| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08214183B2 |
Process and system of modeling of an interface between a user and his environment aboard a vehicle
A method for determining a model of an interface between a user and the users environment on board a vehicle, the method including, constructing an interface model based on a first type of information representative of interface elements of the vehicle, and a second type of information representative of the knowledge that a user has concerning the use of the interface elements of the vehicle; acquiring data representative of at least one human activity which occurs during the interaction between the user and the interface elements, the acquiring of the representative data is achieved by at least one data-acquisition apparatus; analyzing the data that is acquired; and adjusting the interface model as a function of the data that was analyzed. |
| US08214180B2 |
Method for the computer-aided simulation of technical processes
The invention relates to a method for computer-aided simulation of technical processes. Methods of this type are required in particular in evolution simulation models of technical, in particular physical and/or chemical processes, which are intended to be propagated in time (evolution). The method according to the invention for computer-aided simulation of the temporal propagation of technical processes as evolution problem, which is described by at least two different mathematical models as sub-evolution problems which use discretization entities which are different from each other and are propagated in time by means of model-specific algorithms, the simulation being implemented by means of a large number of calculation units, is characterized in that the mathematical models are reproduced on a single coherent graph structure (1) with the discretization entities as nodes (2) and the neighborhood relations thereof as edges (3), edges (3a, 3b) being produced between discretization entities belonging to the same model and also edges (3c) between discretization entities belonging to different models, respectively for the nodes assigned respectively to one mathematical model, for the edges (3a, 3b) between nodes belonging to the same model and also for nodes belonging to different models, respectively specific evolution operators being indicated, and the graph being propagated in time using these evolution operators. |
| US08214179B2 |
Acoustic modeling apparatus and method using accelerated beam tracing techniques
An acoustic modeling system and an acoustic modeling method use beam tracing techniques that accelerate computation of significant acoustic reverberation paths in a distributed virtual environment. The acoustic modeling system and method perform a priority-driven beam tracing to construct a beam tree data structure representing “early” reverberation paths between avatar locations by performing a best-first traversal of a cell adjacency graph that represents the virtual environment. To further accelerate reverberation path computations, the acoustic modeling system and method according to one embodiment perform a bi-directional beam tracing algorithm that combines sets of beams traced from pairs of avatar locations to efficiently find viable acoustic reverberation paths. |
| US08214173B2 |
Plasma electron temperature measuring method and device
A laser beam with a wavelength capable of exciting atoms of helium in the metastable state is directed to a generated plasma, and atoms in the metastable state are excited. Absorption amount information representing the amount of laser beam absorbed is acquired, and the density of atoms of helium in the metastable state in the plasma is computed from the absorption amount. The emissions of light from helium gas in the plasma caused by transition from two different excited states to the lower level are measured, and the ratio between the intensities of the emissions is determined. The electron temperature of the produced plasma is computed from the computed density of the atoms of helium gas in the metastable state and the computed emission intensity ratio. With this, the plasma electron temperature can be computed with a relatively high accuracy irrespective of the condition of the plasma atmosphere. |
| US08214172B2 |
Systems and methods for locating defective components of a circuit
According to exemplary methods and systems of the present principles, the location of defective field repairable units (FRUS) of a circuit that have varying sizes or varying numbers of scan cells may be identified by employing tiles including scan cells from different FRUS. A set of test patterns may be scanned through the scan cells such that cells belonging to FRUs within a tile may be concealed while analyzing the response of scan cells in the tile contributed by a different FRU. Further, defective tiles are discoverable at any tile location and in any quantity within a maximal capacity using a compressed signature. In addition, signature registers that process data at a rate that is faster than the scan shift rate of the circuit may be employed during compression to multiply a circuit response by a plurality of components of a compression matrix during one scan shift cycle. |
| US08214167B2 |
Storage medium storing information processing program, and information processing apparatus
A computer-readable storage medium storing an information processing program executed by a computer of an information processing apparatus that obtains, from an input device including an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration and an angular velocity sensor for detecting an angular velocity, acceleration data indicative of the acceleration and angular velocity data indicative of the angular velocity, is provided. The information processing program causes the computer to perform data obtaining and acceleration correction. The data obtaining repeatedly obtains the acceleration data and the angular velocity data. The acceleration correction corrects, based on the magnitude of the angular velocity indicated by the angular velocity data, the acceleration indicated by the acceleration data. |
| US08214164B2 |
Abnormal battery depletion detection in an implantable device
Abnormal battery depletion can be detected in an implantable medical device. Battery capacity consumed can be measured using a coulometer and using a capacity-by-voltage device, and the measurements can be blended to determine battery status. A drop in battery voltage below a specified threshold can be detected to identify a high-current depletion fault, and an alarm can be provided to indicate the fault has been detected. The specified threshold can be determined as a function of battery capacity consumed. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US08214162B2 |
Estimation of non-equibiaxial stress using instrumented indentation technique
Method for evaluating an asymmetric residual stress for a material by the indentation test comprises applying the residual stresses with an uniaxial and an symmetrical biaxial tensions on the material and then performing an instrumented indentation test indenting an asymmetric indenter on the material; and comparing a slope of indentation load-depth curve when the long diagonal direction of the asymmetric indenter is perpendicular to the direction of the largest residual stress with that in stress-free state, and then a slope of indentation load-depth curve when the long diagonal direction of the asymmetric indenter is parallel to the direction of the largest residual stress with that in stress-free state, so as to evaluate the asymmetric residual stress for the material. |
| US08214155B2 |
Methods for analysis of microRNA
The present invention concerns a method for identifying the functionality of each member of a family of nucleic acids interact with the first family. Nucleic acids from the first family are put into functionally related clusters that share biological information obtained from the second family. The invention also relates to the refinement and accurate prediction of interactions between the first family and the second family of nucleic acids. The invention also applies to the use of such functional information to identify targets and mechanisms for therapeutic applications. |
| US08214149B2 |
Navigation apparatus and positioning method thereof
A positioning method for a navigation apparatus and the navigation apparatus are provided. The positioning method includes steps of receiving a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal; reading a previous position-velocity-time (PVT) data; reading a previous map matching (MMT) result; and computing current PVT data according to at least one of the previous PVT data and the previous MMT result. |
| US08214148B2 |
Adaptive mounting within an inertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system includes a housing mountable to a vehicle and a sensor assembly located within the housing. The sensor assembly includes at least one accelerometer or gyroscope operable to measure an amount of movement of the sensor assembly. In addition, at least one adjustable mount attaches the sensor assembly to the housing and is adjustable to change its stiffness, and thus its natural frequency, based on a signal initially generated by the sensor assembly, processed by a processor, and then received through a feedback control loop. In one embodiment, the adjustable mount may take the form of a piezoelectric device. In another embodiment, the adjustable mount may take the form of a magnetorheological fluid device. |
| US08214144B2 |
System and method for optimized flight planning
A computer-implemented system and method for the processing and optimization of flight plans is disclosed. Information regarding a plurality of previous flight plans is received over a digital network and is stored in at least a database. The database preferably includes aviation fuel price information, aircraft performance information, and aviation weather information as well. Upon receiving a request, a server generates at least an optimized portion of a flight plan. In one form, historical flight plan data of others is automatically used to aid in the determination of the optimized route offered to the user for review, with the resulting final flight plan being electronically filed with the FAA upon approval. In a further form, the user may arrange fuel transactions at intermediate destinations with the service provider receiving a fee in exchange for facilitating the transaction. |
| US08214143B2 |
Navigation devices, methods, and programs
Navigation devices, methods, and programs obtain information indicating a route of a host vehicle, obtain information indicating a position of the host vehicle, and obtain information indicating a form of a number (N) of successive curves (where N is an integer of 2 or more) in front of the host vehicle position on the route. The devices, methods, and programs excite a vibrator provided at a position where contact with a driver of the host vehicle is possible in a vibration mode corresponding to the form of the N successive curves when the host vehicle reaches a position at a predetermined distance from the closest curve among the N successive curves. |
| US08214142B2 |
System and method for efficient routing on a network in the presence of multiple-edge restrictions and other constraints
Embodiments provide systems and methods that find the quickest route between two locations on a graph with multi-edge constraints in a time and space efficient manner. In some embodiments, Dijkstra's algorithm is split into separate universes when a) a multiple-edge constraint is reached, and b) along each edge of a multi-edge constraint. In some embodiments, the split is performed for the purpose of finding the quickest (i.e. lowest weighted) route to the intersection(s) at the end of the constraints. These universes, in some embodiments, are merged or discarded when the intersection at the end of the constraint is found. Using these systems and methods, in some embodiments, the shortest path between two locations of a multi-edge constrained road network can be efficiently determined. |
| US08214140B2 |
Vehicle proximity detection and control systems
A system for reducing the likelihood of collision between a first vehicle and a second vehicle in an intersection. Each of the first and second vehicles includes a device for receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals, generating at least one of a time, position and velocity signal based on the received GPS signals, generating at least one of a time, position and velocity signal based upon the motion of the vehicle, comparing the two signals, generating a corrected vehicle signal, and transmitting the corrected vehicle signal. A traffic flow controller controls traffic flow through the intersection. The traffic flow controller receiving the corrected vehicle signals, calculates from the corrected vehicle signals the likelihood that the positions of the first and second vehicles will coincide in the intersection, and generates a traffic flow control signal adapted to minimize the likelihood of coincidence of the first and second vehicles in the intersection. |
| US08214138B2 |
Map display apparatus
Destination information, which includes as a retrieval condition an address of a destination spot, is received externally. Under the received retrieval condition of the address, a spot retrieval is performed with reference to own map data to thereby acquire a specified spot and second coordinates data indicating the specified spot. When the received destination information includes first coordinates data indicating the destination spot, it is determined whether a direct distance between a first spot indicated by the first coordinates data and a second spot indicated by the second coordinates data is equal to or less than a threshold value. When the direct distance is equal or less than the threshold value, the second spot is displayed as a destination on a map. When the direct distance is greater than the threshold value, the first spot is displayed as a destination on a map. |
| US08214135B2 |
Particulate filter ash loading prediction method and vehicle using same
A particulate filter ash loading prediction method including the steps of determining a maximum average time for the filter; performing a calculation of a running average of time between regenerations of the filter; calculating an end-of-service life ratio of the filter dependent upon the maximum average time and the running average. The method further includes the steps of determining a delta pressure adjustment factor to compensate for ash loading of the filter depending upon the end-of-service life ratio; and comparing the delta pressure adjustment factor to a predetermined maximum delta pressure value, and, if the delta pressure adjustment factor exceeds the predetermined maximum normalized delta pressure adjustment factor, then indicating that a service or replacement of the filter is needed due to the ash loading. |
| US08214134B2 |
Method and apparatus for a three dimensional fuel cut-off system
A three dimensional vehicle fuel cut-off system and method of accomplishing the same. |
| US08214133B2 |
Apparatus and method for use in computational fluid dynamics
An apparatus includes a parallel computation unit including an input port and an output port and a one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model. The input port is configured to sample at a time t1 a boundary condition signal for the one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model and the output port is configured to provide an output signal before the boundary condition signal is sampled at a time t2. |
| US08214130B2 |
Hybrid vehicle propulsion system utilizing knock suppression
A hybrid vehicle propulsion system and method of operation have been provided. As one example, the system comprises an internal combustion engine including at least a combustion chamber configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, a motor configured to propel the vehicle via at least a drive wheel, an energy storage device configured to store energy that is usable by the motor to propel the vehicle, a fuel system configured to deliver gasoline and alcohol to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, a control system configured to operate the motor to propel the vehicle and to vary the relative amounts of the gasoline and alcohol provided to the combustion chamber in response to an output of the motor. |
| US08214128B2 |
Diesel fuel engine injection system and method therefor
Disclosed is a method of injecting LPG gas into a diesel fuel engine for combustion with diesel fuel therein. One aspect includes injecting LPG gas into an air-stream of an engine air intake or manifold, measuring the percentage of LPG gas injected into the airstream or other efficiency gauge, varying the rate of injection of LPG gas into the airstream in response to the measured percentage of LPG gas therein and injecting the LPG gas at a pre-determined rate so as to maintain an LPG gas concentration in the air intake stream in the range of 0.2% to 0.6% by volume of LPG gas. |
| US08214126B2 |
Speed control device for vehicle
A speed control device includes: a continuous curve acquiring unit that acquires curve shapes and positions of two successive curves in advance of the vehicle; a curve-to-curve distance calculating unit that calculates distance between the two curves based on curve shapes and positions of the two curves; a selection unit that selects, based on the curve shapes, the curve shape of the curve having the larger radius of curvature; a vehicle speed limit setting unit that sets, based on the curve-to-curve distance and selected curve shape, a vehicle speed limit for travel between the two curves; a target vehicle speed determination unit that determines, based on vehicle location, the curve shapes and positions, and the vehicle speed limit, a target vehicle speed for traveling the two curves; and a vehicle speed control unit that controls vehicle speed based on the target and detected vehicle speeds. |
| US08214124B2 |
Cruise control system and method
In a cruise control system for a vehicle, a cruise ECU calculates a cornering resistance applied to the vehicle based upon a steering angle, when a vehicle turns. The cruise ECU calculates a speed reduction amount as a correction vehicle speed based upon the cornering resistance. The cruise ECU subtracts the correction vehicle speed from a set vehicle speed to set a target vehicle speed so that the vehicle speed becomes lower as the cornering resistance is larger. The cruise ECU controls the vehicle speed to be within a permissible speed range of the target vehicle speed. |
| US08214119B2 |
Method for recognizing reference position of wedge of disk brake for vehicles
A method for recognizing a reference position of a wedge member of a disk brake for vehicles, which has a disk rotating together with the rotation of a wheel of a vehicle, a movable friction pad rubbing against one surface of the disk and generating braking force, the wedge member having one surface, to which the movable friction pad is attached, and moving in a rotating direction of the disk and moving forward to the disk by a driving motor for generating driving force, a guide member guiding the wedge member to the disk when the wedge member moves in the rotating direction of the disk, and a driving force transfer member screw-connected to a rotary shaft of the driving motor, moving in the rotating direction of the disk by the driving motor, and causing the wedge member to move in the rotating direction of the disk, the method including moving the wedge member to a left end of an operating section and recognizing a position of the left end, when a driver applies a pressure to a pedal; moving the wedge member to a right end of the operating section and recognizing a position of the right end, when the position of the left end is recognized; determining a middle position between the left end and the right end to be a central point of the entire moving distance; and recognizing the middle position as a reference position for controlling braking of the wedge member. |
