2 to the respective ones of the ONUs. |
| US08126331B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexing transmission device and wavelength division multiplexing transmission method
The power level of a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal is detected by a detection unit. When the power level of the optical signal detected by the detection unit is equal to or lower than a first threshold, the coupling direction of an attenuation unit for controlling the coupling direction for the ports of the optical signal is controlled in the direction orthogonal to the array direction of the ports. When the power level of the optical signal exceeds a second threshold, the coupling direction of the attenuation unit is controlled in the array direction of the ports. |
| US08126329B2 |
Quad-port optical module with pass-through and add/drop configuration
Techniques are disclosed for providing bi-directional data services involving a plurality of wavelengths. The data services may be hybrid in nature, including both digital and analog data signals. The techniques may be implemented, for instance, in an optical module, and allow one or more wavelengths to pass-through while other wavelengths are terminated or otherwise diverted. In one example embodiment, the techniques are embodied in a quad-port optical module having two input/output (I/O) ports and pass-through capability for at least one of the wavelengths, add capability for at least one wavelength, and drop capability for at least one wavelength. The module may further include transmit and/or receive capability for one or more signal types. The module can be operatively coupled with a bidi device or other suitable transceiver, to provide modular transmit-receive capability for a desired signal type. |
| US08126327B2 |
System for intercepting signals to be transmitted over a fiber optic network and associated method
A system is provided for intercepting signals transmitted between a target served by a fiber optic network and a subscriber. A network is described having a phone switch at a central office configured to receive signals for transmission to and from a target, such as the target of a criminal investigation. A signal received at the central office is assigned to an analog circuit, and a monitoring device configured to intercept and monitor the signal is installed along the analog circuit at a location that allows the monitoring of communications without notifying the target that he is under surveillance. After the signal has been monitored, it is converted to a digital signal for transmission. A method is also provided for intercepting a signal transmitted between the target served by a fiber optic network and a subscriber, such that a monitoring device may be installed without alerting the target. |
| US08126326B2 |
Method and device for complex analysis of optical spectrums
This invention relates to a device and associated process capable of obtaining the optical spectrum phase of an optical signal or test signal to be analyzed using techniques for heterodyning between two monochromatic spectral components simultaneously extracted from the test signal itself by means of stimulated Brillouin scattering. |
| US08126319B2 |
Radiant oven with stored energy devices and radiant lamps
An oven is configured with a cooking cavity for receiving a cooking load, a circuit for current supplied by one or more stored energy devices such as rechargeable batteries, and a heater comprising one or more radiant lamps to be driven by the current, the one or more radiant lamps being sized and positioned for heating the cooking load. The lamps are driven by current discharged from the batteries to radiantly heat a cooking load. An application of this stove configuration is in a toaster which is capable of toasting slices of bread in a matter of seconds. |
| US08126317B2 |
Recording medium, recording method, reproduction apparatus and method, and computer readable program
An AV Clip generated by multiplexing video and graphics streams is recorded on a BD-ROM. The graphics stream includes a plurality of DSs (Display Sets) which are each a group of segments used for graphics display. When a total size of rendering areas of m windows defined by a WDS (Window Definition Segment) in a display set DSn is denoted by ΣSIZE(DSn[WDS].window[i]), presentation time stamps PTS(DSn[PCS]) and PTS(DSn+1[PCS]) satisfy a relation PTS(DSn[PCS])+(90000×ΣSIZE(DSn[WDS].window[i])) // 256,000,000≦PTS(DSn+1[PCS]). |
| US08126316B2 |
Recording medium, recording method, reproduction apparatus and method, and computer readable program
An AV Clip generated by multiplexing video and graphics streams is recorded on a BD-ROM. PTS(EPOCHm DSlast[PCS]) and DTS(EPOCHm+1 DSfirst[PCS]) satisfy a relation PTS(EPOCHm DSlast[PCS])≦DTS(EPOCHm+1 DSfirst[PCS]), where PTS(EPOCHm DSlast[PCS]) is a presentation time stamp of a packet containing a PCS (Presentation Composition Segment) in a last display set EPOCHm.DSlast, and DTS(EPOCHm+1 DSfirst[PCS]) is a decoding time stamp of a packet containing a PCS in a top display set EPOCHm+1.DSfirst. |
| US08126315B2 |
Recording medium for carrying transport time information
A recording medium according to an embodiment includes a recording layer and a transport stream recorded on the recording layer. The transport stream is composed of one or more predetermined units, each predetermined unit starting with at least one transport packet for carrying navigation information used to manage subsequent transport packets. The first packet of the at least one transport packet carries only the navigation information including program clock reference (PCR) information and does not carry presentation data. |
| US08126313B2 |
Method and system for providing a personal video recorder utilizing network-based digital media content
An approach provides for recording and editing digital media. A digital media stream is generated from an input signal (such as a live broadcast feed). The digital media stream is transmitted to a browser application configured to concurrently record and edit the digital media stream. |
| US08126312B2 |
Use of multiple related timelines
A sequence of video images can be represented using multiple related timelines by generating a first timeline identifying a decode order associated with a sequence of video images and a second timeline identifying a display order associated with the sequence of video images, wherein the sequence of video images is comprised of one or more samples. The first and second timelines can be correlated based on an offset, which represents a time period by which decoding precedes display. The sequence of video images can then be played in accordance with the correlated first and second timelines. Additionally, the decode order in the first timeline can differ from the display order in the second timeline. A revised offset between the first and second timelines can be determined after the sequence of video images has been edited and the first and second timelines can be correlated based on the revised offset. |
| US08126307B2 |
Telecommunications connector protective device
A fiber optic connector assembly includes a fiber optic connector mounted to a fiber optic cable having a ferrule with an end face terminating an optical fiber. The fiber optic cable is terminated with the fiber optic connector in a clean environment protected against airborne contaminants. A seal is placed about the ferrule within the clean environment to protect the polished end face of the ferrule including the end of the optical fiber against airborne contaminants. The seal is removable to make a fiber optic communications linkage without cleaning the end face of the optical ferrule. |
| US08126306B2 |
Two-dimensional photonic crystal
A two-dimensional photonic crystal according to the present invention includes a first layer having a dielectric first layer slab in which first layer holes having a refractive index lower than that of the first layer slab are arranged cyclically, a second layer formed on the first layer, including dielectric columns having a refractive index higher than the air arranged in the air with the same cycle as the first layer hole, and a third layer having a dielectric third layer slab in which third layer holes having a refractive index lower than that of the third layer slab are arranged cyclically. Thus, it is possible to obtain the two-dimensional photonic crystal that can create a wider complete PBG than before regardless of the polarization of light and can be manufactured easily. |
| US08126305B2 |
Electromagnetic wave propagating structure
An electromagnetic wave propagating structure includes a main body having surfaces capable of blocking propagation of an electromagnetic wave, and including an incident side and an exit side opposite to the incident side in a wave-propagating direction. The main body is formed with two wave-propagating channels that are spaced apart from each other by a distance not greater than the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. Each of the wave-propagating channels extends from the incident side to the exit side, and has an inner dimension not greater than half of the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. The electromagnetic wave propagating structure is adapted to allow an electromagnetic wave to propagate therethrough via the wave-propagating channels for focusing into a light spot having a spot size that is smaller than half of the wavelength of the electromagnetic wave. |
| US08126304B2 |
Methods for terminating optical fiber cables
A fiber optic cable system includes a fiber optic main cable having a strength member and a plurality of optical fibers extending therein within an outer cable sheath. A flexible longitudinally extending inner housing is positioned proximate the plurality of optical fibers on a section of the main cable having the outer cable sheath removed. At least one fiber optic drop cable has at least one optical fiber having an end portion extending outwardly from an end of the drop cable. The end portion is spliced together with an end portion of a corresponding at least one severed end portion of one of the plurality of optical fibers of the main cable to define at least one spliced together fiber portion coupling at least one of the plurality of optical fibers of the main cable to a corresponding one of the at least one fiber of the drop cable. A longitudinally extending outer protective housing extends over the section of the main cable having the outer cable sheath removed and the inner housing and the strength member. The outer protective housing has a first opening receiving the main cable and a second opening, longitudinally displaced from the first opening, receiving the main cable and at least one of the openings receiving the drop cable or cables. |
| US08126302B2 |
Method and system for correcting an optical beam
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for shaping an annular focal spot pattern to allow for more efficient optical coupling to a small gauge optical fiber. An embodiment of the present invention can include an illumination source operable to transmit an optical beam along an optical path, an optical fiber, and a correcting element positioned in the optical path between the illumination source and the optical fiber, the correcting element configured to reshape the optical beam to increase an amount of light received by the optical fiber. |
| US08126301B2 |
Optical waveguide and method for producing the same
Provided are an optical waveguide and a production method thereof which can constrict both the width and thickness of the SOI optical waveguide core layer in the same process and at the same time, simplify production process, and reduce optical losses. An optical waveguide includes a first clad layer formed on a semiconductor substrate; a first core layer formed on the upper side of the first clad layer with the use of a semiconductor material the refractive index of which is higher than that of the first clad layer; and a second clad layer formed on the upper side of the first core layer with the use of a material the refractive index of which is lower than that of the first core layer. The width of the first core layer is defined based on the width of an unoxidized semiconductor material sandwiched between oxide films the parts of which are thermally oxidized. The thickness of the first core layer is defined based on the thickness of an unoxidized semiconductor material sandwiched between the first clad layer and an oxide film the part of which is thermally oxidized. At least the input/output portion of the optical waveguide has a tapered waveguide portion where the width and thickness of the first core layer monotonically decreases or increases with respect to the propagation direction of light. |
| US08126300B2 |
Segmented waveguide structure
Segmented waveguide structures provide mode matching in planar lightwave circuits between waveguides and other waveguiding structures, e.g. slab waveguides and optical fibers. The present invention eliminates back reflections from the core segments by etching the leading and trailing faces of the core segments with a plurality of parallel facet sections, which are rearwardly offset in the transmission direction by an odd number of quarter wavelengths. |
| US08126297B2 |
MEMS device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate
A microelectromechanical systems device fabricated on a pre-patterned substrate having grooves formed therein. A lower electrode is deposited over the substrate and separated from an orthogonal upper electrode by a cavity. The upper electrode is configured to be movable to modulate light. A semi-reflective layer and a transparent material are formed over the movable upper electrode. |
| US08126296B2 |
Information display device and information display method
In order to prevent interception of the information through the leakage electromagnetic waves when transmitting the information using an image display unit, an image converter generates plural converted images, stores the generated converted images in an image storage, an image output unit reads out the converted images from the image storage and transmits the converted images to a screen control unit successively. The screen control unit displays a reception image on an image display unit. The image output unit outputs the converted image group at a high speed, thereby performing a switching display on the image display unit, and to show an image visually equivalent to the input image. |
| US08126293B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
In the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus including: a detecting section configured to detect a motion vector from an input image signal acting as the image signal for each of chronologically input pixels; a determining section configured to determine whether the input image signal is cleared; and an interpolating section configured such that if the input image signal is not found cleared, then the interpolating section interpolates and outputs an input image signal intermediate signal interposed at a predetermined point in time between the uncleared input image signal and a preceding input image signal that precedes the uncleared input signal, in accordance with the motion vector; and if the input image signal is found cleared, then the interpolating section allows the input image signal to be output unchanged as the input image signal intermediate signal. |
| US08126288B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes a storing section which stores data of a digital image, a rotation processing section which generates a plurality of rotated digital images having different rotation angles from the digital image, an image processing section which generates a plurality of image-processed digital images from the rotated digital images, a reverse processing section which generates a plurality of reversed digital images from the image-processed digital images, and a combining section which combines the reversed digital images into one digital image. |
| US08126282B2 |
Image encoding apparatus and image decoding apparatus
Provided are an image encoding apparatus and an image decoding apparatus. The image encoding apparatus includes a compression unit compressing a reference image by reducing a resolution of the reference image in a resolution adjustment mode determined from among at least two resolution adjustment modes according to a distribution of values of pixels of the reference image, and providing the compressed reference image to a memory, a reconstruction unit reconstructing the reference image by increasing a resolution of the compressed reference image stored in the memory to an original resolution, a predictive encoding unit performing predictive encoding on a current image by using the reconstructed reference image, and a predictive decoding unit generating the reference image by performing decoding on the predictive encoded current image, and providing the generated reference image to the compression unit. |
| US08126280B2 |
Enhanced decompression of compressed data
Enhanced decompression of compressed images, in which a decompressed image with a target resolution is assembled using an iteratively decompressed and downscaled quantity of scanlines of a compressed image, the quantity of scanlines correlating to a downscaling factor determined based on an original resolution of the compressed image and the target resolution. |
| US08126279B2 |
Lifting-based view compensated compression and remote visualization of volume rendered images
A method for compressing 2D images includes determining a depth map for each of a plurality of sequential 2D images of a 3D volumetric image, determining coordinate transformations the 2D images based on the depth maps and a geometric relationship between the 3D volumetric image and each of the 2D image, performing a lifting-based view compensated wavelet transform on the 2D images using the coordinate transformations to generate a plurality of wavelet coefficients and compressing the wavelet coefficients and depth maps to generate a compressed representation of the 2D images. |
| US08126275B2 |
Interest point detection
An interest point detection technique is presented. More particularly, for each of possibly multiple image pyramid resolutions, a cornerness image is generated. One or more potential interest point locations are identified in the cornerness image. This involves finding locations associated with a pixel that exhibits a higher corner strength value than pixels in a prescribed-sized surrounding pixel neighborhood. The potential interest point locations are then clustered to identify groups that likely derive from a same 2D structure. Potential interest point locations in one or more of the identified groups are respectively combined to produce a single location that represents the combined group. The representative location of each group having one is then designated as an interest point. An optional location refinement can also be implemented. |
| US08126272B2 |
Methods combining multiple frames of image data
In one embodiment a document authentication station, for use with passports or the like, includes a 2D image sensor (e.g., CCD- or CMOS-based video camera), and a computer device. The image sensor produces produce image data corresponding to a presented document. From this image data, the computer extracts two or more identification data. One is a digital watermark. The other can be a bar code, data glyphs, OCR data, etc. The processor then proceeds to check that the two identification data correspond in an expected fashion. If not, the document is flagged as suspect or fake. Reliability of detection can be enhanced by processing plural frames of data from the image sensor before issuing a result. |
| US08126267B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for analyzing digital images to automatically select regions of interest thereof
Computer-implemented image processing methods and apparatuses are presented for automatically selecting regions of interest within an image represented by pixel intensity values. A first pixel box is employed in progressively scanning and evaluating the image. If pixels within the first pixel box have pixel-intensity-related characteristics exceeding respective defined thresholds, then those pixels are identified as an area of interest and a second pixel box is employed in progressively scanning and evaluating the selected area of interest to identify regions of interest. Each area of interest is larger than a region of interest, and the second pixel box is smaller than the first. Regions of interest within the image are identified if one or more pixel-intensity-related characteristics of pixels within the second pixel box exceeds a second defined threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first. Once selected, identifying information for the regions of interest is stored or output. |
| US08126265B2 |
Method and apparatus of correcting hybrid flash artifacts in digital images
A method for digital image eye artifact detection and correction include identifying one or more candidate red-eye defect regions in an acquired image. For one or more candidate red-eye regions, a seed pixels and/or a region of pixels having a high intensity value in the vicinity of the candidate red-eye region is identified. The shape, roundness or other eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including the candidate red-eye region and the region of high intensity pixels is analyzed. Based on the analysis of the eye-related characteristic of the combined hybrid region, it is determined whether to apply flash artifact correction, including red eye correction of the candidate red-eye region and/or correction of the region of high intensity pixels. |
| US08126264B2 |
Device and method for identification of objects using color coding
A device and method for detecting an object in an image by identifying color areas in the image where such colors are a pre-defined pattern of colors that may be printed on for example the object in the image. An imager may capture an image of an object that includes a pre-defined pattern of colored areas having known colors in a known or pre-defined location of an object. The imager may transmit image data to a processor which may identify the pre-defined pattern of pre-defined colors on a pre-defined area of an object in the image. The processor may search for a value that may be stored for example in a data base of a memory, where such value corresponds to the detected pattern. |
| US08126263B2 |
Classifying method and classifying apparatus for digital image
The invention provides a classifying method for digital images. First, a discrete cosine transform is performed on a candidate area of a digital image to generate a set of discrete cosine transform coefficients. Then, a set of texture parameters is generated based on the set of discrete cosine transform coefficients. At last, a classified result of the digital image is generated based on the set of texture parameters. |
| US08126262B2 |
Annotating video segments using feature rhythm models
Each video segment in a plurality of video segments is annotated with an indicator of the likelihood that the respective video segment shows a particular feature. The plurality of video segments forms an episode of interest from a given video domain. Initial feature probabilities are calculated for respective ones of the plurality of video segments using a machine learning algorithm. Each initial feature probability indicates the likelihood that its respective video segment shows the particular feature. Refined feature probabilities are determined for respective ones of the plurality of video segments by finding the most probable state sequence in a finite state machine. This is accomplished at least in part using the determined initial feature probabilities. Finally, each of the video segments in the plurality of vides segments is annotated with its respective refined feature probability. |
| US08126253B2 |
Automatically determining machine vision tool parameters
A method for automatically determining machine vision tool parameters is presented, including: marking to indicate a desired image result for each image of a plurality of images; selecting a combination of machine vision tool parameters, and running the machine vision tool on the plurality of images using the combination of parameters to provide a computed image result for each image of the plurality of images, each computed image result including a plurality of computed measures; comparing each desired image result with a corresponding computed image result to provide a comparison result vector associated with the combination of machine vision tool parameters, then comparing the comparison result vector associated with the combination of machine vision tool parameters to a previously computed comparison result vector associated with a previous combination of machine vision tool parameters using a result comparison heuristic to determine which combination of machine vision tool parameters is best overall. |
| US08126250B2 |
Image acquiring apparatus, image acquiring method, and image acquiring program
A semi-automatic mode according to which an operator makes a necessary confirmation when an image pickup condition for a micro image is set with reference to a macro image is provided in controlling the acquisition of the macro image, the setting of the image pickup condition, and the acquisition of the micro image with respect to each of a plurality of samples S stored in a sample storage unit 11, and in the semi-automatic mode, the sample S whose macro image has been acquired by a macro image acquiring unit 20 is placed at a standby position without being moved directly to an image acquiring position for a micro image acquiring unit 30. According to this structure, image acquisition with respect to each of the samples S can be efficiently performed, and an operational burden imposed on the operator is reduced. Accordingly, it becomes possible to realize an image acquiring apparatus, an image acquiring method, and an image acquiring program each of which is capable of performing image acquisition with respect to each of the samples with high efficiency. |
| US08126249B2 |
Methods of and system for detection and tracking of osteoporosis
A method and system for detection and tracking of osteoporosis is disclosed. A method of characterizing an image of a target vertebra includes building a computer model from a set of sample images of pathological and non-pathological variations of vertebrae representing variations in shape of the vertebrae. The method also includes receiving an image of a target vertebra of a subject and automatically estimating contours of lateral outlines of the superior and the inferior cortical endplates of the image. The parameters of the model are varied to determine a set that represents a model shape that approximates the estimated contours of the outlines of the cortical endplates. The method includes automatically characterizing the target vertebra based on the set of model parameters that are determined and outputting on a display device the characterization of the target vertebra. |
| US08126247B2 |
Image preprocessing system for 3D image database construction
The present invention discloses an image preprocessing system, which includes a processing unit; an image preprocessing unit coupled to the processing unit to preprocess image slice data, wherein the image preprocessing unit includes an image fusion module to estimate missing values between different image slice data and an image stitching module to stitch different image slice data into stitched image data; and a database coupled to the processing unit to store the preprocessed image slice data. |
| US08126245B2 |
Apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of patients with limbs, particularly lower limbs, under natural stress
An apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of patients with limbs, particularly lower limbs, under natural stress, which apparatus includes a magnet structure having an open or closed annular shape, and a predetermined axial extension, which structure delimits a cavity for receiving at least a part of the patient body, with at least two or three open sides, the open sides providing access to the cavity. The open or closed annular magnet structure being disposed with the axis of the open or closed annular shape oriented with at least one vertical directional component and devices being provided for vertical translation of the magnet structure or the patient relative to the magnet structure. |
| US08126244B2 |
User interface for polyp annotation, segmentation, and measurement in 3D computed tomography colonography
A method and system for providing a user interface for polyp annotation, segmentation, and measurement in computer tomography colonography (CTC) volumes is disclosed. The interface receives an initial polyp position in a CTC volume, and automatically segments the polyp based on the initial polyp position. In order to segment the polyp, a polyp tip is detected in the CTC volume using a trained 3D point detector. A local polar coordinate system is then fit to the colon surface in the CTC volume with the origin at the detected polyp tip. Polyp interior voxels and polyp exterior voxels are detected along each axis of the local polar coordinate system using a trained 3D box. A boundary voxel is detected on each axis of the local polar coordinate system based on the detected polyp interior voxels and polyp exterior voxels by boosted 1D curve parsing using a trained classifier. This results in a segmented polyp boundary. The segmented polyp is displayed in the user interface, and a user can modify the segmented polyp boundary using the interface. The interface can measure the size of the segmented polyp in three dimensions. The user can also use the interface for polyp annotation in CTC volumes. |
| US08126243B2 |
Image processing method, image processing program, and image processing device
An image processing method is provided as one for creating a fused image automatically and with high overlapping accuracy.An image processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes (a) a voxel normalization step of equalizing voxel sizes and numbers of voxels in respective effective fields of view of a first 3D image based on a plurality of first tomographic images obtained from an arbitrary part of a subject and a second 3D image based on a plurality of second tomographic images obtained from the same part, thereby creating a first normalized 3D image corresponding to the first 3D image and a second normalized 3D image corresponding to the second 3D image; and (b) a fused image creation step of creating a fused image, using the first normalized 3D image and the second normalized 3D image. |
| US08126236B2 |
Method and device for the separate three-dimensional representation of arteries and veins in an examination object and device
Method for three-dimensional representation of arteries and/or veins in an object by a tomography x-ray device is proposed. A mask pass with N projections at N angular positions without contrast agent is implemented. A first filler pass with M projections at M angular positions after injecting a contrast agent, where M |
| US08126234B1 |
Automated patient-specific bone-implant biomechanical analysis
An apparatus, method, and computer program product for providing information for surgical planning based on automated biomechanical analysis of a bone-implant system using finite element analysis of a patient's 3D medical image, including automated biomechanical analysis of bone-implant systems for use in surgical planning both pre-operatively and intra-operatively and for use in research and development studies. |
| US08126231B2 |
Medical image segmentation apparatus and medical image segmentation program
A medical image segmentation apparatus for segmenting one series obtained by continuous imaging of plural parts into plural series with respect to each part for easy interpretation of an image interpreter. The medical image segmentation apparatus includes an image segmenting unit for segmenting one series into a first series and a second series to thereby generate first image data representing the first series and second image data representing the second series, and a segmentation information adding unit for adding adjacent image information, which includes information for identification of the second series and information representing a positional relationship of the second series with the first series, to the first image data, and adding adjacent image information, which includes information for identification of the first series and information representing a positional relationship of the first series with the second series, to the second image data. |
| US08126230B2 |
Method of motion correction for dynamic volume alignment without timing restrictions
When performing repetitive scans of a patient using a magnetic resonance imaging machine or the like, patients often tend to move as they relax during a lengthy scanning session, causing movement in the volume or portion of the patient being scanned. A prospective motion correction component accounts for patient movement by calculating transformation data representative of patient movement in multiple planes, as well as rotational movement, and a host evaluates the change in position relative to a most recent scanning geometry of the patient or dynamic volume. In this manner, correction or adjustment to the scanning geometry employed by an associated scanner is made only for the differential between the current geometry and the most recent geometry, to mitigate redundant adjustment that can result in oscillatory over—and under—compensation during adjustments. |
| US08126227B2 |
X-ray computed tomographic apparatus and medical image processing apparatus
An X-ray computed tomographic apparatus includes an X-ray tube which generates X-rays, an X-ray detector which detects X-rays transmitted through a subject and generates projection data, and a reconstruction unit which generates a plurality of original volume data at different scanning times based on the projection data. This apparatus includes an unit which obtains difference volume data corresponding different scanning times by performing difference processing between original volume data at adjacent scanning times, an unit which extracts a blood vessel image on the basis of original volume data before and after the injection of a contrast medium, and an unit which generates a display image by providing the blood vessel image with color or luminance information corresponding to the arrival time of the contrast medium on the basis of the blood vessel image and the plurality of difference volume data corresponding to the different scanning times. |
| US08126224B2 |
Method and apparatus for instrument tracking on a scrolling series of 2D fluoroscopic images
The present invention relates to a method and system apparatus for instrument tracking on a series of images. The method relates to performing instrument tracking on an image. The method comprises collecting at least one image and computing at least one of a position and orientation of at least one instrument for the at least one collected image. The method further relates to displaying at least one, some or all of the collected and computed data either separately or in any combination. |
| US08126221B2 |
Interactive device and method for transmitting commands from a user
According to the present invention, it is provided an interactive device comprising a display, a camera, an image analyzing means, said interactive device comprising means to acquire an image with the camera, the analyzing means detecting at least a human face on the acquired image and displaying on the display at least a pattern where the human face was detected wherein the interactive device further comprises means to determine a halo region extending at least around the pattern and means to add into the halo region at least one interactive zone related to a command, means to detect movement onto the interactive zone and means to execute the command by said device. |
| US08126219B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and imaging apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes: image acquiring means for acquiring an image; search-window-size setting means for setting a size of a search window; search-range setting means for setting a search range in the image in relation to the set size of the search window; scanning means for moving the search window having the set size in the set search range; face-area determination means for determining whether the image in the search window at each scanning position is a face area; and face-information output means for outputting information of the face area obtained from a determination result of the face-area determination means. |
| US08126216B2 |
Personal identification device and method
A personal identification apparatus includes a finger inlet into which a finger inserted; an interface where the finger is introduced through the finger inlet; a plurality of light sources provided inside the interface to irradiate light to the finger from a plurality of directions; image pick-up units being respectively arranged opposite to the plurality of light sources and respectively capturing an image from light transmitted from the plurality of light sources through the finger; a unit for adjusting when the plurality of light sources transmit light onto the finger; and a unit for extracting blood vessel patterns contained in images captured by the image pick-up units from the light transmitted though the finger and collating each of the extracted blood vessel patterns with a registered blood vessel pattern for personal identification. |
| US08126215B2 |
Registration and collation of a rolled finger blood vessel image
Apparatus, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for extracting biometric identification information useful for biometric authentication are disclosed. Biometric identification is accomplished by extracting binary biometric data from video signals of characteristics images of a subject of biometric identification such as a finger at sequentially different image pickup positions in response to a relative movement of an image pickup element and the subject of biometric identification at a predetermined biological site. |
| US08126212B2 |
Method of detecting moving object
Proposed is a method of detecting a moving object, including: providing an image-set at least including a first image and a second image correlated in a time series, the first image preceding the second image; defining a detecting region and a detecting direction so as to construct a virtual gate in the first image; estimating the motion vector in a time series; comparing, by the virtual gate, the second image with the first image so as to determine a difference therebetween in terms of an object's position and motion vector; and retrieving the object to be an effective moving object upon determination of the object as lying within the detecting region defined in the virtual gate and moving in a direction substantively the same with the detecting direction. This invention presents a moving object detection method without the need to construct a background model a priori. |
| US08126211B2 |
Pointing device and motion value calculating method thereof
A pointing device is provided. A sensor generates a motion detection signal by sensing motion. A calculator receives the motion detection signal, calculates a motion value based on the motion detection signal, calculates a conversion motion value base on an angle of the motion value, and outputs the conversion motion value. An interface outputs the motion conversion value inputted from the calculator. By limiting a motion angle, the pointing device can provide a positioning operation suitable for a motion intended by a user. The user can optionally use a motion control method in all directions according to need. |
| US08126208B2 |
Digital image processing using face detection information
A method of processing a digital image using face detection within the image achieves one or more desired image processing parameters. A group of pixels is identified that correspond to an image of a face within the digital image. Default values are determined of one or more parameters of at least some portion of the digital image. Values are adjusted of the one or more parameters within the digitally-detected image based upon an analysis of the digital image including the image of the face and the default values. |
| US08126206B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
Disclosed herein is an image processing apparatus for recognizing, from a taken image, an object corresponding to a registered image registered in advance, including, an image taker configured to take an image of a subject to obtain the taken image of the subject, a recognizer configured to recognize, from the taken image, an object corresponding to the registered image, a first specified area tracker configured to execute first specified area tracking processing for tracking, in the taken image, a first tracking area specified on the basis of a result of recognition by the recognizer, and a second specified area tracker configured to execute second specified area tracking processing for tracking a second specified area specified on the basis of a result of the first specified area tracking processing. |
| US08126202B2 |
Digital watermark padding method, digital watermark padding device, digital watermark detecting method, digital watermark detecting device, and program
A digital watermark embedding method of the present invention includes: a step of sequentially obtaining each frame image of the moving image data and frame display time; a step of generating a watermark pattern using watermark information, the frame display time and watermark pattern switching information; a step of superimposing the watermark pattern onto the frame image, and combining watermark embedded frame images obtained by sequentially repeating the processes to generate watermark embedded moving image data. A digital watermark detection method includes a step of sequentially obtaining a frame image; a step of generating a difference image between the currently obtained frame image and a previously obtained frame image; and a step of performing digital watermark detection from the difference image to output digital watermark detection status, and when digital watermark detection process is continued, obtaining a new frame again to repeat the above processes. |
| US08126197B2 |
Method for image quality assessment using quality vectors
A method for assessing the image quality of image data acquires image data, segments the image data into at least one spatial region, obtains a plurality of image quality measures for the at least one spatial region, and forms at least one quality vector that has two or more quality measures for the at least one spatial region. The at least one quality vector is classified into one of a plurality of predefined quality classes. |
| US08126196B2 |
Method of imaging a coding pattern comprising reed-solomon codewords encoded by mixed multi-pulse position modulation
A method of imaging a coding pattern disposed on a surface of a substrate. The method comprises the steps of: (a) operatively positioning an optical reader relative to the surface and capturing an image of a portion of the coding pattern; (b) sampling and decoding a Reed-Solomon codeword contained in the imaged portion; and (c) determining, using the decoded codeword, a position of said reader, an identity of the substrate digital signature, and/or a fragment of an embedded data object. The coding pattern encodes Reed-Solomon symbols using mixed multi-pulse position modulation, with a higher number of Reed-Solomon symbol values available for redundancy symbols than data symbols. |
| US08126194B2 |
Digital watermark embedding apparatus, digital watermark detecting apparatus, and digital watermark system
The digital watermark embedding apparatus includes: a storing unit (15) for storing in advance at least one embedding function, at least one image converting program, and at least one image processing program that are required for a digital watermark embedding process, and storing in advance combination process information in which a process ID is assigned to each combination of those processing functions; an embedding process selecting unit (12) for selecting, as particular combination process information, one of a plurality of pieces of the combination process information; and an embedding unit (14) for obtaining from the storing unit (15) the embedding function, the image converting program, and the image processing program which are included in the selected particular combination process information, embedding particular embedding information into multimedia data, and generating determination information including the process ID corresponding to the particular combination process information. |
| US08126189B2 |
Multi-directional flat speaker device
A multi-directional flat speaker device is disclosed. By the directional characteristics of a plurality of flat speakers of the flat speaker device, accompanying with mechanism to actuate each of the plurality of flat speakers independently rotating to its desired direction, a composite sound field is generated as desired accordingly. The design makes the applications of the flat speaker device more suitable to meet the requirement of future utilizations. The mechanism to actuate the plurality of flat speakers can be achieved by controlling one or more of the flat speakers to rotate in a unique manner. The mechanism can control a facing angle of any one of the plurality of flat speakers independently. The mechanism can be designed by mechanical or electrical controlling manner. |