| US08214113B2 |
Retarding system that retards motion of power source
A retarding system for a mobile machine is disclosed. The machine may have a power source and a traction device driven by the power source. The retarding system may have a speed sensor configured to generate a speed signal indicative of a speed of the machine. Additionally, the retarding system may have a service brake configured to retard motion of the traction device. The retarding system may also have an engine brake configured to retard motion of the power source. In addition, the retarding system may have a controller in communication with the speed sensor, the service brake, and the engine brake. The controller may be configured to substantially concurrently retard motion of the traction device based on the speed signal and retard motion of the power source based on the speed signal. |
| US08214109B2 |
Seat control electronic system and method for a motor-driven motor vehicle adjusting device
The invention relates to a seat control electronic system for controlling a drive of a motor vehicle seat which is configured for detecting a characteristic variable of the drive during several short actuations of the drive, and to evaluate variables respectively associated with several short actuations, and to determine a blocking function according to the evaluations. |
| US08214104B2 |
Abnormal noise inspection method for anti-vibration device for vehicle use
In an abnormal noise inspection method for an anti-vibration device for vehicle use, it is determined whether, during travel of a vehicle in which a supported member is supported to the vehicle body by an anti-vibration device, abnormal noise occurs or not in the passenger compartment owing to the anti-vibration device. The method includes: an input step of mounting to a shaker the anti-vibration device before it is assembled into the vehicle and then inputting vibrations in a predetermined pattern to a supported member-side mounting part of the anti-vibration device; a measurement step of measuring, during the inputting of vibrations, a transmission force output from a vehicle body-side mounting part of the anti-vibration device; an analysis step of frequency analyzing time-series data on the measured transmission force to obtain a power spectrum of the transmission force; and a determination step of estimating, based on the power spectrum of the transmission force and according to a predetermined evaluation criterion, whether a vehicle produces abnormal noise in the passenger compartment when it runs with the anti-vibration device mounted thereon. |
| US08214103B2 |
Methods and systems for monitoring of motor vehicle fuel efficiency
Systems and methods for monitoring of vehicle efficiency use wireless remote sensors associated with the vehicle and with a fueling station. Vehicle data is collected from the wireless sensors in conjunction with fueling of the vehicle. Efficiency is calculated, such as by calculating miles per gallon for the vehicle, and the information is stored in a computing system. Vehicle efficiency may be tracked over time to identify deviations or irregularities that may be addressed to improve overall vehicle efficiency, and overall vehicle efficiency for a fleet of vehicles that are all monitored in such a manner. |
| US08214098B2 |
System and method for controlling swarm of remote unmanned vehicles through human gestures
A method is disclosed for controlling at least one remotely operated unmanned object. The method may involve defining a plurality of body movements of an operator that correspond to a plurality of operating commands for the unmanned object. Body movements of the operator may be sensed to generate the operating commands. Wireless signals may be transmitted to the unmanned object that correspond to the operating commands that control operation of the unmanned object. |
| US08214091B2 |
System and method to determine train location in a track network
A system for determining a possible location of a train in a track network including interconnected tracks having wayside devices associated with these tracks. The system includes a positioning system for determining an estimated location area of a train and a track database having track location data. A computer: obtains the determined estimated location area of the train from the positioning system; identifies a plurality of tracks in the estimated location area of the train, based upon the track location data; obtains signal system data for at least one wayside device associated with at least one of the tracks identified within the estimated location area; and determines at least one possible train location on at least one of the identified tracks based at least in part upon the obtained signal system data. A method and apparatus for determining the possible location of a train is also provided. |
| US08214084B2 |
Integration of LED lighting with building controls
An LED-based light can be installed in a conventional light fixture. The LED-based light can include a sensor operable to output a first signal indicative of whether an area of one or more of the rooms is in an occupied state or a non-occupied state, and the LED-based light can also include an LED controller operable to control at least one LED in the light in response to the first signal. Additionally, the LED-based light can include a transmitter operable to output a second signal indicative of whether the area is in the occupied state or the non-occupied state to a building environment regulator. |
| US08214081B2 |
Multi-function robot for moving on wall using indoor global positioning system
A wall climbing robot using an Indoor Global Positioning System (IGPS) provided in a room is disclosed. The wall climbing robot includes a navigation receiver configured to receive rotating fan beams emitted from one or more navigation transmitters of the indoor global positioning system, and recognize the rotating fan beams as IGPS signals; a robot frame provided with the navigation receiver mounted; a mobile controller configured to be installed on the robot frame, and to recognize and determine its own position using the IGPS signals; and a drive mechanism configured to travel along the surfaces of the room under control of the mobile controller. The mobile controller includes a central processing unit, an input/output unit, a motion control unit, a drive control unit, a navigation control unit, a sensor signal processor, an emergency processing unit, and an alarm generator. |
| US08214077B2 |
Medication dispensing system and method
A medication dispensing system and method where the patient can have his personal console capable of receiving an insert having a tray with an array of medication compartments corresponding to respective times and dates at which the medication is prescribed to be taken. A database in the console can be set with the specified times and dates at which the medication is to be taken. When the console determines the time to dispense medication in one of the compartments has been reached, a visual and/or audible indicator can be triggered. Membranes which are to be hand-removed by the patient cover the respective compartments. A detector provided under the insert can detect across the tray whether or not the membrane corresponding to the selected medication compartment has been removed. |
| US08214076B2 |
Alignment adjusting apparatus, library apparatus, and alignment adjusting method
An alignment adjusting apparatus of a robot to execute conveying operations of putting and taking an object to be conveyed in and out of an accommodating shelf includes at least two reference flags to be installed in the accommodating shelf; a flag measuring unit to measure the reference flags on the robot positioned at the reference flags; and an alignment adjusting unit to adjust an alignment shift of the robot corresponding to an inclination of the robot, the inclination being obtained from a variation of a measured value of each of the reference flags by the flag measuring unit. |
| US08214074B2 |
Device and method for positioning a rotationally-symmetric precision part
Device and method for positioning a precision part on a turntable (130). The device (100) comprises at least two distance sensors (121.1, 121.2, 121.3), which operate in a contactless manner and are situated in a previously known configuration to a rotational axis (A1) of the turntable (130). The measurement axes (124.1, 124.2, 124.3) of the distance sensors (121.1, 121.2, 121.3) are radially oriented in the direction of the rotational axis (A1) so that the measurement axes (124.1, 124.2, 124.3) of the distance sensors (121.1, 121.2, 121.3) meet in a virtual measuring point (MV). The distance sensors (121.1, 121.2, 121.3) are connected to analysis electronics (200). Output signals (a.1, a.2, a.3) of the distance sensors (121.1, 121.2, 121.3) may be processed on the basis of the analysis electronics (200), in order to allow coaxial centering of the precision part (11) in relation to the rotational axis (A1) upon placement of the precision part (11) on the turntable (130). |
| US08214073B2 |
Designing drilling pattern for excavating rock cavern
The invention relates to a method and a software product for designing a drilling pattern for excavating a rock cavern. The invention further relates to a rock-drilling rig, in whose control unit the software product and the method are executable. During designing of the drilling pattern, drill hole bottom locations are placed at a blast plane at the bottom of a round. A drilling pattern design program determines the missing properties of the drill holes viewed from the bottom of the round towards a navigation plane. The program is able to determine a starting location for a drill hole based on the location and the direction of the bottom. The program also performs blasting calculation on the drill holes positioned. |
| US08214071B2 |
Simulation method, fiber orientation control method and fiber orientation control apparatus
A method includes steps of: expressing changes of velocity components of a paper material at an exit of a slice lip by using a mathematical model, wherein the changes of velocity components are caused by manipulating an edge flow adjustment means (or a side bleed adjustment means) of a headbox when supplying the paper material on a wire; without changing a velocity component of a flow of the paper material in the mathematical model, setting the mathematical model based on an assumption in which a velocity component orthogonally crossing a flow direction of the paper material is proportionally changed by changes of an edge flow (or a side bleed) of a certain response width from the exit of the slice lip; and conducting a forecasting calculation of changes of a fiber orientation profile in a cross direction by using the mathematical model. |
| US08214068B2 |
Collaborative automation system and method for the control thereof
The invention relates to a collaborative automation system (PS), comprising devices providing divided production and control services (D) such as transport and processing machines (M) with associated device agents (ST-AG, MA-AG), products with associated product agents (WP-AG), and a coordination unit (CO) providing a communication platform (SKP); the invention further relates to a method for the control of such a system. In order to obtain a dynamic detection and calling of processes in a loosely coupled production structure and infrastructure, the invention provides for devices (ST, MA, WP) providing the production and control services to be associated with a DPWS-based web service (ST-WS; MA-WS), wherein device functions are implemented into the DPWS-based web service as device service and agent functions. The communication platform (SKP) is designed as a uniform, DPWS-oriented SOA platform. The devices (ST, MA, WP) providing production and control services communicate via an integrated DPWS-based web service (ST-WS; MA-WS) and via a single communication platform (SKP), wherein device functions are implemented as device services (ST-WS; MA-WS) and agent functions describing device agents (ST-AG; MA-AG; WP-AG) as agent services in the DPWS-based web service. The communication platform is used as a uniform, DPWS-oriented SOA platform. |
| US08214067B1 |
Interactive audio content delivery system and method
The present invention provides a system and method for delivering programmable, personalized interactive audio content, including advertising, via telecommunications carriers. Also, a telecommunications-carrier-based interactive combined entertainment, advertising, and sales channel is provided. |
| US08214066B1 |
System and method for controlling noise in real-time audio signals
A system for processing a digital audio signal that includes a plurality of samples is disclosed. The system comprises a magnitude determination module, a windowing module, a summing module and a comparison module. The magnitude determination module determines a magnitude of each of the plurality of samples of the digital audio signal. The windowing module selects a subset of the plurality of samples, which are summed by the summing module to obtain a subset sum. The comparison module compares the subset sum to a threshold, and generates a silence indicating signal based on the comparison of the subset sum to the threshold. The silence indicating signal is indicative of a period of silence in the digital audio signal. |
| US08214064B2 |
Portable sound reproducing system and method
A portable audio device suitable for reproducing MPEG encoded data includes a plurality of inputs, one or more memory chips, a display, an audio output, one or more processors, and a battery. The plurality of inputs includes a forward input, a reverse input, and a play control input. The one or more memory chips store compressed digitized audio data. The one or more processors are responsive to selection of at least one of the plurality of inputs to reproduce select rows of compressed digitized audio data stored in the data in an audio format and to provide information to the display. |
| US08214063B2 |
Auto-tune of a control system based on frequency response
A method and system of determining tuning parameters for use in tuning a controller used in a process control loop for a motor and associated load. The method includes providing tuning parameters, applying an excitation test signal, receiving frequency response data to determine phase and gain margins, creating an instability region defined by a bounded area that connects the phase and gain margins with a boundary on a gain vs. phase plot, assigning and applying cost functions, and computing stability determinations. |
| US08214053B2 |
Body heating device
To realize a body surrounding solenoid-type body heating device with small coil impedance which can generate a magnetic flux of predetermined density to one part of the living body near the affected area in the solenoid coil, a body heating device 10 includes a cylindrical solenoid coil 17 in which the body can be inserted easily, a high-frequency power supply 11 to drive the solenoid coil, and a body holder 15 which can be inserted easily in the solenoid coil 17. In the body heating device 10, an across-body direction cross section of the solenoid coil 17 has an arched-shape over a half of the solenoid coil 17 in the peripheral direction and a straight-lined shape in the rest, and a secondary solenoid coil 21 with shorter length and coiled more densely than the solenoid coil 17 is inserted in the solenoid coil 17. A magnetic core 40 which can be inserted easily in the solenoid coil 17 is installed on the body holder 15. |
| US08214050B2 |
Method for monitoring physiological cycles of a patient to optimize patient therapy
Improved methods for obtaining physiological parameters of a patient in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention can be used to monitor patient status and/or in conjunction with patient therapy. Physiological parameters can be monitored with an implantable device including a first lead and a second lead. Physiological parameters can be measured along at least three distinct vectors defined by the first lead and second lead, the first lead and an electrode located on the device body, and the second lead an the electrode. An output indicative of the physiological parameter can then be provided. Therapy, such as baroreflex therapy, can optionally be optimized based on the physiological measurements. |
| US08214037B2 |
Implantable pulse generator and method having adjustable signal blanking
An implantable pulse generator senses a cardiac signal, identifies cardiac events in the cardiac signal, and starts a blanking interval including a repeatable noise window blanking interval in response to each cardiac event. When noise is detected during the repeatable noise window blanking interval, the noise window blanking interval is repeated. In one embodiment, the duration of repeated repeatable noise window blanking intervals is summed and compared to a pacing escape interval. When the sum is greater than the pacing escape interval, asynchronous pacing pulses are delivered until the noise ceases. Alternatively, when the sum is greater than the pacing escape interval, the pace escape interval is repeated. |
| US08214034B2 |
Device and method for ventricular tracking and pacing
A device and method for multi chamber pacing a patient's heart having heart failure and intrinsic conduction, wherein ventricular tracking is used to pace the ventricle when the sinus rate exceeds a preset atrial maximum tracking rate. The ventricular tracking pacemaker increases the range of pacing the ventricle. The ventricular tracking minimizes the loss of ventricular pacing caused by intrinsic conduction when the sinus rate is below an atrial maximum tracking rate, and it induces a new ventricular pacing behavior for sinus rates above the atrial maximum tracking rate without any significant pacing hysteresis as the sinus rate returns towards the lower rate limit. |
| US08214030B2 |
Iontophoresis apparatus and method
An iontophoresis apparatus and method is disclosed that is suited to deliver a plurality of treatment methods such as, but not limited to, body site conductivity enhancement followed by low voltage iontophoresis. |
| US08214025B2 |
Fluorescence endoscope system
Provided is a fluorescence endoscope system for observing fluorescence from a fluorochrome attached to or absorbed in biological tissue, including an excitation light source that emits excitation light that excites the fluorochrome; an image-acquisition section that acquires fluorescence emitted from the biological tissue when irradiated with the excitation light from the excitation light source; an autofluorescence signal setting section that sets an autofluorescence signal intensity to be emitted from the biological tissue when irradiated with the excitation light; and an image compensation section that compensates fluorescence image information acquired by the image-acquisition section on the basis of the autofluorescence signal intensity set by the autofluorescence signal setting section. |
| US08214024B2 |
Electronic polarimetric imaging system for a colposcopy device and an adapter housing
An electronic polarimetric imaging system for a colposcopy device designed for in vivo observation of a cervix, wherein the colposcopy device includes a light source for illuminating the observable cervix and at least visual elements for monitoring an image of the cervix, the illumination optical path towards the cervix and the image optical path coming back from the cervix being separated from one another over at least one portion of the paths thereof. The system includes a polarimetric adapter housing which is removable into the separated portion of the illumination and image optical paths, the polarimetric adapter housing including a polarisation state generator (PSG) on the illumination optical path and a polarisation analyser (PSA) on the image optical path, wherein the polarisation state generator (PSG) and the polarisation analyser (PSA) are controllable. Several levels of polarimetric characterisation are possible. An adaptor housing is also disclosed. |
| US08214018B2 |
Determining a flow characteristic of a material in a structure
An volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data. |
| US08214017B2 |
Capsule guiding system
A capsule guiding system includes a magnetic guiding unit, a displaying unit, an operation unit, and a control unit. The magnetic guiding unit guides, using magnetic force, a capsule-shaped medical apparatus introduced inside a subject. The displaying unit displays an image of the subject and an image of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus as an overlapped image, and changes relative position and relative direction between the two images as the capsule-shaped medical apparatus is guided by the magnetic guiding unit. The operation unit inputs coordinate information which specifies movement direction of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus. The control unit adjusts coordinate system of the displaying unit and coordinate system of the operation unit to be consistent with each other, transforms the coordinate information input from the operation unit into the coordinate system of the magnetic guiding unit, and controls the guiding of the capsule-shaped medical apparatus based on the transformed coordinate information. |
| US08214016B2 |
System and method for determining an optimal type and position of an implant
A computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery system includes a device for generating a three dimensional geometrical surface model of a first bone and a database containing three 3 dimensional implant models of a plurality of available implants. The system includes a computer that is configured to permit a user to select from the database a first implant and display on a screen the three dimensional implant model of the first implant. The computer superimposes on the screen the implant model on top of the model of the first bone such that the two models are visually identifiable from one another. |
| US08214012B2 |
Magnetic resonance imaging having patient video, microphone and motion tracking
Critical needs for MRI patient instruction, testing, comfort, motion control, and speech communication are provided for better imaging which leads to more effective medical care. An MRI Digital Video Projection System is disclosed which provides better quality display to the patient to better inform, instruct, test, and comfort the patient plus the potential to stimulate the brain with microsecond onset times to better diagnose brain function. An MRI Motion Tracker and Patient Augmented Visual Feedback System enables monitoring patient body part motion, providing real time feedback to the patient and/or technician to substantially improve diagnostic yield of scanning sessions, particularly for children and mentally challenged individuals. An MR Forward Predictive Noise Canceling Microphone System removes the intense MRI acoustic noise improving patient communication, patient safety and enabling coding of speech output. These systems can be used individually but maximum benefit is from providing all three. |
| US08214010B2 |
Scanning mechanisms for imaging probe
The present invention provides scanning mechanisms for imaging probes for imaging mammalian tissues and structures using high resolution imaging, including high frequency ultrasound and/or optical coherence tomography. The imaging probes include adjustable rotational drive mechanism for imparting rotational motion to an imaging assembly containing either optical or ultrasound transducers which emit energy into the surrounding area. The imaging assembly includes a scanning mechanism including a movable member configured to deliver the energy beam along a path out of said elongate hollow shaft at a variable angle with respect to said longitudinal axis to give forward and side viewing capability of the imaging assembly. The movable member is mounted in such a way that the variable angle is a function of the angular velocity of the imaging assembly. |
| US08214007B2 |
Body worn physiological sensor device having a disposable electrode module
A body worn patient monitoring device includes at least one disposable module including a plurality of electrical connections to the body. The body worn patient monitoring device also includes at least one communication-computation module, the communication-computation module having at least one microprocessor to actively monitor the patient and to perform a real-time physiological analysis of the physiological signals. A radio circuit communicates a raw physiological signal or a result of the physiological analysis at a predetermined time or on the occurrence of a predetermined event, via a radio transmission to a remote radio receiver, wherein the at least one disposable module is mechanically and electrically coupled directly to the at least one communication-computation module. The body worn patient monitoring device, including the at least one disposable module and the at least one communication-computation module, is directly non-permanently affixed to the skin surface of the patient. |
| US08214005B2 |
Method for operation of an arrangement having at least one superconducting cable
A method is specified for operation of an arrangement having at least one superconducting cable, which is surrounded by a cryostat which consists of two metallic tubes, which are arranged concentrically with respect to one another and enclose vacuum insulation between them. The cryostat surrounds not only the cable but also a cavity for a pressurized coolant to pass through. A reservoir area, which is connected to the cryostat, for the coolant is arranged at least at one end of the cryostat and a pump is used which forces the coolant into the cryostat during operation of the arrangement. A valve is arranged at least in the supply path of the coolant from the reservoir area to the cryostat, which valve is open during operation of the arrangement, is connected to at least one unit monitoring the soundness of the cryostat and is blocked when a signal which corresponds to a fault message is present from the monitoring unit, in order to interrupt the supply of the coolant to the cryostat. |
| US08213997B2 |
Slide type mobile phone
A mobile phone includes a main display; a subsidiary display; and a main body mounted between the main display and the subsidiary display. The subsidiary display is retractable along a first direction relative to the main display, and the main body is retractable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. |
| US08213996B2 |
Terminal and display method used in the terminal
Provided is a terminal and a display method used in the terminal capable of analyzing images that are mainly selected by a user from among images to be displayed by the terminal and firstly displaying the selected images, although the terminal needs to display more images than the maximum number of images that the terminal can simultaneously display, so that it is possible to reduce the inconvenience of performing a scrolling operation to select an image. |
| US08213995B2 |
Input processing method of mobile terminal and device for performing the same
An input processing method of a mobile terminal and a device performing the same are disclosed. Information on a user facility performed by a touch event generated at an area of the mobile terminal is compared with voice sensing data collected through a microphone to perform a specific user facility. As a result, erroneous touch event and imprecision generated during the voice sensing are improved. |
| US08213993B2 |
Messenger strand mounted pico-cell radio
A messenger strand mounted low-power pico-cell radio, having its own environmentally controlled box, mounted on utility messenger strands, connects to the cable using the Internet protocol (IP) for back-haul, and has in-band monitor and control capability. These pico-cell radios also receive power through the same cable connection. The configuration control and monitoring is by independent discretely-managed internal mechanisms that can be remotely addressed. These internal mechanisms include the modem for backhaul, wireless radio transceiver(s), and the system management device for operation, administration, maintenance, and control. Such pico-cell radios help to provide wireless connectivity and coverage efficiently by reducing dark spots in wireless coverage. Distributing these radios in reasonable, close proximity enables wireless coverage in difficult terrains, where current high power systems fail. The radios disclosed herein eliminate the need and cost for additional power lines and IP connection lines, and are therefore easy to install and maintain. |
| US08213992B2 |
Radio base station apparatus
A shared AMP includes: a transmission/reception processor section (TRX-B) for a second mobile communication system configured to perform frequency conversion processing on an inputted transmission baseband signal for a mobile communication system B, and to output a transmission radio frequency signal for the second mobile communication system; a power level adjuster section (VA) configured to adjust a power level of an inputted transmission radio frequency signal for a first mobile communication system; a combiner section (COM) configured to generate a transmission radio frequency signal, by combining the transmission radio frequency signal for the first mobile communication system outputted from the power level adjuster section (VA) and the transmission radio frequency signal for the second mobile communication system outputted from the transmission/reception processor section (TRX-B) for the second mobile communication system; and a common amplifier section (PA) configured to amplify a power level of the transmission radio frequency signal outputted from the combiner section (COM) at a predetermined amplification rate, and to output the resultant signal. |
| US08213989B2 |
Methods for transmitting mobile originated requests by mobile station with subscriber identity cards and systems utilizing the same
A method for transmitting mobile originated requests by a mobile station with a first subscriber identity card and a second subscriber identity card, executed by a processor, is provided. It is determined whether a preference setting has been enabled. A preferred subscriber identity card is obtained from the first subscriber identity card and the second subscriber identity card when the preference setting has been enabled. The mobile originated request is issued to a called party via the preferred subscriber identity card when the preference setting has been enabled. |
| US08213988B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing data using a SIM card
An information processing apparatus including an IC chip receiving, by communicating with a reader/writer, service data corresponding to a service provided via the reader/writer and processing the received service data, a SIM card holding section holding a SIM card which includes a card internal memory storing information and to which a unique number for identifying a subscriber is added and a control section storing in the card internal memory of the SIM card the service data processed by the IC chip in the communication with the reader/writer, reading the service data stored in the card internal memory of the SIM card and making the IC chip process the service data. |
| US08213984B2 |
Auxiliary interface apparatus
An auxiliary interface device, comprising an electronic circuit to interface to the signal output of a signal source, said signal source developing or receiving more than one signal, and providing for the user selection of at least one of the signals in deference to the others so that said apparatus provides for the selection of at least one special signal having predetermined characteristics, a detector which recognizes the presence of the at least one said special signal when present or part of a signal developed by the apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is connected, said detector being able to distinguish between said at least one special signal and other signals ordinarily present or developed by the apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is interfaced, a signal switch to substitute at least one auxiliary signal in place of a signal output by the apparatus to which said auxiliary interface is interfaced, said signal switch being configured to substitute said at least one auxiliary signal for the signal normally developed by said apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is interfaced when said detector recognizes the presence of the at least one special signal in the signal normally developed by said apparatus to which said auxiliary interface device is interfaced. |
| US08213982B2 |
Enhanced internal antenna architecture for a mobile computing device
Various embodiments of an internal multi-band antenna architecture for a mobile computing device are described. An internal antenna architecture for a mobile computing device may include multiple antenna elements, including a first internal antenna element configured to operate in a downlink frequency sub-band of at least one frequency band for communication in a first mode, and a second internal antenna element configured to operate in an uplink frequency sub-band of the at least one frequency band for communication in the first mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08213981B2 |
Mobile terminal apparatus and communication system
A mobile terminal apparatus is provided. The mobile terminal apparatus includes a base station communication unit configured to perform a communication with a base station via a pubic communication network; a short-range communication unit configured to perform a short-range communication with a short-range communication device, wherein a communication distance of the short-range communication unit is shorter than that of the base station communication unit; and a control unit configured to control the base station communication unit to receive broadcast information transmitted from the base station. When a first communication is performed between the short-range communication unit and the short-range communication device, the control unit controls the base station communication unit to be capable of receiving the broadcast information. |
| US08213968B1 |
Method and system of targeted alert distribution
A method and system for distributing messages to mobile stations operating in a picocell network that is communicatively coupled to a macrocell network. In one example, the macrocell network may receive a message that includes an identifier of the picocell network and send the message to the picocell network. In turn, the picocell network may receive the message, responsively identify each mobile station operating in the picocell network, and then send a given instance of the message to the identified mobile stations. In another example, a macrocell network may maintain data indicating an identifier of each mobile station operating in the picocell network, receive a message that includes an identifier of the picocell network, use the maintained data to identify each mobile station operating in the picocell network, and send a given instance of the message to the identified mobile stations via the picocell network. |
| US08213961B2 |
Use of local position fix when remote position fix is unavailable
A mobile computing device has a transceiver circuit, a location determination circuit, and a processing circuit. The transceiver circuit is configured to receive a remote position fix from a remote computer via a wireless network. The location determination circuit is configured to receive satellite data and to calculate a local position fix. The processing circuit is configured to operate an application, to receive a request for a position fix from the application, to determine whether the remote position fix is available, and to provide the local position fix to the application based on whether the remote position fix is available. |
| US08213960B2 |
Method for positioning femto base station through SUPL platform and system thereof
A method for positioning a femtocell base station through a SUPL platform includes the steps of: initiating a SUPL program in the femtocell base station to establish communication between the femtocell base station and the SUPL platform so as to obtain assistant positioning information and approximate location information of the femtocell base station through the SUPL platform; the femtocell base station capturing related satellite signals according to the assistant positioning information, and if the captured related satellite signals are sufficient for positioning calculation, performing the positioning calculation to obtain precise location information of the femtocell base station and replacing the approximate location information with the precise location information. The location information obtained by positioning will be provided by the femtocell base station to a core network for registration or broadcast by the femtocell base station within its coverage. |
| US08213959B2 |
Method for updating location of user equipment
A method for updating location of a user equipment in a cellular system is disclosed. The method comprises the user equipment receiving route update radius information 220. The user equipment further calculates a route update radius from the received route update radius information 230 by using a random number generated by the user equipment. The user equipment then transmits the calculated route update radius to a cellular network 240. Alternatively, the method comprises the cellular network receiving a route update message from a user equipment 420. The cellular network further calculates a route update radius 430 using a random number generated by the cellular network. The cellular network then unicasts the calculated route update radius to the user equipment 440. |
| US08213953B1 |
Method and system for vocoder bypass based on loads in coverage areas of a wireless wide area network
The load of a coverage area in a wireless wide area network can be used as a basis to determine which vocoder to use in establishing a call between a wireless device in that coverage area and a wireless device in a different coverage area. If the load of the coverage area is above a threshold, then a higher-compression vocoder may be used during the call for communications between the wireless device and an access point serving the wireless device in that coverage area. However, if the load of the coverage area is below the threshold, then a lower-compression vocoder may be used during the call for communications between the wireless device and the access point. |