| US08126175B2 |
Hearing aid device
A hearing aid device is provided in which wireless data transmission and reception are established between a first hearing aid and a second hearing aid, worn one on each ear, wherein in a case where wireless transmission and reception are not possible, the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid are switched from a liaison operation mode in which both hearing aids are interactively adjusted to a solo operation mode in which each hearing aid is independently adjusted. In a case where wireless transmission and reception are possible, the first hearing aid and the second hearing aid are switched from the solo operation mode to the liaison operation mode. |
| US08126174B2 |
Hearing device with a multi-stage activation circuit and method for operating it
In one aspect, a hearing device is provided with a multi-stage activation circuit including a primary activation unit, an evaluation unit and a main activation unit. The primary activation unit monitors a sound-induced input level and forwards incoming signals to the evaluation unit when a threshold value of the input level is exceeded. The evaluation unit is activated when the threshold value is exceeded and determines a feature of incoming signals suitable for identifying and/or classifying a sound causing the incoming signals. The main activation unit is activated, for example, when the feature determined by the evaluation unit indicates a noise that should be perceptible to the wearer of the hearing device. The main activation unit activates further components of the hearing device including the signal processing and amplification circuit and the output unit. |
| US08126173B2 |
System and method for expanding multi-speaker playback
A method includes splitting and filtering a left input signal and a right input signal to produce a plurality of frequency sub-bands. Each of the frequency sub-bands includes a left sub-band signal and a right sub-band signal. The method also includes processing the left and right sub-band signals associated with each of the frequency sub-bands into a plurality of sub-band channel signals. The plurality of sub-band channel signals includes at least three sub-band channel signals. In addition, the method includes summing corresponding ones of the sub-band channel signals for reproduction in a corresponding channel of a plurality of channels. The plurality of sub-band channel signals may include a left sub-band channel signal, a right sub-band channel signal, a center sub-band channel signal, a left surround sub-band channel signal, and a right surround sub-band channel signal. |
| US08126169B2 |
Super magnetostriction speaker
A supermagnetostriction speaker featuring good acoustic characteristics when used being placed on a horizontal surface. The supermagnetostriction speaker comprises a yoke of a cylindrical shape having a bottom and a lid and constituting a magnetic path; a supermagnetostriction element which is fixed at its one end to the lid of the yoke, has the other end which is a free end, and is arranged in the direction of cylinder of the yoke to generate displacement depending upon a variation in the magnetic field; a coil arranged to surround the supermagnetostriction element in the yoke and generates a magnetic field in response to signals fed from an external unit; a vibration rod having a flange at an intermediate portion thereof and is so arranged that the one end thereof comes in contact with the free end of the supermagnetostriction element and that the other end thereof penetrating through the center hole in the bottom of the yoke transmits the displacement of the supermagnetostriction element to an external body; a rubbery elastic body arranged being held between the flange of the vibration rod and the bottom of the yoke; and a body portion exerting a load on the supermagnetostriction element via the yoke in a state where the other end of the vibration rod is placed on the external body in a manner that the supermagnetostriction speaker stands by itself, so that the displacement of the supermagnetostriction element is effectively transmitted to the external body due to the mass. |
| US08126168B2 |
Capacitive sound transducer having a perforated attenuation disk
A capacitive sound transducer provided with a perforated attenuation disk. The invention further relates to a capacitive sound transducer and a condenser microphone having such a sound transducer. The sound transducer comprises a diaphragm and a counterelectrode which is disposed at a short distance from the diaphragm and provided with first perforations. In order to attenuate natural oscillations of the diaphragm at high frequencies, a capacitive sound transducer is proposed in which a sound-permeable attenuation disk provided with second perforations is disposed at a short distance from the diaphragm and opposite the counterelectrode. In this arrangement, the first perforations and the second perforations are also offset in relation to each other. |
| US08126163B2 |
Volume and tone control in direct digital speakers
A system that includes a direct digital speaker volume control device configured to be coupled to a direct digital speaker. The direct digital speaker includes many pressure producing elements being adapted to generate a sound at a sound pressure level (SPL) and at a given frequency in response to an input signal, without using digital to analog converter. The direct digital speaker inherently exhibits a frequency response throughout its entire frequency range. The direct digital speaker volume control device includes a module for providing few filters each having a distinct cutoff frequency such that each filter exhibits no attenuation below its cutoff frequency and an attenuation response above the filter's cutoff frequency. And a selector for selecting one of the filters according to a selection criterion that depends on a desired volume and frequency of generated sound, and applying the filter to the input signal for generating a filtered signal that fed to the speaker. |
| US08126158B2 |
Reducing sound pressure of noise
A system comprising converter logic that introduces noise to a signal. The system also comprises amplifier logic that reduces a sound pressure associated with the noise by amplifying the signal prior to providing the signal to the converter logic and de-amplifying the signal after providing the signal to the converter logic. |
| US08126151B2 |
Audio signal processing circuit
An audio signal processing circuit comprising: a holding circuit configured to receive a clock signal and set data corresponding to the clock signal, and to hold the set data; a processing circuit configured to process at least one of a first audio signal and a second audio signal input in parallel, based on the set data of the holding circuit; and a set data output circuit configured to output the clock signal to the holding circuit based on the first audio signal corresponding to the clock signal, and output the set data to the holding circuit based on the second audio signal corresponding to the set data. |
| US08126148B2 |
Securing home agent to mobile node communication with HA-MN key
The invention is a new protocol for securing the communication link between the Home Agent and the Mobile Node. A cipher key and an integrity key are generated at a home AAA server and are also generated independently at the Mobile Node. The two keys generated at the home AAA server are transmitted to the Home Agent to secure information packets transmitted between the Mobile Node and the Home Agent. The cipher key and integrity key are used to establish a security association used for information packet transmissions. The cipher key is used to encrypt the information packets, and the integrity key is used to ensure that the contents of the encrypted message are not altered. |
| US08126147B2 |
Secure terminal data loader system and in-flight entertainment management system
A terminal data loading device on a mobile platform includes a media unit for receiving a transportable media element containing media data and outputting a media signal to a control processor unit. The control processor unit outputs an information signal to a wireline communication unit. The wireline communication unit outputs a wireline signal to a network on the mobile platform. |
| US08126144B2 |
Purging of authentication key contexts by base stations on handoff
Various embodiments of methods and apparatuses for managing authentication key contexts are described herein. In various embodiments, the methods and apparatuses include purging an authentication key context of a supplicant after handing off the supplicant, even the authentication key has not expired. |
| US08126136B2 |
Method and system for automatic supervisor intervention in problematic calls in a call center
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for processing a call in a call center includes monitoring a characteristic of at least a portion of the call, comparing the characteristic to a threshold for the characteristic, and generating a signal indicative of a potential problem call based on the comparison. |
| US08126130B1 |
System and method for coupling an instant messaging session with a PBX call session
System and method for coupling an IM session with a PBX call session are described. One embodiment is a multimedia session manager system comprising a first controller for controlling telephony services to a plurality of terminals; and a second controller for controlling IM services to a plurality of user communications devices; and wherein, responsive to application of a private branch exchange (“PBX”) service to a telephony call, the second controller automatically applies a corresponding IM service to an IM session associated with the telephony call. |
| US08126128B1 |
Life cycle management of user-selected applications on wireless communications devices
Tools and techniques for performing life cycle management of user-selected applications on wireless communications devices are described herein. In part, the tools provide machine-readable media for presenting to the subscriber a list of available applications for installation on the device, and for receiving selections from the subscriber of one or more of the applications. Additionally, the tools provide methods for selling advertising space on the devices. |
| US08126124B2 |
Charging for long duration sessions in communication networks
Communication networks and associated methods are disclosed that provide charging for long duration sessions. A charging data system of the communication network receives interim accounting request messages from a network element that is serving a session. The charging data system identifies interim timestamps for the interim accounting request messages, and stores the interim timestamps. After a time period during the long duration session, the charging data system generates a partial CDR. The charging data system then inserts duration information for the long duration session in the partial CDR based on the stored interim timestamps, and transmits the partial CDR to a correlation system. The correlation system may then calculate a total duration for the session based on the duration information in the partial CDR. Even if a start/stop timestamp is not available, the correlation system may estimate the total duration of the session based on the interim timestamps. |
| US08126122B2 |
Controlling data rate of a facsimilie transmission
A network device to control a transmission rate of one or more fax data units transferred between a transmitting and a receiving network device. The transmission rate is controlled based on one or more control parameters. The control parameters may be generated based on comparing the configured values and the capability values. The configured values may represent allowable transmission characteristics of a network path provisioned between a transmitting and a receiving network device and the capability values may represent the transmission capabilities of the transmitting and the receiving network device. |
| US08126119B2 |
Collimator unit, radiation detecting device, and radiodiagnostic system
A pair of holding plates formed with a plurality of grooves each wider than the thickness of each collimator plate are disposed in parallel so that the respective surfaces formed with the grooves confront each other. Urging members are disposed on the holding members. When the urging members slide in the arranged direction of the grooves along the grooves-formed surfaces of the holding members, the urging members urge individual collimator plates inserted in the grooves toward side walls of the grooves. The collimator plates are inserted into the grooves, then the urging members are slid and held in that slide position to urge individual collimator plates into close contact with side walls of the grooves. |
| US08126117B2 |
Multi-beam X-ray system
A multi-beam x-ray system includes an x-ray source which emits x-rays and a housing with a first part and a second part. The second part is moveable relative to the first part and includes a plurality of optics of different performance characteristics. Each optic, through the movement of the second part relative to the first part, is positioned to a working position so that the optic receives the x-rays from the x-ray source and directs the x-rays with the desired performance attributes to a desired location. |
| US08126116B2 |
Anode plate for X-ray tube and method of manufacture
An anode plate for an X-ray tube includes an outer edge, a center region, and a plurality of slots disposed along the outer edge and extending toward the center region (210b) with each of the plurality of slots including a slot end. The anode plate further includes slot termination material disposed around a least a portion of the periphery of one or more of the slot ends, the slot termination material operable to reduce the tension stress or compression stress at the slot end. |
| US08126114B2 |
Seven or more degrees of freedom robotic manipulator having at least one redundant joint
A robotic treatment delivery system including a linear accelerator (LINAC), and a robotic manipulator coupled to the LINAC. The robotic manipulator is configured to move the LINAC along seven or more degrees of freedom, at least one of the seven degrees of freedom being a redundant degree of freedom. |
| US08126113B2 |
X-ray diagnosis apparatus
A storage unit stores a plurality of vectors and a plurality of past electrocardiographic phases in association with each other. Each of the vectors is a vector from a past reference point to a past objective point. A Reference point specifying unit specifies a current reference point on a current image. An electrocardiograph detects a current electrocardiographic phase associated with the current image. A vector specifying unit specifies a specific vector associated with a past electrocardiographic phase corresponding to the detected current electrocardiographic phase among the plurality of vectors. Objective point calculation unit calculates a position of a current objective point on the current image based on the specified vector and the position of the current reference point. A display unit displays the position of the current objective point on the current image. |
| US08126112B2 |
Osseo classification system and method
An osseo classification and digital modality modeling system includes a computer with a digital memory adapted for storing patient densitometry information, an input and an output. An input subsystem includes a pair of source/receptor units mounted on a signal positioning subsystem, which is adapted for moving the source/receptor units through predetermined paths of movement, which can be circular or linear. The resulting tomographic data is synthesized to form any 3-D model or image, which is output for further analysis and classifying osseo structure and/or prosthetic osseointegration. An osseo classification and digital tomosynthesis method includes the steps of moving a pair of sensor/receptor units relative to a patient. The resulting signals output by the receptor are digitized and synthesized to form a 3-D image or model. Multiple depths of penetration and multiple widths can be captured from single acquisitions using digital tomosynthesis signal processing techniques. Osseo structure and/or prosthetic osseointegration is classified using the densitometry data. |
| US08126111B2 |
Displaying recordings in a superimposed or oriented way
A method for the superimposed depiction, on at least one screen, of overlapping recordings of a region to be imaged which is recorded in at least two recording steps, wherein multiple markers are fixedly provided in the region to be imaged, such that at least two recordings can be spatially produced, offset with respect to the markers, using an x-ray apparatus, wherein the recordings are registered relative to the marker, and the image data of accordingly registered recordings is mutually oriented by means of a common imaging protocol and depicted on the at least one screen in a superimposed way. |
| US08126109B2 |
X-ray CT apparatus and tomography method
An index-value detecting unit detects an index value that indicates a contrast medium density in a Region Of Interest (ROI) set on an image reconstructed during a scan. A switch-timing detecting unit detects an inflection point appearing on a curve that indicates temporal variations in the contrast medium density in the ROI, based on an index value detected by the index-value detecting unit. An imaging control unit then performs control so as to skip the rest of a scanning plan in execution and to start the next scanning plan when the switch-timing detecting unit detects an inflection point. |
| US08126108B2 |
Method and apparatus for reorientated resconstruction of computed tomography images of planar objects
A system and method for micro computed tomography (CT) reconstruction of position scan data of planar objects, such as stacked integrated circuit chips and/or PCB, that automatically determines object orientation is disclosed for a preferred orientation of the reconstructed images. The object orientation of the sinogram of the scanning data is determined such that the reconstruction may be performed with any starting position. Additionally, planar object scan reconstructions with either a higher resolution in the thickness dimension without increasing the total computation resource or a faster processing speed under a given resolution in the thickness dimension may be achieved. The tilting angle with respect to the rotation axis may also be determined to perform a image rotation after a multi-slice reconstruction or cone-beam reconstruction. |
| US08126107B2 |
Nuclear engineering plant and closure apparatus for its containment
A nuclear engineering plant has a containment, whose interior chamber is subdivided by a wall into a systems chamber and an operating chamber which is accessible during normal operation. The containment ensures a particularly high operational reliability, in particular also in incident situations, in which hydrogen is released in the systems chamber. For this purpose, a number of overflow openings are provided in the partition wall, the respective overflow opening is closed by a closure element of a closure apparatus which opens automatically when a trigger condition associated with the respective overflow opening is reached. Closure apparatuses are provided which open both as a function of pressure and independently of pressure. The closure apparatus furthermore has a closure element containing a bursting film or a bursting diaphragm. The closure apparatus is configured such that it frees the overflow opening automatically when a predetermined environment-side trigger temperature is reached. |
| US08126101B2 |
Method and apparatus for varying a dynamic range
A communications device comprises a receiver for receiving an input signal operably coupled to analogue to digital converter logic. The analogue to digital converter logic is operably coupled to control logic via a signal analyzer arranged to analyze a converted received input signal, output from the analogue to digital converter logic to determine at least one characteristic of the received signal. The control logic is arranged to vary a dynamic range of the analogue to digital converter logic depending on the at least one determined characteristic of the received input signal. |
| US08126099B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for filtering a receive signal by adaptive operation of an input noise whitening filter
Apparatus, and an associated method, for the receive part of a receiving station, such as a mobile station or other transceiver of a cellular communication system. Selection is made of filter characteristics to be exhibited by an adaptive, input noise whitening filter. A noise estimator estimates a noise component of a noise sequence. An autocorrelation estimator estimates the noise-component autocorrelation. A determination is made as to whether the autocorrelation exceeds a threshold. If so, filter characteristics are selected to cause the input noise whitening filter to operate to inject whitening noise into the received sequence. |
| US08126098B2 |
Multi-rake receiver
A wireless receiver includes M antennas that each receive a wireless signal. N rake receiver modules receive the wireless signals from the M antennas and combine multipath components of the wireless signals. A summing module receives outputs of the N rake receiver modules and combines the outputs to generate an output signal. M and N are integers greater than 1. |
| US08126097B2 |
Method and system for cluster processing using conjugate gradient-based MMSE equalizer and multiple transmit and/or receive antennas for HSDPA, STTD, closed-loop and normal mode
A system and method for processing signals are disclosed. The method may include performing by one or more processors and/or circuits in a wireless device that includes a plurality of transmit and/or receive antennas for one or more of HSDPA, space-time transmit diversity (STTD), Closed Loop, Normal Mode and spatial multiplexing, the one or more processors and/or circuits comprising a minimum mean square error (MMSE) equalizer, generating a plurality of chip-rate synchronously sampled signals utilizing a plurality of received clusters. At least a portion of said generated plurality of chip-rate synchronously sampled signals may be simultaneously equalized in time domain and in spatial domain, based on a plurality of weight values calculated for the plurality of received clusters. The plurality of weight values may be iteratively computed utilizing a time-based adaptation method. |
| US08126095B1 |
Maximum ratio combining architectures for optimal complementary code keying receiver design
A multi input multi output (MIMO) receiver for receiving signals having a plurality of equalizers being responsive to aligned signals for processing the same to generate a plurality of equalized outputs using filter coefficients, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The MIMO receiver for training said plurality of equalizers to adapt said filter coefficients for generating said plurality of equalized outputs, said MIMO receiver for combining said plurality of equalized outputs in time domain to generate a weighted output, said MIMO receiver for improving the quality of said weighted output by performing equalization prior to combining said plurality of equalized outputs. |
| US08126087B2 |
DC offset correction circuit for canceling a DC offset in a real time and a receiving system having the same
A DC offset correction circuit includes a DC offset detector generating a detection voltage based on a result of a comparison of a first reference voltage and a voltage difference between signals input to the DC offset detector, a comparator comparing a second reference voltage and the detection voltage and a third reference voltage and the detection voltage and outputting first and second comparison signals, respectively, as a result of the comparisons, and an up/down counter performing an up or a down count operation in response to one of the first or second comparison signals and, as a result of the up or down count operation, outputting a signal that causes at least one control signal for canceling a DC offset in a signal input to a receiver to be generated. |
| US08126085B2 |
Method and apparatus to estimate channel tap
Briefly, a method an apparatus and a wireless communication device are provided. The wireless communication device includes a receiver to receive complex sequences of symbols. The receiver includes an estimator to estimate one or more channel taps. The estimator includes a memory to store at least a portion of one or more calculated values of an estimation matrix and is capable to estimate the one or more channel taps based on a stored portion of calculated values of the estimation matrix. |
| US08126084B2 |
Processing method for providing, starting from signals acquired by a set of sensors, an aggregate signal and data acquisition system using such method
Embodiment for forming an aggregate signal from a plurality of starting signals, comprising: acquiring said starting signals through respective sensors of a homogeneous sensors group; converting acquired signals in respective digital signals having data represented with a predetermined bits number; processing the digital signals to form aggregate signal. The processing step comprises the operations of: modifying digital signals changing the data format of each such digital signals from a first format to a second format, each data in the second format having been obtained from a respective data in the first format through an operation of permuting the bits position according to a permutation scheme associated with said data and to the specific digital signal comprising that data; forming aggregate signal obtaining said aggregate signal data by means of a bitwise logic operator acting upon said modified digital signal respective data. |
| US08126083B2 |
Apparatus for and method of controlling a sampling frequency of a sampling device
A method of controlling sampling frequency of a sampling device (40), where the sampling device (40) generates samples (62) in response to the receipt of a signal (20) resulting from a transmission of a series of symbols through a channel, the method including the steps of estimating (46) a channel impulse response of the channel from the samples, calculating a characteristic of the channel impulse response estimate, and determining (52) the sampling frequency in accordance with the characteristic. |
| US08126082B2 |
Gain weighted code combining system and method for combining BPSK codes
A method and system for generating a composite binary phase shift keying (BPSK) code from at least two independent component BPSK codes that is representative of each of the component BPSK codes. According to one embodiment the method involves gain weighting each BPSK code by its respective code power ratio to form a corresponding pluarity of gain weighted codes. The gain weighted codes are then processed in accordance with an algorithm to form a composite BPSK code. The composite BPSK code has at least a fifty percent probability of matching each one of the component BPSK codes. Specific implementations for generating a composite BPSK code from either two component BPSK codes, or from three component BPSK codes, are also disclosed. |
| US08126078B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing noise in an unbalanced channel using common mode component
A method and apparatus are disclosed for reducing noise, such as external noise, cross-talk and echo, in an unbalanced channel. A cross-talk canceller is disclosed that uses a multi-dimensional finite impulse response filter to process both the differential, d, and common-mode, c, components of a received signal. Recovery of the differential mode component of the received signal is improved by reducing the contribution of the common mode component. The common mode component of a received signal may be expressed, for example, as the average of two voltages or two current signals. The differential and common mode components of the received signal are equalized. The disclosed multi-dimensional cross-talk canceller reduces external noise; near-end crosstalk resulting from differential and common mode components on one twisted pair interfering with another twisted pair; and echo crosstalk resulting from differential and common mode cross-talk components on the same twisted pair. |
| US08126074B1 |
Method and apparatus for equalization and decoding in a wireless communications system including plural receiver antennae
A method and apparatus for processing a frequency domain digital Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol. The method includes generating an estimate of a channel for each sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital OFDM symbol; generating channel state information corresponding to each sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital OFDM symbol; and generating a plurality of demodulated symbols based, at least in part on, the estimate of the channel for each sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, in which each demodulated symbol corresponding to a given sub-carrier of the frequency domain digital OFDM symbol. The method further includes performing a soft-decision decoding on each demodulated symbol to generate a corresponding soft-decision decoded symbol. The soft-decision decoding of each demodulated symbol is based, at least in part, on the channel state information corresponding to the given sub-carrier associated with the demodulated symbol. |
| US08126073B2 |
Radio transmission device, radio reception device, radio transmission method, and radio reception method
A radio transmission device capable of improving the reception error rate characteristics of a receiver. In this device, an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) unit (102) subjects a transmission signal to an FFT operation, in which a signal in a time domain is converted into a signal in a frequency domain. A control unit (103) controls the transmission power of the FFT-operated transmission signal in the frequency domain. An IFFT (Inverse Fast Fourier Transform) unit (104) subjects the transmission signal having its transmission power controlled, to an IFFT operation, in which an inverse conversion is made into a signal in the time domain. A transmission RF unit (106) transmits the IFFT-operated transmission signal on a single carrier. |
| US08126070B2 |
Method and base station for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal processing
A method and base station for forming an OFDM signal from a baseband signal includes a partitioning unit configured to partition a block of baseband signal samples into sub-blocks. A sub-carrier mapper maps the sub-blocks onto adjacent sub-carrier blocks of an OFDM multi-carrier to form corresponding unprefixed OFDM symbols. A cyclic prefix adder adds a cyclic prefix to each mapped sub-block to form prefixed OFDM symbols. Phase compensations force the unprefixed OFDM symbol part of all subsequently up-converted prefixed OFDM symbols to start at the same phase. Up-converters up-convert the phase compensated prefixed OFDM symbols to respective radio frequency bands having center frequencies and bandwidths that preserve the OFDM multi-carrier structure. A combiner combines the up-converted phase compensated prefixed OFDM symbols into an OFDM signal. |
| US08126062B2 |
Per multi-block partition breakpoint determining for hybrid variable length coding
A method, and apparatus, and logic encoded in one or more computer-readable tangible medium to carry out a method. The method is to code a plurality of ordered sequences of quantized transform coefficients of a corresponding plurality of blocks of image data using a hybrid coding method that includes determining a breakpoint location in the sequence between a low frequency region and a high frequency region; coding the low-frequency region using a selected low-frequency variable length coding method; coding the high-frequency region using a selected high-frequency variable length coding method; and coding the location of the breakpoint. The plurality of blocks include adjacent blocks and form a multi-block partition. The breakpoint location is determined as a function of the sequences of the multi-block partition such that different multi-block partitions can have different breakpoints. |
| US08126059B2 |
Motion vector detection device and motion vector detection method
A motion vector detection device includes: a separation section that separates a video signal into a brightness component and a color-difference component; a selection section that selects either the brightness component or the color-difference component, or both; a gain controlling section that controls, if the selected brightness or/and color-difference components exceed a predetermined reference level, its/their gains; and a motion vector detection section that detects a motion vector based on the result of gain control by the gain controlling section. |
| US08126055B2 |
Telop detecting method, telop detecting program, and telop detecting device
A telop detecting device includes an MPEG input source, a parameter acquiring unit, a switch, a DCT coefficient evaluating unit, and a result output unit. The MPEG input source acquires an MPEG stream. The parameter acquiring unit acquires parameters necessary for detecting a telop from the MPEG input source. The switch switches on and off the connection to the DCT coefficient evaluating unit. The DCT coefficient evaluating unit evaluates the possibility of presence of a telop based on a DCT coefficient of each macro block in a frame acquired through the switch, identifies a telop region by calculating an evaluation value by assigning a weight to the DCT coefficient using a weighting matrix. |
| US08126050B2 |
Methods and apparatus for decoding and displaying different resolution video signals
Methods and apparatus for implementing a reduced cost HDTV/SDTV video decoder are disclosed. The described joint video decoder is capable of decoding HDTV pictures at approximately the resolution of standard definition television pictures and can be used to decode HDTV and/or SDTV pictures. The described video decoder may be used as part of a picture-in-picture decoder circuit for providing picture-in-picture capability without providing multiple full resolution video decoders. The reduction in decoder circuit complexity is achieved through the use of a plurality of data reduction techniques including the use of a preparser, downsampling, and truncating pixel values. |
| US08126044B2 |
Passive system and method to equalize distortion in an RF satellite chain
A system and method for configuring an equalizer 48 for a transmission link includes a computer 82 that forms a mathematical model of an analog equalizer having a plurality of mathematical model filter stages. The computer 82 determines a desired response and tunes each of the plurality of mathematical model filter stages toward the desired response to form a plurality of model filter parameters to compensate for distortions in the transmission link. The equalizer 48 is coupled to the RF chain. The plurality of filter stages is tuned in response to the filter parameters. The RF signals are broadcast in response to analog equalizer. |
| US08126043B2 |
Method and apparatus for block-based signal demodulation
Teachings presented herein combine the relative simplicity of equalization with the performance of maximum likelihood (ML) processing. These teachings are applied to the detection of symbols in a stream of symbol blocks. In one or more embodiments, block-based equalization, including feedforward filtering, suppresses inter-block interference and produces detection statistics for the symbols in each symbol block, and joint detection addresses intra-block interference by jointly detecting the most likely combination of symbols within each symbol block, based on the corresponding detection statistics. The joint detection obviates the need to address intra-block interference within the equalization filters, while, at the same time, the block-based equalization produces detection statistics for each symbol block thereby simplifying the joint detection process. Overall complexity is less than would be needed for full MLSE processing of the symbol blocks without equalization preprocessing, while performance is close to or on par with full MLSE processing. |
| US08126041B2 |
Circuit and method for on-chip jitter measurement
Disclosed herein are embodiments of an improved built-in self-test (BIST) circuit and an associated method for measuring phase and/or cycle-to-cycle jitter of a clock signal. The embodiments of the BIST circuit implement a Variable Vernier Digital Delay Locked Line method. Specifically, the embodiments of the BIST circuit incorporate both a digital delay locked loop and a Vernier delay line, for respectively coarse tuning and fine tuning portions of the circuit. Additionally, the BIST circuit is variable, as the resolution of the circuit changes from chip to chip, and digital, as it is implemented with standard digital logic elements. |
| US08126040B2 |
Device and method for calibrating MIMO systems
A device and method for calibrating MIMO systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a calibration circuit comprises at least a first and a second input/output port, each arranged for being connected to a different transmitter/receiver pair of a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system. The circuit further comprises at least a third and a fourth input/output port, each arranged for being connected to a different antenna. The circuit further comprises an attenuator having a first attenuator port and a second attenuator port. The circuit further comprises a first and a second non-reciprocal switch, the first switch being arranged for establishing a connection between the first input/output port and either the third input/output port or the first attenuator port, and the second switch arranged for establishing a connection between the second input/output port and either the fourth input/output port or the second attenuator port. |
| US08126039B2 |
Methods and apparatus for evaluating the eye margin of a communications device using a data eye monitor
Methods and apparatus are provided for evaluating the eye margin of a communications device using a data eye monitor. The quality of a data eye associated with a signal is evaluated by sampling the signal for a plurality of different phases; evaluating the samples to evaluate one or more of a height and width of the data eye; and determining whether the one or more of the height and width satisfy one or more predefined criteria. One or more parameters of the communications device can optionally be adjusted if the communications device does not satisfy the one or more predefined criteria. The communications device can optionally be assigned to a quality category based on the evaluation. A phase offset between a first clock signal used to sample the signal and one or more clocks used to sample data is reduced. |
| US08126038B2 |
System and method for selectable mask for LDSL
The present invention overcomes various problems by defining two upstream masks (U1, U2) and two downstream masks (D1, D2) and using a mask selectable system for the long reach digital subscriber line (LDSL), in which a unique modem feature is activated during handshake to automatically check for physical layer status in terms of spectral compatibility and, thus, automatically optimize the boosted mode with the use of the mask selectable system choose the best combination of upstream/downstream masks in any physical layer noise scenario. |
| US08126036B2 |
Predistortion and post-distortion correction of both a receiver and transmitter during calibration
A post-distorter compensates for receiver nonlinearity in calibration mode. Linearized receiver-side output from the post-distorter is used to correctly compensate for transmitter-side nonlinearities in calibration mode. The post-distorter also compensates for receiver-side nonlinearities during normal receive mode. Thus, the post-distorter features dual modes of use, a calibration mode, wherein calibration signals received from the adjacent transmitter are linearized by the post-distorter and a normal receive mode, wherein communication signals from a remote transmitter are linearized by the post-distorter. |
| US08126026B2 |
Two-beam semiconductor laser device
A two-beam semiconductor laser device 10 includes: a two-beam semiconductor element LDC having a first and a second semiconductor laser elements LD1 and LD2 that can be driven independently and that are formed integrally on a substrate; and a submount 63 having, mounted on a front part thereof, the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC with the light-emitting face thereof directed forward and having a first and a second electrode pads 64 and 65 connected to electrodes 61 and 62 of the first and second semiconductor laser element LD1 and LD2 by being kept in contact therewith. The first and second electrode pads 64 and 65 are formed to extend farther behind the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC, and wires 14 and 16 are wire-bonded behind the two-beam semiconductor laser element LDC. |
| US08126025B2 |
Laser light source apparatus, and monitoring apparatus and image display apparatus using the same
A laser light source apparatus includes a first laser array light source that emits first-wavelength light, and a second laser array light source that emits second-wavelength light, the second wavelength being different from the first wavelength. The first laser array light source includes a first fundamental wave laser array that produces first fundamental wave light having a first original wavelength, and a first wavelength conversion element that wavelength-converts the first fundamental wave light into the first-wavelength light. The second laser array light source includes a second fundamental wave laser array that produces second fundamental wave light having a second original wavelength different from the first original wavelength, and a second wavelength conversion element that wavelength-converts the second fundamental wave light into the second-wavelength light. |
| US08126016B2 |
Method and apparatus for information dissemination
A system and method for transmitting information to a group of recipient devices according to a transmission schedule is provided. A sequence of M blocks of information are transformed into N transformed blocks, where M and N are integers and N≧M. Each of the N transformed blocks are transmitted to a group of user devices in a network in accordance with a transmission schedule. At one of the user devices, at least some of the N transformed blocks are received. When K distinct transformed blocks have been received, where K is an integer and K |
| US08126014B2 |
Methods and apparatus for improved decoding of hybrid automatic repeat request transmissions
A method for improved decoding of hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) transmissions may include attempting to verify a physical layer (PHY) cyclic redundancy check (CRC) for a candidate H-ARQ encoder packet. If the PHY CRC is not verified, medium access control layer protocol data units (MPDUs) may be identified in the candidate H-ARQ encoder packet, and attempts may be made to verify a medium access control layer (MAC) CRC for each MPDU in the candidate H-ARQ encoder packet. |
| US08126012B2 |
Communication apparatus and method of transferring data
A communication apparatus detects the start and end of a frame of a video, and notifies information indicating that the start of the frame of the video is detected and information indicating that the end of the frame of the video is detected to a communication unit that performs communication access control and that is included in the communication apparatus. The communication unit controls an acknowledgement in a media access control level, in transfer of the video, based on the notification. |
| US08126001B2 |
Method and apparatus for multicasting contents between devices in networks
An apparatus for multicasting contents between devices in different networks includes: a home-to-home multicast control device for finding the devices in the networks, downloading contents from a device in a network to which the home-to-home multicast control device belongs, processing the contents to generate file blocks, each file block having chunk files, and multicasting the processed contents to the devices in the networks; and at least one home-to-home multicast bridge device for receiving the contents transmitted from the home-to-home multicast control device and streaming the contents to one or more devices in a network to which the home-to-home multicast bridge device belongs. The apparatus further includes a multicast relay device for relaying the contents between the home-to-home multicast control device and the home-to-home multicast bridge device. |
| US08125990B2 |
Silent probe for network delay reporting
Systems are presented in which a network database is populated and updated with delay values representing measured network delays in routing calls between call control entities of a communications network. The network entities can query the database to make informed decisions regarding call routing based on the delay values, and the database entries are provided by the network elements, which measure actual or pseudo calls routed in the network. |
| US08125986B2 |
Method for enabling secure usage of computers using a mechanism lockdown