| US08213951B2 |
Using mobile communication devices to facilitate coordinating use of resources
System(s), method(s), and device(s) that facilitate managing resources associated with communication devices are presented. A mobile device(s) at cell edge identifies its in-use resource blocks (RBs) to a neighbor base station, or in-use RBs of a neighbor base station to the serving base station. In the former instance, the neighbor base station sorts RBs in ascending order based on signal strengths respectively associated with the RBs and mobile devices; in the latter instance, the serving base station ranks RBs in ascending order based on signal strengths respectively associated with the RBs and neighbor base stations. RBs having weakest signal strength are reused first for mobile devices at cell edge. Base station establishes a direct wireless radio path with another base station facilitated by employing a sequence of subframes where all subframes but a specified subframe are blanked, and data is transmitted between base stations during the specified subframe. |
| US08213950B2 |
Method and corresponding system for load balancing
Method and corresponding system for load balancing based on using direction of arrival to allocate the same channel to nearby stations to ensure that most stations using the same channel are hearing one another, and by that, reducing the amount of collisions. |
| US08213946B2 |
Method and system for managing delivery of communications
Method and system for managing delivery of communications such as advertisements to mobile telephone subscribers where delivery to subscribers is temporarily prevented or blocked at the request of the subscribers. In particular, a subscriber can temporarily suspend delivery of advertisements when they are roaming. |
| US08213937B2 |
Method and system for dynamic adjustment of power and frequencies in a femtocell network
Aspects of a method and system for dynamic adjustment of power, antenna direction and frequencies in a femtocell network are provided. In this regard, a communication system may comprise a plurality of femtocells, one or more base stations, and a femtocell management entity that coordinates operation of the plurality of femtocells. One or more parameters may be communicated from one of the plurality of femtocells and/or one or more base stations to the femtocell management entity. The femtocell management entity may be enabled to utilize the one or more parameters to determine configuration information for one of the plurality of femtocells and/or for one or more remaining ones of the plurality of femtocells. One of the plurality of femtocells may be enabled to receive the determined configuration information from the femtocell management entity. One of the plurality of femtocells may be configured utilizing the received determined configuration information. |
| US08213936B2 |
System and method for executing a seamless handoff in a network environment
A method for providing a handoff in a network environment is provided that includes a mobile station operable to conduct a call. The mobile station is further operable to initiate a call leg autonomously such that a generic transfer function is invoked. The mobile station leverages the generic transfer function in order to execute a handoff for the mobile station. |
| US08213931B2 |
Off PRL wireless acquisition system
The invention relates generally to a system for providing an roaming carrier list to a remote wireless device such as a vehicle communications package (VCP), while largely overcoming several shortcomings of prior techniques. A more intelligent Off PRL Wireless System is proposed that will scan all wireless bands including opposite cellular bands and PCS. The VCP will place test calls to the wireless carrier found during the scan. All wireless carriers found during the scan will be used to populate the Off-PRL System Availability Table (the OPA Table) including those the VCP was detected as “Unavailable”. Each carrier in the OPA Table will be denoted as Available and Unavailable depending on whether the VCP was able to access the carrier. Once the fall scan is completed, the VCP will connect the carrier listed first as available in the OPA Table. |
| US08213930B2 |
Uplink scheduling and resource allocation with fast indication
Systems and methods for signalling transitions between talk-spurt state and silence state for wireless terminals having semi-persistently allocated uplink resources are employed. A layer 1/2 indication of the state transitions may be transmitted using a resource that is specifically allocated for that purpose. Alternatively, ACK/NACK signalling may be employed. Layer 1 indications may be employed for both state transition types. Alternatively, in-band MAC layer signalling may be used to signal state transition from talk-spurt state to silence, or the network may deduce this state transition on its own. A different uplink wireless transition resource is allocated for the talk-spurt state vs. the silence state. |
| US08213929B2 |
Non-interfering utilization of non-geostationary satellite frequency band for geostationary satellite communication
A method, satellite and system utilizes non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) frequency spectrum in geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) satellite communication in a non-interfering manner. A ground station transmits signals to a GSO satellite using a GSO frequency band and an extended frequency spectrum including the an NGSO frequency band whenever a noninterference situation exists, i.e., when an NGSO satellite is not in-line between the earth terminal and the GSO satellite or when the NGSO satellite is not utilizing the NGSO band of interest. A command module is provided to instruct the ground station to transmit signals to the GSO satellite using the GSO frequency band and the extended frequency spectrum. |
| US08213925B2 |
Processing messages from a mobile computing device for diagnosis or service selection
Selecting a service for a mobile computing device includes receiving a message from the mobile computing device via a wireless network, storing data from the message, querying the data to identify a characteristic, selecting a service from a plurality of services based on the identified characteristic, and sending the selected service to the mobile computing device. |
| US08213923B1 |
Product update via voice call in mobile security
Methods and apparatus for updating security software products on mobile telephones are described. When an update is available for a security software product installed on a mobile telephone, a server encodes and optionally compresses the update data from binary format into audio format. The server establishes a voice connection with the mobile telephone. The update data in audio format is transmitted to the mobile telephone via the voice connection. Upon receiving the complete update data in audio format, the mobile telephone decodes and optionally decompresses the update data from audio format back into binary format. The security software product installed on the mobile telephone is updated using the update data in binary format. |
| US08213922B2 |
Method for scanning services with a multimode communication device
A system and method are disclosed for scanning services with a multimode communication device. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device (102) having a controller (206) for managing operations of a user interface (UI) (204), and a wireless transceiver (202). The UI conveys messages to an end user and facilitates manipulating operations of the communication device. The wireless transceiver supports software defined radio (SDR) communications and communications on at least one other access technology. The controller is programmed to scan (312, 314) for services in a television (TV) spectrum and at least one among a cellular spectrum, an ultra wideband (UWB) spectrum, a WiFi spectrum and a WiMax spectrum, detect (316) one or more services, and present (318) one or more of the detected services to the end user. Additional embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08213920B2 |
Wireless call handoff
A device is configured to detect a wireless device and determine if the wireless device is participating in a telephone call with a remote party. The device is further configured to establish a first voice communication link with the remote party, and establish a second voice communication link with the wireless device. In addition, the device is configured to bridge the first and second voice communication links together, thereby establishing voice communications between the wireless device and the remote party. |
| US08213919B1 |
Caller ID handling system for calls placed to a mobile phone
A system and associated methods deliver Caller ID information directed to a user's mobile phone onto the user's home television set for viewing. One particular method set forth involves selective providing to a video provider information regarding an incoming call destined for and based on the location of a designated mobile phone associated with a particular user, enabling the video provider to insert the information regarding the incoming call into a video stream for delivery to a video display device associated with the particular user. According to the method, a mobile switching center receives a call from a calling phone. Thereafter, a determination is made as to whether designated mobile phone is within a home zone for the particular user. If so, then the calling phone identification and the mobile phone destination number are sent to a video provider associated with the particular user for insertion into the video stream. |
| US08213915B1 |
HTTP session management
A method, system, and computer readable media are provided for maintaining a mobile session. A session identifier and an associated idle time period are created by the gateway as part of a session header between a wireless device and a content source. When an interruption occurs before a session request for information or data has been completed, the partially transferred information or data is buffered on the gateway, along with its associated session identifier. When the wireless device reconnects, using the associated session identifier header, then the buffered information or data is transferred from the gateway, to the wireless device. The resumed transfer of information or data occurs at the point where the partial transfer stopped, when the interruption occurred. The information or data is completely transferred from the content source to the wireless device, via the gateway. |
| US08213914B2 |
Mobile terminal capable of providing web browsing function and method of controlling the mobile terminal
A mobile terminal capable of providing a web-browsing function and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. According to the mobile terminal and the method of controlling the mobile terminal, it is possible to display a text-input area included in a webpage in a certain part of a display region of the mobile terminal in response to the manipulation of a key or the movement of the mobile terminal. In addition, it is possible to sequentially enlarge or highlight one or more text-input areas displayed in the display region of the mobile terminal. Therefore, it is possible to quickly input text into an address window, an identifier (ID)/password input window or an address window included in a webpage without the need to scroll through the webpage. |
| US08213905B2 |
Method and device for realizing push service of GAA
The present invention discloses a method and a device for realizing PUSH service of GAA. The method includes the steps: the network side determines a PUSH service cryptographic key; the subscriber side communicates with the network side, and determines the PUSH service cryptographic key in accordance with the network side, and communicates with the network side using the PUSH service cryptographic key. By means of the method, the cryptographic key type of the PUSH service can be selected conveniently and agilely according to the actual application situation, and the network side and the subscriber side can select the derivation cryptographic key of the cryptographic key type meeting the requirement to communicate with each other. |
| US08213904B2 |
Method and apparatus for provisioning an electronic communication device via a mobile internet protocol registration
A method for updating wireless application protocol (WAP) data at an electronic communication device during a mobile internet protocol (MIP) registration process includes processing at an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server a first access request message that identifies the electronic device (step 805). It is then determined that the electronic device requires updated WAP provisioning (step 810). The AAA server is then changed to a WAP provisioning ongoing state (step 815). An access reject message including updated WAP provisioning data is then transmitted from the AAA server (step 820). A second access request message, including the updated WAP provisioning data is then verified at the AAA server (step 830). The AAA server is then changed to a WAP provisioning valid state (step 835). Finally, an access accept message is transmitted from the AAA server (step 840). |
| US08213903B2 |
Telecommunications networks
A mobile telecommunications network and method of operation that includes establishing a first user plane connection between a telecommunications device registered with the network and a network gateway device of the network via a first access point; providing the telecommunications device with a token using the first user plane connection; establishing a second user plane connection between the telecommunications device and the network gateway device via a second access point bv using the token information to validate the telecommunications device; and, subsequent to establishment of and corresponding to the second user plane connection, establishing a control plane connection between the telecommunications device and the network gateway device via the second access point. The token includes information indicative to the network that the telecommunications device has authorization to send a quantity of data to the network gateway device prior to full conventional authentication of the telecommunications device. |
| US08213899B1 |
Real time network determination of intra-carrier mobile to mobile calls
Methods are disclosed for identifying the carrier to which a phone, such as a mobile phone, subscribes in real time, at the time a call is originating from or terminating to the mobile phone. Where both parties to a call are subscribers to the same carrier, the methods can be used for applying preferential call rates to intra-carrier calls, e.g., making the calls free. The methods are particularly useful in the telephony networks with local number portability, in which the mere identification of the phone number does not necessarily identify the carrier to which the phone subscribes. The methods can use either existing databases to identify the carrier, such as LERG (Local Exchange Routing Guide) tables, number portability databases, name databases, and home location registers, or a new database can be created correlating mobile phone directory numbers with carriers. |
| US08213898B2 |
System for verifying access based on a determined geographic location of a subscriber of a service provided via a computer network
A method of limiting presentation of rules based events includes receiving a request to view a rules based event at a computer. A first estimate of a first geographic location of the computer is obtained. The first estimate includes a first confidence determination. If the first confidence determination is less than a first established confidence level, a second estimate of the first geographic location of the computer is obtained. The second estimate includes a second confidence determination for comparison to a second established confidence level. The first estimate and the second estimate define a composite estimated geographic location of the computer. Information on a second geographic location of the rules based event is retrieved. The retrieved information is compared with the composite estimated geographic location of the computer. Access to the rules based event is provided based on access rules, the comparison, and the composite estimated geographic location. |
| US08213890B2 |
System and method for tuning-capacitor-array sharing
A system and method for sharing a switched capacitor array (SCA) by two tuning circuits are disclosed. In a multiple-band radio receiver, there is a need to use multiple tuning circuits for signals in different bands. The tuning circuit typically comprised an adjustable capacitance device and other tuning components, where the adjustable capacitance device is often implemented in SCA. The present invention discloses a system and method comprising n sections of capacitor elements where each capacitor element comprises a capacitor and switches to selectively connect the capacitor to one of the tuning circuit. Consequently, the SCA can be shared by the two tuning circuits. The control bits for the switched may be provided from a programmable control register. |
| US08213881B2 |
Signal processing circuit
A signal processing system is disclosed. The system includes: a first synthesizer and a second synthesizer, for respectively generating a first frequency and a second frequency; a first RF circuit; a first analog front end (AFE); a second RF circuit; and a second AFE, wherein the first RF circuit and the first AFE can support a signal transmission of a first bandwidth, the second RF circuit and the second AFE can support a signal transmission of a second bandwidth, a central frequency of the first bandwidth is substantially equal to the first frequency, and a central frequency of the second bandwidth is substantially equal to the second frequency. |
| US08213880B2 |
Minimum feedback radio architecture with digitally configurable adaptive linearization
Included is a radio transmission system comprising a plurality of power amplifiers (PAs); a plurality of Volterra Engine (VE) linearizers corresponding to the PAs; a plurality of feedback loops corresponding to the PAs; at least one digital hybrid matrix (DHM) coupled to the VE linearizers; and an analog hybrid matrix (AHM) coupled to the PAs, wherein the feedback loops are connected to the AHM and the VE linearizers but not to the PAs to reduce the number of feedback loops. Also included is a radio system comprising a plurality of PAs; a Volterra DHM (VDHM) coupled to the PAs; a plurality of feedback loops corresponding to the PAs; and an AHM coupled to the PAs, wherein the feedback loops are connected to the AHM but not to the PAs to reduce the number of feedback loops. |
| US08213878B1 |
RF switch power splitter for WLAN and bluetooth coexistence
A RF switch may be used as a power splitter in order to allow WLAN and Bluetooth (BT) coexistence. Multiple branches of the RF switch are enabled concurrently, which allows WLAN and BT signals to be received simultaneously. The RF switch functions as a power splitter to split signals received from an antenna to both a WLAN receiver and a BT receiver. In one embodiment, a second switch may be placed on an output of a low noise amplifier (LNA). This configuration will operate as a power splitter between WLAN receiver port and a BT port, and maximize the receiver sensitivity by amplifying both the WLAN and BT signals. One or both of the two switches may also function to bypass the LNA when the LNA is not needed to provide a low loss RF path, which serves to broaden the dynamic range of the device and avoid signal distortion during periods of increased signal power. |
| US08213876B2 |
Direct RF digital transceiver and method
A direct digital radio having a high speed RF front end in communication with an antenna, and a radio subsystem that can be configured to form a multi-channel, full duplex transceiver system. The high speed RF front end provides a digital signal to the radio subsystem. Each transceiver includes a waveform processing subsystem that makes use of a linear, phase-B cubic spline interpolating finite impulse response (IFIR) filter for filtering the received RF signal substantially entirely in the digital domain. The linear phase-B, cubic spline IFIR filter requires significantly fewer hardware components than traditional FIR filters and is ideally suited for implementation using Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) technology. |
| US08213872B2 |
Technique for low-power operation of a wireless device
Embodiments of a circuit are described. In this circuit, a receiver includes at least one input node that receives one or more signals from one or more antenna elements. Note that a given signal from a given antenna element may have an associated fixed bandwidth and/or may include directional information corresponding to a region in a space. Moreover, the receiver includes a measurement circuit, coupled to at least the one input node, that determines whether a metric of the given signal exceeds a corresponding threshold. Additionally, control logic in the circuit, which is coupled to the measurement circuit, instructs a communication circuit in the circuit to exit a first power-consumption mode if the metric of at least one of the signals exceeds the corresponding threshold. |
| US08213868B2 |
Exploiting multiple antennas for spectrum sensing in cognitive radio networks
Spectrum sensing in wireless communications is provided to identify utilized and/or unutilized frequency bands reserved for primary users using a cyclostationary beamforming approach. An adaptive cross self-coherent restoral (ACS) algorithm can be utilized to extract signals of interest (SOI) at unique cycle frequencies related to primary and/or secondary users from an antenna array measurement. Based on the SOI, one or more users of the spectrum can be identified or the spectrum can be regarded as vacant; this can be based on lobe identification in the frequency spectrum of the SOI, in one example. This mechanism is less complex than traditional cyclic spectrum analysis methods. The cyclostationary beamforming based approach is more effective than the energy detection method. Also, the need for quiet periods in spectrum sensing is eliminated when using this mechanism such that signals can be transmitted simultaneously with receiving signals over the antenna array. |
| US08213867B2 |
Frequency band adaptive wireless communication
A system, apparatus and method is disclosed for multiband wireless communication. Frequency bands and/or transmission formats are identified as available within a range for wireless communication. Signal quality metrics for each frequency band are evaluated by a receiver to identify qualified frequency bands. The qualified frequency bands can be ranked according to one or more signal quality metrics, where the list of qualified bands can be communicated to a transmitter. The transmitter is arranged to evaluate the list of qualified bands and select a communication method based on the available frequency bands and a selected communication optimization scenario. Multiple frequency bands and communication methods can be utilized by the transmitter such that a combination of licensed, unlicensed, semilicensed, and overlapped frequency bands can be simultaneously used for communication. The receiver continually monitors communications and can report link performance to the transmitter for adaptive control of the selected communication methods. |
| US08213863B2 |
Method for opening communication sessions for remote control by a radio terminal of the display of information on a screen, and associated server
A method is dedicated to the opening of a communication session between a radio terminal (MS), connected to a radio network (R1) and a fixed communication terminal (TC), coupled to at least one target screen (EC) and connected to a communication network (R2). This method consists in sending, by means of the radio terminal (MS), an identifier displayed on the target screen (EC) to open a communication session between the said radio terminal (MS) and the fixed communication terminal (TC), and then to control display of the information on the target screen (EC) by means of the radio terminal (MS). |
| US08213860B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method, and program for performing near field communication with an external device
An information processing apparatus including a plurality of elements each configured to perform an independent process, a controller configured to control the plurality of elements, and a front end shared by the plurality of elements and configured to perform near field communication with an external device. At a time of activation, the controller allocates, to the plurality of elements, different time slots for communication. |
| US08213856B2 |
Unified web-based system for the delivery, scoring, and reporting of on-line and paper-based assessments
A hardware and software implemented, standardize testing, scoring and reporting system has a network interface, being either LAN or the Internet. A test is selected from a library, assigned to a group of examinees, and a record is made of the assignment. The test is available on-line, or downloaded, or both. Downloaded tests are saved as PDF files and printed into booklets. Examinees record answers on bubble sheets, which are scanned at the customer site or shipped to a processing plant. Individual scanned answer sheets provided data for individual scanned records. Scanning software performs an initial auto-correct and then performs an initial check for errors in scanned records. Tests are batched for later inspection. Scanned records with errors are classified as invalid and the test papers are separated. Prompts are generated for a human test paper inspection and scanned record editing. Accepted batches of scanned records are sent to a scanned records server where a second scanned records error check is performed. Prompts are sent to the appropriate scanning station for further human editing of invalid scanned records. Once all records are valid they are scored and the test results stored in a database, which is accessed by a reporting subsystem associated with an on-line server. |
| US08213854B2 |
Sheet processing system
A sheet pre-processing device includes a space portion as a sheet receiving unit that receives a pre-processed sheet, a first sheet conveying path for discharging the sheet to the sheet receiving unit, and a second sheet conveying path for reversing the sheet. A sheet post-processing device is removably attached into the space portion. When the sheet post-processing device is attached into the space portion, a conveying path and a reversing path works are provided, which are switched over by a switching unit. |
| US08213852B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method therefor that circulate sheets for duplex printing
An image forming apparatus/method transports a sheet to an image forming unit that can form images on both sheet sides. The sheet is fed to the image forming unit at a predetermined image formation start timing for the first side image formation, thereafter is reversed, and re-fed to the image forming unit for the second side image formation while the first side image-formed sheet waits at least one of sheet waiting positions. A full state, where all the sheet waiting positions are full of the first side image-formed sheets, is detected. The number of sheets transported is controlled so that it is greater than the number of the sheet waiting positions. When the full state is detected, the sheet re-feeding is controlled so that a head sheet among the first side image-formed sheets waiting at the sheet waiting positions is fed in advance of the predetermined image formation start timing. |
| US08213850B2 |
Cleaning member, cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A cleaning member including a member body that is brought into contact with a surface of a member to be cleaned; and a sensor that is fixed to a portion of the member body except a portion in contact with the member to be cleaned and is made of a metallic film. |
| US08213849B2 |
Inductively heated carbon nanotube fuser
Systems and methods of inductively heating a fuser member in an electrophotographic device are disclosed. The systems and methods can include a heating component with a susceptor layer comprising carbon nanotubes (CNTs). An excitation unit with an electrical coil can be positioned a proximate distance from the heating component. Current through the electrical coil can inductively heat the susceptor layer and the heating component. The heat from the susceptor layer and the heating component can be used to fuse toner onto an image-receiving substrate. The CNTs can reduce electronic hardware costs in the electrophotographic device in relation to the costs associated with conventional materials. |
| US08213847B2 |
Image forming apparatus including transport unit
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a development unit that develops an electrostatic latent image present on the image carrier with a developer; a transfer member that transfers a developer image developed by the development unit from the image carrier to a recording medium by transporting while nipping the recording medium in a transfer position in contact with the image carrier; a corrective guide member that contacts the recording medium which is simultaneously caught by the transfer member for a period and that corrects placement of the recording medium with respect to the transfer member, thus guiding the recording medium toward the transport position; and a transport unit that transports the recording medium toward the transfer position while exerting a force on the recording medium in a direction causing a side edge of the recording medium along a transport direction to abut the corrective guide member. |
| US08213846B2 |
Image forming apparatus with belt adjustment
In the image forming apparatus of this invention, a bending habit is applied to a PET sheet by a heating iron to form an end mylar into an L shape. In a full-color mode, the end mylar presses an end of an intermediate transfer belt while being elastically deformed. In a black monochrome mode, the intermediate transfer belt is spaced from photosensitive drums by up to 2 mm compared with the full-color mode. Instead of the photosensitive drums spaced from the intermediate transfer belt, the end mylar regulates the end of the intermediate transfer belt in a vertical direction by a slightly small pressing force with a recovered bend, whereby flapping of the intermediate transfer belt is reduced. |
| US08213841B2 |
Container and device
A container includes: a container body that is to be inserted into the device, and that has a port; and a pair of support members arranged so that the support members face each other across the port, that supports a cover for covering the port, the cover including: a covering portion that covers the port; a pair of supported members that are supported by the support members; and a pair of connecting portions arranged so that the connecting portions face each other, that connects the covering portion and the supported members, and at least one of the connecting members being configured so that the connecting member becomes narrow as an outside surface of the connecting member tapers towards its inside surface at an end of the container body inserted into the device. |
| US08213832B2 |
Image forming apparatus with opening and closing assembly and gears movable therewith
An image forming apparatus has an apparatus main assembly; an image forming unit; a fixing unit which has a pressure applying mechanism and a cam member; an opening and closing member which is attached to the apparatus main assembly to be capable of being opened and closed; a first gear which is provided at the apparatus main assembly; a second gear which is provided at the fixing unit; and a connection gear which connects the first gear and the second gear. The connection gear is configured to be detachable from between the first gear and the second gear and to be attachable being engaged with both the first gear and the second gear only in a case that the first gear and the second gear are respectively at a predetermined phase. |
| US08213830B2 |
Image forming apparatus in which developer carrying members can be separated from photosensitive members
An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, and a process cartridge removably mounted to the apparatus body. The process cartridge includes a photosensitive cartridge including a photosensitive member, and a developing cartridge including a developer carrying member, which is contactable with the photosensitive member, and which carries developer. The image forming apparatus further includes a first pressing member that presses the photosensitive cartridge in a first direction with respect to a positioning portion that is provided on the apparatus body, and a separating member that includes a second pressing member that acts in a second direction and thereby causes the developer carrying member to separate from the photosensitive member. The first direction and the second direction are substantially the same. |
| US08213824B2 |
High voltage power controlling apparatus of image forming apparatus and method thereof
A high voltage power controlling apparatus of an image forming apparatus including a DC (direct current) power controller to convert and output a first PWM (pulse width modulation) signal provided from an engine controller into a switching waveform signal, a first voltage transformer to transform the switching waveform signal output from the DC power controller, a rectifier to rectify output power transformed by the first voltage transformer into DC power, first through N(where N is a positive integer greater than one) DC supplies to adjust and output the DC power rectified by the rectifier such that the DC power is adjusted to a predetermined level, first through N AC (alternating current) power controllers to convert and output a second PWM signal provided from the engine controller into switching waveform signals, and second through N+1 voltage transformer to transform the switching waveform signals output from the first through N AC power controllers, to overlap the transformed powers with the DC powers having predetermined levels of the first through N DC supplies, and to output the overlapped powers to first through N developers, respectively. |
| US08213817B2 |
Transfer print voltage adjustment based on temperature, humidity, and transfer feedback voltage
An electrographic image forming device may use a feedback loop to determine environmental conditions and accordingly set one or more operating parameters. The device may detect a resistance/capacitance characteristic of a feedback loop comprising an interface between a first component and a second component of an image forming unit. The device may detect temperature measurements and humidity measurements that can be used to calculate wet-bulb temperature or other metrics used to characterize ambient environmental conditions. The interface may be one in which a toner image is transferred during image forming device operation. A controller may adjust the resistance/capacitance characteristic in response to wet-bulb temperature in conjunction with measured transfer feedback voltage. |
| US08213812B2 |
Image forming apparatus, method of determining deterioration degree of development agent, and program of determining deterioration degree of development agent
The present invention provides a technique to accurately grasp a deterioration state of a development agent in a development device, in a development system which supplies a new development agent consisting of a toner and a carrier and discharges an deteriorated development agent to maintain a performance of a development agent in a development device.An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a stirring information obtaining section configured to obtain information of a stirring time of the development agent in the development device, a supply information obtaining section configured to obtain information of an amount of the carrier supplied into the development device, and a deterioration degree determining section configured to determine a deterioration degree of the development agent in the development device on the basis of the information obtained by the stirring information obtaining section and the supply information obtaining section. |
| US08213809B2 |
Universal systems and methods for determining an incoming carrier frequency and decoding an incoming signal
Consumer infrared (CIR) systems typically are used in remote control systems. Most CIR systems expect a known carrier frequency and encoding scheme. However, there are many applications of a universal CIR receiver which can receive and decode CIR signals regardless of the carrier frequency or encoding scheme. A CIR receiver circuit is disclosed which can both decompose a received CIR signal into run length representation and detect the carrier frequency. The result can then be supplied to a host device for further processing, interpretation and/or actions. |
| US08213805B2 |
Optical communication system, method of measuring optical transmission line in the optical communication system, transmitting station, and receiving station
According to halt of a Raman pumping light source, a transmitting light power of a first light which is subject to receive a Raman gain is controlled to increase. In this state, a first input/output light power for a first light of an optical transmission line is measured, the first input/output light power being used for determining a reference of loss characteristic of the optical transmission line. A second input/output light power for a second light of the optical transmission line is measured, the second light not being subject to receive the Raman gain, the second input/output light power being used for determining a fluctuation of the reference. |
| US08213804B2 |
Semiconductor optical amplifier for an external cavity diode laser
In one embodiment, a gain medium for an external cavity diode laser (ECDL) includes a gain section to provide a gain operation on optical energy in the ECDL that is controlled by a first electrical signal, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) section disposed adjacent to the gain section to amplify the gained optical energy responsive to a second electrical signal, and a trench disposed between the gain section and the SOA section to act as an integrated mirror. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08213800B1 |
Wireless backhaul communication using passive optical network