A computer-implemented method for selectively enabling and disabling at least one of a plurality of functions of a host operating system and for selectively enabling and disabling at least one of a plurality of host components includes the following steps: activating a locking mechanism in the host system for disabling system access, wherein the locking mechanism includes switches and component control storage; activating component settings for selectively enabling and disabling components of the system, wherein the component settings are controlled by manipulating the switches; activating system settings for selectively enabling and disabling functions of the system, wherein the system settings are controlled by manipulating the switches; activating system passwords, component passwords and encryption keys; and locking the system according to the selected settings. An information processing system includes a master access control mechanism for enabling and disabling one or more components of the system when the system is in privileged system mode, depending on whether the system boots from internal or external media. |
| US08125981B2 |
System and method of providing a high-quality voice network architecture
Embodiments of the invention include a system and method for providing high quality voice/sound communications over a local loop of a telephone network. The method aspect of the invention comprises receiving a voice signal, digitizing the voice signal into a high quality voice signal, utilizing sampling rates greater than 8000 samples per second and/or sample sizes greater than 8 bits per sample, negotiating voice processing characteristics between a customer premises equipment and a network element such as a softswitch, receiving speech from a user at a customer premises equipment according to the negotiation, converting the received speech into high bandwidth signal and transmitting the high bandwidth signal to a telephone local loop, transmitting the high bandwidth signal from the local loop to wideband node that packetizes the high bandwidth signal for transmission to a packet network and receiving the packetized signal from the packet network at a switch that switches between an on-network or off-network status. A voice over IP platform may also be used to route packetized signals from the packet network to either the telephone network or another packet network. |
| US08125980B2 |
User terminal connection control method and apparatus
A user terminal connection control method to limit the number of sessions simultaneously connectable to the Internet, wherein an access server or authentication server has a user management table for specifying the maximum number of connections and a preferential terminal identifier indicating a user terminal to be preferentially connected to the Internet for each group comprising a plurality of user identifiers. The access server or authentication server determines, during a communication procedure for authenticating a user who requests to access to the Internet, whether the current number of connections for a group to which the user belongs has reached the maximum number of connections, and if so, determines whether to allow the user terminal to connect to the Internet depending on whether the user terminal identifier matches the preferential terminal identifier. |
| US08125978B2 |
Method for establishing data transmission path and sensor network employing the same
A sensor network system and method for establishing a data transmission path are is disclosed. The method for establishing a data transmission path of a sink node and the network system which includes a plurality of nodes including the sink node, includes a) requesting nodes on a previously established data transmission path to give their adjacent node information, b) receiving the adjacent node information, c) retrieving adjacent nodes as the sink node moves, and d) reestablishing the data transmission path through the result of retrieval and the adjacent node information. Since the data transmission path is reestablished without flooding, it is possible to reduce energy of the nodes. Also, the method for establishing a data transmission path can be applied to any routing protocols without additional conditions. |
| US08125974B2 |
Transmit emission control in a wireless transceiver
Methods and apparatus for control of uplink resource allocation and undesirable transmit emissions from a wireless transceiver in a frequency division duplex (FDD) or hybrid frequency division duplex (H-FDD) wireless system. The bandwidths spanned by the receive band and the transmit band may be symmetric or asymmetric. Additionally, each of the receive band or the transmit band may be contiguous or may be an aggregate of multiple discontinuous frequency bands. The wireless transceiver can control undesirable transmit emissions from occurring in a predetermined frequency band by using an offset LO frequency and restricting transmit signals to frequencies away from the predetermined frequency band. Alternatively, in an asymmetric FDD system where a receive band is larger than a transmit band, the transceiver can limit transmit signal allocation to the transmit band. The transceiver can further limit out of band transmit emissions using an offset LO frequency. |
| US08125971B2 |
Generic parallel spreading
Method for transmitting a wideband code division multiplex output signal at a given chip-rate corresponding to a plurality of combined physical radio links for respective user entities, comprising the steps of performing parallel symbol and code generation, parallel modulation, parallel spreading, each enhanced multiplex rate cycle providing a first number of parallel spread chip values, thus forming a first number of spread chip value streams. The enhanced multiplex rate being a second number greater than the chip rate of the output signal, combining the physical radio links over a number of segments corresponding to the second number at the enhanced multiplex rate in multiplex fashion, extending the combination of the physical radio links during a time corresponding to a third number of chips, causing a combined plurality of physical radio links, buffering the results so as to establish a complex signal at chip rate to the air transmission antenna. |
| US08125970B2 |
Ranging method for measuring distance between a central node and an equipment node in a beacon wireless personal area network
A ranging method is described for measuring distance between a central node and an equipment node in a beacon wireless personal area network. At the beginning stage, the central node calculates the parameters needed in the ranging operation and sends these parameters to the equipment nodes by beacon frames. Equipment nodes, in turn, send ranging frames at time slots assigned thereto according to the information received in the beacon frames. The central node calculates beacon frame flight time by recording the sending time and the arrival time of the ranging frame, and then calculates the distance between the central node and the equipment node. For nodes failing in the ranging procedure, the ranging parameters are changed according to failing reasons and the above procedure is repeated until a ranging result is received without failure. |
| US08125966B2 |
Methods for handing over, by double transmission of data, a call involving a mobile node in a micromobility or macromobility situation in an IP communication network using hierarchical mobility management
A call handover method for an Internet Protocol communication network using hierarchical mobility management comprising a mobility anchor point connected to first and second access routers and to a home agent of a mobile node having first local and regional care-of addresses and communicating with another node consists in, if the mobile node detects the second access router: i) communicating the address prefix of the second access router to the mobile node in order for it to construct a second local care-of address, ii) communicating the second local care-of address, the first regional care-of address and an information bit having a value indicating double temporary addressing to the anchor point in order for it to store the second local care-of address in corresponding relationship to the first regional care-of address and then forward packets addressed to the mobile node to the first and second access routers, and iii) disconnecting the mobile node from the first access node and then deleting the first local care-of address of the mobile node stored at the anchor point in order to forward packets that are addressed to it to the mobile node via the home agent equipment, the anchor point and the second access router. |
| US08125965B1 |
Wireless multi-mode system and method
A multi-mode combination broadband wireless card and router system includes a broadband wireless card for broadband wireless data communication with a WAN over a broadband wireless link; a router for routing network communications between the WAN and a LAN, the router including a USB port for making a USB connection with a user computer, a wired LAN port for making a wired LAN connection with a user computer, and a wireless LAN port for making a wireless LAN connection with a user computer; at least one of the broadband wireless card and router including a processor; and a module executed by the processor, the module configured to: identify use of at least one of the USB port, the wired LAN port, and the wireless LAN port, and modify network access mode for one or more of the user computers based on the identification. |
| US08125963B2 |
Radio transmission control method, radio receiver apparatus, and radio transmitter apparatus
A radio communication method and apparatus generate a plurality of information signals and transmit the signals to a communication partner from a plurality of antennas. A plurality of combination of signals to be transmitted are selected. A transmission evaluation value is determined based on the signal noise ratio of each signal. After all combinations are evaluated, a transmission format suitable for sending a combination of signals is determined based on a highest evaluation value. |
| US08125960B2 |
Mobile communication method, mobile station, and wireless access network apparatus
When a mobile station (UE) is camping on a system of the LTE scheme, a function (EMM) is configured to transmit a service request signal including a “CSFB” to an MME; the NNE is configured to transmit setup information including a “CSFB” to an eNB in response to the service request signal transmitted by the function (EMM); the eNB is configured to transmit, to a function (AS), instruction information instructing to select a cell in a system of the WCDMA/GSM scheme in response to the setup information transmitted by the MME; the function (AS) is configured to select the cell in the system of the WCDMA/GSM scheme in accordance with the instruction information transmitted by the eNB; and the function (MM) is configured to set up circuit switched communications via the cell in the system of the WCDMA/GSM scheme selected by the function (AS). |
| US08125958B2 |
Wireless subscriber inter-technology handoff
Embodiments for a method and apparatus of a wireless subscriber unit triggering an inter-technology handoff are disclosed. One method includes estimating a signal quality of first technology communication signals received from a serving base station. Information of neighboring base stations is received from the serving base station. Based on the information of the neighboring base stations, a signal quality of first technology communication signals received from each of the neighboring base stations is estimated. An inter-technology handoff is triggered based on a function of the signal quality of communication signals received from a serving base station and the signal quality of communication signals received from each of the neighboring base stations. |
| US08125957B2 |
Method and system for radio network environment detection and reporting, and media independent handover apparatus
A method and a system for radio network environment detection and reporting in a network handover and a media independent handover (MIH) apparatus are provided. The method includes the following: an MIH function (MIHF) at a terminal side initiates a network scan, and generates a parameter report on a radio network environment around the terminal including dynamic information and static information of a scanned point of access (PoA) after the scan is completed; the MIHF at the terminal side sends the parameter report on the radio network environment to an upper layer at the terminal side or to an MIHF at a network side. The method and system support homogeneous and heterogeneous network environments at the same time. |
| US08125947B2 |
Mapping control information to a dedicated physical control channel
The present invention provides a method of wireless communication involving at least one mobile unit and at least one base station configured to transmit data over first and second data channels and corresponding first and second control channels. The method includes accessing control information associated with data to be transmitted over the first data channel and mapping the control information to a portion of the second control channel. |
| US08125938B2 |
Relay station and method for enabling reliable digital communications between two nodes in a wireless relay based network
A relay station (606, 806a, 806b, 906a, 906b, 1006 and 1106) and a method (700) are described herein that enables reliable digital communications to occur between two nodes in a wireless relay based network (600, 800, 900, 1000 and 1100). The wireless relay based network includes a first node (602, 802, 902, 1002 and 1102) that transmits information in coded/modulated digital communications to a second node (604, 804, 904, 1004 and 1104) via one or more relay stations. And, each relay station is capable of: (1) receiving (702) a coded/modulated digital communication from the first node; (2) computing (704) a plurality of reliability values for a plurality of information symbols or coded symbols in the received coded/modulated digital communication; and (3) transmitting (706) a coded/modulated digital communication that has the computed reliability values embedded therein to the second node. |
| US08125932B2 |
Method and apparatus for continuously receiving images from a plurality of video channels and for alternately continuously transmitting to each of a plurality of participants in a video conference individual images containing information concerning each of said video channels
A method and apparatus is provided for video conferencing. The method and apparatus continuously receive frames from a plurality of video channels and alternately continuously transmit to each of a plurality of participants in a video conference individual frames containing information concerning each of the video channels. The method and apparatus only transmits at any given instant new picture data for one of the participants in the video conference. |
| US08125928B2 |
Routing frames in a shortest path computer network for a multi-homed legacy bridge node
Methods, apparatus, and products for routing frames in a shortest path computer network for a multi-homed legacy bridge, wherein the network includes a plurality of bridges. At least two of the plurality of bridges operate as edge bridges through which the frames ingress and egress the network. A first edge bridge identifies a legacy bridge nickname for a legacy bridge connected to the network through the first edge bridge and a second edge bridge using active-active link aggregation. The first bridge receives a frame from the legacy bridge and determines, in dependence upon the frame's destination node address, an egress bridge nickname for a third bridge through which a destination node connects to the network. The first bridge then adds the legacy bridge nickname and the egress bridge nickname to the frame and routes the frame to the third bridge in dependence upon the egress bridge nickname. |
| US08125927B2 |
Method and system for network topology discovery
Methods and apparatus for topology discovery of a network having heterogeneous network devices are disclosed. A network appliance communicates with the network devices to acquire device descriptors and characterize the network devices accordingly. Topology discovery is based on device characteristics, media-access data, and encoded connectivity patterns, where each connectivity pattern is defined by devices of specific device types and respective media-access data. A topology deduction module of the network appliance synthesizes a network image starting with unconnected devices and progressively incorporating detected connectivity patterns. |
| US08125924B2 |
Method and devices for transferring data
A method for transmitting data is disclosed, whereby data are transmitted in packets between a first device and a second device, whereby a further device disposed between the first device and the second device analyzes the packets at most for regeneration purposes. The second device transmits data between itself and a third device using DSL technology. During the data transmission between the first device and the second device a comparison of transmission rates takes place. |
| US08125918B2 |
Method and apparatus for evaluating adaptive jitter buffer performance
A method and system for providing a test signal to evaluate the performance of an adaptive jitter buffer are disclosed. For example, the method transmits a test signal into a communication network, and applies a jitter impairment along a path traversed by the test signal in the network preceding a device supporting a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, wherein the device having an adaptive jitter buffer. The method then analyzes the test signal that is received from the device to determine a performance of the adaptive jitter buffer. |
| US08125911B2 |
First-hop domain reliability measurement and load balancing in a computer network
In one embodiment, probe messages may be transmitted from a local domain to a set of one or more responding probe targets located beyond a plurality of probed first-hop domains of the local domain, the probe messages transmitted via each of a plurality of probed first-hop domains. A reliability of each probed first-hop domain may then be determined based on responsiveness of probe messages transmitted via each respective probed first-hop domain, such that traffic destined beyond the probed first-hop domains may be load balanced across the probed first-hop domains based on the respective reliability, regardless of a traffic-class and a destination of the traffic. |
| US08125910B2 |
Communication system
A communication terminal (1) on a transmission side comprises means (1-10) for detecting congestion, means (1-7) for detecting a sign of congestion with reference to an ideal congestion window size and a current congestion window size, means for estimating a ratio of priority traffic with respect to traffic within a network, and means (1-8) for dynamically changing a threshold value for detection of the sign of congestion in response to the estimated ratio. When the congestion or the sign of congestion is detected, a congestion window size is changed into the idea congestion window size. |
| US08125905B2 |
System and method for processing network packet flows
A system and method provides a broadband network node for a best effort network such as the Internet or intranets which supports the inexpensive and rapid deployment of services to the best efforts network. Separate data path and control path mechanisms allow high-speed data transfers with parallel processing flows for the data path that are controlled across data flows by the control path. Packets are classified, modified and shaped to enable the service on the network with an accountant to track packet traffic for control and billing purposes. A series of processing blades perform a modification function for each blade that processes packets according to classifications. The processing blades are modular and scalable for insertion in the broad band switch to rapidly adapt the broadband network node for new services. |
| US08125901B2 |
Video streaming
The bitrate for any practical video streaming system will vary considerably as a function of the difficulty of encoding the sequence in question. This variation is even more apparent when comparing different video clips of different genres for example where sports clips might require a higher average bitrate and fluctuate more due to the high activity of typical scenes, whereas a news report clip might require a much lower bitrate and be relatively static. As such, to deliver video streams at a constant quality to users sharing a contended network, a constant bandwidth method is not efficient to use across all the streams. The bandwidth allocated to each stream must be allowed to dynamically vary in time in accordance with the precise demands of the video being streamed at that time and also be within any network bandwidth constraints. The present invention defines such a method. |
| US08125900B2 |
Network equipment management device, network equipment management method, network equipment, and program used therein
In order to perform update processing with high reliability while preventing occurrence of an error in the update order, reduce a load on a management device, and reduce the time required to complete the update processing, according to the present invention, there is provided a network equipment management program that allows a computer to execute: an order information creation step that creates order information which is information corresponding to the order of the network equipments in which setting information is to be set and according to which the setting information is sequentially transmitted from N (N=1, 2, . . . )-th network equipment to (N+1)-th network equipment so as to be set in the respective network at its reception timing of the setting information; and a transmission step that transmits predetermined information including the order information created in the order information creation step to a first network equipment specified in the order information. |
| US08125897B2 |
System and method for monitoring and optimizing network performance with user datagram protocol network performance information packets
A method for monitoring and optimizing performance of a packet network utilizing user datagram protocol including determining network performance information between a sending user datagram protocol network element and a receiving user datagram protocol network element; concatenating the network performance information into data packets; transmitting the data packets to at least one non-user datagram protocol network device having transport layer capabilities; and controlling bandwidth of the at least one non-user datagram protocol network device to optimize the network utilizing the user datagram protocol based on the network performance information in the data packets. A system for monitoring and optimizing performance of a packet network utilizing user datagram protocol is also included. |
| US08125892B1 |
Method and apparatus for facilitating machine-type communication
A method and apparatus are provided to facilitate communications with MTC devices. An apparatus may include processing circuitry configured at least to receive a broadcasted triggering message and to determine whether the triggering message identifies a machine-type communication (MTC) gateway or another device within a capillary network supported by the MTC gateway. The processing circuitry may cause at least a portion of the triggering message to be provided to a device within the capillary network in an instance in which the triggering message identifies the device within the capillary network. The processing circuitry may also be configured to determine an action requested by the triggering message in an instance in which the triggering message identifies the MTC gateway. |
| US08125891B2 |
Method and system for multi-layer network routing
Each node of a telecommunications network determines a connection type attributes available for each signal type supported by the node. Each signal type represents a different connection routing layer within the telecommunications network. Adaptation costs involved in traversing from one connection routing layer to another connection routing layer in the node are calculated. The connection type attributes and adaptation costs are included in a link state advertisement broadcasted by each node in the telecommunications network. A route calculation is performed for a desired signal to determine a route through the telecommunications network for the signal. The route calculation takes into account the various connection type attributes, availability, and adaptation costs in determining the shortest route for the signal through the telecommunications network. |
| US08125890B2 |
Connectivity fault management in a provider backbone bridge traffic engineering (PBB-TE) domain
A system and method for providing Connectivity Fault Management (CFM) in a Provider Backbone Bridge Traffic Engineering (PBB-TE) telecommunication network utilizing Ethernet-based packet transport. PBB-TE point-to-point and point-to-multipoint services are identified, and PBB-TE maintenance points associated with the identified PBB-TE services are addressed. The addressed PBB-TE maintenance points are modified by adding a PBB-TE Service Demultiplexer to each PBB-TE maintenance point for identifying independent PBB-TE service instances. Basic CFM protocols are enhanced to duplicate the behavior of CFM protocols on virtual local area network (ULAN)-based maintenance associations. The PBB-TE maintenance points may be Maintenance association End Points (MEPs) and Maintenance association Intermediate Points (MIPs). |
| US08125886B2 |
System, apparatus, and method for spatial multiplexing with symbol spreading
The present invention provides a system (400), device (200, 300), and method (200) for a spatial multiplexing (SMX) transmission scheme combined with symbol spreading and rotation using a pre-determined matrix R, which can greatly improve system performance without requiring additional bandwidth or power consumption under fast Rayleigh flat fading channels or high frequency-selective channels in UWB systems. Because of the lattice-based structure, sphere decoding is employed to reduce the complexity of ML decoding while maintaining the near ML performance. On the other hand, ZF and MMSE receivers can also be used due to the systematic structure at the transmitter. |
| US08125882B2 |
High density data storage medium, method and device
A composition of matter for the recording medium of nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage devices and a nanometer scale thermo-mechanical information storage device. The composition includes: one or more polyaryletherketone polymers, each of the one or more polyaryletherketone polymers having two terminal ends, each terminal end having two or more phenylethynyl moieties. The one or more polyaryletherketone polymers are thermally cured and the resulting cross-linked polyaryletherketone resin used as the recording layers in atomic force data storage devices. |
| US08125876B2 |
Objective lens, optical pickup apparatus using the same, optical recording/reproduction apparatus using the same, and method of correcting aberration using the same
Provided is an objective lens for which expressions 0.83<(pM/pL)<1.17 and 0.83<(pM/pT)<1.17 or expressions 0.80<(pM/pL)<1.20 and 0.86<(pM/pT)<1.14 are satisfied, where pL is the ratio of fifth-order spherical aberration to third-order spherical aberration, the spherical aberrations being caused by a difference in the thickness of a cover layer of an optical recording medium, pT is the ratio of fifth-order spherical aberration to third-order spherical aberration, the spherical aberrations being caused by a change in the temperature of an environment of the objective lens, and pM is the ratio of fifth-order spherical aberration to third-order spherical aberration, the spherical aberrations being caused by a change in incident magnification. |
| US08125872B2 |
Recording medium and recording system
Disclosed herein is a recording medium on or from which the recording or reproduction of data is stably performed. On the recording medium, data are recorded three-dimensionally by the irradiation of a recording laser beam. The recording medium includes a reflection control layer including a plurality of reflection layers stacked in a film thickness direction, each reflection layer having a connection terminal, each reflection layer exhibiting reflectivity and transmissivity changeable in response to an electrical signal supplied to the connection terminal and a recording layer disposed at a beam incidence side of the reflection control layer. |
| US08125868B2 |
Optical disc, optical disc recording apparatus and method, optical disc reproducing method
The present invention provides an optical disc recording method of irradiating an optical beam to an optical disc including a basal plate made of synthetic resin which has a concavo-convex pattern formed in advance on one surface thereof, and a reflective coat made of metal which is formed over the concavo-convex pattern on the basal plate, to physically change the concavo-convex pattern so as to record identification data. |
| US08125867B2 |
Information recording medium, recording/reproducing apparatus, and recording/reproducing method to distinguish between an original recording block and a replacement recording block
An information recording medium, and a recording/reproducing apparatus and a recording/reproducing method for the recording medium. Original data is sequentially updated by replacing an original recording block with one or more replacement recording blocks. A replacement recording block includes at least one of an original address field indicating a location of the original recording block or a previous address field indicating a location of an immediately previous recording block. Replacement information is effectively recovered in a system where a replacement for logical overwriting (LOW) occurs in either a spare area and a user data area by reference to the address fields in each replacement recording block. |
| US08125865B2 |
Optical disc and optical disc apparatus
A recordable dual-layer optical disc which allows precise recording learning on both layers. A first information recording layer located further from the light incidence side includes a read-only control data area, a first test area, and a second test area. A second information layer located closer to the light incidence side includes a third test area located at a position opposite to the control data area, and a fourth test area located at a position opposite to the second test area. |
| US08125864B2 |
Information processing device and method, program, and recording/reproducing device
An information processing device includes: a correction coefficient holding unit configured to hold a correction coefficient which is a ratio between the position of a control target at a start time of control operation, and a detection signal indicating the control result of the control target; an initial-value-compensation matrix holding unit configured to hold an initial-value-compensation matrix for performing compensation of the initial value of a control computing unit for computing control output for controlling the control target from the detection signal based on the position and speed of the control target; and an initial-value generating unit configured to correct the position and speed of the control target at a start time of control operation with the correction coefficient, and employ the position and speed of the control target after correction, and the initial-value-compensation matrix to generate an initial-value-compensation value for compensating the initial value of the control computing unit. |
| US08125863B2 |
Integrated circuit, information recording/reproducing apparatus, and signal processing method
An information recording/reproducing apparatus including an optical pickup unit for generating an RF signal performs signal processing to acquire, at a restart of recording after a halt of recording, a data ID to be used as a reference for specifying a recording restart position in the recording medium based on the RF signal. The signal processing includes reproduced signal generation processing to generate a reproduced signal based on the RF signal, and data ID acquisition determination processing to determine, at the restart of recording after the halt of recording, whether or not the data ID has been properly acquired, based on the reproduced signal. If it is determined in the data ID acquisition determination step that the data ID has not been properly acquired, a reproduction parameter to be used for generating the reproduced signal in the reproduced signal generation step is adjusted. |
| US08125862B2 |
System and method for controlling tracking in an optical drive
The present techniques provide methods and systems for alignment of a read head with data tracks on an optical data disk. In embodiments, a multi-pixel detector that is segmented into multiple areas, or detector segments, may be used to detect a pattern in the light reflected from an optical data disk. The detector system may then combine the quantized values from each of the detector segments mathematically to determine the alignment of the read head with a target data track. If the read head drifts to one side or the other, detectors to the side of a center detector may start to pick up energy from the adjacent tracks. If this energy is continuously summed for the detectors on each side, the read head may be centered by balancing the sums from the detectors on each side. |
| US08125853B2 |
Watch bracelet
A watch bracelet includes two straps (12, 14; 46, 48), designed to be fixed to a watch case (24, 44) at one of the ends thereof, characterized in being provided with a lentiform loop (18, 40, 58) fixed thereto. |
| US08125852B2 |
Methods and systems for seismic signal detection
Methods and systems utilizing seismic sensors configured or designed for use in seismic signal detection. An electrical current is applied to a seismic sensor such that the moving coil is located at a neutral position relative to the magnetic field in the seismic sensor to compensate for gravitational acceleration. |
| US08125847B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and access method thereof
Example embodiments provide a semiconductor memory device that may include: a cell array arranged in pluralities of rows and columns; and a sense amplifier conducting writing and reading operations to the cell array in response to writing and reading commands in correspondence with an access time, which may be variable in period. The sense amplifier adjusts pulse widths of write-in and read-out data in accordance with a period of the access time. |
| US08125846B2 |
Internal voltage generating circuit of semiconductor memory device
An internal voltage generating circuit of a semiconductor memory device includes a driving current generator that controls the magnitude of a driving current and supplies a controlled driving current in response to signals activated according to an operational mode. A comparison voltage generator receives a reference voltage and an internal power supply voltage, outputs a differentially amplified comparison voltage in response to a voltage difference between the reference voltage and the internal power supply voltage, and operates according to the driving current. A bulk bias controller receives at least two voltages and selectively outputs a voltage as a bulk bias voltage in response to a power-down enable signal, a normal enable signal, and an operating enable signal. An internal voltage driver controls a threshold voltage in response to the bulk bias voltage, controls a current amount in response to the comparison voltage, and outputs the internal power supply voltage. |
| US08125834B2 |
Device and method for controlling solid-state memory system
A memory system includes an array of solid state memory devices which are in communication with and under the control of a controller module via a device bus with very few lines. This forms an integrated-circuit mass storage system which is contemplated to replace a mass storage system such as a disk drive memory in a computer system. Command, address and data information are serialized into component strings and multiplexed before being transferred between the controller module and the array of memory devices. The serialized information are is accompanied by a control signal to help sort out the multiplexed components. Each memory device in the array is mounted on a multi-bit mount and assigned an array address by it an array mount. An A memory device is selected by an appropriate address broadcast over the device bus, without requiring the usual dedicated select signal. A reserved array particular mount multi-bit configuration is used to unconditionally select the device mounted thereon. A reserved predefined address broadcast over the device bus deselects all previously selected memory devices. Read performance is enhanced by a read streaming technique in which while a current chunk of data is being serialized and shifted out of the memory subsystem devices to the controller module, the controller module is also setting up the address for the next chunk of data to begin to address the memory system. |
| US08125833B2 |
Adaptive dynamic reading of flash memories
A data storage device includes a controller and storage elements. The controller is configured to read a threshold voltage of each of a plurality of the storage elements to generate read threshold data and to assign reference voltages defining each of a plurality of voltage threshold states based on the read threshold data. |
| US08125829B2 |
Biasing system and method
Embodiments are provided that include a memory system that includes a memory system, having an access device coupled between a global line and a local line and a voltage source coupled to the global line and configured to output a bias voltage on the global line when the memory system is in a non-operation state. The access device is selected when the memory system is in the non-operation state, and the access device is deselected when the memory system is in an other state. Further embodiments provide, for example, a method that includes coupling a global access line to a local access line, biasing the local access line to a voltage other than a negative supply voltage while a memory device is in a first state and uncoupling the global access line from the local access line while the memory device is in an other state. |
| US08125826B2 |
Fractional bits in memory cells
Methods, devices, modules, and systems for programming memory cells can include storing charges corresponding to a data state that represents an integer number of bits in a set of memory cells. Programming memory cells can include storing a charge in a cell of the set, where the charge corresponds to a programmed state, where the programmed state represents a fractional number of bits, and where the programmed state denotes a digit of the data state as expressed by a number in base N, where N is equal to 2B, rounded up to an integer, and where B is equal to the fractional number of bits represented by the programmed state. |
| US08125824B1 |
Nanotube random access memory (NRAM) and transistor integration
A nanotube random access memory (NRAM) structure is provided. The structure includes a substrate, a gate electrode disposed in the substrate, and a first nanotube fabric disposed on the substrate. The first nanotube fabric has a channel region spaced apart from the gate electrode by a portion of the substrate. The structure also includes a drain contact contacting the first nanotube fabric. The structure also includes a second nanotube fabric disposed on the substrate, and is adjacent and connected to the first nanotube fabric. The structure also includes a source contact contacting the second nanotube fabric. The first nanotube fabric is a high-voltage fabric compared to the second nanotube fabric such that when a voltage is applied across the first nanotube fabric and the second nanotube fabric via the drain contact and the source contact, the second nanotube fabric is permitted to switch without switching the first nanotube fabric. |
| US08125823B2 |
Method and structure for ultra-high density, high data rate ferroelectric storage disk technology using stabilization by a surface conducting layer
A method and structure for a ferroelectric storage medium, includes a metallic underlayer and a ferroelectric data layer over the metallic underlayer. A layer over the ferroelectric data layer has a charge migration rate faster than a charge migration rate of the ferroelectric data layer. |
| US08125822B2 |
Reducing programming time of a memory cell
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for adjusting voltages of bit and word lines to program a two terminal memory cell. The invention may include setting a first line connected to a memory cell to a first voltage from a first line standby voltage, charging a second line connected to the memory cell to a predetermined voltage from a second line standby voltage, and switching the first line from the first voltage to a second voltage. The voltage difference between the first voltage and the predetermined voltage is such that a safe voltage results that does not program the memory cell. A voltage difference between the second voltage and the predetermined voltage is such that a programming voltage operative to program the memory cell results. |
| US08125821B2 |
Method of operating phase-change memory
One or more embodiments are related to a method of operating a phase-change memory array, including: providing the phase-change memory array, the phase-change memory array including a phase-change memory element in series with an access device between a first address line and a power line; causing a first current through the memory element from the first address line to the power line; and causing a second current through the memory element from the power line to the first address line. |
| US08125819B2 |
Asymmetric write current compensation using gate overdrive for resistive sense memory cells
Apparatus and associated method for asymmetric write current compensation for resistive sense memory (RSM) cells, such as but not limited to spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM) or resistive random access memory (RRAM) cells. In accordance with some embodiments, an RSM cell includes an RSM element coupled to a switching device. The switching device has a plurality of terminals. A control circuit compensates for asymmetric write characteristics of the RSM cell by limiting a range of voltage differentials across the terminals so as to be equal to or less than a magnitude of a source voltage applied to the switching device, thereby providing bi-directional write currents of substantially equal magnitude through the RSM element. |
| US08125816B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
According to the present invention, a semiconductor storage device includes: a first memory cell array including: a first bit line; a first plate line; a first memory cell; a first sense amplifier; a first reference power line configured to supply first reference voltage; a first switching module configured to control a connection between the first reference power line and the first bit line; a second memory cell array including: a second bit line; a second plate line; a second memory cell; a second sense amplifier; a second reference power line configured to supply second reference voltage; a second switching module configured to control a connection between the second reference power line and the second bit line; a control module configured to generate the control signal so as to control a time difference between the first memory cell array and the second memory cell array in precharge operation. |
| US08125813B2 |
Variance reduction simulation system, program product, and related methods
A system to provide enhanced computational efficiency in a simulation of particle transport through a medium, program product, and related methods are provided. The system can include a simulation data administrator server having access to an interaction database including records related to parameters describing interactions of particles in an absorbing medium to provide particle interaction parameters, and a simulated dose calculation computer in communication with the simulation data administrator server through a communications network. The system can also included simulated dose calculation program product stored in memory of the simulated dose calculation computer and including instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform for each of a plurality of particles deliverable from a particle source the operations of providing parameters for a medium to perform a Monte Carlo simulation to develop a map of simulated absorbed dose in the medium, and artificially adjusting simulation particle fluxes to achieve a substantially constant variance throughout a depth of the medium. |
| US08125806B2 |
Multi-stage switching power supply
A multi-stage power supply uses a boost stage and an inverter stage to boost the voltage value of a DC power supply to a desired level, and then convert the power into an AC form. The multi-stage power supply additionally has a controller which can simultaneously control the boost stage and the inverter stage using counter-synchronous signals. |
| US08125804B2 |
Circuit for minimizing standby power in power supply systems