A wireless communication network system includes a central office network, a plurality of cell sites, each for communicating wirelessly with external cellular phones within its transmission range, and a passive optical network (PON)-based wireless backhaul system that transfers communication information between the cell sites and the central office network. The PON-based wireless backhaul system further includes at least a source optical network terminal (ONT), an optical line terminal (OLT), and a quality of service (QoS) converter in each of the source ONT and OLT to allow for quality of service-enabled communication between the cell sites and the central office network via the PON-based wireless backhaul system. |
| US08213794B2 |
Programmable optical network architecture
A programmable optical network architecture and associated components employing a two-level orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)/wavelength division multiplexed (WDM) mechanisms for bandwith virtualization. |
| US08213792B2 |
Automatic ONT self disabling system, method, and computer readable medium
A system, method and computer readable medium comprising instructions for sending a message from an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT), if the ONT does not receive an expected OLT action or an expected OLT response to the message within a period, considering the non-receipt of the expected OLT action or the expected OLT response a failure, and if a certain number of consecutive failures have occurred, considering by the ONT that it has entered an uncontrolled state. |
| US08213791B2 |
Communication light detecting device
A communication light detecting device interconnecting light transmission paths and collocated therebetween, comprises: an optical coupling body including a core portion for photo coupling with the light transmission paths, and a light extracting portion for extracting a part of the communication light as a leakage light; and a light detecting portion having a light receiving member for receiving the leakage light. The light extracting portion is preferable to possess a lower refractive index than that of the core portion. Besides, the light extracting portion is preferable to include a light detecting use groove with a groove width of 50 μm or more and 140 μm or less formed by cutting and separating the core portion. Besides, the light extracting portion is preferable to be the optical coupling body in which outer diameter of the core portion is different from the outer diameter of a core of the light transmission path. |
| US08213787B2 |
Camera system and image forming apparatus
A camera system includes a replaceable lens and a body unit in which the replaceable lens is installed, and an image forming apparatus, in which a timer included in a lens controller is reset according to an instruction from a camera controller so that the replaceable lens is synchronized with the body unit, and focus is adjusted using location information detected by the replaceable lens and a focus estimation value calculated by the body unit. |
| US08213784B2 |
Focus adjusting apparatus and focus adjusting method
There is provided an apparatus that includes a receiving unit configured to receive instructions for focus adjustment; an image-pickup unit configured to perform image-pickup of an object image input through a focus lens; a setting unit configured to set a focus detecting area to be used at a time of detection of a focus state of the focus lens; a light control unit configured to control an amount of light incident on the image-pickup unit; and a focus adjusting unit configured to detect a focus signal representing the focus state in the focus detecting area to move the focus lens based on the focus signal and a position of the focus lens corresponding to the focus signal. |
| US08213781B2 |
Data processing device, data processing method, program, program recording medium, data recording medium, and data structure
The present invention relates to a data processing apparatus, a data processing method, a program, a program recording medium, a data recording medium, and a data structure that enable reading of coded video data in access units without analyzing the coded video data. In step S211, a private_stream—2 packet is searched for, which is used for decoding coded video data, and which is located immediately prior to each of one or more decode startable points in coded video data in the access units. In addition, in step S216, based on an AU_length which is included in the private_stream—2 packet, and which represents the size of each of access units located from the private_stream—2 packet to the next private_stream—2 packet, the coded video data is read in the access units. The present invention can be applied to, for example, game machine using DVDs, etc. |
| US08213780B2 |
Information recording/reproducing apparatus, information recording/reproducing method, and recording medium storing program
An information recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a recording/reproducing unit that records an information item into, and reproduces an information item from, a recording medium, and a determining unit that determines, when a reproduction error occurs during reproduction of the information item by the recording/reproduction unit, whether the information item is a video data item, and prevents changing a reproduction speed of the recording/reproduction unit during reproduction if the determining unit determines that the information item is a video data item, and allows changing the reproduction speed during reproduction if the determining unit determines that the information items is not a video data item. |
| US08213779B2 |
Trick mode elementary stream and receiver system
A video receiver system comprises a video elementary stream decoder that decodes an elementary stream and one or more trick mode processing modules that modify the elementary stream to enable a trick mode effect. The trick mode processing module(s) produce a trick mode elementary stream for input to the video elementary stream decoder module. For example, the one or more trick mode processing modules can replace plural non-key frames of the elementary stream with one or more P-type skipped frames for a fast forward effect, where the trick mode elementary stream comprises one or more entry point key frames and the one or more P-type skipped frames. The video receiver system can selectively route the elementary stream to either the video elementary stream decoder module or the one or more trick mode processing modules. |
| US08213776B2 |
Selecting device, selecting method, and selecting program storage medium
Disclosed are a selecting device, a selecting method, and a selecting program storage medium, which are configured to surely and easily select programs such as a drama series, even when a large number of programs are recorded. The selecting device includes: a designating section which designates a program from programs stored in a storage device in response to an operation; a searching section which searches the programs stored in the storage device for a program satisfying a predetermined correlation between itself and the program designated by the designating section; and a selecting section which collectively selects the program designated by the designating section and the program searched out by the searching section collectively. |
| US08213773B1 |
Apparatus and method for zoomable on-line video
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for presenting zoom-able video via the Internet. |
| US08213765B2 |
Recording and playback apparatus for recording and playing back digital signals in accordance with capability of recording medium
A recording and playback apparatus of the present invention comprises a part for measuring a speed for recording data into a recording medium, a part for detecting a bit rate of data inputted to this apparatus, a part for changing the bit rate of the data, a part for setting a bit rate to the part for changing the bit rate and a part for detecting the recording medium and recording and reading out data into/from the recording medium. |
| US08213763B2 |
Video data copying apparatus, video data copying method, recording medium, and integrated circuit
The present invention achieves an electronic device that, when copying video data from a high-capacity recording medium to a plurality of low-capacity recording media, prevents the video data from being divided at an unnatural position. With this electronic device, if the amount of space remaining in a copy destination recording medium is less than the size of the scene to be copied, the scene data is copied into a different copy destination recording medium in the case where the amount of time of the scene data that can be copied into the copy destination recording medium is less than or equal to a predetermined amount of time. |
| US08213753B2 |
System for delivering the output from an optical fibre
A termination for an optical fiber is disclosed, including an end cap optically connected to a delivery end of the fiber and tapering its towards its proximal end so as to expand the signal beam output by the fiber, a capillary having a bore mounted so that the end cap and an end portion of the delivery fiber are mounted within the bore, the capillary having an end which is angled so as to reflect undesired radiation within the capillary away from the fiber, and a cladding mode stripper arranged upstream of the delivery end. |
| US08213750B2 |
Method and device for suppressing cross-coupling component in multimode fibers
A laser system includes a multimode fiber (MMF) receiving a single-mode input beam and a mechanical oscillator coupled to the MMF. The oscillator is operative to modulate a phase of interference wave by periodically extending the fiber total length at such a frequency that a cross-coupling coefficient between fundamental and at least one high-order modes is substantially minimized. |
| US08213745B2 |
Seam carving for image resizing
A method for modifying an input digital image having input dimensions defined by a number of input rows and input columns to form an output digital image where the number of rows or columns is reduced by one, comprising an image energy map determined from the input image; determining a seam path responsive to the image energy map; imposing constraints on the seam path; and removing pixels along the seam path to modify the input digital image. |
| US08213741B2 |
Method to generate thumbnails for digital images
This invention generates object-focused thumbnails from input images reflecting the mood and intention of the user, based on the original high-resolution picture. The invention includes edge detection, clustering detected edges into regions, ranking the regions and forming the thumbnail from a portion of the input image having a predetermined thumbnail size centered at a center of the highest ranking region. With this invention, the thumbnail accurately captures the focus of the image. |
| US08213739B2 |
Method and system of performing detection on an imaging device
In a method and system of detecting abnormality in an imaging device, multiple digital data are received in sequence from the imaging device via at least one data output pin. The multiple digital data correspond respectively to multiple pixel data. Subsequently, the multiple digital data for a specific pin are compared to determine whether they are, or how many of them are, the same. Accordingly, the specific pin is determined as abnormal when the number of the same digital data exceeds a predetermined value. |
| US08213738B2 |
Method for eliminating noise from image generated by image sensor
A method for eliminating noise from an image generated by an image sensor, includes: setting a group of pixels arranged in a square matrix and including a central pixel intended to eliminate the noise in the image and peripheral pixels arranged around the central pixel; obtaining absolute difference values between a luminance value of the central pixel and a luminance value of the peripheral pixels according to directionalities of the peripheral pixels about the central pixel; comparing the obtained absolute difference values with first critical values to determine a region to which the central pixel belongs; when the determined region is the contour region, eliminating noise of the group of the pixels according to directionality of the contour; and when the determined region is the noise region, eliminating the noise of the group of the pixels according to a noise level of the group of the pixels. |
| US08213737B2 |
Digital image enhancement with reference images
A digital image processing technique detects and corrects visual imperfections using a reference image. A main image and one or more reference images having a temporal and/or spatial overlap and/or proximity with the original image are captured. Device information, image data and/or meta data are analyzed of the one or more reference images relating to a defect in the main image. The device corrects the defect based on the information, image data and/or meta-data to create an enhanced version of the main image. |
| US08213735B2 |
Methods and apparatus for performing image binarization
Methods and apparatus for binarizing images represented by sets of multivalent pixel values in a computationally efficient manner are described In a grayscale image to be binarized, one group of pixel values represents “foreground”, e.g., text to be converted to black, while another group represents a shaded “background” region to be converted, e.g., to white. The difference between foreground and background is often a function of the scale of the image components, e.g., text and/or other images. Filters in the form of morphological operators, computationally efficient quick-open and quick-close morphological operators are employed to binarize images, e.g., grayscale images. The methods and apparatus effectively handle both smooth and sharp image background structures in a computationally efficient manner. |
| US08213734B2 |
Active autofocus window
A method for changing the depth at which an image is focused is provided in a portable imaging device that includes an image recording arrangement that has a lens system, an image sensor for recording images, and a display arrangement for presentation of the recorded images. The method includes moving a movable focusing frame covering a part of a recorded image presented on the display to identify an area of interest in the presented image. The method also includes analyzing the image within the frame to obtain a setting required to focus the image within the frame and applying the obtained setting to the full presented image to focus the presented image at the depth defined by the current position of the movable focusing frame. |
| US08213731B2 |
Information processing device and method
An information processing device includes: a synthesis filter processing unit to subject image data to analysis filtering for dividing the frequency components of the image data into highband components and lowband components hierarchically, and subject the frequency components of the image data divided into a plurality of frequency components to synthesis filtering for mutually synthesizing the frequency components of the frequency band of the same division level recursively; a frequency component holding unit to hold frequency components of a division level one order lower, generated by the synthesis filtering performed by the synthesis filter processing unit; and a control unit to cause the synthesis filter processing unit to recursively perform the synthesis filtering processing on each frequency component held in the frequency component holding unit, in an order whereby the image data is restored in order from the top of the image, a plurality of lines at a time. |
| US08213728B2 |
Method and apparatus of image compression with output control
A method of compressing an image by saving the compressed color components into multiple temporary buffers with each time slot saving the color component to the different buffer. A method deciding when to shift the compressed color components to another device is applied to avoid underflow and overflow of the output buffer. |
| US08213718B2 |
Method for video mode detection
A method for video mode detection, wherein video input data (VID) corresponding to a video picture (P) is received and a video mode is determined for said video picture (P). The determining of said video mode depends on a local video mode (LVM) and a global video mode (GVM) of said video picture (P). Said global video mode (GVM) is determined for said video picture (P) based on said video input data (VID) or a derivative (m1) thereof. For determining said local video mode (LVM), first said video picture (P) is subdivided into a ticker area (TA) and a remaining area (RA), thereby generating ticker area data (TAD). Then, said local video mode (LVM) is determined for said ticker area (TA) based on said ticker area data (TAD). When determining said local video mode (LVM), said ticker area (TA) is subdivided into n sub-areas, and at least one of said n sub-areas (1 . . . 6) is selected as selected sub-area (SSA). Further, a sub-area video mode (SVM) is determined for said selected sub-area and said local video mode (LVM) is determined for said ticker area (TA) based on said sub-area video mode (SVM). |
| US08213707B2 |
System and method for 3D measurement and surface reconstruction
A system and method for measuring and surface reconstruction of a 3D image of an object comprises a projector arranged to project a pattern onto a surface of an object to be imaged; and a processor stage arranged to examine distortion or distortions produced in the pattern by the surface. The processor stage is arranged to convert by, for example, a triangulation process the distortion or distortions produced in the pattern by the surface to a distance representation representative of the shape of the surface. The processor stage is also arranged to reconstruct electronically the surface shape of the object. |
| US08213706B2 |
Method and system for real-time visual odometry
A method for real-time visual odometry comprises capturing a first three-dimensional image of a location at a first time, capturing a second three-dimensional image of the location at a second time that is later than the first time, and extracting one or more features and their descriptors from each of the first and second three-dimensional images. One or more features from the first three-dimensional image are then matched with one or more features from the second three-dimensional image. The method further comprises determining changes in rotation and translation between the first and second three-dimensional images from the first time to the second time using a random sample consensus (RANSAC) process and a unique iterative refinement technique. |
| US08213702B2 |
Automated testing device for fastener
The automated testing device contains a platform, a rotational plate on a top side of the platform, and, around the rotational plate and along a rotating direction of the rotational plate, an uploading member, a guiding member, an optical testing member, and an unloading member are provided and located in this sequence. The uploading member places fasteners in an upright manner on the top side of the rotational plate. The guiding member aligns the upright fasteners along a specific path. The optical testing member obtains and examines at least a profile image of each fastener. The unloading member screens out substandard fasteners and collects those qualified fasteners out of the rotational plate. |
| US08213698B2 |
Systems and methods for capsule camera control