The present invention relates to a circuit minimizing standby power in a power adapter with a power-frequency transformer (T1), which includes a sensing circuitry (1), a driving circuitry (2), a switching circuitry (3) and a resistive element (Z). When the sensing circuitry (1) senses a power supply signal of the power-frequency transformer (T1) in work mode, the switching circuitry (3) shorts the resistive element (Z); and when the power-frequency transformer (T1) is in standby mode, the electronic switch (3) is switched off and the resistive element (Z) is coupled to the power-frequency transformer (T1). The circuit attached to the power adapter reduces the standby power consumption very much, and achieves energy-saving effect with low cost. |
| US08125803B2 |
Signal converter for generating switch drive signals for a multi-level converter, drive circuit, pulse-width-modulation signal generator, multi-level converter, methods and computer program
A signal converter for generating switch drive signals for a multi-level converter includes a logic. In the presence of the first polarity, the logic sets the first switch drive signal and the third switch drive signal according to the pulse width modulation input signals, and sets the second switch drive signal to a signal level indicating a closed state of the second switch and the fourth switch drive signal to a given signal level indicating an opened state of the fourth switch. In the presence of the second polarity, the logic sets the second switch drive signal and the fourth switch drive signal according to the pulse-width-modulation input signals, sets the first switch drive signal to a signal level indicating an opened state of the first switch, and sets the third switch drive signal to a signal level indicating a closed state of the third switch. |
| US08125800B2 |
Secondary-side amplifier with soft start
An isolated switching regulator has a closed-loop soft-start feature that allows tighter regulation of the output voltage and eliminates or reduces overshoot. It also has an optional reset feature which will resoft-start the regulator during recovery from a fault on the output voltage. |
| US08125795B2 |
Circuit module and circuit board assembly having surface-mount connector
The present invention relates to a surface-mount connector for electrically interconnecting a first circuit board and a second circuit board. The surface-mount connector includes a first end part and a second end part. The first end part is bonded onto the first circuit board. The second end part has a sidewall and a receptacle defined within the sidewall for receiving a solder bump therein. The solder bump is partially protruded from the sidewall and bonded onto the second circuit board such that the first circuit board and the second circuit board are electrically connected to each other. |
| US08125794B2 |
Multilayer printed wiring board and electronic device using the same
The invention provides a multilayer printed wiring board including: a power supply wiring layer and a ground wiring layer provided so as to oppose each other via an insulation layer; mounted integrated circuits; and decoupling capacitors mounted in proximity to the integrated circuits and connected between the power supply wiring layer and the ground wiring layer to absorb noise from the integrated circuits. The power supply wiring layer includes through holes for connecting the decoupling capacitors to the power supply wiring layer and has a polygonal form formed by straight lines which link some of the through holes. |
| US08125791B2 |
Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a case, a circuit board in the case, an electronic component in the case. The electronic component includes a connection terminal and a portion facing a side surface of the circuit board. The portable electronic device also includes a terminal member for connecting the circuit board and the connection terminal of the electronic component. |
| US08125789B2 |
Wiring substrate and electronic device
A wiring substrate includes a plurality of electrode terminals, to which external connection terminals of an electronic component are coupled, arranged in a row on one principal surface thereof, wherein the electrode terminals each include: a first linear portion; a second linear portion extending from an end of the first linear portion in a direction different from a direction of the first linear portion; and a bent portion that is a part where the first linear portion and the second linear portion are connected. |
| US08125787B2 |
Frame assembly for touch screen
The frame assembly mainly contains a number of linear edge members and a number of L-shaped corner members end-to-end joining the edge members by a number of connection pieces into a rectangular frame surrounding a touch panel. Both the edge and corner members have a C-shaped cross section with a space inside for holding circuit boards of the touch panel. The circuit boards of the corner and edge members are aligned so that their connectivity by matching connectors is easily established when putting the frame assembly together. |
| US08125780B2 |
In-line memory module cooling system
A system to aid in cooling an in-line memory module may include a thermal interface material adjacent the in-line memory module. The system may also include a heat spreader adjacent the thermal interface material. The system may further include a cold-plate adjacent the heat spreader, the cold-plate, heat spreader, and thermal interface material to aid in cooling the in-line memory module. |
| US08125779B2 |
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. |
| US08125775B2 |
Thin type mouse
A thin type mouse includes a main body and a finger ring. The main body has a top surface and a bottom surface. The finger ring is removably attached to the top surface of the main body. The finger ring not only can prevent the user's palm from sliding off the main body, but also can force the user's palm to rest on the top surface of the main body. Therefore, the user's hand is not easily tired. |
| US08125768B2 |
External coating for a solid electrolytic capacitor
A solid electrolytic capacitor that includes an anode body, a dielectric overlying the anode body, a solid electrolyte that contains one or more conductive polymers and overlies the dielectric, and an external coating that overlies the solid electrolyte, is provided. The external coating includes at least one carbonaceous layer (e.g., graphite) and at least one metal layer (e.g., silver). In addition to the aforementioned layers, the external coating also includes at least one conductive polymer layer that is disposed between the carbonaceous and metal layers. Among other things, such a conductive polymer layer can reduce the likelihood that the carbonaceous layer will delaminate from the solid electrolyte during use. This can increase the mechanical robustness of the part and improve its electrical performance. |
| US08125765B2 |
Laminated ceramic electronic component
In a laminated ceramic electronic component including a ceramic element body including a plurality of effective sections, each of which constitutes a circuit element such as a laminated capacitor unit, bumps generated between the effective portions and a gap interposed between the effective portions can be made minimized. Specifically, the ceramic element body includes a first effective section including a first circuit element and a second effective section including a second circuit element. A gap is provided between the first and second effective section. Floating internal conductors are arranged in the gap at least in one of first and second external layer sections, the first external section being interposed between a first main surface and the first and second effective sections, and the second external layer section being interposed between a second main surface and the first and second effective sections. |
| US08125754B2 |
Micro-power pulse controller for magnetic latch solenoids, relays and valves
A solid-state magnetic latch solenoid controller which is a multi-terminal device that includes an edge (slope) detector, an adjustable one-shot pulse generator, an input status detector, two or more selectable gate drivers and output powerful MOSFETs. The controller is an extremely low-power consumption device. There is virtually no power consumption (from 1-10 uA) from an internal power source or an external source of energy during either normally closed or open stages. This maintains battery voltage and hence output condition for years. A noticeable amount of power consumed only during the transitional cycles from the open to the closed and vice versa. |
| US08125752B2 |
Coaxial broadband surge protector
A high voltage surge protection device having a characteristic impedance includes a center conductor defining an axis, an electrically conductive outer body concentrically disposed in surrounding relation to the inner conductor, and a dielectric layer disposed between the center conductor and the outer body. An electrically conductive surge protective element having a first value of effective impedance is disposed in electrical contact with the outer body and in spaced-apart relationship with the center conductor. The spaced-apart relationship forms a gap between the surge protective element and the center conductor. An insulative tuning element having a second value of effective impedance larger than the first value of effective impedance is coupled to the surge protective element in impedance-restorative relationship. The combination of the first value of effective impedance and the second value of effective impedance effectively equals the characteristic impedance of the high voltage surge protection device. |
| US08125751B2 |
Method for sectioning with a section switch a medium-voltage electric power distribution line exhibiting a disturbance, section switch for medium-voltage electric power distribution line applicable thereon and electronic circuit for detecting a fault current and comprised by said section switch
A method for sectioning a medium-voltage distribution electric line evidencing a disturbance using a section switch. The steps are: (a) detecting a current having an amplitude and a wave form profile in the medium-voltage line; (b) analyzing the wave form profile to determine whether the fault is transient, permanent, a transformer input current or transformer in-rush current; (c) and determining the behavior of the section switch from the result of the wave form profile analysis. The section switch is installed on auxiliary branches of a distribution network having a main line that is protected by an automatic reset circuit breaker. The section switch has an opening mechanism having a coil and an electronic circuit. The electronic circuit has a power source for the coil and electronic circuit, a detector to detect current and an analyzer to determine whether the detected current is a transient or a permanent fault. |
| US08125750B2 |
Street furniture safety device
An electrical isolation system specifically adapted for use in street furniture (10) having an electrical supply (24) to working electrical components (20) is described. The system includes an impact sensor (22) located in use within the street furniture and a monitoring unit (30) and an electrical isolator (32) located in use remote from the street furniture. When the impact sensor is activated a signal is sent to the monitoring unit which sends a signal to the electrical isolator to disconnect the electrical supply to the working components of the street furniture. A method of providing electrical isolation in street furniture (10) having an electrical supply (24) to working electrical components (20) is also described. In the event that the street furniture is damaged, the method including the steps of: a) sensing an impact suffered by the street furniture; b) sending a signal to indicate that an impact has occurred to a monitoring unit at a location remote from the street furniture; c) the monitoring unit acting to disconnect the electrical supply to street furniture at the location remote from the street furniture. |
| US08125748B2 |
Ground fault circuit interrupter
A ground fault circuit interrupter which comprises a main body structure, a low friction mechanical means, an electrical circuit, a low current utilizing solenoid, all of which are located in the main body structure for (1) interrupting the flow of electrical current in the interrupter when current flows from a live or neutral line to ground, (2) indicating an end-of-life condition in the interrupter, and (3) providing protection from reverse wiring of the interrupter. |
| US08125747B2 |
Method for mitigating negative sequence effect resulting from non-symmetrical short circuit failure of synchronous electric machine based systems
A drive system for a multi-phase electric machine with a permanent magnet rotor, the drive system may comprise conduction paths for each phase. Detectors on each of the conduction paths may determine electrical condition of the conduction path. At least one selectable interconnection path may be present between all of the conduction paths and at least one selectable interconnection path may be operable to connect all of the conduction paths together responsively to at least one of the detectors determining that the electrical condition of its respective electrical path is representative of a predetermined electrical fault condition so that heating of the rotor during continued rotation of the rotor is prevented. |
| US08125745B2 |
Magnetic thin film, and magnetoresistance effect device and magnetic device using the same
A magnetic thin film being ferromagnetic and exhibiting large spin polarization at room temperature is provided that comprises a substrate (2) and a Co2Fe(Si1-xAlx) thin film (3) formed on the substrate (2) where 0 |
| US08125744B2 |
Current perpendicular to plane magneto-resistance effect element, magnetic head, and magnetic recording/reproducing device
A current perpendicular to plane magneto-resistance effect element includes: a magneto-resistance effect film comprised of a fixed magnetization layer, a free magnetization layer, and a complex spacer layer including an insulating layer and current paths formed through the insulating layer; a biasing mechanism for stabilizing the free magnetization layer; a shielding mechanism for ensuring a reproducing resolution of the magneto-resistance effect element; and a pair of electrodes for flowing a current perpendicular to a film surface of the magneto-resistance effect element; wherein a resistance area product (RA:Ω×μm2) is set to 0.00062×√{square root over ((GAP))}×TW+0.06 when a track width of the magneto-resistance effect element is defined as TW (nm) and a gap length of the magneto-resistance effect element is defined as GAP (nm). |
| US08125739B2 |
Disk drive device and magnetic disk drive
Embodiments of the present invention securely latch an actuator rotated by an external impact. In an embodiment of the present invention, a latch and an actuator have a structure in which the latch can latch the actuator at two different swing angles. The swing angle of the latch is an angle in rotation centered on a rotational shaft (rotation angle). The latch may be engaged with the actuator at a shallow angle, or the latch may be engaged with the actuator at a deeper angle. Since the latch is able to latch the actuator at different swing angles, the actuator can be securely latched. |
| US08125738B2 |
Actuator latch system of hard disk drive including latch lever having first and second hooks disposed one above the other at a leading end thereof
An actuator latch system of a hard disk drive keeps an actuator of the hard disk drive in place in a state in which a read/write head mounted to a swing arm of the actuator is parked. The latch system has first and second protrusions at upper and lower parts of a rear end portion of the swing arm, and a latch lever having first and second hooks at upper and lower parts of a leading end of the lever. The latch lever, like the actuator, is mounted to a base of the hard disk drive so as to be rotatable about a respective axis. |
| US08125736B2 |
Head suspension, load beam, and method of manufacturing load beam
A method of manufacturing a load beam precisely positions a slider on a dimple of a load beam according to precisely obtained positional data of the dimple, the method includes preparing a work which is a flat plate and serves as the load beam, irradiating at least a part of the work where the dimple is formed with a laser beam, to form a modified part at the irradiated part, carrying out plastic working on the modified part, to form the dimple having a concave curved surface at the modified part, taking an image of the concave curved surface of the dimple, obtaining the positional data of the dimple from the image, and positioning the slider on the dimple according to the positional data. |
| US08125733B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording head and manufacturing method thereof
A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole layer; and a return yoke layer laminated on the main magnetic pole layer with a magnetic gap layer formed of a nonmagnetic material disposed on an opposing surface opposite a recording medium. The return yoke layer includes a first throat part opposing the main magnetic pole layer at a side close to the recording medium-opposing surface with a first gap spacing corresponding to a film thickness of the magnetic gap layer; and a second throat part extending to a deeper side than the first throat part in a height direction and opposing the main magnetic pole layer with a second gap spacing greater than the first gap spacing. A throat height determining layer is provided on the main magnetic pole layer or the magnetic gap layer, the throat height determining layer defining a dimension of the first throat part of the return yoke layer in the height direction and formed of an inorganic nonmagnetic material. |
| US08125731B2 |
Encoder module with a sliding assembly
An encoder module with a sliding assembly comprises a cover, a disk, a reading head, a bottom plate, and a sliding unit; wherein in assembly, the disk is installed at an upper front side of the bottom plate; the reading head is installed upon a front side of the sliding unit; the sliding unit is pushed into a lower hole of the bottom plate so that a front end of the sliding unit exposes from the lower hole of the bottom plate; in that the reading head serves to read signals from the disk; finally the cover covers upon an outer side of the bottom plate, the sliding unit and the reading head so as to form as an encoder module with a sliding assembly. |
| US08125726B2 |
Storage system controlling power supply module and fan
When a disk device corresponding to a logical volume is started, a disk system determines and starts a disk device and a fan to be started, while comprehensively considering heat quantity generated by the disk device to be started, the cooling capacity of the fan, and the electric power consumption of the fan or the electric power consumption of the disk device. |
| US08125724B1 |
Predictive characterization of adjacent track erasure in recording media
A wide area track erasure (WATER) rate of change is determined from a model generated from a plurality of track erasure measurements performed on a magnetic recording media. A model of the change in noise amplitude for an off-track position as a function of the number of aggressor track writes employed in the track erasure measurements is generated. In a log-linear space a linear fit of the change in noise amplitude with respect to the number of aggressor track writes yields a rate of noise amplitude change (dB/decade) which may be utilized to rank magnetic recording media. |
| US08125723B1 |
Predictive characterization of adjacent track erasure in recording media
Cross-track density capability is predicted for a large number of writes based on a plurality of erase band width measurements. Over the plurality of erase band width measurements, a number of writes in a series of writes performed as part of an aggressing track sequence is varied. A model of the magnetic track width (MTW) as function of the number of writes employed in the MTW measurements may be generated and an estimate of the erase band width for a large number of writes derived from the model as a prediction of cross-track density capability. |
| US08125718B2 |
Telescopes for simultaneous clear viewing of objects and areas both near and distant
A telescope that provides for simultaneous clear viewing of objects or areas at various distances may be either Galilean or astronomical. The telescope may be mounted on or into any mechanism or device used for targeting or aiming. Such devices may include iron sights of small arms weapons, and cameras and telescopes, which may be either electrically or manually focused. These miniature scopes are engineered to maximize the clear depth-of-field viewing by the eye regardless of vision irregularities, such as Presbyopia, Myopia, Hyperopic, Astigmatism, or combinations of these, in conjunction with or without spectacle lens corrections. This aiming scope/device may be placed on a pair of spectacles in a very close proximity to the eye cornea. Other maximized scope image characteristics that occur are field-of-view, luminosity, and unmagnified and unbroken or distorted viewing field. Clearly detailed simultaneous viewing of images of all objects or areas at almost all distances forward of the objective lens is readily apparent to the scope user. Such objects include sighting devices forward of the scope on guns, bows, cameras, telescopes, and any target seen within the scope. Most reticles used in conjunction with this invention will also be observed in the scope. |
| US08125717B2 |
Three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial
A three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial having a completely new constitution, which functions as a three-dimensional electromagnetic wave propagation medium and in which an equivalent permittivity and a permeability of the medium simultaneously take negative values. The three-dimensional left-handed metamaterial is structured such that cubic unit cells 5 are disposed repeatedly in three orthogonal directions of a three-dimensional space, and includes: a first particle 1 constituted by a conductor and disposed in positions centering on respective vertices of the unit cell; a second particle 2 constituted by a conductor and disposed in positions centering on face center points, which are centers of respective faces of the unit cell; a first connecting portion constituted by a conductor, which connects the first particles to a center point of the unit cell; and a second connecting portion constituted by a conductor, which connects the second particles to the center point. |
| US08125713B2 |
Light beam generation
A method and system for synthesizing controllable light beams includes a spatially modulated light source that generates electromagnetic radiation with a set of replicas of a predetermined symbol, s, positioned at desired positions (xs, ys) in an object plane o(x, y) intersecting, preferably perpendicular to, the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic radiation, and having spatial amplitudes a(x-xs, y-ys), spatial phases φ(x-xs, y-ys), and spatial polarisation vectors p(x-xs, y-ys), a Fourier transforming lens for Fourier transforming the electromagnetic radiation, a first spatial light modulator for phase shifting the transformed electromagnetic radiation with the phase −Φ(u, v) of S*, S* the complex conjugate of the transformed symbol, a Fourier transforming lens for Inverse Fourier transforming the spatially modulated radiation, a set of light beams are formed propagating through the inverse Fourier plane (x′, y′) at desired positions (x′s, y′s), and a controller for controlling the position of a replica of the symbol, for movement of the light beam. |
| US08125707B2 |
Reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA), RSOA module having the same, and passive optical network using the same
A Reflective Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (RSOA) for compensating for light loss in an optical link, an RSOA module for improving polarization dependency using the RSOA, and a Passive Optical Network (PON) for increasing economical efficiency and practical use of a bandwidth using the RSOA are provided. The PON includes a central office comprising a plurality of optic sources transmitting a downstream signal and a plurality of first receivers receiving an upstream signal; at least one optical network terminal (ONT) including a second receiver receiving the downstream signal and an RSOA which receives the downstream signal, remodulates the downstream signal into the upstream signal, and transmits the upstream signal in loopback mode; and a remote node interfacing the central office with the ONT. The upstream signal and the downstream signal are transmitted between the remote node and the ONT via a single optical fiber. The remote node includes an optical power splitter at its port connected to the ONT. |
| US08125700B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus
An optical scanning apparatus includes a first optical member for receiving a plurality of light beams with an interval and for causing a first group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the first optical member being rotatable to adjust the interval of the beams emergent therefrom; a second optical member for receiving a second light beam and the first group of beams emergent from the first optical member with an interval and for causing a third group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the second optical member being rotatable to change the interval between the first group of beams and the second beam; and deflecting means for scanningly deflecting a third group of beams emergent from the second optical member. |
| US08125697B2 |
Authentication of a laser shot in a holographic matrix
The authentication process comprises: a step of transferring a holographic matrix onto a base, a step of marking the holographic matrix by laser shot, in order to produce a digital code that cannot be interpreted by the human eye preserving the optical diffraction properties of the holographic matrix, and designed to enable the detection of a copy of a document realized using the holographic matrix. Preferentially, during the marking step, the impact of each laser shot presents a greater dimension and a depth allowing the hologram's optical diffraction properties to be preserved. |
| US08125693B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image forming method, image processing program, and recording medium
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus that receives image data scanned by first and second image scanning units and performs various image processing. The apparatus includes first and second blank-sheet detection units that detect whether the scanned image data represent a blank sheet. The image processing apparatus determines storage or deletion of the scanned image data based on detection results of the blank-sheet detection units. |
| US08125692B2 |
Image forming device to determine uniformity of image object and method thereof
An image forming device to scan a predetermined document includes a uniform block search unit to classify the object into a plurality of blocks and to search for uniform blocks having uniform inner pixel values, a status information detection unit to detect representative values of the inner pixel values of each of the uniform blocks searched for by the uniform block search unit and to output maximum and minimum values of the representative values, and a control unit to determine that the object is uniform if a difference between the maximum and the minimum values output from the status information detection unit is less than a predetermined threshold value. Accordingly, if the object is uniform it is possible to compensate for deterioration of screen quality by unifying the pixels of the object. |
| US08125690B2 |
Device capable of adjusting two-dimensional code
An image forming device is provided which embeds a decodable two-dimensional code when embedding (printing) a two-dimensional code in an original document. The image forming device represents additional information by associating virtual points with dots in one-to-one correspondence and arranges dots in positions deviated from virtual points associated with the dots. The image forming device includes a determining unit for determining intervals between the virtual points and virtual points adjacent to the virtual points and determining sizes of the dots, and an arranging unit for arranging dots having the determined sizes to respective virtual points having the determined intervals. The determining unit may determine dots to have sizes other than sizes proportional to the determined intervals. |
| US08125689B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for associating a plurality of pieces of content data
An image processing apparatus includes at least one input device for inputting a plurality of pieces of content data; a recognition unit configured to recognize a mark included in the pieces of content data, and an association processing unit configured to perform association processing by mutually establishing a link between at least two pieces of content data based on the mark recognized by the recognition unit. |
| US08125683B2 |
Image preview processing apparatus, image preview processing method, and image preview computer product
An image processing apparatus includes a preview generating unit configured to generate, based on image data, a preview image that is expected to be output; an attribute extracting unit configured to extract an attribute of at least one portion in the image data; a display unit configured to display the preview image; a position-information obtaining unit configured to obtain position information indicative of a position of a specified portion in the preview image; and a processing unit configured to perform, on the image data, a process according to an attribute that corresponds to the position. |
| US08125679B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
An image processing method and image processing apparatus which can execute vector conversion processing by appropriately dividing a clipart image including gradation into regions are provided. To this end, a color document image including a clipart image having an area of gradation is input, the clipart image is selected, and outline information of the clipart image is extracted. The color document image is separated into an achromatic color area and a chromatic color area, which are respectively divided into a plurality of regions. Of the plurality of regions of each of the achromatic color area and the chromatic color area divided in the dividing of region step, regions which meet a set condition are integrated. After that, the clipart image is converted into vector data using a region group after integrating of region and the outline information. |
| US08125678B2 |
Handheld printer
A handheld printer that provides an appropriate application of ink to a print medium without a bulky and complex mechanical system for positioning a print head with respect to the print medium. A handheld printer according to the present teachings includes a navigation subsystem that tracks a motion of the handheld printer with respect to a printing surface and a print head controller that causes a print head to fire ink drops onto the printing surface in response to the motion and in response to an image contained in an image buffer. |
| US08125676B2 |
Sticky note printing system and printer that prints based on rotated image data
A sticky note printing system has: a sticky note printer which prints on a topmost sticky note of a bundle of sticky notes formed by laminated sticky notes, of which one ends are glued to be peeled off each other; and an image forming apparatus which forms an image data to be printed on the sticky note. The sticky note printer prints on the sticky note based on the image data formed by the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus has an image forming device which forms the image data. The sticky note printer has an image rotation device which rotates the formed image data by a predetermined angle and a printing device which prints based on the image data rotated by the image rotation device. |
| US08125665B2 |
Image-processing system, control method, program, and storage medium
An image processing system includes a printing unit configured to print an image, a managing unit configured to manage charging information that can be reduced according to print processing performed by the printing unit, and a control unit configured to slow down the print processing performed by the printing unit if an available printing remaining amount indicated by the charging information is less than a predetermined value. |
| US08125662B2 |
Department management printing system and method, program product used in department management printing, and authentication method
Incapability of printing as a result of prohibition of authentication due to a difference between functions of authentication processing in printing apparatuses is prevented, by acquiring a function of authentication processing of a concerned printing apparatus. It is determined whether or not inputted identification information can be processed by authentication processing of the printing apparatus, based on the acquired function. If the result of the determination is negative, a data format of the inputted identification information is converted. |
| US08125658B2 |
Electronic device including non-volatile display portion
An electronic device includes a non-volatile display portion, a first determination portion, a display control portion, a built-in clock, an internal battery, and a second determination portion. The first determination portion is configured to determine a state of the electronic device. The display control portion is configured to display information of a type appropriate for the state determined by the first determination portion on the display portion based on shut-off of power supply from an external power source. The second determination portion is configured to determine whether the internal battery is usable. Furthermore, the display control portion is configured to display information on the internal battery on the display portion according to a result of determination by the second determination portion indicating that the internal battery is usable. |
| US08125656B2 |
Label data creating apparatus, label data creating method, and computer program product
In a case wherein a rolled sheet loaded in a tape printer is a non-fixed length rolled sheet, the CPU of the computer device displays a layout edit window which is set to a free length print mode on a display screen of a display. If the free length/fixed length switch button is clicked with a mouse for setting to a fixed length print mode, the CPU displays the layout edit window which is set to the fixed length print mode on the display screen of the display. |
| US08125651B2 |
Substrate detection device and substrate conveyance apparatus
An object is to provide a substrate conveyance apparatus and a substrate detection device capable of improving flexibility in arrangement layout.The substrate detection device includes a projector 41 for projecting inspection light 40 so as to pass through a predetermined position on a path of a substrate 4 conveyed by conveyance belts 26, a light receiver 42 for receiving the inspection light 40 projected by the projector 41, and a detector (a control device 15) for detecting that the substrate 4 reaches the predetermined position based on a decrease in the amount of received light of the inspection light 40 received by the light receiver 42 when the substrate 4 conveyed by the conveyance belts 26 reaches the predetermined position and a portion of the inspection light 40 is blocked by the substrate 4. The inspection light 40 is projected from the projector 41 so as to include opposite ends of a width direction of the conveyance belts 26 in an optical path of the inspection light in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the substrate 4 conveyed by the conveyance belts 26 and the light receiver 42 receives the inspection light passing through upper and lower regions of the conveyance belts 26 in the width direction. |
| US08125650B2 |
Reflector, optical element, interferometer system, stage device, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method
A reflecting member has: a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a first direction component; a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface; and a third reflecting surface, which extends in a fourth direction, that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction. |
| US08125649B2 |
Scanning sensor system for noncontact optical scanning of object surfaces
A scanning sensor system for noncontact optical scanning of object surfaces having a sensor head (2) and an optics unit (3) as system components matched to one another. The optics unit (3) can be attached and positioned with high precision on the sensor head (2) by means of a fixing device (4). |
| US08125646B2 |
Apparatus and methods for monitoring combustion dynamics in a gas turbine engine
Apparatus, methods, and other embodiments associated with monitoring combustion dynamics in a gas turbine engine environment are described herein. In one embodiment of a system for monitoring combustion dynamics in a gas turbine engine environment, the system includes a transducer and an optical fiber. The transducer is positioned within the gas turbine engine environment, and the transducer includes a diaphragm, a window, and a Fabry-Perot gap. The diaphragm has a reflective surface, and the window has a partially reflective surface. The Fabry-Perot gap is formed between the reflective surface of the diaphragm and the partially reflective surface of the window. The optical fiber is positioned proximate to the window and directs light into the Fabry-Perot gap and receiving light reflected from the Fabry-Perot gap. |
| US08125634B1 |
Optical additive solc filter for deep ultraviolet applications
An additive {hacek over (S)}olc filter (ASF) includes i) a first polarizer for receiving an input light, such as from a monochromatic light source, and transmitting a first polarized output, ii) at least one birefringent plate positioned to receive the first polarizer output and transmit an output with wavelength-dependent polarization state, and iii) a second polarizer for receiving the plate output and transmitting a second polarized, filtered output. An ASF spectroscopy system includes the ASF; a monochromatic light source input, e.g. a laser; a sample chamber for exposing a sample to the second polarized, tuned output and generating a signal characteristic of the sample that is filtered by the ASF; and a detector for acquiring the characteristic signal. |
| US08125632B2 |
Fabrication method of semiconductor integrated circuit device
In the fabrication of a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a 2D-3D inspection technique for solder printed on a substrate is provided which permits easy preparation of data and easy visual confirmation of a defective portion. In a substrate inspecting step, first, a 3D inspection is performed, followed by execution of 2D inspection, whereby a 2D picked-up image of the portion of a pad determined to be defective can be displayed on a larger scale simultaneously with the end of inspection, thereby providing an environment for efficient visual confirmation of the defect. Further, by subjecting a raw substrate to measurement at the time of preparing inspection data, a relation between an original height measurement reference generated automatically by the inspection system and the height of a pad upper surface is checked, whereby it is possible to measure the height and volume of printed solder based on the pad upper surface. |
| US08125630B2 |
Automatic tracking camera
A tracking system includes an emitter array configured to emit radiation around a subject to be tracked in at least one dimension wherein each emitter or group of emitters is modulated to permit identification of a source of the radiation. A receiver is configured to receive the radiation from the emitter array, wherein one of the emitter array and the receiver are located on the subject to be tracked. A processor is configured to interpret changes in radiation and correlate the changes to a device position to output a device position control signal. |
| US08125629B2 |
Tracking method and measuring system comprising a laser tracker
A measuring system includes a laser tracker (10), a target point marked by a reflector (12), a surveying apparatus (13), and an arithmetic and control unit (14). The laser tracker emits a measuring beam (M) which is reflected by the reflector, a process that is used for determining the distance between the laser tracker (10) and the reflector (12). The surveying apparatus has a known position and orientation relative to the measuring beam (M) while preferably being embodied as a survey camera. The inventive measuring system is designed so as to track the reflector (12) via the measuring beam (M). In a normal tracking mode (A), a measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from the detection of the measuring beam reflected by the reflector (12). If the measuring beam is not directed onto the reflector, the system switches to a special tracking mode in which the measured value for controlling the orientation of the measuring beam (M) is derived from an image (20) of the survey camera (13). |
| US08125623B2 |
Correlation technique for analysis of clinical condition
The present invention provides a correlation technique for analysis of changes in bodily fluid and/or tissue in order to identify or monitor appearance, progression or treatment of a disease or condition in a subject. The disclosed method involves measuring spectral properties or changes in bodily fluid and/or tissue of a subject using at least two optical techniques; and correlating the measured properties or changes to a corresponding clinical condition or change in clinical condition, respectively. The measure of spectral changes over time can be used as indicators of changes in the clinical condition, for example, in disease treatment and/or disease regulation. This method is particularly useful for identifying a disease state and for monitoring efficacies of therapies used to treat different diseases or disorders, for example, renal dialysis. |
| US08125614B2 |
Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus includes a shutter, an exposure dose sensor configured to detect an exposure dose on a substrate, and a controller configured to control an exposure operation in accordance with control modes of the shutter, which include a first mode in which an exposure time of the substrate is controlled by opening the shutter and thereafter closing the shutter based on the output from the exposure dose sensor, and a second mode in which the exposure time of the substrate is controlled by controlling an operation speed of the shutter based on control information determined in advance based on a target. |
| US08125613B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system, which projects a pattern of a mask onto a prescribed exposure area on a substrate at a prescribed projection magnification. The optical axis center of the projection optical system is set to a position different from that of the center of the projection area onto which the pattern is projected. The exposure apparatus further includes a magnification modification device, which modifies the projection magnification of the projection optical system; a calculation device, which calculates a shift length of the center of the projection area associated with modification of the projection magnification; and a correction device, which corrects the position information of the exposure area based on the shift length of the center of the projection area. |
| US08125610B2 |
Method for preventing or reducing contamination of an immersion type projection apparatus and an immersion type lithographic apparatus
A method for preventing or reducing contamination of an immersion type projection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes at least one immersion space that is at least partially filled with a liquid when the apparatus projects a beam of radiation onto a substrate. The method includes rinsing at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project the beam of radiation onto a substrate. |
| US08125608B2 |
Board for display device and display device
A substrate for a display having, on a surface thereof, a sealing compound disposed along a periphery of the substrate spaced at a predetermined interval from an outer edge of a display part to which an oriented film is applied; and a convex portion or/and a concave portion, for preventing the applied oriented film from spreading to the sealing compound, provided between the sealing compound and the outer edge of the display part. The convex portion has a configuration of a bank continuous or uncontinuous, whereas the concave portion is formed as a plurality of independent portions arranged side by side or dotted between the outer edge of the display part and the sealing compound. |
| US08125597B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a pair of polarizing films; a liquid crystal cell that is sandwiched between the pair of polarizing films; a retardation layer (A) of 70 μm or less in thickness, which is disposed between the liquid crystal cell and one of the pair of polarizing films; and a retardation layer (B) of 70 μm or less in thickness, which is disposed between the liquid crystal cell and the other of the pair of polarizing films, wherein the retardation layers (A) and (B) satisfy following formulae (1) to (3): RthU>RthD Formula (1): −20 nm≦RthD≦20 nm Formula (2): 20 nm |
| US08125593B2 |
Color filter substrate including support members and display device using the same