Systems and methods are provided for environment change sensing corresponding to the capsule camera entering the colon from the small intestine. In the environment change sensing mode, the capsule camera is operated in a very low power mode by configuring the image sensor to use a small region of interest or a high sub-sampling ratio. Image data is processed to estimate the light level. The variation of light level is used to detect environment change corresponding to entering the colon from the small intestine. Alternatively, the motion metric for a current frame and a reference frame is evaluated. The characteristic of the motion metric is extracted and used to detect environment change. In another configuration, the system determines environment change based on a combination of the variation of light intensity and the characteristic of the motion metric. Upon the detection of capsule camera entrance into the colon from the small intestine, control signals are provided to the image sensor and the light source. |
| US08213697B2 |
Agglutination image automatic judging method by MT system, device, program, and recording medium
The present invention include a method of determining an agglutination pattern type of a pattern formed in a reaction vessel, comprising setting a reference space based on one or a plurality of types of typical reaction images setting one or a plurality of types of unit regions in each of the reference spaces and determining a Mahalanobis distance for each unit region setting a threshold value from each of the Mahalanobis distances obtained setting one or a plurality of unit regions for a reaction image as an object image and determining the Mahalanobis distance, and (E) determining a pattern type for the object image by comparing the threshold value with the distances. |
| US08213695B2 |
Device and software for screening the skin
The present invention provides devices for screening the skin of an individual in real time using a region-fusion based segmentation with narrow band graph partitioning algorithm to analyze and classify a region of interest of the skin as benign or malignant. Also, provided is a method for screening the skin of an individual using the devices described herein. In addition the present invention provides a digital processor-implemented system for classifying a region of interest on the skin and a processor readable medium having processor-executable instructions to perform skin cancer detection. |
| US08213693B1 |
System and method to track and navigate a tool through an imaged subject
A system to navigate an imaged subject in relation to an acquired image of the imaged subject is provided. The system includes an intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) imaging system having a transducer operable to acquire image data so as to create a four-dimensional image model of the imaged subject. The model is defined in spatial relation and orientation relative to an image coordinate system. A tracking system is operable to track movement and orientation of the transducer through the imaged subject relative to a tracking coordinate system. A controller is electrically connected in communication with the imaging system and the tracking system. The controller is operable to register the image coordinate system with the tracking coordinate system, and to calibrate the image coordinate system and the tracking coordinate system relative to a common reference having fiducials of known spatial relation. |
| US08213689B2 |
Method and system for automated annotation of persons in video content
Methods and systems for automated annotation of persons in video content are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of identifying faces in a video includes the stages of: generating face tracks from input video streams; selecting key face images for each face track; clustering the face tracks to generate face clusters; creating face models from the face clusters; and correlating face models with a face model database. In another embodiment, a system for identifying faces in a video includes a face model database having face entries with face models and corresponding names, and a video face identifier module. In yet another embodiment, the system for identifying faces in a video can also have a face model generator. |
| US08213683B2 |
Driving support system with plural dimension processing units
A driving support system with plural dimension processing units (DPUs) for indicating a condition of a surrounding area is disclosed. The driving support system of a vehicle includes plural image capturing devices disposed around the vehicle; at least a dimension processing unit (DPU) connected with the plural image capturing devices for receiving images from the plural image capturing devices and then producing plural related depth maps; a controller connected with the DPU for receiving the plural related depth maps and then producing an indicating data; and a display device connected with the controller for displaying the indicating data around the vehicle in a vertical view. |
| US08213680B2 |
Proxy training data for human body tracking
Synthesized body images are generated for a machine learning algorithm of a body joint tracking system. Frames from motion capture sequences are retargeted to several different body types, to leverage the motion capture sequences. To avoid providing redundant or similar frames to the machine learning algorithm, and to provide a compact yet highly variegated set of images, dissimilar frames can be identified using a similarity metric. The similarity metric is used to locate frames which are sufficiently distinct, according to a threshold distance. For realism, noise is added to the depth images based on noise sources which a real world depth camera would often experience. Other random variations can be introduced as well. For example, a degree of randomness can be added to retargeting. For each frame, the depth image and a corresponding classification image, with labeled body parts, are provided. 3-D scene elements can also be provided. |
| US08213679B2 |
Method for moving targets tracking and number counting
The invention discloses a method for moving targets tracking and number counting, comprising the steps of: a). acquiring continuously the video images comprising moving targets; b). acquiring the video image of a current frame, and pre-processing the video image of the current frame; c). segmenting the target region of the processed image, and extracting the target region; d). matching the target region of the current frame obtained in step c) with that of the previous frame based on an online feature selection to establish a match tracking link; and e). determining the number of the targets corresponding to each match tracking link based on the target region tracks recorded by the match tracking link. The invention can solve the problem of low precision of the number statistic results caused by the bad environment, such as that the distribution of the illumination is extremely not equilibrium spatially, the change in a time period is complicated, the change of the gesture during the people goes by is evident, and the like, under the normal application condition. |
| US08213677B2 |
Motion measuring device, motion measuring system, in-vehicle device, motion measuring method, motion measurement program, and computer-readable storage medium
An embodiment of the present invention includes: a tracking object image extracting section that extracts a tracking object image, which represents a tracking object, from an image captured by a monocular camera; a two-dimensional displacement calculating section that calculates, as actual movement amounts, amounts of inter-frame movement of the tracking object image; a two-dimensional plane projecting section that generates on a two-dimensional plane a projected image of a three-dimensional model, which represents in three dimensions a capturing object captured by the monocular camera; a small motion generating section that calculates, as estimated movement amounts, amounts of inter-frame movement of the projected image; and a three-dimensional displacement estimating section that estimates amounts of three-dimensional motion of the tracking object on the basis of the actual movement amounts and the estimated movement amounts. |
| US08213673B2 |
Watermarking of motion pictures
The problem of watermarking a sequence of images from a motion picture can be divided into two parts. The first part is embedding watermarks in the sequence of images. The second part is detecting embedded watermarks in a target sequence of images where the target sequence may have resulted from one or more attacks on an original sequence of images in which the watermarks were embedded. Motion pictures are watermarked by embedding information in different ways in different images. In general, the information to be embedded is used to define a plurality of watermark images. Each watermark image is an apparent pattern of noise in both signal and frequency domains, and is different from the other watermark images. Preferably, each watermark image is temporally uncorrelated with the other watermark images. Each watermark image is used to modify a corresponding image from the motion picture. To detect the presence of the information in a target sequence of images from a motion picture, the target images are processed to determine an alignment with a watermark sequence. When an alignment with the watermark sequence is determined, a sliding window detector is applied to detect the watermark and read the information embedded by the watermark. By embedding the same information in different ways in different images, and then detecting this information by combining data from the different images, the sensitivity of the detector is increased. |
| US08213672B2 |
Millimeter wave imaging method and system to detect concealed objects
The invention provides for an expandable multi channel radiometer imaging method and system. The imaging system includes a scanner for reflecting millimeter wave energy emanating from a pre-determined scene. The millimeter wave energy is focused to a focal plane array using an optical lens and a multi channel radiometer receives the millimeter wave energy. The focal plane array is formed by a plurality of pixels that each includes a single low noise amplifier. The number of pixels of the focal plane array is expendable to increase the resolution of a millimeter wave image. A virtual grid of cells is formed representing different values of millimeter wave energy within the imaging zone. Algorithms calculate differences of millimeter wave energy between cells of said virtual grid to display a composite image to identify concealed objects on an individual. |
| US08213671B2 |
Speaker
A speaker having improved sound quality by reducing a phase difference and also having an outstanding outward appearance is provided. In a speaker comprising a vibrating element 10, a drive unit 20 for vibrating the vibrating element 10, and a frame 30 supporting the vibrating element 10 and the drive unit 20, the vibrating element 10 comprises a front face region 10A which forms a continuously curved face having a convex-shaped cross-sectional portion T1 formed in its central portion and a concave-shaped cross-sectional portion T2 formed around the portion T1, and a connecting region 10B located on the rear side of the front face region 10A and connected to the drive unit 20. |
| US08213665B2 |
Headphone
A headphone includes a headband and a left housing and a right housing. The left housing and the right housing are mounted to respective ends of the headband through respective hangers. Each housing accommodates a drive unit. Sliders including hollow cylindrical members are mounted to the respective hangers, and are slidably supported at slidably supporting portions at the respective ends of the headband. A cord, disposed between the left and right housings and used to pass drive electric current to the drive unit in one of the housings, is spirally accommodated in the hollow cylindrical members making up the respective sliders so that the cord is capable of being stretched and compressed. |
| US08213664B2 |
Shape-adaptable surface for an audio port
A method and apparatus for providing a shape-adaptable surface for an audio port of a device includes an audio port, a shape-adaptable surface having a plurality of portions, a plurality of sensors coupled to the shape-adaptable surface, wherein the plurality of sensors are operative to sense a plurality of distances between the object and the shape-adaptable surface, and a processor operatively coupled to the shape-adaptable surface and the plurality of sensors, said processor configured to control some of the plurality of portions of the shape-adaptable surface to adjust the plurality of distances and to provide a channel between a sound receiver of the object and the audio port. An improved audio coupling is formed by adjusting the distances between the shape-adaptable surface and the object, thereby transmitting sounds directly from the audio port of the device to a sound receiver of the object. |
| US08213659B2 |
Apparatus with adjustable speaker arrangement
Apparatus includes a housing, the housing including a first body part and a second body part, the first body part being moveable relative to the second body part, wherein the housing has a first configuration when the first body part is in a first position relative to the second body part between and a second configuration when the first body part is in a second position relative to the second body part; and a speaker arrangement, wherein the speaker arrangement comprises a transducer, a front cavity coupled to a first side of the transducer, and an opening. The opening connects the front cavity to an exterior of the housing. A rear cavity is coupled to a second side of the transducer, the second side of the transducer being on an opposite side of the transducer to the first side of the transducer. The speaker arrangement has a first physical arrangement when the housing is in the first configuration and a second physical arrangement when the housing is in the second configuration, the first physical arrangement being different to the second physical arrangement. |
| US08213653B2 |
Hearing device
The hearing device to be worn by a user of the hearing device comprises an input transducer for transducing incoming acoustical sound into audio signals; a signal processor for processing audio signals; an output transducer for transducing audio signals into outgoing acoustical sound. Said signal processor is designed such that there exists an input SPL range of at least a portion of said incoming acoustical sound, in which an increase in input SPL of said at least one portion of said incoming acoustical sound results in a decrease in output SPL of at least a portion of said outgoing acoustical sound, wherein SPL stands for sound pressure level. Through this, at high input SPL the hearing device's power consumption can be reduced by making use of direct sound, which propagate as sound waves from outside the user's ear canal to the user's ear drum. |
| US08213647B2 |
Electroacoustic device
An electroacoustic device includes a rear body portion containing electronic circuits, being so dimensioned and shaped as to be carried by a human user behind the user's ear and having an upper end portion and a frontal body portion with an upper end portion connected to the upper end portion of the rear body portion. The device may include an electroacoustic speaker transducer connected to the frontal body portion and arrangeable in a sound transmitting relationship to the user's ear canal when the device is carried by the human user. The speaker transducer may be rotatable about an axis which is arranged on a plane that is substantially parallel to the side of the head of the user when the device is carried by the human user. |
| US08213645B2 |
Bone conduction assembly for communication headsets
A bone conduction assembly can include at least a microphone, an assembly stem, an ear cushion, and a microphone channel. The microphone can include an acoustic-to-electric transducer. The assembly stem can house the microphone and can be shaped for insertion into an ear canal of a user. The ear cushion can have an inner surface surrounding an outer surface of the assembly stem and an outer, contiguous, annular surface configured to maintain contact with an ear canal of a user when worn. The microphone channel can be shaped to channel vibrations resulting from bone conduction from the ear canal through the assembly stem to the microphone. In one embodiment, the bone conduction assembly can include a speaker having a speaker channel that is acoustically isolated from the microphone channel. |
| US08213644B2 |
Vibration speaker having comfortable contacting face plate and portable terminal
A vibration speaker with facial plate has developed for delivering sound in a form of vibrational movement to a user's skin. The vibration speaker includes a voice coil to generate a magnetic force in response to application of a sound signal from an exterior, a magnet having a predetermined magnetic force to interact with the magnetic force from the voice coil, a basket to receive the magnet, a face plate to deliver upward and downward movement of the voice coil or the magnet to the user's skin, and a rear cover coupled to the face plate to constitute an appearance of the vibration speaker. The face plate is provided with a plate-shaped tensioner providing a predetermined tension for maintaining the face plate in a horizontal state to control upward and downward vibrational movement delivered from the vibration speaker. |
| US08213637B2 |
Sound field control in multiple listening regions
A scheme to design an audio precompensation controller for a multichannel audio system, with a prescribed number N of loudspeakers in prescribed positions so that listeners positioned in any of P>1 spatially extended listening regions should be given the illusion of being in another acoustic environment that has L sound sources located at prescribed positions in a prescribed room acoustics. The method provides a unified joint solution to the problems of equalizer design, crossover design, delay and level calibration, sum-response optimization and up-mixing. A multi-input multi-output audio precompensation controller is designed for an associated sound generating system including a limited number of loudspeaker inputs for emulating a number of virtual sound sources. Method includes: estimating, for each loudspeaker input signals, an impulse response at each of a set of measurement positions that cover the P listening regions; specifying a target impulse response (target stages) for each virtual sound source at each measurement position; and determining adjustable filter parameters of the audio precompensation controller so that a criterion function is optimized. |
| US08213636B2 |
Method and a system for reconstituting low frequencies in audio signal
The method comprises the steps of: filtering the audio signal by means of a lowpass filter (101) with a cutoff frequency substantially equal to said cutoff frequency (F0) of the sound playback device; determining a fundamental frequency for reconstituting from the lowpass filtered audio signal; and generating a harmonic signal (Sharm) associated with said fundamental frequency to be reconstituted. It also comprises the steps of: detecting a time envelope (env(t)) of the lowpass filtered audio signal; adapting the dynamic range of said time envelope (env(t)) as a function of the frequency band under consideration; and reinjecting said harmonic signal in phase into said audio signal by addition after multiplying said harmonic signal (Sharm) with the adapted time envelope (envadapt(t)). The adaptation is performed by compression/expansion of the time envelope with feedback loop control that is adjusted automatically on the value of the envelope as a function of the mean energy of the input signal to a value that maximizes said energy within a defined limit. |