A color filter substrate includes a light shielding layer arranged along the outer periphery of a display region on a glass substrate and defining a light shielding region and support members arranged so as to stand on the display region and a light shielding region of the glass substrate. The total height of the light shielding layer of the light shielding region and the support members disposed on the light shielding layer thereof is larger than the total height of a color layer in the display region and the support members disposed on the color layer thereof, and a panel thickness buffering region is located in a display region side peripheral portion of the light shielding region. |
| US08125589B2 |
Direct-LIT liquid crystal displays with laminated diffuser plates
In a directly-illuminated liquid crystal display (LCD), for example an LCD monitor or an LCD-TV, a number of light management films, including a diffuser layer, lie between the light source and the LCD panel to provide bright, uniform illumination. The diffuser layer is attached to a substrate which is separate from the light source and the LCD panel, or may be attached to either the LCD panel or, when using a two dimensional light source, to the light source. The other light management layers may also be attached to the separate substrate or to the LCD panel or two-dimensional light source. High levels of illumination uniformity at the LCD may be achieved with a uniform (non-patterned) diffuser, even with relatively low levels of diffusion, when the diffuser is used with a brightness enhancing layer. |
| US08125587B2 |
Liquid crystal display module and assembling method thereof
A liquid crystal display module and an assembling method thereof are disclosed. The liquid crystal display module includes a panel guide for supporting a liquid crystal panel, the panel guide including a first fastening portion, support side members for holding opposite sides of a lamp irradiating light to the liquid crystal panel, respectively, each of the support side members including a second fastening portion having a foreign substance shield, and a bottom case including a third fastening portion having a case hole formed through a side surface of the bottom case, to receive the foreign substance shield. |
| US08125586B2 |
Back light assembly and display device having the same
A backlight assembly and a display device having the same, the backlight assembly including a light guide panel that guides light, a light source to generate light, being mounted to at least one end of the light guide panel, and a bottom chassis made of a reflective resin capable of reflecting light and mounted to cover a rear side of the light guide panel. |
| US08125584B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel capable of providing a high contrast ratio with a storage capacitance being secured, and also provides a liquid crystal display device including such a panel. The present invention is a liquid crystal display panel having a structure in which a liquid crystal layer is interposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, wherein at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate includes a projection for liquid crystal alignment control, the first substrate includes a scanning signal line, a data signal line, a drain electrode electrically connected to a pixel electrode, a switching element, and a storage capacitor wiring, the storage capacitor wiring includes a main wiring part and a branch part, the branch part being connected to the main wiring part and overlapping with the projection for liquid crystal alignment control. |
| US08125582B2 |
Three-dimensional image display apparatus
A three-dimensional image display device including a polarized light module, a non-vertical polarized light barrier grating unit and an image display unit is provided. The polarized light module provides a polarized light. The non-vertical polarized light barrier grating unit is disposed in a light path of the polarized light to modulate the polarized light into a modulated polarized light in interlaced lines for output. The image display unit receives the modulated polarized light from the non-vertical polarized light barrier grating unit, and outputs two or more images with parallax. |
| US08125578B2 |
Table type bi-directional imaging apparatus
Disclosed is a table type bi-directional imaging apparatus, in which left and right viewers located at left and right sides simultaneously view the same picture or different pictures. The table type bi-directional imaging apparatus includes a table case having a table shape; a transparent window formed through the center of the upper surface of the table case; and left and right projectors and left and right imaging plates, having a screen structure, bilaterally symmetrically installed at left and right sides of the inside of the table case. In the table type bi-directional imaging apparatus, left and right projection distances to project pictures on large-sized screens and left and right viewing distances to view clear pictures are provided within an occupation area of a single table. Further, the imaging apparatus has a table structure, and thus does not require the occupation area of a separate table, thereby minimizing an area for installing the imaging apparatus. |
| US08125574B2 |
Remote controller
A remote controller for controlling a display device includes a first image sensor, a processing unit and an activation mechanism. The first image sensor is for sensing an object and forming a digital image. The processing unit is coupled to the first image sensor for calculating image variations of the object on the digital image, correspondingly controlling the display device according to the image variations and deactivating the first image sensor after the remote controller is idle for a predetermined period of time. The activation mechanism is coupled to the first image sensor for re-activating the deactivated first image sensor. |
| US08125572B2 |
System and method for automatic power-up and power-down of an output video circuit
A system and method for configuring a video circuit into a low power consumption mode and a high power consumption mode. The system comprises an input signal detection circuit adapted to generate a first signal indicative of whether an input video signal is present at the input of the video circuit; an output load detection circuit adapted to generate a second signal indicative of whether a load is connected to the output of the video circuit; and a control device adapted to generate a third signal to control the power consumption mode of the video circuit in response to the first and second signals. The method entails detecting whether an input video signal is present; detecting whether the load is present; and configuring the video circuit for high power consumption if both the input video signal and the load are present, otherwise configuring the video circuit for low power consumption. |
| US08125571B2 |
Video data processing module furnished with a configurable video processing unit with a single input bus
According to the invention, the video data to be processed and the configuration data are transferred to the module via one and the same data bus. These modules are advantageously chained in series on a common bus which transfers to each module both the configuration data and the video data to be processed. Preferably, dead time or “blanking” periods between two picture frames transmitted on this bus are used in order to insert the configuration data. |
| US08125570B2 |
Video processing apparatus and video processing method
Disclosed is a video processing apparatus including: a brightness adjusting part which adjusts the brightness of a whole portion of a received video signal according to a brightness adjusting value; and a brightness stretching part which calculates gradient values to stretch a first brightness in a first portion including a smaller brightness value than a first reference value and a second brightness in a second portion including a larger brightness value than a second reference value in the received video signal, and outputs the received video signal having the brightness adjusted by the brightness adjusting part in a third portion including a smaller brightness value than a minimum brightness value and in a fourth portion including a larger brightness value than a maximum brightness value in the received video signal by applying the calculated gradient values to the third portion and the fourth portion, respectively, to display the brightness of the received video signal corresponding to the third portion and the fourth portion. |
| US08125565B2 |
Image processing circuit and method thereof
An image processing circuit generating a frame according to a plurality of fields including at least first, second and third fields, comprises a memory unit and a de-interlacing unit. The memory unit stores the first and second fields. The de-interlacing unit receives the third field, and reads the first and second fields from the memory to generate a de-interlaced frame accordingly. |
| US08125560B1 |
System for topology based automatic focus
A method for automatically focusing a camera including the steps of (A) recording a first topology and a second topology, where the second topology occurs temporally after the first topology, and (B) comparing the first topology with the second topology. A focus of the camera is automatically adjusted based upon one or more similarities between the first topology and the second topology. |
| US08125558B2 |
Integrated image capture and projection system
An integrated system comprises a light valve and an image sensor for image display and image capture. The image sensor and the light valve share a common dual-function lens by positioning the light valve and image sensor at locations offset from the optical axis of the dual-function lens. |
| US08125555B2 |
Image display device
Disclosed is a scanning image display device for displaying an image on a plurality of display screens. The image display device includes a light source, a scanner for two-dimensionally scanning with light from the light source, and a controller which is electrically connected with the light source and the scanner. The controller controls the light source and the scanner to form an image on the surfaces to be scanned. The scanner is configured to be capable of scanning the independent plurality of scanning surfaces with the light from the light source. |
| US08125554B2 |
Viewfinder, and control method and imaging apparatus thereof
A viewfinder according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a display unit including a display surface on which a picture is displayed based on a picture signal supplied from an imaging apparatus; and an eyepiece unit, which is detachably attached to the display unit, configured to enlarge a picture displayed on the display surface to make the picture visually recognizable; wherein the display unit includes the display surface, a display control unit configured to display the picture on the display surface based on the picture signal, and a detecting unit configured to detect the presence/absence of attachment of the eyepiece unit; and wherein the display control unit is configured so as to laterally invert a picture to be displayed on the display surface based on the detection of the detecting unit, and also so as to change the brightness of a picture to be displayed on the display surface. |
| US08125550B2 |
Correlation double sampling circuit for image sensor
A correlation double sampling (CDS) circuit for sampling a reset signal and a light-sensing signal outputted from a pixel column of an image sensor includes two sampling capacitors and four transistor switches. The operation of the CDS circuit needs not change polarities of the two sampling capacitors, such that MOS capacitors that have higher capacitance per unit area can be utilized for realizing the two sampling capacitors for reducing thermal noises induced when performing sampling. Additionally, fewer transistors are used in the CDS circuit, and thus charge injection noises caused by switching the transistor switches can also be reduced. |
| US08125540B2 |
Video presenting system having outputs for dual images
A video presenting system having outputs for dual images is provided. As a result, the video presenter, which is an optical image electronic device having mounted therein an embedded system dedicated to a device control, can respectively and simultaneously output any two different images to two different display units. These any two different images are from among an externally input image, a live image, and a document/multimedia image. The video presenting system having outputs for dual images includes a first display member; a second display member; a video presenting member generating a live image signal and outputting a dual-display signal after performing signal processing of a live image signal, an externally input image signal, and a document/multimedia image signal; and an embedded member performing periodic communication with the video presenting member, and thus transmitting the externally input image signal and the document/multimedia image signal to the video presenting member. |
| US08125536B2 |
Wide dynamic range image capturing system method and apparatus
An image capture system is presented where the dynamic range of photo imaging devices, such as a still or video camera, is increased by varying sensor exposure time on a pixel-by-pixel basis under digital camera processor control. The system's photo sensors are continuously illuminated without reset over the exposure interval. In addition to being interrogated at the end of the exposure interval, the pixels are also non-destructively interrogated at one or more intermediate times during the interval. At each interrogation, the image capture system determines individually whether the pixels have saturated and if not, the parameter value is recorded; if the pixel has saturated, the previously stored value from the preceding interval is maintained. To produce the final sensor value for the whole exposure interval, the data for pixels that reached the saturation level are adjusted to compensate for their shortened exposure. |
| US08125534B2 |
Image processing apparatus
It is an object to provide an image pickup apparatus capable of changing over the operation mode between a magnification observation mode and a high-speed photographing mode without increasing the fabrication cost. An image processing apparatus includes a mode selection part which selects one of a magnification observation mode and a high-speed photographing mode, a frame-rate conversion part which performs processing for decreasing the frame rate of images created by image pickup, a volatile memory into which image data having a high frame rate from an image pickup part are written during recording operations in the high-speed photographing mode, a moving-image readout part which reads out image data from the volatile memory in reading out image data in the high-speed photographing mode, an image processing part which performs processing for adjusting luminance levels on image data subjected to the frame-rate conversion to create display data and, also, performs processing for adjusting luminance levels on image data read out from the volatile memory by the moving-image readout part, and a changeover part which connects the frame-rate conversion part or the moving-image readout part to the image processing part. |
| US08125523B2 |
Device and method for ultrasonic video display
An ultrasonic video display device may comprise a memory; a programmable logic device, which may comprise a VGA signal receiving module for receiving and demodulating digital video signals and a video signal processing module including a memory controller, a gamma correcting unit, a scaling processing unit, a filtering unit, a chrominance space converting unit, a chrominance sampling unit and an interleaved sampling controller. The ultrasonic video display may also include a first digital-to-analog converter having an input coupled to an output of the VGA signal receiving module to convert the digital video signals into VGA analog signals and to output the VGA analog signals. A second digital-to-analog converter may receive video digital signals, convert the video digital signals into video analog signals, and output the video analog signals. |
| US08125522B2 |
Spurious motion filter
A filter for filtering out spurious motion from a sequence of video images, for use in video image signal processing to identify objects in motion in the sequence of video images. Spurious motion is chaotic, repetitive, jittering portions of an image that constitute noise and interfere with motion detection in video signals. The filter keeps track of the location and the strengths of spurious motion, applies appropriate low pass filtering strengths according to the spurious motion strengths in real-time. Regular pixels without spurious motion will pass through the filter unaltered, while pixels with spurious motion will be “smoothed” to avoid being detected as noise. |
| US08125518B2 |
Scanning electron microscope
Provided is a scanning electron microscope including: an image recording unit (112) which stores a plurality of acquired frame images; a correction analyzing handling unit (113) which calculates a drift amount between frame images and a drift amount between a plurality of field images constituting a frame image; and a data handling unit (111) which corrects positions of respective field images constituting the plurality of fields images according to the drift amount between the field images and superimposes the field images on one another so as to create a new frame image. This provides a scanning electron microscope which can obtain a clear frame image even if an image drift is caused during observation of a pattern on a semiconductor substrate or an insulating object. |
| US08125517B2 |
Fingerprint authentication apparatus and fingerprint authentication method
A fingerprint authentication apparatus and a fingerprint authentication are provided. The fingerprint authentication apparatus is configured to prevent infection from viruses or bacteria and quickly and accurately perform fingerprint authentication. The fingerprint authentication apparatus includes an irradiation section that irradiates a mounting section when a finger is not detected to prevent infection. |
| US08125514B2 |
Electronic endoscope apparatus
An electronic endoscope apparatus is provided and includes: a light source that illuminates a subject with white light; a color imaging device that takes an image of the subject illuminated with white light; and a spectral-image forming circuit that operates RGB three color image signals based on an output from the color imaging device and a matrix data to generate an spectral image signal representative of a spectral image in a color at a designated wavelength. The spectral-image forming circuit is adapted to generate spectral image signals representative of spectral images in respective colors at least three wavelengths different from one another. |
| US08125513B2 |
Stereoscopic display device and display method
It is made possible to satisfy such a condition that moire or color moire is suppressed and a fast image processing is made easy and such a condition that sufficient image quality can be obtained both at a flat image display time and at a stereoscopic image display time simultaneously. A vertical period of pixel rows having the pixels arranged in one row in a lateral direction is three times a lateral period of the pixels, the pixels developing red, green and blue are alternately arranged in a lateral direction in the same row, the pixels in one row of two rows adjacent in a vertical direction are arranged such that lateral positions thereof are shifted to the pixels in the other row by ½ of the lateral period of the pixels, the pixels in rows adjacent in the same column through one row interposed therebetween are the pixels developing different colors of red, green and blue, and a pitch of the elemental images is equal to a width of 18n (n=1, 2, 3 . . . ) pieces of the pixels, and a lateral pitch of the beam control element is smaller than the width of the 18n pieces of the pixels. |
| US08125512B2 |
System and method for moving object selection in a handheld image capture device
A system and method for automatically selecting an object from a field of view of a handheld image capture device. The system includes sensors configured to sense features of one or more objects in the field of view and a decision unit configured to automatically select one or more objects from the field of view based on the sensed features using a decision algorithm that is based on a decision structure, wherein the decision structure receives and prioritizes inputs from the sensors. The system may also optionally include an object movement detecting module configured to detect movement of objects, and a manual selection unit configured to provide user priorities; if included, the information from these elements may also be used by the decision unit to automatically select the object or objects. |
| US08125511B2 |
Three-party video conference system and method
The invention provides a three-party video conference system and method. The three-party video conference system, according to the invention, uses a second terminal apparatus, which can transmit data in different protocols for receiving and transmitting the compressed digital signals transmitted from a first terminal apparatus and a third terminal apparatus. Therefore, even though the first terminal apparatus and the third terminal apparatus can not transmit compressed digital signals to each other with the same protocol, the user still can achieve three-party video conferencing communication with the three-party video conference system. |
| US08125510B2 |
Remote workspace sharing
Existing remote workspace sharing systems are difficult to use. For example, changes made on a common work product by one user often appear abruptly on displays viewed by remote users. As a result the interaction is perceived as unnatural by the users and is often inefficient. Images of a display of a common work product are received from a camera at a first location. These images may also comprise information about objects between the display and the camera such as a user's hand editing a document on a tablet PC. These images are combined with images of the shared work product and displayed at remote locations. Advance information about remote user actions is then visible and facilitates collaborative mediation between users. Depth information may be used to influence the process of combining the images. |
| US08125501B2 |
Voltage modulated driver circuits for electro-optic displays
A method and system for applying addressing voltages to pixels of a display involves receiving input data. The input data includes an indication of an addressing voltage impulse to be applied to a pixel via an electrode. One or more voltage sources are selected, to provide the addressing voltage impulse. The one or more voltage sources each have a pre-selected voltage, The selected one or more voltage sources are electrically connected to an electrode to apply the addressing voltage impulse to the pixel. The invention also provides a method of driving an electro-optic display which uses an intermediate image of reduced bit depth, and a method of driving an electro-optic display which uses a limited number of differing drive voltages, with higher voltage pulses being used before lower voltage pulses. |
| US08125499B2 |
Device having function of rotating image
There is provided a device comprising: a display unit configured to display an image corresponding to image data and to be rotatable with respect a body case of the device; a detection unit configured to detect a rotation angle of the display unit; and a data processing unit configured to process the image data to rotate the image in accordance with a rotation angle of the display unit detected by the detection unit. |
| US08125498B2 |
Generating a 3D volumetric mask from a closed surface mesh
A computer readable medium is provided embodying instructions executable by a processor to perform a method for generating a volumetric mask. The method includes providing a closed surface mesh, determining a discrete volume representation of the closed surface mesh, determining a temporary surface mask based on the closed surface mesh and a slice direction chosen from the discrete volume representation to produce a contour of the closed surface mesh for each slice of the discrete volume representation, and filling a surface defined by the contours to generate the volumetric mask. |
| US08125497B2 |
Adjustment of color values for optimized image processing
A method for processing an image of a given file type is disclosed. The method involves converting the image into data formatted for a new pixel type, the new pixel type is closely correlated with and has all the components of pixels for the given file type. In addition, the method includes processing the data formatted in the new pixel type using standard image processing routines, these standard routines being designed for data having different components of pixels than the new pixel type and the given file type. |
| US08125495B2 |
Displaying user interface elements having transparent effects
Embodiments are configured to provide information for display. Various embodiments include processing functionality that can be used to efficiently process pixel data associated with video, graphical, and other information. The functionality can be used in conjunction with different hardware and/or software architectures and configurations. In an embodiment, a computing device includes functionality to use a distinct window having alpha and occlusion features that can be used when processing pixel data associated with user interface (UI) elements and video, but is not so limited. The computing device can use the distinct window to display user interface elements having different levels or amounts of transparency as part of video capture and playback operations. |
| US08125494B2 |
Method for mapping optical properties for a display device
Exemplary embodiments provide a method for characterizing the optical display properties of a display. ISO-Inversion and ISO-Contrast charts are generated to pinpoint limitations in the display and trouble shoot the same. |
| US08125492B1 |
Parameter wiring
A method and apparatus for establishing relationships between attributes of objects is provided. According to one aspect, a set of first user input data that selects a first attribute that is associated with a first object is received. A set of second user input data that selects a second attribute that is associated with a second object is also received. A first set of data that indicates how changes to a value associated with the first attribute are to affect a value associated with the second attribute is then stored. |
| US08125491B1 |
Multiple simultaneous unique outputs from a single display pipeline
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a system for generating multiple video output signals from a single video pipeline within a graphics processing unit. Pixel data from more than one display surface is retrieved and multiplexed before being transmitted to a video pipeline for processing. The resulting video pixel data is routed to video output encoders, which selectively accept the video pixel data for transmission to attached display devices. |
| US08125487B2 |
Game console system capable of paralleling the operation of multiple graphic processing units (GPUS) employing a graphics hub device supported on a game console board
A game console system capable of parallelizing the operation of multiple graphics processing units (GPUs) supported on game console board, using a graphics hub device, and a multi-mode parallel graphics rendering subsystem supporting multiple modes of parallel operation and having software and hardware implemented components. The game console system includes (i) CPU memory space for storing one or more graphics-based applications, (ii) one or more CPUs for executing the graphics-based applications, (iii) a plurality of graphic processing pipelines (GPPLs), implemented using the GPUs, and (iv) an automatic mode control module. During the run-time of the graphics-based application, the automatic mode control module automatically controls the mode of parallel operation of the multi-mode parallel graphics rendering subsystem so that the GPUs are driven in a parallelized manner. |
| US08125481B2 |
Lightweight three-dimensional display
A computer-implemented imaging process method includes generating a progression of images of a three-dimensional model and saving the images at a determined location, generating mark-up code for displaying image manipulation controls and for permitting display of the progression of images in response to user interaction with the image manipulation controls, and providing the images and mark-up code for use by a third-party application. |
| US08125480B2 |
Flat texture volume rendering
A GPU accelerated volume rendering method from flat textures (also known as texture atlas) is disclosed. The method is not restricted to a specific rendering technique. The method is fast as it requires no reordering or copying passes. An image processing system is also provided. Addressing of two dimensional flat textures is accomplished based on the viewing direction. A first addressing scheme is used for the x direction, a second addressing scheme is used for the y direction and a third addressing scheme is used for the z direction, where x, y, and z refer to the axes of Cartesian coordinate system. |
| US08125476B2 |
Electronic device including display device, and driving method thereof
An electronic device including a display device, and a driving method thereof. The electronic device including the display device includes a central processing unit, a display device, and a feedback unit. The central processing unit provides image signals and input control signals. The display device displays an image based on the image signals and the input control signals. The feedback unit is connected between the central processing unit and the display device and transmits a signal including information on whether static electricity is applied to the display device to the central processing unit. The central processing unit initializes a driving condition when the static electricity is applied to the display device and a display operation error occurs. |
| US08125474B2 |
Display device
A display device includes: first and second photosensors; a reader; a light detector outputting the light amount detected by the photosensors; a first circuit outputting a first signal based on incident light entering the first photosensor; and a second circuit outputting a second signal based on dimmed incident light entering the second photosensor. The reader includes: a coefficient calculator calculating a first measurement ratio of the first signal to the second signal, and a power correction coefficient; a rate calculator deriving modified power coefficients from the power correction coefficient, calculating a second measurement ratio of the power-corrected first and second signals, and calculating a slope correction coefficient; and an output unit deriving modified proportional coefficients from the slope correction coefficient, and correcting the power-corrected first and second signals using the modified proportional coefficients to yield outputted initial light amount signals. |
| US08125473B2 |
Electro-luminescence display device
An electro-luminescence display device and a method of driving the same for controlling a full white brightness depending upon a brightness of the external environment and thus controlling a brightness mode is disclosed. An electro-luminescence display device according to the present invention comprising: a display panel having pixels light-emitted by a supplied current; a data driver for applying a data voltage corresponding to said current to the pixels; and a timing controller for dividing one frame into a plurality of sub-frames and applying said data voltage corresponding to each of the plurality of sub-frames to the data driver and for controlling an emission time of each frame. |
| US08125472B2 |
Display device with parallel data distribution
A display device responsive to a controller, including a substrate having a display area; a two-dimensional array of pixels formed on the substrate in the display area, each pixel comprising an optical element and a driving circuit for controlling the optical element in response to selected pixel information; a two-dimensional array of selection circuits located in the display area, each associated with one or more pixels, for selecting pixel information provided by the controller, wherein each selection circuit receives the provided pixel information, selects pixel information corresponding to its associated pixel(s) in response to the provided pixel information, and provides the selected pixel information to the corresponding driving circuit(s); and a parallel signal conductor electrically connecting the selection circuits in common for transmitting pixel information provided by the controller to each of the selection circuits. |
| US08125470B2 |
Electron source, image display apparatus, and information display reproducing apparatus
There is provided an electron source including: an insulating substrate; a first wiring that is arranged on the insulating substrate; a second wiring that is arranged on the insulating substrate and intersects with the first wiring; and an electron-emitting device having a cathode electrode provided with an electron-emitting member and a gate electrode arranged above the cathode electrode, which is arranged on the insulating substrate and is separated from an intersecting portion of the first wiring with the second wiring; wherein the first wiring is arranged on the second wiring via an insulating layer; the gate electrode is provided with a plurality of slit-like openings that is arranged in substantially parallel at intervals; and the opening is arranged so that an extended line in a longitudinal direction thereof intersects with the first wiring. |
| US08125463B2 |
Multipoint touchscreen
A touch panel having a transparent capacitive sensing medium configured to detect multiple touches or near touches that occur at the same time and at distinct locations in the plane of the touch panel and to produce distinct signals representative of the location of the touches on the plane of the touch panel for each of the multiple touches is disclosed. |
| US08125459B2 |
Multi-user input systems and processing techniques for serving multiple users
Techniques for providing a common input for multiple users are disclosed. Two separate input detection systems can be provided. One input detection system detects the identity of user while the other detects the location of input for processing. The information provided by the two detection systems is effectively reconciled to determine whether a particular user identified by the first system has provided input in a particular location indicated by the second system. Information can be reconciled, for example, at least partially based on the timing information provided by the two systems (e.g., whether the times indicated by the two systems are within an acceptable range). The first input detection can be provided as a Radio Frequency (RF) system that detects a change in RF energy received by a RF receiver provided in the proximity of a user when the user touches a touchscreen. The second input detection can include an APR (Acoustic Pulse Recognition) or capacitive touchscreen (or multi-touch screen). It will also be appreciated that both input system can be integrated into a single device which can be presented, for example, as multi-user touchscreen. The multi-user touch screen can provide a common input surface to serve numerous applications. For example, a virtual roulette table with a touchscreen surface can be provided for multiple players. The players can interact with the game by touching the touch screen surface provided as a common playing area (e.g., players can place bets by touching various positions of the touchscreen). |
| US08125454B2 |
Resistive type touch panel
A resistive type touch panel includes a first substrate aligned to be facing a second substrate. The first substrate includes a first conductive layer and the second substrate includes a second conductive layer. A plurality of spacers each having a polygonal column shape are disposed between the first and second substrates in predetermined positions. The geometry and center-to-center spacing of the spacers minimizes detection of a distributed activation force applied to one of the first and second substrate while still providing sensitivity to detect concentrated application of an activation force to one of the first and second substrates. |
| US08125453B2 |
System and method for providing rotational haptic feedback
Systems and methods for providing haptic cues to a touch-sensitive input device having a rotary degree of freedom are described. One system described comprises a touch sensitive input device is configured to move in a rotary degree of freedom. The system further comprises an actuator configured to produce a rotational force on the touch-sensitive input device. In one such system, the actuator comprises an electromagnetic core configured to produce force on a magnet affixed to the touch-sensitive input device. In another such system, a motor provides the rotational force. |
| US08125452B2 |
Electronic book cover
The electronic book cover is of a thick board adapted to support an electronic device, such as a calculator or MP3 player. A cutout in the board receives the electronic device, and it is securely bolstered to the main block of book pages. The board is completely covered by an elastic skin, except in an opening where the device displays visual information. The cover also includes a keypad, labeled with various characters and symbols, which can be pressed to initiate the processing of preprogrammed functions by the electronic device. A layered switch circuit lies underneath the soft keypad and is comprised of two distinct layers: the first dielectric film layer has rows and columns of checkered conductive sections facing inward towards the book cover, and the second dielectric film layer has a pattern of disconnected electric contacts at locations facing the conductive sections and is superimposed in the keypad. |
| US08125447B2 |
Coordinate input device
A coordinate input device includes an operation unit that is provided so as to be operated, strain sensors that output data corresponding to an operation amount of the operation unit, and a control unit. The control unit performs the count corresponding to the increase or decrease of speed data that is obtained by converting data sequentially output from the strain sensors, and generates counted count values or coordinate data calculated from the count values. The control unit calculates a moving average value from the count values that are sequentially output every predetermined time. When the moving average value satisfies predetermined conditions, the control unit regards that the operation of the operation unit is cancelled, and stops the output of the coordinate data or outputs 0 as the count value. |
| US08125445B1 |
Horizontal capacitively sensed pointing device
Systems and methods for horizontal capacitively sensed pointing devices. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention capacitively sense planar movement with structures that are substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a sensing mechanism for a pointing device operable to accept movement in a plane includes structures of the mechanism that are substantially perpendicular to the plane. The structures may include a parallel plate capacitor. |
| US08125443B2 |
Stretch objects
There is disclosed an interactive display system comprising an interactive surface for displaying an image and for receiving inputs from remote devices, the system being adapted to detect the presence of at least two remote devices proximate the interactive surface. |
| US08125440B2 |
Method and device for controlling and inputting data
A method of entering combinatorial data on a data entry device (DED) including sensitive means which can be activated by an intermediary of at least one actuator allowing, according to a combination of sensitive means activated, an ad hoc computer program to designate and activate an object contained in a active correspondence table in memory, where the sensitive means are made up by at least three main detection zones Zi each made up of Fi (Fi=1, 2, 3 . . . ) distinct sensitive zones, comprising at least one step of designating/selecting an object from an active table; and a subsequent step of validation and production of the designated object, wherein for at least a first part of objects from the active table, the step of designation/selection of a single object can be achieved by designation of the object in successive combinatorial mode or by designation of the object in simultaneous combinatorial mode. |
| US08125439B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes: a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix form; a back light having a plurality of light sources controlled individually in light emission luminance to supply light to the liquid crystal panel; an image processing unit configured to calculate luminance setting values respectively of the light sources of the back light and correct the video signal; a back light control unit configured to control the back light on the basis of luminance setting values; and a liquid crystal drive unit configured to drive the liquid crystal panel on the basis of the corrected video signal. In strength distribution of light incident, a relative strength compared with a direct component in spatial frequency domain is equal to or less than a first threshold in a spatial frequency region having a value of at least 1. |
| US08125438B2 |
Reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus and substrate for reflection type liquid crystal display
In order to provide a reflection type liquid crystal display apparatus where, even when the pixel size is small, the crosstalk between a signal line and an end of a capacitor can be decreased, thus resulting in a good output image, by forming a signal line 2 for transmitting an image signal to each pixel with a second metal layer, by placing a shield line 12 between a capacitor electrode 10 constituting a capacitor and the signal line 2 with a first metal layer, and by giving a fixed potential, shielding is provided to prevent occurrence of cross-talk. The capacitor is configured with a common electrode 11 and a capacitor electrode 10, having a diffusion layer formed on a semiconductor substrate. By placing the capacitor electrode having a diffusion layer formed on the semiconductor substrate and the common electrode having a fixed potential below the signal line, shielding is provided to prevent occurrence of cross-talk. |
| US08125434B2 |
Method for addressing active matrix displays with ferroelectrical thin film transistor based pixels
A pixel (P) of a display (20) includes a memory element in a form of a ferroelectric thin film transistor (“TFT”) (60) and a display element (62) operably coupled to the ferroelectric TFT (60). The ferroelectric TFT (60) is set to a conductive state in response to a conductive row drive voltage and a conductive column drive voltage being applied to the ferroelectric TFT (60) during a beginning phase of the addressing period for the pixel (P). The ferroelectric TFT (60) facilitates a charging of the display element (62) in response a charging row drive voltage and a charging column drive voltage being applied to the ferroelectric TFT (60) during an intermediate phase of the addressing period for the pixel (P). The ferroelectric TFT (60) is reset to a non-conductive state in response to a non-conductive row drive voltage and a non-conductive column drive voltage being applied to the ferroelectric TFT (60) during an ending phase of the addressing period for the pixel (P). |
| US08125433B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal display device and a driving method thereof are provided which can increase a display grade by removing a DC residual image. The liquid crystal display device comprises: a liquid crystal display panel for displaying gray levels by a potential difference between a common electrode for applying a common voltage and pixel electrodes for applying data voltages; a common voltage regulating circuit for generating a variable common voltage which is longitudinally symmetrical with respect to a DC common voltage of a predetermined level and whose voltage level is stepwisely varied at predetermined intervals; and a black gamma reference voltage regulating circuit for adding the variable common voltage to an offset voltage set as a gamma reference voltage of a black gray level to generate a variable gamma reference voltage varying with respect to the gamma reference voltage of the black gray level, the variable gamma reference voltage of the black gray level being varied in synchronization with the variable common voltage. |
| US08125429B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A small-sized active matrix type liquid crystal display device that may achieve large-sized display, high precision, high resolution and multi-gray scales is provided. Gray scale display is performed by combining time ratio gray scale and voltage gray scale in a liquid crystal display device which performs display in OCB mode. In doing so, one frame is divided into subframes corresponding to the number of bit for the time ratio gray scale. Initialize voltage is applied onto the liquid crystal upon display of a subframe. |
| US08125426B2 |
Image displaying apparatus and image displaying method
In an image displaying apparatus, first and second detecting units detect quantities of light propagating through a light path at two different locations. A variation calculating unit calculates the variation in the light quantity in the light path based on the quantities of light detected by each of the first and second detecting units. A controlling unit controls the quantity of light propagated to the screen if the variation in the light quantity exceeds a predetermined value. |
| US08125423B2 |
Voltage control circuit, voltage control method and light control apparatus utilizing the same
A voltage control circuit which can prevent the occurrence of imprint phenomenon is provided.In a voltage control circuit which applies voltage to a pair of electrodes including a first and a second electrode, a control unit switches the voltage applied to the pair of electrodes, in response to an operation mode of this circuit.In a normal mode, the control unit fixedly applies a first voltage to the first electrode and applies a data voltage of the first voltage or the second voltage to the second electrode, based on an instruction from the control unit.In an inversion mode, the second voltage is fixedly applied to the first electrode, and the data voltage of the first voltage or second voltage is applied to the second electrode. The control unit switches the mode between the normal mode and the inversion mode, in a predetermined cycle. |
| US08125422B2 |
Scan driver, organic light emitting display using the same, and method of driving the organic light emitting display
A scan driver capable of freely setting the width of emission control signals and of dividing the emission control signals at least twice in one frame to apply the emission control signals is disclosed. Embodiments of the scan driver include a shift register, receiving at least two start pulses in one frame to sequentially shift the start pulses in response to a clock signal and to thus generate at least two sampling pulses, and at least two signal generators for combining the at least two sampling pulses and at least two output enable signals with each other to supply scan signals to scan lines, and for combining the at least two sampling pulses output from the shift register with each other to supply at least two emission control signals to emission control signals lines in one frame. At least two emission control signals are supplied to emission control signal lines in one frame so that it is possible to change the brightness of the display without generating a flicker. |
| US08125410B2 |
Plasma display having latch failure detecting function
A test pattern generation circuit outputs a test pattern during a clock phase adjustment period. A flip-flop circuit latches the test pattern at the fall of a shift clock and outputs it as a test pattern. A latch miss detection circuit outputs a latch miss detection signal indicating presence/absence of a latch miss generation according to the test pattern and a delay shift clock. A clock phase controller delays the shift clock according to the latch miss detection signal, thereby outputting a delay shift clock. |
| US08125404B2 |
Monopole antenna with high gain and wide bandwidth
A monopole antenna includes a base board having a first side and a second side, a grounding element attached on the first side of the base board, a coupling element attached on the first side of the base board and being spaced apart from the grounding element, and a radiating element connected to the coupling element and exposed out the base board. |
| US08125403B2 |
Tubular telecom tower
The present invention aims to provide a hollow antenna tower structure for use in a wireless communications network. The tower comprises tubular tower sections made of concrete, and having a generally hollowed cross section. A movable base station unit, having at least one antenna and at least one micro wave link, is being disposed inside the tubular tower. The whole base station unit is movable up and down inside the tower by the aid of an elevator system. The tower further comprises at least one entrance into the tower and a climbing facility and/or a second elevator system, inside the tower, giving access to the base station unit. |
| US08125400B2 |
Compact antenna feed assembly and support arm with integrated waveguide
A feed assembly and feed support arm for parabolic antennas with circular or linear polarization is provided in a streamlined configuration. The feed assembly contains a septum polarizer with parallel transmit and receive ports, or a similarly configured ortho-mode transducer. Through a common waveguide transition, the ports connect to transmit and receive filters joined together in parallel to form a square-profile structure that serves as the feed support arm. The receive filter terminates in a low noise block downconverter while the transmit filter connects to a waveguide flange at the base of the reflector, which is the output port of an up-converter/power amplifier mounted behind the reflector. Alternatively, the power amplifier is integrated into the feed support arm, connecting to the rest of the transmitter behind the reflector. |
| US08125397B2 |
Antenna with near-field radiation control
An antenna and a wireless mobile communication device incorporating the antenna are provided. The antenna includes a first conductor section electrically coupled to a first feeding point, a second conductor section electrically coupled to a second feeding point, and a near-field radiation control structure adapted to control characteristics of near-field radiation generated by the antenna. Near-field radiation control structures include a parasitic element positioned adjacent the first conductor section and configured to control characteristics of near-field radiation generated by the first conductor section, and a diffuser in the second conductor section configured to diffuse near-field radiation generated by the second conductor section into a plurality of directions. |
| US08125396B2 |
Handheld electronic device
A handheld electronic device comprising an appearance provided with a containing space for disposing a communication module and a substrate having a ground plane; an antenna disposed on a surface of the appearance; and, a first fastening element and a second fastening element for fixing the appearance and the substrate. The first fastening element and the second fastening element electrically connect the antenna to the ground plane and the communication module. |
| US08125394B2 |
Electronic device antenna with quartered rectangular cavity
Antennas for electronic devices such as portable computers are provided. An antenna may be formed from a conductive cavity and an antenna probe that serves as an antenna feed. The conductive cavity may have the shape of a quartered rectangular cavity and may have first and second side walls, top and bottom walls, and first and second openings. The first and second openings may be planar in shape and may meet at a right angle along an axis. The antenna probe may be disposed along the axis. The axis at which the first and second openings of the cavity meet may be located at the corner of an electronic device housing. The portable computer may have upper and lower housing portions that meet at a gasket. The gasket may be placed adjacent to the cavity face openings so that radio-frequency signals may enter and exit the cavity through the gasket. |
| US08125389B1 |
Doppler-aided positioning, navigation, and timing using broadcast television signals
Methods having corresponding apparatus and tangible computer-readable media comprise: determining a plurality of first pseudoranges based on a plurality of respective wireless television signals received by an apparatus and a clock signal generated by the apparatus, wherein each of the first pseudoranges represent a difference between a time of transmission of the respective wireless television signal from a respective transmitter and a time of reception of the respective wireless television signal at the apparatus and a time offset of the clock signal; determining a plurality of first estimates of frequency offsets of the wireless television signals received by the apparatus; and determining a first estimate of a location of the apparatus based on the first pseudoranges, the first frequency offsets of the wireless television signals, and locations of the transmitters. |
| US08125385B2 |
Apparatus and method for phase fronts based on superluminal polarization current
An apparatus and method for a radiation source involving phase fronts emanating from an accelerated, oscillating polarization current whose distribution pattern moves superluminally (that is, faster than light in vacuo). Theoretical predictions and experimental measurements using an existing prototype superluminal source show that the phase fronts from such a source can be made to be very complex. Consequently, it will be very difficult for an aircraft imaged by such a radiation to detect where this radiation has come from. Moreover, the complexity of the phase fronts makes it almost impossible for electronics on an aircraft to synthesize a rogue reflection. A simple directional antenna and timing system should, on the other hand, be sufficient for the radar operators to locate the aircraft, given knowledge of their own source's speed and modulation pattern. |
| US08125380B2 |
Position computing method, receiving apparatus and navigation satellite system employing the method
A position computing method computes a position of a receiver using a satellite navigation system. The method includes: bringing a satellite receiver in a dark region of the satellite system; bringing the receiver into a visible region of the satellite system outside the dark region; allocating to the dark region a darkness category chosen between at least two categories based on a dark region crossing time at which the receiver crosses between the dark region and the visible region; allocating a visibility class, chosen between at least two distinct classes, to the visibility region; and selecting one of first and second receiver position computing methods based on the class and the category allocated. The method further includes calculating a receiver position of the receiver by applying the selected computing method. |
| US08125379B2 |
Position measurement results by a surveying device using a tilt sensor
A surveying apparatus includes an antenna to receive a positioning signal. The surveying apparatus further includes a tilt sensor to obtain a tilt measurement that indicates a degree of tilt of the survey apparatus. The surveying apparatus further includes a processor to obtain a positioning measurement from the positioning signal, and to determine a degree of accuracy of the positioning measurement based on the tilt measurement. |
| US08125378B1 |
System and method for determining position using doppler velocities
This disclosure is directed to systems and methods for providing GPS positioning determinations from a single set of Doppler measurements from a plurality of satellites in conjunction with satellite ephemeris data and a rough GPS time estimate. Measured Doppler velocities are compared with Doppler velocities calculated from ephemeris data and used to estimate the receiver position. |
| US08125375B2 |
Radar
A radar that detects the presence or absence of interference when detecting a target based on a frequency spectrum of a beat signal of a transmission signal and a reception signal. Whether or not the number of peaks exceeding a noise threshold in the frequency spectrum exceeds a predetermined number is determined. According to the determination result, the presence or absence of interference on the beat signal is detected. If “interference exists”, the threshold for extraction of target peaks that appear on the frequency spectrum is increased. This allows detection of the presence or absence of a spike noise superposed on the beat signal to be performed more certainly, thereby enabling processing according to the presence or absence of interference. |
| US08125373B2 |
Microwave system utilizing elevational scanning by frequency hopping
For use in conjunction with a microwave antenna having a radiator array configured to scan in a horizontal direction, a method for scanning in the vertical direction. A first FMCW microwave signal having a first bandwidth is transmitted at a first microwave frequency and the echo, if any, is received by the radiator array. A second FMCW microwave signal having a second bandwidth is also transmitted at a different center frequency and the echo, if any, is received by the radiator array. The different frequencies cause an elevational shift in the received signal. The receipt of the echoes is then processed to identify the location or locations of the object or objects causing the echo and communicating such location or locations to a user. |
| US08125372B2 |
Driver assistance system and method for checking the plausibility of objects
In a method for checking the plausibility of objects in driver assistance systems for motor vehicles is described, two measured variables are derived from position data from two object position-finding systems of the vehicle that operate independently of one another, for an object located by the two position-finding systems, one variable for each position-finding system, these variables representing one and the same physical parameter, and the two measured variables are then checked for consistency, which is characterized by the fact that the parameter is the time to collision of the vehicle with the object, which is calculated in advance. |
| US08125371B1 |
System and method for reducing incidences of friendly fire
The invention provides a system and method for reducing the instance of friendly fire by having the weapon aiming system include means for emitting an optical signal encoded with the identity of the targeting soldier. The encoded optical signal is received by an optical receiver on a targeted soldier where it is converted into a low power RF signal which is transmitted to a local repeater that retransmits it, optionally using at least one intermediate repeater, to a central monitoring station equipped with a computerized database. If the monitoring station determines that the doubly encoded signal includes the identities of two friendly troops, it transmits a “hold fire” signal back to the aiming system, and a suitable signal, such as a red LED indicative of a “hold fire” order is illuminated. |
| US08125370B1 |
Polarimetric synthetic aperture radar signature detector
A method is provided for processing an acquired polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image of a region to identify a candidate pixel that correlates to a target representation. The polarimetric SAR image is composed of a plurality of pixels, and the candidate pixel corresponds to a position in the region that contains a candidate object. The process includes deconstructing J parameter components each sample, obtaining acquired values for the image from select parameter components, acquiring reference values that characterize said parameter components for the target representation, determining distance values each reference value and each acquired value, comparing the distance values against a classification criterion to determine whether the candidate pixel conforms to the target representative. The process may further include extracting N sub-apertures from the polarimetric SAR image, and combining the distance values for the sub-apertures together to obtain distance summations for comparison. The process may additionally include multiplying the distance summations with their corresponding weighting factors to obtain weighted results and combining these to produce a weighted log-likelihood function that identifies whether the pixel conforms to the target. Determining a difference may further include subtracting reference values from their respective acquired values to respectively obtain set of differences, assigning normalized defaults to the differences in response to the difference having a specified relation to parameter thresholds, and otherwise normalizing the difference, and determining natural logs of unity minus said each difference to obtain their distance values. |
| US08125369B1 |
Modular RCS and IR signature generation device and deception method to enhance susceptibility of naval vessels
A modular RCS (Radar Cross Section) and IR (Infra-Red) signal generation device includes: a plastic bag which is normally stored in a folded state, and inflated when gas is introduced into the bag as desired; a radar reflector received in the plastic bag, the radar reflector being configured in a multi-hedral reflector structure having a reflection characteristic similar to that of a naval vessel to be protected; hot air tubes formed through the plastic bag, hot air being capable of generating IR signals by flowing through the hot air tubes; and connection patches positioned on one of the surfaces of the plastic bag at the points where the ends of the hot air tubes intersect with the surfaces, respectively, the connection patches being adapted to be attached to those of adjacent modular RCS and IR signal generation devices, respectively, so as to interconnect the hot air tubes with those of the adjacent modular RCS and IR signal generation devices. |
| US08125365B2 |
Method for generating an analog signal generated by PWM signal, and system generating such signal
A generation method of an analogue signal generated by a PWM signal whose cyclic ratio and period are parametrizable is discussed. It is thus possible choose the pair formed from the cyclic ratio and the period producing an analogue value that is the closest to the value corresponding to the programmed command value. But the differences between the analogue values can be very great and generate zones of imprecision of variable width. Outside of these zones, the generated analogue signal is very precise. Therefore, when the command value associated with a pair is imprecise, a digital shift is applied to the command value at the same time as the application of an analogue shift means. Both shifts have the same amplitude and of opposite directions such that the cancel each other out, producing a precise analogue value. A device for generating an analogue signal implementing the method is also discussed. |
| US08125360B1 |
On-chip calibration method
A system for the calibration of a programmable system-on-a-chip is described. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a system that calibrates a programmable analog block in a system-on-a-chip without the use of external components. |
| US08125359B2 |
Analog-to-digital converter
According to an embodiment, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) including an ADC unit, a clock-phase control unit, a multiplexer, and a digital-output processing unit is provided. The digital-output processing unit inputs digital outputs of the ADC unit to either an averaging circuit or the multiplexer depending on the specified conversion speed and the specified conversion accuracy, or inputs the digital outputs of the ADC unit to the averaging circuit and the multiplexer in this order, and outputs ADC digital signals with the specified conversion speed and the specified conversion accuracy. |
| US08125358B2 |
Method for decoding a message
A method for decoding a message is disclosed. The method is used for an electronic system for displaying messages. The method comprises the following steps: a processing module decoding an un-decoded string of a message received from a message transferring terminal, acquiring a first word group and saving the first word group to a word group handling buffer, and recording a repetition value of the first word group; the processing module decoding an un-decoded string of a message received from the message transferring terminal, acquiring a second word group from the un-decoded string, and saving the second word group to a word group decoding buffer; the processing module comparing the first word group and the second word group to determine whether the first word group and the second word group are the same; and if yes, increasing the repetition value of the first word group. |
| US08125356B2 |
Electronic device providing a number input system
An electronic device providing number input is an input combination of a number input system. The number input system comprises three horizontal elements and four vertical elements arranged in the shape of the number “8.” The electronic device provides a mechanism for a user to input numbers by pressing combinations of the elements. |
| US08125354B2 |
Complex switch control system
A complex switch control system including many switches, a switching voltage control circuit and a comparator is provided. The switching voltage control circuit converts an operating voltage into a switching voltage according to the states of the switches. The comparator compares the switching voltage with a reference voltage and outputs a switch state signal to a keyboard controller. A duty cycle of the switch state signal corresponds to the states of the switches. |
| US08125351B2 |
Process for transmitting data between at least one cockpit display screen and at least one remote client system
A process for transmitting data between at least one display screen in a cockpit and at least one remote client system includes at least one computer, in which the display screen displays a first request to send a message in a first communication protocol; this message is sent to the remote client system over a first link using a second communication protocol. A request to confirm a message is generated and displayed on the display screen via a communication interface designed to receive and generate messages in this first communication protocol and to receive and generate messages that can be received by the remote client system. The request to confirm the message from the first request is validated by activating a confirmation device separate from the at least one display screen; activating this confirmation device sends a confirmation message via a router system to the remote system awaiting confirmation; this confirmation message, not generated in the first protocol, can be received by the remote client system awaiting confirmation; the router system includes at least one second link separate from the first link. |
| US08125349B2 |
Warning system for protection from wrong-way drivers
The invention relates to a warning system (04) for protection from wrong-way drivers (11), in particular on freeways and expressways, wherein a warning and/or alarming of a vehicle traveling contrary to the prescribed travel direction is performed using a warning signal, and wherein the warning signal is an optical and/or acoustic warning signal (09, 10). |
| US08125348B2 |
Automobile beacon, system and associated method
Devices, systems, and methods are provided for alerting a pedestrian, such as a visually impaired pedestrian, of a vehicle in the vicinity. In general, signals are transmitted from a vehicle to a device carried by a pedestrian, such as a mobile terminal. In response, the pedestrian's device may generate an alarm, such as a vibration or an audible alarm, informing the pedestrian that a vehicle is nearby. In some cases, the pedestrian's device may transmit activation signals to the vehicle after receiving the signals from the vehicle. The activation signals may cause speakers on the vehicle to emit an audible alarm, alerting the pedestrian of the presence of the vehicle. |
| US08125346B2 |
Analog-style instrumentation display with color-changing pointer
An analog-style gauge for displaying the value of a parameter measured or sensed by a remote sensor. The gauge comprises an actuator having a selectively rotatable shaft and a pointer fixedly attached to the actuator shaft and capable of being internally illuminated by light directed into the pointer. A light source is disposed to direct light of at least two colors into the pointer. Control circuitry is operably connected to the actuator, the light source and a remote sensor. The control circuitry rotates the actuator shaft within a range of motion in response to signals received from the remote sensor indicative of changes in the value of the sensed parameter. The control circuitry changes the color of light directed into the pointer when the pointer reaches a pre-determined point within the range of motion, whereby the internal illumination of the pointer will change color when the pointer reaches a predetermined point within the range of motion. |
| US08125345B2 |
Method and apparatus for loose wiring monitor
A system is provided in which the voltage phases, neutral, and ground are monitored and an alarm is generated if specific trigger conditions are met. These conditions are indicative of a possible loose neutral, loose wiring, or general over/under voltage condition. Specific algorithms can be used to determine the possibility of a loose wiring condition, and if limits are met, various alarm modes are started. |
| US08125343B2 |
System for child safety
A system for child safety relating to a child safety seat that is in communication with the internal wiring or computer system of a vehicle such that when the vehicle ignition is turned off and the child safety seat is engaged, an audible alert is emitted through the vehicle speakers. |
| US08125340B2 |
Smartbeam visibility network
A method for providing real-time visibility on a construction project includes steps of: attaching a low-frequency, ultra low-power, two-way transceiver radio tag to each construction material to be used in the construction project; storing data relating to the construction material in the tag; and reading the data from the transceiver of the tag by interrogating the radio tag with radio frequency interrogation signals. |
| US08125338B2 |
Acousto-magnetic anti-theft alarming unit with magnetic detacher
An acousto-magnetic (AM) anti-theft alarming unit is designed for specific use in a hard tag anti-theft clamp which uses a magnetic detacher. The alarming unit includes a resonator housing defining a cavity in which is placed at least one resonator and a bias piece covered by a housing cover affixed to the resonator housing. The resonators are placed into the housing cavity in a vertically layered configuration. The bias piece is placed along the side of the resonators, as opposed to being beneath the resonators, as is conventional in the art. The bias piece is preferably made of a sintered rare-earth permanent magnet and has a high coercivity. Accordingly, this alarming unit has a strong resistance to demagnetization and a resistance to being shielded by metal. The bias piece has a strong anti-destruction ability, a simple structure and is easy to manufacture. |
| US08125336B2 |
Abnormality detecting apparatus
An abnormality detecting apparatus includes a power supply portion applying a voltage to electrodes provided at both surfaces of a light control glass adapted to be provided at a vehicle to change a transparency of the light control glass, a detection portion detecting a detectable amount obtained on the basis of the voltage applied to the electrodes, and an abnormality determination portion determining whether or not an abnormality occurs to the light control glass based on a predetermined detectable amount and the detectable amount detected by the detection portion. |
| US08125332B2 |
Geo-fence with minimal false alarms
A method and apparatus is disclosed for a wireless device locator system and determining whether a device has entered or exited a two dimensional geographic zone area and alerting the device user when the device has entered or exited the zone. The method and apparatus may further minimize the probability of false zone entry and exit zone area alerts to wireless tracking device users. |
| US08125330B2 |
Portable alarm and methods of transmitting alarm data
A portable alarm system includes a wireless receiver configured to receive signals from remote wireless devices and a processor in communication with the wireless receiver, wherein the processor is configured to receive the signals from the wireless receiver. The system further includes an intelligent communications interface in communication with the processor, the intelligent communications interface being configured to receive and translate into wireless digital data at least a portion of the signals from the processor, and transmit the wireless digital data to an external location. |
| US08125329B1 |
Identification system
An identification system comprising a controller; a camera system controlled by the controller; an entry detector system connected to the controller and providing an entry signal to the controller upon detection of an entry or the detection of a presence near the identification system; and an identification data entry system connected to the controller for one or more persons to enter identification data into the identification system upon entry into a structure and optionally upon egress from the structure. |
| US08125323B2 |
Wheel monitoring device
A wheel monitoring apparatus includes a measuring and evaluation unit designed to be fastened to the wheel in the region of at least one wheel nut or bolt of the wheel. The wheel monitoring apparatus includes at least one sensor for detecting a characteristic variable for a state of a wheel bearing and at least one sensor for detecting a tire pressure of a tire of the wheel. |
| US08125320B2 |
Fire alarm system
To provide a sounder that outputs a predetermined alarm to notify an abnormality in a monitored region, and includes an output device-side connection terminal on a surface facing a predetermined installation surface, to structurally and electrically connect the sounder to a base-side connection terminal provided on a predetermined fitting base fixed to the installation surface. One of the base-side connection terminal and the output device-side connection terminal is configured using plural plates disposed in approximately parallel on the installation surface, and the other is configured using a plate sandwiched by the plural plates. |
| US08125316B2 |
RFID material tracking method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for tracking items automatically is described. A passive RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag is used with a material tracking system capable of real-time pinpoint location and identification of thousands of items in production and storage areas. Passive RFID tags are attached to the item to be tracked, remote sensing antennas are placed at each remote location to be monitored, interrogators with several antenna inputs are connected to the sensing antennas to multiplex the antenna signals, and a host computer communicates with the interrogators to determine item locations to an exacting measure. |
| US08125314B2 |
Distinguishing between user physical exertion biometric feedback and user emotional interest in a media stream
The present invention discloses a method, system, and computer program product for determining user interest in media. The invention can select one of a set of different activity profiles specified within a data store. Each activity profile can include biometric attributes and associated baseline attribute values specific to an activity state. A media stream can be manipulated (e.g., created from environmental inputs and/or played upon a presentation device). Biometric data can be received from a user in proximity to the media stream. The received biometric data can be compared values in the selected activity profile. An interest level in the media stream can be determined based on comparison differences. A programmatic action can be performed relating to the media stream based upon the determined interest level. For example, a bitrate of the media and/or a marker in the media can be modified based on interest level. |
| US08125312B2 |
System and method for locking and unlocking access to an electronic device
The invention relates to a system and method for unlocking and unlocking access to a device. In the system, an access management system for an electronic device is provided. The system comprises: a sensor providing a tap signal; a monitoring circuit connected to the sensor to process aspects of the tap signal; and an access management module operating on the device receiving the tap signal from the monitoring circuit to evaluate the tap signal against a preset tap pattern and to change an access state of the device if the tap signal completes a match for the tap pattern. |
| US08125309B2 |
Fail-safe remote control
The present invention relates to a remote control (160) operates fail-safe. The remote control comprises a safety filter (150) in order to provide a fail save operation. The present invention also relates to an adjustable patient table (100) comprising a fail-safe wireless remote control for controlling an actuator to adjust the table. |
| US08125307B2 |
Aggregate substrate, production method of aggregate substrate, and varistor
An aggregate substrate has a first varistor part, a second varistor part, and a heat dissipation layer. The first varistor part includes a first varistor element layer to exhibit nonlinear voltage-current characteristics, and a plurality of first internal electrodes juxtaposed in the first varistor element layer. The second varistor part includes a second varistor element layer to exhibit nonlinear voltage-current characteristics, and a plurality of second internal electrodes juxtaposed in the second varistor element layer. The heat dissipation layer is located between the first and second varistor parts and is in contact with the first and second varistor parts. |
| US08125299B2 |
Filter circuit
A filter for use in a coaxial cable network includes a printed circuit board having first and second opposed major surfaces, and first and second opposing sides. The opposed major surfaces are substantially parallel to a single plane, and are bisected by a longitudinal axis. The first and second opposing sides are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. The filter further includes an input terminal and an output terminal connected to the printed circuit board. The input terminal and the output terminal have an axis extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. A signal path is disposed on the printed circuit board and extends from the input terminal toward the output terminal. The filter further includes a plurality of resonator elements fabricated upon the first opposed major surface. In one embodiment, the inductor elements are arranged in series along the signal path defining a footprint of less than 540 square millimeters. The filter passes a first range of frequencies in a provider bandwidth and attenuates a second range of frequencies in a personal data network bandwidth. In one embodiment, the resonator elements are parallel inductor elements and capacitor elements, the inductor elements being etched spiral inductors. |
| US08125297B2 |
Filter, duplexer, and communication apparatus
A filter includes: a first filter unit includes: a series resonators connected in series to each other between a first input terminal and a first output terminal; a parallel resonators each having one end connected to one terminal of each of the series resonators; and a common inductance having one end connected to the other ends of the parallel resonators and the other end connected to a ground terminal, and a second filter unit includes: a series resonators connected in series to each other between a second input terminal and a second output terminal; a parallel resonators each having one end connected to one terminal of each of the series resonators; and a common inductance having one end connected to the other ends of the parallel resonators and the other end connected to the ground terminal. |
| US08125296B2 |
Radio device antenna filter arrangement
An arrangement for filtering the transmitting signals in a radio device using frequency division duplex. In a radio transmitter, in which the transmitting signal is divided to a plurality of antennas radiating to different sectors, the filtering required in transmitting is mostly carried out by a shared transmitting filter before the transmitting signal is divided. The rest of the filtering is carried out separately on each partial transmitting signal in the reduced transmitting side of the duplex filter. The filters and the divider form an integrated filter unit, in which they are connected to each other by simple coupling elements. The space required for the filters of the antenna end of the radio device is significantly reduced, and the material and assembly costs of the antenna end in production are reduced. |
| US08125294B2 |
Orthogonal-mode junction coupler having a dipole radiating structure and method of coupling
Orthogonal-mode junction coupler with a medium to broad bandwidth for a waveguide (1) operating at a wavelength λ, characterized in that it includes a connector (5) projecting from the waveguide (1) and extending between a short circuit (3) of the waveguide (1) and a conducting structure (6) acting as dipole radiating at a wavelength of approximately λ/2 excited at its central point by the connector. |
| US08125288B2 |
Method for modulating a signal
A method for modulating a signal transmitted by a first device to a second device which is energised by the signal, wherein the first device is further arranged to amplitude modulate the signal so as to transmit data thereon, the method further comprising phase modulating the signal. |
| US08125287B2 |
Extendable N-channel digital pulse-width/pulse-frequency modulator
A multichannel digital pulse width modulator/digital pulse frequency modulator uses a single ring oscillator that is shared by multiple channels. The ring oscillator has taps that can be used for least significant bit (LSB) precision of the generated PWM signal. The ring oscillator also produces a ring clock that is used to synchronize logic in the channels. Since the logic in the channels are synchronized by the ring clock, the channels can each independently produce different frequency PWM (or PFM) signals and still share the same ring oscillator. |
| US08125286B2 |
High-resolution varactors, single-edge triggered digitally controlled oscillators, and all-digital phase-locked loops using the same
A digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) includes a pulse generator for generating a pulse signal upon an edge of a trigger signal, and at least one delay circuit coupled to delay the pulse signal generated by the pulse generator. The pulse generator is coupled to receive one of the delayed pulse signal from the at least one delay circuit and an enable signal as the trigger signal. A digitally controlled varactor (DCV) includes a transistor having a gate, a source, a drain, and a substrate, wherein at least one of the gate, the source, the drain, and the substrate is coupled to receive one of two or more voltages, wherein at least one of the two or more voltages is not a power supply voltage or ground. |
| US08125285B2 |
Digitally controlled oscillators
The problems of large oscillator signal frequency change per bit, small runtime tuning bandwidth, and large wiring layout (and therefore large integrated circuit (IC) layout) in digitally-controlled oscillators are addressed by using an array of addressable tuning units, storing a data bit with respect to each tuning unit, and based on the data bit and an address bit, adjusting the output of each tuning unit. |
| US08125282B2 |
Dual-band coupled VCO
In a dual band capable voltage controlled oscillator VCO circuit comprising two voltage controlled oscillator units VCO1, VCO2, the voltage controlled oscillator units VCO1, VCO2 are synchronized and connected via at least two coupled transmission lines TL1, TL2, the transmission lines (TL1, TL2) are arranged to operate according to one of two modes to enable varying a combined inductance of the synchronized oscillator units VCO1, VCO2 and the oscillation frequency for the voltage controlled oscillator circuit VCO. |
| US08125277B1 |
Dual loop frequency synthesizer
A frequency synthesizer has a fractional N1 loop and an integer N2 loop. The output frequency of the signal of the fractional N1 loop is constrained to values between adjacent harmonics of a reference frequency used in the fractional N1 loop. The signal of the fractional N1 loop is received by the integer N2 loop. The integer N2 loop provides an output signal. The output signal can be a high frequency signal such as 2-8 GHz signal. |
| US08125274B2 |
Differential amplifier
A differential amplifier including: 1st transistor that is connected between 1st power-supply terminal and 1st output terminal, and has a control terminal receiving one of the differential input signals; 2nd transistor that is connected between 2nd power-supply terminal and 1st output terminal, and has a control terminal receiving the other of the differential input signals; 1st switch that is connected between 1st power-supply terminal and 1st transistor; 3rd transistor that is connected between 2nd power-supply terminal and 2nd output terminal, and has a control terminal receiving one of the differential input signals; 4th transistor that is connected between 1st power-supply terminal and 2nd output terminal, and has a control terminal receiving the other of the differential input signals; 2nd switch that is connected between 2nd power-supply terminal and 3rd transistor. Drive state of 1st and 2nd switches are controlled by a control signal. |
| US08125271B2 |
Power amplifier and bridge circuit in power amplifier
A power amplifier and a bridge circuit in a power amplifier, thereinto, the power amplifier includes a comparator, a bridge circuit and a low-pass filter. The comparator is adapted to receive a first analog signal, compare the first analog signal with a reference signal and output a square wave signal. The bridge circuit is adapted to amplify the square wave signal and output the amplified square wave signal. The low-pass filter is adapted to convert the amplified square wave signal into a second analog signal. The bridge circuit includes a first MEMS switch and a second MEMS switch. The first MEMS switch and the second MEMS switch turn on alternately when the polarity of the square wave changes, and output a first voltage signal or a second voltage signal respectively. The amplified square wave signal includes the first voltage signal and the second voltage signal output alternately. The present disclosure substitutes the MOS transistors in prior art with surface MEMS switches, so the power consumption, the size of devices and the manufacture costs all can be reduced. |
| US08125270B2 |
Frequency offset Cartesian feedback system
An amplifier system providing improved Cartesian feedback is provided. A complex band pass error amplifier is provided. A quadrature up converter is connected to the complex band pass error amplifier so as to receive as input, output from the complex band pass error amplifier. An amplifier is connected to the quadrature up converter so as to receive as input, output from the quadrature up converter. A quadrature down converter is connected at or beyond the amplifier output so as to receive as input a signal proportional to that delivered by the amplifier as output to a load, wherein the complex band pass error amplifier is connected to the quadrature down converter so as to receive as a first input, output from the quadrature down converter and as a second input, a quadrature reference signal. |
| US08125267B2 |
Bias voltage generation to protect input/output (IO) circuits during a failsafe operation and a tolerant operation
A method includes controllably generating a first bias voltage from a supply voltage to be within an upper tolerable limit of an operating voltage of one or more constituent active circuit element(s) of an Input/Output (IO) core device of an integrated circuit (IC) to be interfaced with an IO pad, and controllably generating a second bias voltage from an external voltage supplied through the IO pad to be within the upper tolerable limit of the operating voltage of the one or more constituent active circuit element(s) of the IO core device to be interfaced with the IO pad. The method also includes controllably utilizing a control signal generated by the IO core to derive an output bias voltage from the first bias voltage during a driver mode of operation or the second bias voltage during a failsafe mode of operation and a tolerant mode of operation. |
| US08125266B2 |
Power supply circuit for charge pump circuit
A boosting circuit includes a charge pump circuit; and a power supply circuit configured to supply a power supply voltage to the charge pump circuit. The power supply circuit includes an N-channel transistor connected with a power supply terminal of the charge pump circuit; and a current control circuit configured to control current flowing between the N-channel transistor and the charge pump circuit through the power supply terminal. |
| US08125265B2 |
Temperature independent reference circuit
A temperature independent reference circuit includes first and second bipolar transistors with commonly coupled bases. First and second resistors are coupled in series between the emitter of the second bipolar transistor and ground. The first and second resistors have first and second resistance values, R1 and R2, and third and second temperature coefficients, TC3 and TC2, respectively. The resistance values being such that a temperature coefficient of a difference between the base-emitter voltages of the first and second bipolar transistors, TC1, is substantially equal to TC2×(R2/(R1+R2))+TC3×(R1/(R1+R2)), resulting in a reference current flowing through each of the first and second bipolar transistors that is substantially constant over temperature. A third resistor coupled between a node and the collector of the second bipolar transistor has a value such that a reference voltage generated at the node is substantially constant over temperature. |
| US08125264B2 |
Voltage generation circuit and semiconductor memory using the same
The voltage generation circuit having a standard voltage generation circuit, a reference voltage, a minimum voltage setting circuit, and a voltage setting circuit that gradually sets voltage by switching a plurality of the gate transistors to switch a combination of resistive elements. The voltage generation circuit includes a differential amplifier that has one input terminal connected to the reference voltage generated by the standard voltage generation circuit and another input terminal connected to the minimum voltage setting circuit. The differential amplifier has an output node showing the result of a difference voltage of the inputs. The voltage generation circuit includes a pump control circuit that outputs a control signal controlling a charge-pump motion, based on the differential voltage, and a charge pump circuit that sets up and outputs the voltage by the control signal. |
| US08125262B2 |
Low power and low noise switched capacitor integrator with flexible input common mode range
An integrator is described that may include a level-shifting capacitor, a feedback capacitor, a pre-amplifier stage and a multi-path amplifier module. The integrator may have inputs for connected an input signal source to the level-shifting capacitor. The level-shifting capacitor is connected to an input of a pre-amplifier stage of an integration signal path and to the input. The level-shifting capacitor may level shift the voltage at the input of the circuit to a lower voltage at the input of the pre-amplifier stage. Thereby, the supply voltage to the pre-amplifier stage may be reduced as well as have limited power consumption, limited temperature rise, and reduced noise that may be attributed to any thermal effects. |
| US08125259B2 |
Duty cycle distortion (DCD) jitter modeling, calibration and generation methods
A method and system for modeling and calibrating duty cycle distortion (DCD) of a Serializer and Deserializer (SerDes) device, including first generating a clock DCD signal. Once the clock DCD signal is generated, it is calibrating based upon results obtained from a filtering process of the clock DCD signal. Once the clock DCD signal is calibrated, a data DCD signal is generated and calibrated based upon results obtained from a filtering process of the data DCD signal. |
| US08125258B2 |
Phase synchronization device and phase synchronization method
A sampling section (100A) includes a sampling filter (102) that converts a continuous-time signal into a discrete-time signal and applies filtering of low-pass characteristics and a one-bit quantizer (107) that outputs a quantized signal representing a time-dependent change in the discrete-time signal. A synchronization section (100B) includes a phase difference detector (110) that calculates the phase difference between an inspection signal and the quantized signal and a delay control circuit (114) that feeds back the inspection signal to the phase difference detector at the timing set in consideration of a delay amount corresponding to the phase difference. When the phase difference between the inspection signal and the current quantized signal shows the same phase, the phase of the inspection signal is detected as a reference phase. |
| US08125256B2 |
Bias generator providing for low power, self-biased delay element and delay line
An improved bias generator incorporates a reference voltage and/or a reference current into the generation of bias voltages. In some cases, the output of a biased delay element has a constant voltage swing. A delay line of such constant output voltage swing delay elements may be shown to provide reduced power consumption compared to some known self-biased delay lines. Furthermore, in other cases, providing the reference current to a novel bias generator allows a delay line of delay elements biased by such a novel bias generator to show reduced sensitivity to operating conditions, reduced sensitivity to variation in process parameters and improved signal quality, thereby providing more robust operation. |
| US08125255B2 |
PLL circuit
Provided is a PLL circuit improving reliability while suppressing power consumption without degrading noise characteristics. The PLL circuit includes a PLL IC that divides an output frequency Fout from a VCO, compares phase with a reference signal, and feeds back a phase difference as a control voltage to the VCO. A control circuit is capable of finely setting both of a reference frequency Fref and an output frequency Fdds in a DDS circuit, and the DDS circuit generates folding signals of Fdds for Fref and an integral multiple frequency thereof based on the combination of the frequencies. A first AMP amplifies a signal, a variable filter selects a desired Fdds (desired) and a second AMP amplifies the signal and supplies the same to the PLL IC as a reference signal. The control circuit further supplies a division ratio N to the PLL IC. |
| US08125253B2 |
System and method for dynamically switching between low and high frequency reference clock to PLL and minimizing PLL output frequency changes
A circuit is provided for use with a clock having an input divider portion, a feedback divider portion, a phase detector portion, a loop compensation filter portion and a voltage controlled oscillator portion. The input divider portion receives a reference signal and outputs a divided reference signal. The feedback divider portion receives an output signal from the circuit and outputs a divided feedback signal. The phase detector portion outputs a phase detector signal based on the divided reference signal and the divided feedback signal. The loop compensation filter portion outputs a tuning signal based on the phase detector signal. The voltage controlled oscillator portion output the outputs a signal based on the tuning signal. The phase detector portion changes the phase detector signal based on the input divider portion receiving the control signal and the feedback divider portion receiving the control signal. |
| US08125248B2 |
Semiconductor device, method of fabricating semiconductor device, and semiconductor device layout method
There is provided a semiconductor device including: logic circuit elements disposed within a specific region in respective functional blocks of a logic circuit having a plurality of the functional blocks provided one for each functional unit; and a decoupling capacitor disposed in a region within each of the functional blocks at which no logic circuit element is disposed. |
| US08125245B2 |
Circuitry for matching the up and down impedances of a voltage-mode transmitter
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a voltage-mode transmitter. The transmitter can include configuration circuitry, bias circuitry, and a set of driver slices. Each driver slice can include driver transistors which drive an output value. The outputs of each driver slice can be directly or capacitively coupled with the transmitter's outputs. Each driver slice can also include one or more impedance-matching transistors which are serially coupled to at least some of the driver transistors. The configuration circuitry can configure a subset of driver slices so that the down (or up) impedance of the transmitter is within a first tolerance of a desired impedance value. The bias circuitry can bias the one or more impedance-matching transistors in each driver slice in the subset of driver slices so that the up (or down) impedance is within a second tolerance of the down (or up) impedance. |
| US08125244B2 |
Low voltage electronic module interface
A low voltage electronic module interface, with a low voltage interface for an electronic module receiving a constant current from a body control module, the interface including a reverse current protection circuit 152; and a switch 154 operably connected in series with the reverse current protection circuit 152, the switch 154 being responsive to a status signal 144. The reverse current protection circuit 152 and the switch 154 form a low voltage electronic module interface circuit 150 having a resistance; and the resistance is selected so voltage across the low voltage electronic module interface circuit 150 is less than 2.70 Volts when the switch 154 is closed and the constant current 124 flows through the low voltage electronic module interface circuit 150. |
| US08125243B1 |
Integrity checking of configurable data of programmable device
Methods and a system for continuous integrity checking of configuration data of programmable device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes performing a redundancy check (RC) of configuration data loaded to configuration registers to produce a master RC data. The method further includes iteratively comparing a current RC data obtained by performing the redundancy check (RC) of current configuration data of the configuration registers with the master RC data until there is a mismatch between the current RC data and the master RC data. Additionally, the method includes performing an exception event in response to the mismatch. |
| US08125240B2 |
Multichannel interfacing device having a balancing circuit
The invention relates to an interfacing device for transmission through interconnections used for sending a plurality of electrical signals.The interfacing device of the invention comprises signal terminals and a common terminal. A transmitting circuit receives the input signals of the transmitting circuit coming from a source and delivers, when the transmitting circuit is in the activated state, currents to the signal terminals, each of the currents being mainly determined by one or more of the input signals of the transmitting circuit, one or more of the currents being not mainly determined by only one of the input signals of the transmitting circuit. The balancing circuit is such that, when the transmitting circuit is in the activated state, the current flowing out of the common terminal approximates the opposite of the sum of the currents flowing out of the signal terminals. |
| US08125238B2 |
Automatic test equipment
A coupling line is provided for coupling a signal generator to a device under test and includes a first Zener diode and a second Zener diode. The first Zener diode and the second Zener diode are coupled in an antiserial manner. They are adapted to couple the signal generator to the device under test when the signal generator is active and decouple the signal generator from the device under test when the signal generator is inactive. |
| US08125237B2 |
Thin film transistor array having test circuitry
A thin film transistor (TFT) array having test circuitry includes a thin film transistor array body having a plurality of pixels. Test circuitry is integrally formed with the body. The test circuitry includes a power supply for supplying power via the test circuitry to the body; and a plurality of wireless switches to activate selected pixels. |
| US08125233B2 |
Parametric testline with increased test pattern areas
An integrated circuit parametric testline providing increased test pattern areas is disclosed. The testline comprises a dielectric layer over a substrate, a plurality of probe pads over the dielectric layer, and a first device under test (DUT) formed in the testline in a space underlying the probe pads. The testline may also include a second DUT, which is formed in a space underlying the probe pads overlying the first DUT in an overlaying configuration. The testline may further include a polygon shaped probe pad structure providing an increased test pattern area between adjacent probe pads. |
| US08125228B2 |
Protective device with automated self-test
The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes at least one sensor that provides a sensor output signal corresponding to electrical perturbations propagating on the plurality of line terminals or the plurality of load terminals. A protective circuit assembly configured to detect a fault condition when the sensor output signal substantially corresponds to at least one predetermined fault criterion and generate a trip actuation signal in response thereto. A solenoid coil is configured to generate a trip actuation force in response to the trip actuation signal. A circuit interrupter assembly includes movable contacts configured to be driven into a tripped state in response to the trip actuation force. An automatic fault simulation circuit is configured to generate a self-test signal without execution of software code. The self-test signal is generated such that it is sensed by the at least one sensor if the at least one sensor is operational. An end-of-life detection circuit is coupled to the protective circuit assembly. The end-of-life detection circuit is configured to monitor the protective circuit assembly without execution of software code. The end-of-life detection circuit is configured to substantially inhibit the trip actuation force when the protective circuit assembly detects the fault condition and generates the trip actuation signal in response to the self-test signal. The end-of-life detection circuit is configured to generate an end-of-life response if the protective circuit assembly does not respond to the self-test signal within a predetermined period of time. |
| US08125225B2 |
Transmit profile control in MRI
An apparatus for imaging includes: a main magnet to generate a substantially uniform main B0 magnetic field through an examination region; and a coil system including a first coil layer and a second coil layer disposed substantially parallel to the first coil layer with a defined air gap in a radial direction, the first coil layer including a first coil array, the second coil layer including a second coil array, the first and second coil arrays being coupled and cooperating to selectively produce a prespecified B1 magnetic field within the examination region. |
| US08125224B2 |
Method of and apparatus for in-situ measurement of degradation of automotive fluids and the like by micro-electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry
A method of and miniaturized apparatus adapted for in-situ measurement of degradation of automotive fluids and the like by micro-electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometry, wherein the use of a modulated constant magnetic field in an RF resonating variable frequency microwave cavity resonator through which a fluid sample is passed, enables direct detection of molecular changes in such fluid sample resulting from fluid degradation during use. |
| US08125221B2 |
Method and device for measuring an angle at which a magnetic field is aligned in a plane relative to a reference axis
A device for measuring an angle at which a magnetic field is aligned in a plane relative to a reference axis has at least two magnetic field sensors, which are aligned with their measurement axes in and/or parallel to the plane and oriented at right angles to each other. The device has a PLL phase control circuit with a follow-on oscillator arranged in a phase control loop, which has at least one oscillator output for a digital oscillating signal. The magnetic field sensors are coupled to the phase control loop in such a way that the digital oscillating signal is phase synchronous with a rotation scanning signal formed by rotary scanning of the measurement signals of the magnetic field sensors. The oscillator output is connected to a phasing detector for determining the phasing of the digital oscillating signal. |
| US08125220B2 |
Magnetic induction tomography system and method
A magnetic induction tomography system and method for studying the electromagnetic properties of an object includes generator coils adapted for generating a primary magnetic field, and sensor coils adapted for sensing a secondary magnetic field. Actuators provide relative movement between the generator coils and/or the sensor coils on the one hand and the object to be studied on the other hand. |
| US08125211B2 |
Apparatus and method for testing driver writeability strength on an integrated circuit
An apparatus and method for testing driver write-ability strength on an integrated circuit includes one or more drive detection units each including a number of drivers. At least some of the drivers may have a different drive strength and each may drive a voltage onto a respective driver output line. Each drive detection unit may include a number of keeper circuits, each coupled to a separate output line and configured to retain a given voltage on the output line to which it is coupled. Each detection unit may also include a number of detection circuits coupled to detect the drive voltage on each of the output lines. In one implementation, the drive voltage appearing at the output line of each driver may be indicative of that the driver was able to overdrive the voltage being retained on the output line to which it is coupled by the respective keeper circuits. |
| US08125205B2 |
Power converter employing regulators with a coupled inductor
A power converter includes a power train with a coupled inductor and a plurality of regulators, and method of forming and operating the same. In one embodiment, the power train includes a coupled inductor including a magnetic core with a common leg, a first leg and a second leg. The coupled inductor also includes a common winding formed around the common leg, and first and second windings. The first winding is formed around the first leg, and is electrically and magnetically coupled to the common winding. The second winding is formed around the second leg, and is electrically and magnetically coupled to the common winding. The power train also includes a first regulator including a first main switch coupled to the first winding and a second regulator including a second main switch coupled to the second winding. |
| US08125200B2 |
Systems and methods for intelligently optimizing operating efficiency using variable gate drive voltage
Systems and methods for intelligently optimizing voltage regulation efficiency for information handling systems by varying gate drive voltage value based on measured operating efficiency and/or other voltage regulation operating parameters. Different voltage regulation operating parameters may be dynamically monitored and recorded during a power conversion process, and these operating parameters may then be used to dynamically and variably control gate drive voltage level to improve/optimize voltage regulation operating efficiency performance. |
| US08125194B2 |
Laptop computer storage and battery charging systems and methods including transient current inrush limiter
A control system of a laptop computer storage system comprises a plurality of receptacles for charging one or more laptop computer batteries. A first switch may be provided for coupling the receptacles to a power source via a current limiter having an impedance that initially limits a current inrush and then decreases with temperature. A second switch may be provided for coupling the receptacles to the power source via a low impedance path. A controller may be provided and configured to activate the first switch to limit an initial current inrush while charging energy storing components associated with the laptop computer's power supply and then activate the second switch to allow each laptop coupled to the receptacles to at least partially charge its battery. |
| US08125191B2 |
Early warning method for abnormal state of lithium battery and recording medium
An early warning method for an abnormal state of a lithium battery and a recording medium applicable to a portable electronic device are provided. The method includes the following steps. A plurality of curves of voltage against electric quantity is obtained according to different predicted average current consumptions of the portable electronic device. An operating average current consumption and an operating electric quantity from a first voltage to a second voltage are obtained when the lithium battery at an operating test state in a unit time. One of the curves of voltage against electric quantity is searched, and a warning electric quantity is obtained in a range from the first voltage to the second voltage. The warning electric quantity is compared with the electric quantity, so as to provide an early warning of an abnormal state. |
| US08125190B2 |
Battery charging system
A battery charging system is disclosed. The battery charging system includes a battery cell, a voltage measurement circuit and an overvoltage protection circuit. The voltage measurement circuit measures a cell voltage of the battery cell. The overvoltage protection circuit is configured to stop charging the battery cell when a reading voltage measured by the voltage measurement circuit reaches an overvoltage setting value. The battery charging system also includes a battery charger for charging the battery cell, and a control unit for supplying a control voltage to the battery charger to perform feedback control of an output voltage of the battery charger. The battery charger includes a voltage feedback input for receiving a feedback voltage and a setting value input for receiving a setting voltage. The control voltage is generated based on the reading voltage and the setting voltage. |
| US08125189B2 |
Systems for charging a battery in a closed loop configuration
A system is provided for charging a battery with an AC adapter. The system includes a first closed loop electrical path between the battery and the AC adapter. The first closed loop electrical path includes a first monitoring circuit for monitoring at least one first parameter of the system and a control circuit for dynamically adjusting the AC adapter output to the battery in response to the at least one first parameter exceeding an associated predetermined threshold. The system includes a second closed loop electrical path between the battery and the AC adapter. The second closed loop electrical path includes a second monitoring circuit for monitoring at least one second parameter of the system and a protection circuit responsive to the at least one second parameter exceeding an associated predetermined threshold for protecting the system until the AC adapter reaches a predetermined value. |
| US08125183B2 |
Charging system and vehicle and charge controller for the charging system
A charging system for charging a vehicle battery using a commercial power supply available in a construction on the ground includes a charge device, a power line, a time setting unit, and a control unit. The charge device mounted on a vehicle charges the vehicle battery. The power line connects between the construction on the ground and the vehicle. The time setting unit sets a charge start time for starting battery charging. The control unit is used for starting battery charging at the charge start time. |
| US08125181B2 |
Method and apparatus for hybrid vehicle auxiliary battery state of charge control
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for hybrid vehicle auxiliary battery state of charge control. In one embodiment, the present invention is an automobile including an electronic accessory, a first battery connected to the electronic accessory, and a control unit connected to the first battery, the control unit monitoring the first battery and disconnecting the first battery from the electronic accessory when the first battery is in a first operational condition. |
| US08125180B2 |
Integrated side view mirror assembly and electrical port for an automotive vehicle
An electrical port is integrated within a side view mirror assembly of an automotive vehicle. The electrical port is electrically connected with a charging system of the vehicle. The electrical port may be coupled with a power source remote from the vehicle to power the charging system. The electrical port may be concealed or exposed depending on a position of the side view mirror assembly. |
| US08125179B2 |
Controlling a power of an electrical motor
A motor control circuit (MC) comprising input terminals (IT1, IT2) to receive a rectified input voltage (Vrm), and output terminals (OT1, OT2) to supply a motor drive signal (Vm). A switching circuit (1) is alternately in an on-state (Ton) and an off-state (Toff) for intermittently coupling the input terminals (IT1, IT2) to the output terminals (OT1, OT2). A controller (2) controls the switching circuit (1) to be (i) in the on-state (Ton) during a first period in time (T1) when an amount of magnetic saturation of the motor is smaller than a predetermined value, and (ii) alternately in the on-state (Ton) and the off-state (Toff) to obtain a pulse width control of the motor drive signal (Vm) during a second period in time (T2) when the amount of magnetic saturation of the motor is larger than the predetermined value. |
| US08125176B2 |
Motorized system for closing a building
The invention relates to a motorized system for closing a building, of the roller shutter type with the particular feature that it has a two-phase asynchronous motor which comprises two windings (2; 3) and is combined with a speed-varying device (5). |
| US08125169B2 |
Rotating electrical machine control system and vehicle drive system
A rotating electrical machine control system includes a frequency converting portion that is interposed between a rotating electrical machine for driving a vehicle and a DC power source for supplying electric power to the rotating electrical machine, and that converts an output of the DC power source to an AC output at least during powering operation of the rotating electrical machine; a voltage converting portion that is interposed between the DC power source and the frequency converting portion, and that boosts the output of the DC power source based on a boost command value which is set according to a target torque and a rotational speed of the rotating electrical machine; and a control portion for controlling the frequency converting portion and the voltage converting portion. |
| US08125165B2 |
Motorized screen configuration and grouped control methods, automatic controller for implementing this method and home automation installation comprising such an automatic controller
An automatic control mechanism for a group of motorized screens in which each screen includes a load bar that is displaced according to a predefined travel and wherein the control mechanism determines a shift parameter between a first reference position of each screen and a second reference position, one of these two reference positions being a reference position common to the screens of the group. The control mechanism takes into account at least one shift parameter to obtain, following a control command, at least the alignment of the load bars that have been displaced. |
| US08125160B2 |
Integrated circuit capable of synchronization signal detection
A method according to one embodiment may include providing power to at least one light source. The method of this embodiment may also include detecting the frequency of at least one vertical synchronization signal, among a plurality of different synchronization signals, and controlling the power to at least one light source based on, at least in part, the detected frequency of at least one vertical synchronization signal. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment. |
| US08125159B2 |
LED driving device with variable light intensity
In a device for driving LEDs with variable light intensity, a supply stage has a first operating mode, in which a controlled supply current is generated, and a second operating mode, in which a controlled supply voltage is generated. A LED is connected to the supply stage, receives the controlled supply current or voltage, and has a turning-on threshold voltage higher than the controlled supply voltage. A current sensor generates a current-feedback signal that is correlated to the current flowing in the LED and is supplied to the supply stage in the first operating mode. An intensity-control stage generates a mode-control signal that is sent to the supply stage and controls sequential switching between the first and the second operating modes of the supply stage. |
| US08125154B2 |
Automatic lamp detection method and optimal operation for fluorescent lamps
There is provided a method that can detect the lamp type of fluorescent lamps and operate the lamp at the appropriate lamp power. The proposed method involves the classification of lamp characteristics of existing fluorescent lamps and the use of logic detection method such as a fuzzy logic detection and control technique to zoom into the right type of lamp. The information used in the lamp detection includes (1) lamp filament/electrode resistance, (2) lamp voltage and (3) lamp current. These three pieces of information can be used to select the appropriate fluorescent lamp type so that the control gear can operate the lamp at the right rated power. The importance of this invention can lead to a universal electronic ballast that can detect and operate all fluorescent lamps commonly available. It can also be used in a limited capacity to control a limited range of lamps. |
| US08125153B2 |
Microwave energized plasma lamp with dielectric waveguide
A plasma lamp including a waveguide body comprising at least one dielectric material. The body is coupled to a microwave power source which causes the body to resonate in at least one resonant mode. A lamp chamber integrated with the body contains a bulb with a fill forming a light-emitting plasma when the chamber receives power from the resonating body. A bulb either is self-enclosed or an envelope sealed by a window or lens covering the chamber aperture. Embodiments disclosed include lamps having a drive probe and a feedback probe, and lamps having a drive probe, feedback probe and start probe, which minimize power reflected from the body back to the source. |
| US08125152B2 |
Light source apparatus and liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display and a light source apparatus capable of improving color reproduction compared to related arts without declining intensity. A light source apparatus includes: a cold cathode fluorescent tube including a B phosphor for blue and a G phosphor for green; and a light emitting diode for red, wherein the G phosphor emits a single-spectrum light with a peak wavelength of 510 to 530 nm, and the light emitting diode emits a single-spectrum light with a peak wavelength of 620 to 650 nm. |
| US08125147B2 |
Plasma display device with light-absorbing filter
In a plasma display apparatus of the preset invention, a filter including an external light shielding sheet configured to shield externally incident light to the greatest extent possible is disposed at the front, thus effectively implementing a black image and improving the bright and dark room contrast. Furthermore, since the external light shielding sheet and an EMI shielding sheet are formed to be aligned, thereby sustaining the luminance of the screen. |
| US08125143B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display
An OLED display includes a pixel electrode on a substrate, an organic emission layer on the pixel electrode, a first common electrode on the organic emission layer, a transmission layer on the first common electrode, a second common electrode on the transmission layer, a selective reflective layer on the second common electrode, a polarizing plate on the selective reflective layer, and a phase delay plate between the polarizing plate and the second common electrode. |
| US08125140B2 |
Organic light emitting display with improved light emitting efficiency
An organic light emitting display includes an anode; an organic layer on the anode; and a cathode on the organic layer. The cathode includes a first region and a second region which are sequentially disposed on the organic layer in parallel. The first and second regions are formed by doping a metal oxide on an indium oxide matrix. The doping density of the metal oxide of the first region is greater than that of the second region, the metal oxide of the first region has a density gradient, and the density of the metal oxide in a boundary surface of the first and second regions is the same. An organic light emitting display according to the present invention can increase light emitting efficiency without using a resonance structure. |
| US08125139B2 |
Fluorescent substance and process for producing the same, and luminescent element using the same
Provided is a phosphor material for a white LED with a blue LED or ultraviolet LED as a light source.A phosphor comprises an α-sialon represented by the formula: (M1)X(M2)Y(Si)12−(m+n)(Al)m+n(O)n(N)16−n where M1 is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Li, Mg, Ca, Y and lanthanide metals (except for La and Ce), M2 is at least one element selected from Ce, Pr, Eu, Tb, Yb and Er, 0.3≦X+Y≦1.5, 0 |
| US08125138B2 |
Structured OLED with micro optics for generating directed light
In a lighting device with at least one continuous OLED layer (4) with a first electrode layer (5), a second electrode layer (6) and a plurality of optical collimating means, the second electrode layer (6) is only in electrical contact with the OLED layer (4) within spaced sections (6a), arranged within acceptance angles of the collimating means. Such a lighting device can be manufactured efficiently and is highly energy-efficient. |
| US08125134B2 |
Electron-emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, electron source, and image display apparatus
Provided is an electron-emitting device which is excellent in electron-emitting efficiency, and may obtain a large electron-emitting amount and stable electron-emitting characteristics. The electron-emitting device includes: a first conductive film and a second conductive film which are provided through a first gap; first carbon films connected to the first conductive film; and second carbon films which are connected to the second conductive film, and are opposed to the first carbon films through second and third gaps. Continuous concave portions are provided in the second and third gaps. |
| US08125133B2 |
Lamp comprising a base that is mounted without cement
The invention relates to a light bulb (1), the end of which is provided with a polymer ceramic base (5). Said base (5) is injection molded directly onto the end of the bulb. |
| US08125132B2 |
Display apparatus
A display apparatus comprises: a rear plate which has an electron-emitting device; a face plate which has an anode electrode and a potential defining electrode; and a plate spacer which is opposite to the anode electrode and the potential defining electrode, between the rear plate and the face plate. An insulative base member of the spacer has a recessed portion which opposes to the anode electrode, the potential defining electrode, and a portion of the face plate between the anode electrode and the potential defining electrode. Thus, electric discharges between the spacer and the anode electrode and between the spacer and the potential defining electrode can be suppressed. |
| US08125123B2 |
Piezoelectric thin film resonant element and circuit component using the same
A piezoelectric thin film resonant element includes a resonant portion having a laminate structure made up of a lower electrode, an upper electrode and a piezoelectric film arranged between these two electrodes. The lower electrode has an ellipsoidal plan-view shape and an outer circumference formed with an inclined portion inclined at an angle (about 30° for example) lying within a range of 25° through 55°. The upper electrode has an ellipsoidal plan-view shape. An additional film is provided on the upper electrode at a portion corresponding to the inclined portion of the lower electrode. |
| US08125119B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator control circuit, image stabilization control circuit, and imaging device
In a control circuit for servo control of a piezoelectric actuator, it is possible to efficiently move a movement object toward a target position in each servo control cycle. A pulse generation circuit (26) generates a drive pulse a plurality of times within a servo control cycle. The ideal value of the amount of movement in one drive pulse is stored in a register (28), and is used to estimate the amount of movement required to reach the target position of a lens (8) each time a drive pulse is generated. It is possible to switch between coarse movement and fine movement by using two types of drive pulses that have mutually different duty ratios, and the lens (8) can be rapidly moved by coarse movement when the required amount of movement is large, and fine movement when the required amount of movement is small. |
| US08125118B2 |
Winding head isolation element and multiphase electric motor
The invention concerns a winding head isolation element (1) with a body (2, 3) having a first longitudinal side (5), a second longitudinal side (6), a first transversal side (7) and a second transversal side (8), and a tongue portion (9) projecting from the first longitudinal side (5), the body (2, 3) and the tongue portion (9) being made of a flat material. It is endeavored to keep the efforts and costs for the mounting of the isolation element on a winding head small. For this purpose, the body (2, 3) is deformable around an axis (4) extending transversely to the tongue portion (9) and has at least one opening (21, 22) extending transversely to the tongue portion (9), said tongue portion (9) being adapted for insertion through the opening. |
| US08125117B2 |
Electric motor and rotor therefor
An electric motor includes: a rotor; a stator; and brush gear. The rotor has a shaft, a rotor core and a commutator fitted to the shaft. The rotor core has 5n teeth, n being a positive integer. Two coils are wound on each tooth with each coil being wound about a single tooth and having two ends. The commutator has 10n bars forming a brush contact surface. The stator includes a yoke and a plurality of permanent magnets installed at an inner surface of the yoke and facing the rotor core. The ends of the two coils wound on each tooth are respectively connected to two pairs of adjacent bars and the center line between one pair of the two pairs of adjacent bars and the center line between the other pair of the two pairs of adjacent bars are diametrically opposed. |
| US08125109B2 |
Modular safety switching system and method
A modular safety switching system (10) with at least one output module (14) and a central control unit (28), which is connected to all output modules (14) via a bus (22). The output module (14) receives input data of at least one sensor (16) or switch (16a) and has at least one output (14b) for an actuator. The central control unit (28) is designed to receive at least a portion of the input data which is evaluated for the transferring of the output data to the output (14b). The output module (14) has its own, dedicated output module control unit (20), which evaluates the input data in collaboration with the central control unit for the purpose of transferring the output data to the output (14b). A suitable method is also disclosed. |
| US08125108B2 |
Remote control transmitter
A control part for causing transmission of a remote control signal from a transmission part according to a resistance of a pressure-sensitive conductive contact part causes periodic transmission of a repetition signal, when the resistance of the pressure-sensitive conductive contact part is kept constant. Thus, when an operating body is continuously held down with a constant force and the resistance of the pressure-sensitive conductive contact part is kept constant, the control part causes periodic transmission of the repetition signal having a smaller number of pulses, at predetermined intervals. With such an operation, a remote control transmitter capable of reducing power consumption is provided. |
| US08125107B2 |
Switch device and power supply control system
The switch device includes a control switch that turns on/off an electrical connection between an apparatus and the power supply, a condition judging circuit that judges conditions of driving the control switch, an electric wave reception circuit that receives an electric wave, and a power supply circuit that generates power from the electric wave received by the electric wave reception circuit. An electric wave transmission device that transmits an electric wave for making the switch device operate is arranged in a space, whereby the electric wave can be received by the electric wave reception device in the specific space. The switch device controls the control switch to be turned off/on when the electric wave is received. Alternatively, when the electric wave is not received, the switch device turns on/off the control switch. |
| US08125106B2 |
Bipolar pulse generators with voltage multiplication
A bipolar pulse generator includes two, two-conductor transmission lines coupled together with a load positioned between the two transmission lines. Each conductor of a transmission line we define as a segment. Two segments of one transmission line are charged and switchably coupled to two segments of the other transmission line to produce a bipolar pulse on the matched load. This bipolar pulse generator may be implemented in a flat or a folded design. The generator may include two transmission line structures coupled together with a load positioned between each transmission line structures. The first transmission line structure may include a stepped transmission line and an embedded transmission line segment. A switch may be coupled between the embedded transmission line segment and another segment of the transmission line structure. During operation, the first transmission line structure may be charged to a potential with the switch in the open position and, when the switch is closed, the charge on the first transmission line structure together with the second transmission line structure generates a bipolar pulse on the matched load. |
| US08125105B2 |
Power supply device and construction machine
A power supply device comprises a bidirectional voltage converter unit that performs voltage stepping up or voltage stepping down between a first terminal and a second terminal; a first switching unit that applies a DC voltage obtained from the first electric power supply source to the first terminal; a second switching unit that applies a DC voltage obtained from the second electric power supply source to the first terminal; a third switching unit that applies a DC voltage obtained from the first electric power supply source to the second terminal; an output unit that outputs a predetermined DC voltage from the second terminal; and a switching control unit that controls switching of the first switching unit, the second switching unit and the third switching unit. |
| US08125102B2 |
Methods and systems for distributing load transfers in power supply systems
A power supply system includes an AC power line with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) device coupled to receive power from the AC power line. The UPS includes control circuitry that couples power conversion circuitry of the UPS to the AC power line when the available AC power is acceptable. The power supply system also includes a second UPS device coupled to receive power from the AC power line. The second UPS includes a timer delay, such that the control circuitry is configured to couple power conversion circuitry to the AC power line when the available AC power is acceptable, and upon expiration of the timer. |
| US08125096B2 |
Hydro turbine generator
A hydroelectric turbine generator and control system is provided that optimizes the maximum possible power output at all times by strictly monitoring power output from the generator unit and modulating the wicket gate angle and the runner blade pitch independently of one another. The hydroelectric turbine generator includes a means for separately controlling wicket gate angle and runner blade pitch. The wicket gate angle control mechanism controls the flow into the system, pre conditions flow for maximum power and maintains reservoir level. The runner blade pitch control mechanism continuously monitors the system power output based on actual power produced, and adjusts system parameters in order to achieve maximum power output. |
| US08125095B2 |
Variable speed synchronous generator
An input shaft rotates at variable rotation rates and is driven by a variable speed source of energy or power such as by the propeller of a wind-driven electrical generator. The input shaft is connected to a first rotor which electromagnetically interacts with a second rotor to create a torque to cause the second rotor to rotate. The interaction of the first rotor and the second rotor may be varied electrically to vary the torque and in turn the rotation rate of the second rotor. The second rotor interacts with a stator to produce AC electrical power. The rotation rate of the second rotor is controlled so that the generator supplies AC power at an essentially constant frequency. |
| US08125091B2 |
Wire bonding over active circuits
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor die mounted over a package substrate. The die has a bond pad located thereover. A stud bump consisting substantially of a first metal is located on the bond pad. A wire consisting substantially of a different second metal is bonded to the stud bump. |
| US08125080B2 |
Semiconductor power module packages with simplified structure and methods of fabricating the same
Provided are semiconductor power module packages, which are structurally simplified by bonding electrodes onto substrates, and methods of fabricating the same. An exemplary package includes a substrate and semiconductor chips disposed on a top surface of the substrate. Electrodes are bonded to the top surface of the substrate and electrically coupled to the semiconductor chips. Parts of the semiconductor chips are electrically coupled to parts of the electrodes by interconnection lines. An encapsulation unit covers the semiconductor chips, the electrodes, and the interconnection lines and exposes at least top surfaces of the electrodes. |
| US08125079B2 |
Molded semiconductor device, apparatus for producing the same, and method for manufacturing the same
A resin molding mold 20 with a cavity 21 has a resin injection port 29a from which a molding resin 25 is injected toward the cavity 21, and an air release port 30a from which air from the cavity 21 is released during resin injection. Not only the resin injection port 29a but also the air release port 30a is formed in a top surface portion 21a of the cavity 21. Thus, even if a resin burr remains in the resin injection port 29a or the air release port 30a, it can be prevented from adhering to an external terminal 4A provided on a front surface portion 2a of the substrate 2. |
| US08125078B2 |
Semiconductor element cooling structure
A semiconductor element cooling structure includes first and second semiconductor elements; a heat sink having a mounting surface on which the semiconductor elements are mounted and a cooling medium channel formed inside, through which a cooling medium for cooling the semiconductor elements flows; and a protruded portion provided at a position opposite to the mounting surface of the heat sink, extending in a direction intersecting flow direction of the cooling medium (direction of arrow DR1) and protruding from a bottom surface of the cooling medium channel to the inside of cooling medium channel. The semiconductor elements are arranged side by side in the direction of arrow DR1, such that the first semiconductor element is positioned upstream side than the second semiconductor element. A protruded portion for the second semiconductor element is provided to be positioned on the downstream side of first semiconductor element and upstream side than the center of second semiconductor element in the direction of arrow DR1. |
| US08125077B2 |
Package with heat transfer
A semiconductor package includes an encapsulant, a semiconductor device within the encapsulant, and one or more terminals for electrically coupling the semiconductor device to a node exterior to the package. The package further includes bonding means coupling the semiconductor device to the one or more terminals. The semiconductor package is configured to dissipate heat through a top surface of the package. To directly dissipate heat via the top surface of the package, a thermally conductive layer is coupled to the semiconductor device, and the layer is exposed at a surface of the package. |
| US08125069B2 |
Semiconductor device and etching apparatus
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises dry-etching a thin film using a resist mask carrying patterns in which at least one of the width of each pattern and the space between neighboring two patterns ranges from 32 to 130 nm using a halogenated carbon-containing compound gas with the halogen being at least two members selected from the group consisting of F, I and Br. The ratio of at least one of I and Br is not more than 26% of the total amount of the halogen atoms as expressed in terms of the atomic compositional ratio to transfer the patterns onto the thin film. Such etching of a thin film avoids causing damage to the resist mask used. The resulting thin film carrying the transferred patterns is used as a mask for subjecting the underlying material to dry-etching. |
| US08125067B2 |
Method for forming terminal of stacked package element and method for forming stacked package
A semiconductor chip module having high degree of freedom in assignment of a circuit to each semiconductor chip and in position of a connection terminal of each semiconductor chip is provided. The present invention relates to a semiconductor chip module in which a plurality of semiconductor chips, each provided on the side face thereof with a part of a connection terminal coupled with a circuit pattern formed on the front face, have been stacked and bonded. Connection terminal portions on the side faces of the respective semiconductor chips are interconnected by a wiring pattern. The connection terminal on the semiconductor chip is led from the front face to the side face and formed by applying spraying of a conductive material in a mist state. |
| US08125064B1 |
Increased I/O semiconductor package and method of making same
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor package and a fabrication method thereof. The semiconductor package is provided with a substrate made of metal, thereby improving efficiency of thermal emission from a semiconductor die mounted to the substrate, and simplifying the fabrication process for the substrate which reduces fabricating costs. Further, unlike a conventional land, a rivet electrically insulated with the substrate is inserted into a corresponding hole of the substrate, the upper and lower surfaces of the rivet being removed to form land, thereby simplifying the fabrication process for the substrate which further reduces fabricating costs. |
| US08125063B2 |
COL package having small chip hidden between leads
A Chip-On-Lead (COL) type semiconductor package having small chip hidden between leads is revealed. The lower surfaces of the leadframe's leads are attached to a wiring substrate and the leads are horizontally bent to form a die-holding cavity. A smaller chip is disposed on the wiring substrate by passing through the die-holding cavity to be on the same disposing level with the leads. At least a larger chip is disposed on the leads to overlap the smaller chip so that the small chip does not extrude from the leads. The encapsulant encapsulates a plurality of internal parts of the leads, the wiring substrate, and the larger chip. Therefore, the conventional unbalance issue of mold flow above and below the leads leading to cause excessive warpage can be avoided and numbers of stacked larger chips can be increased to have larger memory capacities. |
| US08125062B2 |
Lead frame, lead frame fabrication, and semiconductor device
Lead frames and their fabricating method which reduce generation of defects in the process of fabricating semiconductor devices, in particular connection defects in wire bonding, thereby improving the product yield and reliability, and semiconductor devices using the lead frames and their fabricating method are provided. A method for fabricating a lead frame is characterized in including a process of forming a substrate equipped with a convex portion, and a metal layer having a first portion that overlaps a first surface included in the convex portion and a second portion that extends from the first portion and does not overlap the first surface, and a process of bending the metal layer such that the second portion of the metal layer overlaps a second surface included in the convex portion that intersects the first surface. |
| US08125057B2 |
Magnetic shielding for integrated circuit
A shielded integrated circuit structure including an integrated circuit having a plurality of functional elements thereon, and a tiled array comprising a plurality of shielding elements, each functional element having one of the plurality of shielding elements proximate thereto. The shielding elements comprise a magnetic material having a saturation less than or equal to 20,000 gauss. |
| US08125055B2 |
Packaging technology
Metallized through silicon vias located in the scribe lanes between die are used to create an electrical connection between the front-side and the rear-side of a silicon die. One of the metallization layers on the front-side of the die comprises portions which extend into the scribe lanes to form capture pads for the through silicon vias. The rear-side of the wafer is metallized and this metallization may, in some embodiments, be patterned to form tracks or components. The silicon die may be used to create improved package on package devices. In other examples, other substrate materials may be used. |
| US08125053B2 |
Embedded scribe lane crack arrest structure for improved IC package reliability of plastic flip chip devices
A system, method, and apparatus for suppressing cracks in the wafer dicing process. A wafer includes a plurality of die attached to a frame and mounting tape, with the die separated by a plurality of scribe lanes. An existing die seal generally protects the boundary of the die but can still fail to fully protect the die from excessive cracks induced by dicing damage, particularly when dicing through brittle, low-k dielectrics. The system, method, and apparatus includes embedding a crack arrest structure (CAS) between adjacent scribe lanes. Upon a mechanical saw dicing the wafer, the CAS creates a moisture diffusion block, and can absorb or significantly diminish the energy of cracks propagating towards the individual die seals. Furthermore, the system, method, and apparatus can be implemented without the need to increase the width of the scribe lanes. |
| US08125051B2 |
Device layout for gate last process
A semiconductor device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region, transistors having metal gates formed in the first region, an isolation structure formed in the second region, at least one junction device formed proximate the isolation structure in the second region, and a stopping structure formed overlying the isolation structure in the second region. |
| US08125050B2 |
Semiconductor device having a mim capacitor and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device is described includes a wiring layer, an insulating layer stacked on the wiring layer, a trench formed by digging down the insulating layer from the surface thereof, a film-shaped lower electrode formed along the inner surface of the trench, a capacitor film formed along the surface of the lower electrode, and an upper electrode opposed to the lower electrode with the capacitor film sandwiched therebetween. |
| US08125047B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device comprises a buffer layer 16 of an i-InAlAs layer formed over an SI-InP substrate 14, insulating films 24, 36 of BCB formed over the buffer layer 16, and a coplanar interconnection including a signal line 52 and ground lines 54 formed over the insulating film 36, a cavity 46 is formed in the SI-InP substrate 14, the buffer layer 16 and the insulating film below the signal line 52, and pillar-shaped supports in the cavity 46 support the insulating films 34, 36 which are the ceiling of the cavity 46. |
| US08125046B2 |
Micro-electromechanical system devices
Micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a MEMS device includes a semiconductive layer disposed over a substrate. A trench is disposed in the semiconductive layer, the trench with a first sidewall and an opposite second sidewall. A first insulating material layer is disposed over an upper portion of the first sidewall, and a conductive material disposed within the trench. An air gap is disposed between the conductive material and the semiconductive layer. |
| US08125044B2 |
Semiconductor structure having a unidirectional and a bidirectional device and method of manufacture
In various embodiments, semiconductor structures and methods to manufacture these structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a portion of the unidirectional transistor and a portion of a bidirectional transistor in or over a semiconductor material simultaneously. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08125035B2 |
CMOS fabrication process
Ultra high temperature (UHT) anneals above 1200 C for less than 100 milliseconds for PMOS transistors reduce end of range dislocations, but are incompatible with stress memorization technique (SMT) layers used to enhance NMOS on-state current. This invention reverses the conventional order of forming the NMOS first by forming PSD using carbon co-implants and UHT annealing them before implanting the NSD and depositing the SMT layer. End of range dislocation densities in the PSD space charge region below 100 cm−2 are achieved. Tensile stress in the PMOS from the SMT layer is significantly reduced. The PLDD may also be UHT annealed to reduce end of range dislocations close to the PMOS channel. |
| US08125032B2 |
Modified hybrid orientation technology
A semiconductor process and apparatus includes forming first and second metal gate electrodes (151, 161) over a hybrid substrate (17) by forming the first gate electrode (151) over a first high-k gate dielectric (121) and forming the second gate electrode (161) over at least a second high-k gate dielectric (122) different from the first gate dielectric (121). By forming the first gate electrode (151) over a first SOI substrate (90) formed by depositing (100) silicon and forming the second gate electrode (161) over an epitaxially grown (110) SiGe substrate (70), a high performance CMOS device is obtained which includes high-k metal PMOS gate electrodes (161) having improved hole mobility. |
| US08125030B2 |
High voltage SCRMOS in BiCMOS process technologies
An integrated circuit containing an SCRMOS transistor. The SCRMOS transistor has one drain structure with a centralized drain diffused region and distributed SCR terminals, and a second drain structure with distributed drain diffused regions and SCR terminals. An MOS gate between the centralized drain diffused region and a source diffused region is shorted to the source diffused region. A process of forming the integrated circuit having the SCRMOS transistor is also disclosed. |
| US08125027B2 |
Semiconductor device having trenches extending through channel regions
A semiconductor device includes an n-type semiconductor substrate, an alternating conductivity type layer on semiconductor substrate, the alternating conductivity type layer including n-type drift regions and p-type partition regions arranged alternately, p-type channel regions on the alternating conductivity type layer, and trenches formed from the surfaces of the p-type channel regions down to respective n-type drift regions or both the n-type drift regions and the p-type partition regions. The bottom of each trench is near or over the pn-junction between the p-type partition region and the n-type drift region. The semiconductor device facilitates preventing the on-resistance from increasing, obtaining a higher breakdown voltage, and reducing the variations caused in the characteristics thereof. |
| US08125024B2 |
Trench MOSgated device with deep trench between gate trenches
A trench gated MOSFET especially for operation in high radiation environments has a deep auxiliary trench located between the gate trenches. A boron implant is formed in the walls of the deep trench (in an N channel device); a thick oxide is formed in the bottom of the trench, and boron doped polysilicon which is connected to the source electrode fills the trench. The structure has reduced capacitance and improved resistance to single event rupture and single event breakdown and improved resistance to parasitic bipolar action. |
| US08125020B2 |
Non-volatile memory devices with charge storage regions
A memory device includes a cell stack and a select gate formed adjacent to the cell stack. The cell stack includes a tunneling dielectric layer, a charge storage layer, a blocking dielectric layer, and a control gate. Applying a positive bias to the control gate, the select gate and the source of the device injects negative charges from a channel region of a substrate by hot electron injection through the tunneling dielectric layer at a location near a gap between the select gate and the control gate into the charge storage layer to store negative charges in the charge storage layer. Applying a negative bias to the control gate directly tunnels positive charges from the channel region of the substrate through the tunneling dielectric layer and into the charge storage layer to store positive charges in the charge storage layer. |
| US08125019B2 |
Electrically programmable resistor
An electrically programmable resistor is presented. In one embodiment, a resistor includes a doped body within a substrate; a trapped charge region adjacent to the resistor, the resistance of the resistor controlled by an amount of trapped charge in the trapped charge region. |
| US08125017B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device with reduced leakage current
The gate tunnel leakage current is increased in the up-to-date process, so that it is necessary to reduce the gate tunnel leakage current in the LSI which is driven by a battery for use in a cellular phone and which needs to be in a standby mode at a low leakage current. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, the ground source electrode lines of logic and memory circuits are kept at a ground potential in an active mode, and are kept at a voltage higher than the ground potential in an unselected standby mode. The gate tunnel leakage current can be reduced without destroying data. |
| US08125015B2 |
Nonvolatile memory devices
Nonvolatile memory devices and methods of making the same are described. A nonvolatile memory device includes a string selection transistor, a plurality of memory cell transistors, and a ground selection transistor electrically connected in series to the string selection transistor and to the pluralities of memory cell transistors. Each of the transistors includes a channel region and source/drain regions. First impurity layers are formed at boundaries of the channels and the source/drain regions of the memory cell transistors. The first impurity layers are doped with opposite conductivity type impurities relative to the source/drain regions of the memory cell transistors. Second impurity layers are formed at boundaries between a channel and a drain region of the string selection transistor and between a channel and a source region of the ground selection transistor. The second impurity layers are doped with the same conductivity type impurities as the first impurity layers and have a higher impurity concentration than the first impurity layers. |
| US08125014B2 |
Semiconductor device and fabricating method of the same
Openings are formed by lithography and subsequent dry etching at the portions of a first protective film which correspond to connecting holes of second plugs which will be described later, namely at the portions thereof which align with first plugs, wherein the openings have a diameter greater than that of connecting holes by about 0.4 μm. |
| US08125013B2 |
Structure, design structure and method of manufacturing a structure having VIAS and high density capacitors
A semiconductor structure and design structure includes at least a first trench and a second trench having different depths arranged in a substrate, a capacitor arranged in the first trench, and a via arranged in the second trench. |
| US08125010B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device is proposed in which signal delay due to compensation capacitance elements in peripheral circuit element regions is eliminated. The semiconductor device includes: a first region including memory cells; a second region 10 including a functional circuit; cell capacitors formed in the first region; and compensation capacitance elements 36 to 38 formed in the second region 10, wherein the compensation capacitance elements 36 to 38 each include a lower electrode 36, a capacitance insulating film 37, and an upper electrode 38, the lower electrode 36, capacitance insulating film 37, and upper electrode 38 being the same as those of the cell capacitors, and wherein the compensation capacitance elements are formed over an upper layer of the second region 10 excluding upper layer portions of drain diffusion layers 44, 46 or gate electrodes 32 of transistors in the functional circuit. |
| US08125007B2 |
Integrated circuit including FinFET RF switch angled relative to planar MOSFET and related design structure
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a fin field effect transistor (FinFET) radio frequency (RF) switch; and a planar complementary metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The planar MOSFET has a channel on a <100> wafer plane and the FinFET RF switch has a channel on a <100> fin plane. The FinFET RF switch and the planar MOSFET can be oriented at approximately 45° with respect to one another. |
| US08125000B2 |
Light emitting device package having dual recessed substrate
Disclosed is a light emitting device package. The light emitting device package includes a semiconductor substrate comprising a first surface at a first depth from an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate and a second surface at a second depth from the first surface; and a light emitting part on the second surface of the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08124999B2 |
Light emitting element and method of making the same
A light emitting element includes a first electrode, a second electrode formed on a same side as the first electrode and including an area less than the first electrode, a first bump formed on the first electrode, and a second bump formed on the second electrode and including a level at a top thereof higher than that of the first bump. A flip-chip type light emitting element includes a spreading electrode, the spreading electrode including an extended part, and plural intermediate electrodes formed on the spreading electrode and arranged in a longitudinal direction of the extended part and centrally in a width direction of the extended part. The intermediate electrodes are disposed such that a distance of half a pitch thereof in the longitudinal direction is equal to or shorter than a distance from one of the intermediate electrodes to an edge of the extended part. |
| US08124998B2 |
Light emitting device package
A light emitting device package is provided. The light emitting device package includes: a light emitting device; and first and second electrodes disposed a predetermined distance from each other and respectively adhered to the light emitting device so as to be electrically connected to the light emitting device, the first and second electrodes applying a current or voltage to the light emitting device and emitting heat generated by the light emitting device. |
| US08124993B2 |
Selective decomposition of nitride semiconductors to enhance LED light extraction
A method of texturing a surface within or immediately adjacent to a template layer of a LED is described. The method uses a texturing laser directed through a substrate to decompose and pit a semiconductor material at the surface to be textured. By texturing the surface, light trapping within the template layer is reduced. Furthermore, by patterning the arrangement of pits, metal coating each pit can be arranged to spread current through the template layer and thus through the n-doped region of a LED. |
| US08124986B2 |
Nitride-based semiconductor device and method for fabricating the same
A nitride-based semiconductor device includes: a nitride-based semiconductor multilayer structure including a p-type semiconductor region, a surface of the p-type semiconductor region being an m-plane; and an electrode that is arranged on the p-type semiconductor region, wherein the p-type semiconductor region is made of an AlxGayInzN semiconductor (where x+y+z=1, x≧0, y≧0, and z≧0), and the electrode contains Mg, Zn and Ag. |
| US08124983B2 |
Power transistor
A power transistor includes a first terminal, a second terminal and a control terminal. A support layer is formed of a first material having a first bandgap. An active region is formed of a second material having a second bandgap wider than the first bandgap, and is disposed on the support layer. The active region is arranged to form part of a current path between the first and second terminal in a forward mode of operation. The active region includes at least one pn-junction. |
| US08124975B2 |
Display device with multi-gate TFTs of a pixel region having different relative areas of gate regions with respect to channel regions of the TFTs
Provided is a display device capable of suppressing generation of optical leakage current as well as increase in capacitance in a case where a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) including a gate electrode film on a light source side are formed in series. Relative areas of opposing regions between a semiconductor film and the gate electrode film with respect to channel regions are different in at least a part of the plurality of TFTs, to thereby provide a flat panel display having a structure for suppressing increase in capacitance while suppressing generation of optical leakage current. |
| US08124971B2 |
Implementation of diffusion barrier in 3D memory
One or more diffusion barriers are formed around one or more conductors in a three dimensional or 3D memory cell. The diffusion barriers allow the conductors to comprise very low resistivity materials, such as copper, that may otherwise out diffuse into surrounding areas, particularly at elevated processing temperatures. Utilizing lower resistivity materials allows device dimension to be reduced by mitigating increases in resistance that occur when the size of the conductors is reduced. As such, more cells can be produced over a given area, thus increasing the density and storage capacity of a resulting memory array. |
| US08124969B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting element and method for manufacturing the same
A ZnO-based semiconductor light emitting element includes a ZnO-based semiconductor layer formed on a rectangular sapphire A-plane substrate having a principal surface lying in the A-plane {11-20}. The substrate has a thickness of 50 to 200 μm and is surrounded by two parallel first side edges forming an angle in a range of 52.7° to 54.7° with respect to the m-axis orthogonal to the c-axis and two parallel second side edges orthogonal to the first side edges. The light emitting element is obtained by: forming, on a surface of the sapphire A-plane substrate opposite to the surface on which the ZnO-based semiconductor layer is formed, first scribed grooves forming an angle in a range of 52.7° to 54.7° with respect to the m-axis and second scribed grooves orthogonal to the first scribed grooves; and breaking the substrate along the first scribed grooves and then along the second scribed grooves. |
| US08124964B2 |
Field-effect transistor
Disclosed is a field-effect transistor characterized by using a compound represented by the formula (1) below as a semiconductor material. (In the formula (1), X1 and X2 independently represent a sulfur atom, a selenium atom or a tellurium atom; and R1 and R2 independently represent an unsubstituted or halogeno-substituted C1-C36 aliphatic hydrocarbon group.) |
| US08124963B2 |
Thin film transistor, method of fabricating the thin film transistor, organic light emitting diode display device, method of fabricating the organic light emitting diode display device, and donor substrate for laser induced thermal imaging
A thin film transistor (TFT), a method of fabricating the TFT, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device, a method of fabricating the OLED display device, and a donor substrate for laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) includes interconnections formed of a mixed layer of metal nanoparticles and carbon black using a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) technique. |
| US08124960B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light emitting diode
A nitride semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) is disclosed. The nitride semiconductor LED can include an active layer formed between an n-type nitride layer and a p-type nitride layer, where the active layer includes two or more quantum well layers and quantum barrier layers formed in alternation, and the quantum barrier layer formed adjacent to the p-type nitride layer is thinner than the remaining quantum barrier layers. An embodiment of the invention can be used to improve optical efficiency while providing crystallinity in the active layer. |
| US08124959B2 |
High hole mobility semiconductor device
One embodiment of the invention includes a high hole mobility p-channel GaAsySb1-y quantum well with a silicon substrate and an InxAl1-xAs barrier layer. |
| US08124958B2 |
Method of fabricating semiconductor devices on a group IV substrate with controlled interface properties and diffusion tails
Electronic and opto-electronic devices having epitaxially-deposited III/V compounds on vicinal group IV substrates and method for making same. The devices include an AlAs nucleating layer on a Ge substrate. The group IV substrate contains a p-n junction whose change of characteristics during epitaxial growth of As-containing layers is minimized by the AlAs nucleating layer. The AlAs nucleating layer provides improved morphology of the devices and a means to control the position of a p-n junction near the surface of the group IV substrate through diffusion of As and/or P and near the bottom of the III/V structure through minimized diffusion of the group IV element. |
| US08124957B2 |
Low resistance tunnel junctions in wide band gap materials and method of making same
A low resistance tunnel junction that uses a natural polarization dipole associated with dissimilar materials to align a conduction band to a valence band is disclosed. Aligning the conduction band to the valence band of the junction encourages tunneling across the junction. The tunneling is encouraged, because the dipole space charge bends the energy bands, and shortens a tunnel junction width charge carriers must traverse to tunnel across the junction. Placing impurities within or near the tunnel junction that may form deep states in the junction may also encourage tunneling in a tunnel junction. These states shorten the distance charge carriers must traverse across the tunnel junction. |
| US08124955B2 |
Memory devices and methods of forming the same
Memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including a phase change material having a laterally constricted portion thereof. The laterally constricted portions of adjacent memory cells are vertically offset and positioned on opposite sides of the memory device. Also disclosed are memory devices having a plurality of memory cells, with each memory cell including first and second electrodes having different widths. Adjacent memory cells have the first and second electrodes offset on vertically opposing sides of the memory device. Methods of forming the memory devices are also disclosed. |
| US08124953B2 |
Sensor device having a porous structure element
A sensor device and method. One embodiment provides a first semiconductor chip having a sensing region. A porous structure element is attached to the first semiconductor chip. A first region of the porous structure element faces the sensing region of the first semiconductor chip. An encapsulation material partially encapsulates the first semiconductor chip and the porous structure element. |
| US08124951B2 |
Phase change memory device with alternating adjacent conduction contacts and fabrication method thereof
A phase change memory device and an associated method of making same are presented. The phase change memory device, includes first wiring lines, second wiring lines, memory cells, and conduction contacts. The first wiring lines are arranged substantially in parallel to each other so that the first wiring lines are grouped into odd and even numbered first wiring lines. The memory cells are coupled to the first and second wiring lines. The conduction contacts coupled to the first wiring lines so that only one conduction contact is coupled to a center of a corresponding odd numbered first wiring line. Also only two corresponding conduction contacts are coupled to opposing edges of a corresponding even numbered first wiring line. Accordingly, the conduction contacts are arranged on the first wiring lines so that conduction contacts are not adjacent to each other with respect to immediately adjacent first wiring lines. |
| US08124949B2 |
Modular computed and direct radiography assembly and method
The present invention is directed to a modular scanning apparatus that can be advantageously used in both computed radiology devices and fixed scanning direct radiology devices. The scanning assembly advantageously utilizes a light collecting and measuring assembly having highly reflective surfaces in conjunction with a novel optical assembly within a light box type enclosure to enable a modular scanning and reading assembly that is compact, robust and also scaleable. The present invention further discloses novel computed radiography and direct radiography devices that utilize the modular scanning assembly to provide radiology devices that are highly robust and efficient and yet also simple to build, maintain, service and repair. |
| US08124948B2 |
Ceremonial installation
Ceremonial installation, comprising a movable object (1), provided with an energy source (4) and a device (6) for actuating the energy source, linked to a computer memory, a programmer (8) of the actuation device and an interface (2) between the programmer and the memory, the actuation device being controlled by a physical separation of the object (1) from a support (2) and/or a physical contact of the object with said support, after said separation and/or a physical and/or chemical parameter of the object or of the environment of the object and/or a defined spatial position of the object. |
| US08124947B2 |
Ion implanter having combined hybrid and double mechanical scan architecture
A system and method are provided for implanting ions into a workpiece in a plurality of operating ranges. A desired dosage of ions is provided, and a spot ion beam is formed from an ion source and mass analyzed by a mass analyzer. Ions are implanted into the workpiece in one of a first mode and a second mode based on the desired dosage of ions, where in the first mode, the ion beam is scanned by a beam scanning system positioned downstream of the mass analyzer and parallelized by a parallelizer positioned downstream of the beam scanning system. In the first mode, the workpiece is scanned through the scanned ion beam in at least one dimension by a workpiece scanning system. In the second mode, the ion beam is passed through the beam scanning system and parallelizer un-scanned, and the workpiece is two-dimensionally scanned through the spot ion beam. |
| US08124946B2 |
Post-decel magnetic energy filter for ion implantation systems
A system and method for magnetically filtering an ion beam during an ion implantation into a workpiece is provided, wherein ions are emitted from an ion source and accelerated the ions away from the ion source to form an ion beam. The ion beam is mass analyzed by a mass analyzer, wherein ions are selected. The ion beam is then decelerated via a decelerator once the ion beam is mass-analyzed, and the ion beam is further magnetically filtered the ion beam downstream of the deceleration. The magnetic filtering is provided by a quadrapole magnetic energy filter, wherein a magnetic field is formed for intercepting the ions in the ion beam exiting the decelerator to selectively filter undesirable ions and fast neutrals. |
| US08124941B2 |
Increasing current in charged particle sources and systems
Disclosed are charged particle systems that include a tip, at least one gas inlet configured to supply gas particles to the tip, and a element having a curved surface positioned to adsorb un-ionized gas particles, and to direct desorbing gas particles to propagate toward the tip. The charged particle systems can include a field shunt connected to the tip, and configured to adjust an electric field at an apex of the tip. |
| US08124939B2 |
Radiation detector
A radiation detector detects radiation. The radiation detector includes a plurality of Faraday cups. Each Faraday cup being provided with a cover. Each cover comprising a window arrangement through which the radiation may pass into the Faraday cup. The window arrangement of each cover being different for each Faraday cup. Each Faraday cup housing a target configured to emit photoelectrons if the radiation is incident upon the target. |
| US08124937B2 |
System and method for athermal operation of a focal plane array
A method includes determining a signal current based on an average current associated with one or more detectors. The method also includes determining a strip voltage based on the signal current. The method further includes biasing a strip resistance with the strip voltage. The biasing of the strip resistance creates a strip current. The method additionally includes biasing a detector array with a detector voltage. The biasing of the detector array creates a detector current. The method also includes determining levels of incident radiation from a scene based on the strip current and the detector current. |
| US08124930B2 |
Multipole ion transport apparatus and related methods
An ion transport apparatus includes an ion entrance end, an ion exit end, and electrodes arranged along a longitudinal axis from the ion entrance end toward the ion exit end. The electrodes are configured for applying an RF electrical field that varies along the longitudinal axis such that at the ion entrance end, the RF electrical field comprises a major first multipole component of 2n1 poles where n1≧3/2, and at the ion exit end the RF electrical field comprises predominantly a second multipole component of 2n2 poles where n2≧3/2 and n2 |
| US08124928B2 |
Optical encoder comprising two pattern arrays and several bell shaped light guides
An optical encoder for measuring the rotary angle of a rotating shaft comprising an electronic board with light emitter and light sensor means disposed between a pair of overlying light guides having a common symmetry axis that coincides with the shaft rotation axis, the light guides receiving light from a light emitter means on the electronic board and returning light to a light sensor means the electronic board; an optical pattern of two concentric annular sections attached to the rotating shaft and an optical pattern of two concentric annular sections on a stationary device. A method for measuring the rotary angle of the rotating shaft by emitting light from the electronic board into the light guides and processing the signals received on the electronic board from light rays returning through the light guides after interacting with the said optical patterns. |
| US08124926B2 |
Key device and electronic device comprising the same
The key device of the present invention is provided with: first light-emitting portions that emit light propagating in a first direction; second light-emitting portions that emit the light R propagating in a second direction; converters H that can convert a propagating direction of light from the first direction to the second direction, or from the second direction to the first direction; first light-receiving portions that receive light propagating in the first direction through the converters; second light-receiving portions that receive light propagating in the second direction through the converters; and a plurality of keys, which are provided correspondingly to the converters, and which determine whether the propagating direction of light is converted in the converters. |
| US08124925B2 |
Simulation detector having multiple sensor surfaces for detecting incident radiation
A detector having a field of view in elevation on the order of one hundred eighty degrees in one plane and three hundred sixty degrees in a perpendicular plane includes a generally hemispherical lens in combination with an optical frustum. The combination directs incident radiant energy within the field of view onto a centrally located sensor. |
| US08124916B2 |
Thermal processing of silicon wafers
Apparatus and methods that minimize surface defect development in silicon wafers during thermal processing at relatively high temperatures at which silicon wafers are annealed and at less extreme temperature, or for other purposes. The apparatus and methods have utility to horizontally-disposed furnaces for silicon wafers and to vertically-oriented furnaces in which larger wafers can be thermally processed. A selectively-sealable process tube encloses silicon wafers during heating of the silicon wafers to a predetermined temperature, and a heating atmosphere supply system induces through the process tube a positive flow of a process gas, such as hydrogen or argon, that is non-reactive with solid silicon at the predetermined temperature. A process tube outlet vents gas from the process tube, and an impurity sensor in the process tube outlet detects oxygen and moisture in the vented gas to verify the purity of the atmosphere surrounding the wafers during thermal processing. |
| US08124915B2 |
Sealing device
A sealer to bond film having a high temperature resistance (e.g., ceramic) substrate with properly sized groove receiving a heater element as in a flat faced wire band in a tight, flush to adjacent film presentation surface arrangement. A stacked ceramic plate set with wire band within a groove defined by an intermediate stack insert is a suitable substrate. The band is retained flush by a positioner securely locking down one end while the other end is provided at a housing body access location. The sealer is suited for use as a product-in-bag sealing device (products such as air, foam, foodstuff, etc.) with the heater element in contact with film to form a seal. A drag seal arrangement, where film layers are drawn past a fixed or adjustably mounted heater element is an example. |
| US08124913B2 |
Method for controlling and/or adjusting a welding process and welding device for carrying out a welding process
A method for controlling and/or adjusting a welding process, uses a melting electrode, wherein after ignition of an electric arc, a welding process, which is adjusted on the basis of several different welding parameters, is carried out using a welding current source, the process being controlled or adjusted by a control device. Also a corresponding welding device is used to carry out the process. In order to create the method, wherein the thermal heat economy is adjusted and/or regulated and/or controlled in order to introduce heat into the workpiece, at least two different process phases are cyclically combined, the process phases having different inputs of energy via different material transitions and/or arc types, such as a pulse current phase and a cold metal transfer phase in order to influence or control thermal heat economy, particularly the introduction of heat into the workpiece to be processed. |
| US08124910B2 |
Laser marked CATV filter
A CATV filter assembled inside a housing has the housing marked by a laser system with indicia relating to specific characteristics of the filter. The housing is thus not mechanically deformed during the step of marking, resulting in unchanged RF characteristics of the filter as a result of the marking. |
| US08124907B2 |
Load lock chamber with decoupled slit valve door seal compartment
Embodiments of the invention include a load lock chamber having a decoupled slit valve door seal compartment. In one embodiment, a load lock chamber includes a main assembly, a first slit valve door seal compartment and a seal assembly. The main assembly has a substrate transfer cavity formed therein. Two substrate access ports are formed through the main assembly and fluidly couple to the cavity. The first slit valve door seal compartment has an aperture disposed adjacent to and aligned with one of the access ports. The first slit valve door seal compartment is decoupled from the main assembly. The seal assembly couples the first slit valve door seal compartment to the main assembly. |
| US08124906B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing metal bearing gases
A method and apparatus for processing metal bearing gases involves generating a toroidal plasma in a plasma chamber. A metal bearing gas is introduced into the plasma chamber to react with the toroidal plasma. The interaction between the toroidal plasma and the metal bearing gas produces at least one of a metallic material, a metal oxide material or a metal nitride material. |
| US08124900B2 |
Pushbutton for a hearing device
A pushbutton for a hearing device is provided. The pushbutton includes a probe guided into a housing shell and includes a locking element. The locking element produces a first snap-on connection between the housing shell and the probe when inserted into the probe. As a result, the pushbutton is fixedly connected to the housing shell, as a result of which the housing shell can be easily exchanged. |
| US08124893B2 |
Multi-functional switch assembly
A multi-functional switch assembly for a vehicle interior is provided. In at least one embodiment, the switch assembly includes a switch base having a guide with a longitudinal axis and a transverse beam member; and a switch body mounted to the guide of the switch base for limited translation along the longitudinal axis between a rest position and a transient position, wherein at the rest position, the switch body is pivotal about the transverse beam member between a first and a second transverse positions, wherein the rest and the transient positions are translatable to a first set of operative functions, wherein the first and the second transverse positions are translatable to a second set of operative functions. |
| US08124886B2 |
Membrane circuit board
The invention discloses a membrane circuit board including a substrate, a plurality of first signal pins and a second signal pin. The first signal pins and the second signal pin are disposed on the substrate. The substrate has a first edge. Each of the first signal pins has a first terminal, and the first terminal has a first width. The second signal pin has a second terminal, which is disposed between the first edge and the first terminal. The second terminal has a second width. The second width is larger than the first width. Accordingly, the membrane circuit board may have high error tolerance and better quality control efficiency. |