| US08213635B2 |
Keystroke sound suppression
An audio signal is received that might include keyboard noise and speech. The audio signal is digitized and transformed from a time domain to a frequency domain. The transformed audio is analyzed to determine whether there is likelihood that keystroke noise is present. If it is determined there is high likelihood that the audio signal contains keystroke noise, a determination is made as to whether a keyboard event occurred around the time of the likely keystroke noise. If it is determined that a keyboard event occurred around the time of the likely keystroke noise, a determination is made as to whether speech is present in the audio signal around the time of the likely keystroke noise. If no speech is present, the keystroke noise is suppressed in the audio signal. If speech is detected in the audio signal or if the keystroke noise abates, the suppression gain is removed from the audio signal. |
| US08213631B2 |
Sound system with multiple speakers
A sound system that may be used for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a head unit configured for generating an electrical signal, and a relay is configured to receive an electrical signal from the head unit. An interior speaker is carried by the vehicle and is configured for receiving an electrical signal from the relay in order to produce sound. An exterior speaker is carried by the vehicle and is configured for receiving an electrical signal from the relay in order to produce sound. A switch is configured to be opened and closed in order to trip the relay between a first state in which the interior speaker produces sound and the exterior speaker does not produce sound and a second state in which the interior speaker does not produce sound and the exterior speaker produces sound. A method of controlling a sound system is also provided. |
| US08213629B2 |
Method and system for automatic level reduction
A method to automatically adjust listening levels to safe listening levels is provided. The method can include the steps of monitoring an audio content level, monitoring a sound pressure level within an ear canal, and gradually reducing over time a volume of the audio content responsive to detecting intermittent manual volume increases of the audio content. |
| US08213627B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring a hearing aid
A hearing aid contains a microphone detecting an acoustic input signal and converts it to an electrical output signal, a receiver producing an acoustic output signal being dependent on an electrical output signal of the microphone, and a transmitter transmitting a monitoring signal, which is dependent on the electrical output signal. A transceiver contains a receiver for receiving the monitoring signal, and a signal processing device for processing the monitoring signal. The signal processing device processes the monitoring signal to produce an indication signal which is acoustically restricted with respect to the monitoring signal such that it simulates a restricted hearing capability of a person, or which indicates an operating/signal state of the hearing aid. The transmission of the monitoring signal to the transceiver and the processing to form the indication signal provides information about the state of the hearing aid for monitoring of the hearing aid. |
| US08213626B2 |
Measuring box for a hearing apparatus and corresponding measuring method
The size of measuring boxes for hearing apparatuses and in particular for hearing devices is to be reduced, with the efficiency of the measuring box in respect of attenuating interference noises being maintained or improved. A measuring box is thus proposed, which comprises an interference signal recording facility for recording an interference signal. Furthermore, provision is made in the measuring box for a signal generating facility to generate a compensation signal which is phase-opposed to the recorded interference signal, so that the interference signal can be compensated for by the compensation signal. The interference noise attenuation is thus achieved here by an electronic active part, so that the quality demands on the measurement space can be reduced and its size thereby decreased as well. |
| US08213623B2 |
Method to generate an output audio signal from two or more input audio signals
The directionality of microphones is often not high enough, resulting in compromised music recording. Beamforming for getting a signal with a higher directional response is limited due to spatial aliasing, dependence of beamwidth on frequency, and a requirement of a high number of microphones. The invention proposes a method to generate an output audio signal y from two or more input audio signals (x1, x2, . . . ), this method comprising the steps of: define one input signal as reference signal for each of the other input signals compute gain factors related to how much of the input signal is contained in the reference signal adjust the gain factors using a limiting function compute the output signal by subtracting from the reference signal the other input signals multiplied by the corresponding adjusted gain factors. |
| US08213622B2 |
Binaural sound localization using a formant-type cascade of resonators and anti-resonators
This invention is a method for binaural localization using a cascade of resonators and anti-resonators to implement an HRTF (head-related transfer function). The spectrum of the cascade reproduces the magnitude spectrum of a desired HRTF. The proposed method provides a considerably more computationally efficient implementation of HRTF filters with no detectable deterioration of output quality while saving memory when storing a large quantity of HRTFs due to the parameterization of its resonators and anti-resonators. Finally, the method offers additional flexibility since the resonators and anti-resonators can be manipulated individually during the design process, making it possible to interpolate smoothly between HRTFs, reduce spectral coloring or achieve higher accuracy at perceptually relevant frequency regions. These HRTF are useful in stereo enhancement and multi-channel virtual surround simulation. |
| US08213616B2 |
Systems and methods for providing opportunistic security for physical communication channels
Systems and methods of providing opportunistic security for physical communication channels are disclosed. One disclosed method is for opportunistic secure communication on a main channel between a sender device and a receiver device when an eavesdropper device is listening on an eavesdropper channel. This example method includes transmitting, in a first time period in which signal quality on the main channel is better than signal quality on the eavesdropper channel, symbols that are randomly selected from a set of symbols. The method also includes transmitting, in a second time period in which signal quality on the main channel is not better than signal quality on the eavesdropper channel, coding information associated with the randomly selected symbols. The method also includes reconciling the randomly selected symbols using the coding information. |
| US08213615B2 |
Data encoding method
A method of encoding a piece of information circulating in a network comprising at least one information transmitting node and one recipient node, using a public key encryption system, characterized in that it comprises at least the following steps: generating a public key by using a public key generation matrix NG consisting of u columns and u rows, an element of a column or of a row being a block formed by the code generation matrix G, and by use of a public key given by the matrix PUK=RI (matrix multiplication by block) NG (matrix multiplication) RP. The private key and the public key obtained are used to encode and decode the information transmitted in the network. |
| US08213614B2 |
Distribution and printing of travel documents
A system for generating and printing travel documents for a customer associated with a journey having one or more parts, the system comprising: a travel documentation distribution module capable of generating travel documentation for the customer and capable of passing the documents for storage on a customer device at the request of the customer; and a printer located in the vicinity of a starting point of one of the parts of the journey which is capable of responding to a short range communication from the customer device to print the travel documents for said part of the journey for the customer. |
| US08213607B2 |
Method for securely extending key stream to encrypt high-entropy data
A stream stretcher is provided for securely expanding a key stream to match the length of a data block to be encrypted and/or decrypted. A key stream is obtained having a length of LZ bits. A length LD corresponding to a data block to be encrypted/decrypted is obtained, where LD>LZ. LD−LZ new bits are recursively generated by combining at least two bits of the key stream. The LD−LZ new bits are appended to the key stream to generate a stretched key stream. The data block may then be encrypted/decrypted with the stretched key stream. The at least two bits are selected to have offsets that form a full positive difference set. |
| US08213603B2 |
Encryption processing apparatus
Disclosed herein is an encryption processing apparatus including: a first register device; a second register device; a first flag operation device; a first operation device; a second operation device; a round operation device; a third and a fourth operation device; a second flag operation device; and a fifth operation device. |
| US08213598B2 |
Harmonic distortion residual echo suppression
Harmonic distortion residual echo suppression (HDRES) technique embodiments are presented which act to suppress the residual echo remaining after a near-end microphone signal has undergone AEC, including harmonic distortion in the signal that was caused by the speaker audio signal playback. In general, an AEC module is employed which suppresses some parts of the speaker audio signal found in a near-end microphone signal and generates an AEC output signal. A HDRES module then inputs the AEC output signal and the speaker audio signal, and suppresses at least a portion of a residual part of the speaker audio signal that was left unsuppressed by the AEC module. This includes at least a portion of the harmonic distortion exhibited in the AEC output signal. |
| US08213587B2 |
Inbound call identification and management
Examples of inbound call identification and management are described including a call management system that includes one or more repositories that can include data representing call action policies and data representing attributes associated with the caller devices and the callee devices. Further, the call management system can include one or more computing devices that include a call identifier (“IDer”) configured to characterize the attributes of the caller devices to form characterized attributes, a call management system controller configured to match the characterized attributes against routing criteria specified in the data representing the call action policies, and a call management system router configured to route calls from the caller devices to the callee devices responsive to a match between the characterized attributes and the routing criteria. |
| US08213585B2 |
Automated distribution and indexing of prepaid calling card information
In certain embodiments, a system for automated distribution and indexing of prepaid calling card information comprises a central terminal operable to receive a request to purchase prepaid telephone services from an initiating terminal. The request comprises an identifier of a financial account to be used to purchase the prepaid telephone services. The central terminal is operable to electronically seek authorization for the request, initiate electronic debiting of the financial account using the identifier, and log a transaction indicating a purchase of prepaid telephone services in response to receipt of the authorization. The central terminal is operable to initiate electronic transmission, according to purchaser contact information, of calling card information from the central terminal to at least one electronic storage medium for access by a purchaser. The calling card information provides access to the prepaid telephone services instead of using a telephone card or printed receipt to obtain the prepaid telephone services. |
| US08213584B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing proposed service features in a communication network
Method and apparatus for analyzing a proposed service feature in a communication network is described. In one example, a call flow for supporting the service feature in the communication network is created, where at least one network component supports the call flow. First cost data for internally developing the at least one network component is determined. Second cost data for procuring the at least one network component from third party entity is determined. The first cost data and the second cost data are processed to generate a recommendation for either internally developing or externally procuring the at least one network element. |
| US08213581B1 |
Apparatus and methods for telecommunication authentication
The present invention is related to telecommunications, and in particular to systems and methods of using telecommunication services for user authentication. Account information is stored for a user, the account information including at least a first phone number associated with the user. A user order is received. A verification phone call is received from the user, the call including charge phone number information. The charge number information is compared to the first phone number to authenticate that the user is associated with the first phone number. Based at least in part on the comparison, the user order is selectively caused to be fulfilled. |
| US08213572B2 |
Retrofitable long-length digital radiography imaging apparatus and method
An apparatus for obtaining a long-length x-ray image of a subject, has an x-ray source and a first sensor that generates a first signal that indicates termination of x-ray emission from the x-ray source. A digital radiography detector is energizable to generate image data after receiving x-ray emission from the x-ray source. A detector transport apparatus is actuable in accordance with the first signal to translate the digital radiography detector from at least a first detector position to a second detector position for generating image data at each detector position. A processor in communication with the digital radiography detector obtains the image data of the subject that is generated from the detector. |
| US08213571B2 |
Small diameter X-ray tube
Methods and systems for X-ray imaging enable inspection of an area of an object that is located separate and apart from a location of an X-ray generator. An X-ray imaging system includes an X-ray generator to generate X-rays. A collimator filters the generated X-rays to consolidate the generated X-rays and move the generated X-rays in a direction parallel to a centerline axis of the collimator. A small diameter tube transmits the directed X-rays and an end retainer emits the transmitted X-rays at an inspection object. A first filter of the collimator may initially filter the generated X-rays that are not parallel to the centerline axis of the collimator by passing the X-rays through a plurality of apertures. A second filter of the collimator may consolidate the generated X-rays and move the generated X-rays in a direction parallel to the centerline axis of the collimator by passing the generated X-rays through a channel. |
| US08213567B2 |
Radiographic apparatus
In the radiographic apparatus of this invention, when obtaining long images in a longitudinal direction, a correcting device corrects radiographic images based on overlapping areas of a plurality of radiographic images based on the radiation detected whenever a relative movement is made in the same direction, an image decomposing device decomposes corrected radiographic images for every predetermined distance, and an image composing device composes the decomposed images for each of the same projection angles to obtain a projection image for each projection angle. Thus, with a reconstruction processing device carrying out a reconstruction process based on the composed projection images, sectional images having a long field of view in the longitudinal direction can be obtained, while reducing luminance differences among different radiographic images. |
| US08213564B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining an image from x-ray projections recorded when traversing a trajectory
A method for determining attenuation coefficients for an object using a movable x-ray source and a detector for recording projections is provided. The method includes defining a trajectory for the movable x-ray source, defining filtering lines for the filtering of projection data, and defining positions on the filtering lines, at which the projection derivative is to be formed using a mathematical algorithm for a back-projection. The method also includes defining sampling positions on the trajectory, traversing, by the x-ray source, the trajectory and recording a projection for each sampling position. Projection derivatives with respect to the trajectory path are calculated numerically for each of the positions directly on the filtering lines, and using a mathematical algorithm, attenuation coefficients are determined for the object from the calculated projection derivatives, for the reconstruction. |
| US08213560B2 |
PLL circuit
Disclosed herein is a phase-locked loop circuit including: a voltage controlled oscillator; a variable frequency divider circuit for frequency-dividing an oscillating signal of the voltage controlled oscillator into a 1/N (N is an integer) frequency; a phase comparator circuit for comparing phases of a frequency-divided signal and a reference signal of a reference frequency with each other; a charge pump circuit for outputting a charge pump current changed in pulse width; a loop filter for being supplied with the charge pump current and outputting a direct-current voltage changed in level; and a control circuit for calculating a value of the charge pump current as a function of the oscillating frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator and a coefficient for setting a phase locked loop band, and setting the value of the charge pump current in the charge pump circuit. |
| US08213559B2 |
Parallel sampling device, parallel sampling method, receiving device, and receiving method
A parallel sampling device includes a memory that stores the values of the sampling function (Sin πt/πt), a low pass filter, a sampler that samples a signal, which has passed through low pass filter, at a sampling period of Ts, and a parallel sampler provided in a stage following the sampler. The parallel sampler generates parallel sampled values at an interval of the sampling period Ts/N (N is a natural number equal to or larger than 2) based on sampled values obtained by the sampler and the values of the sampling function stored in the memory. This configuration allows parallel sampling to be performed easily even if the frequency is high or the sampling period of parallel sampling is narrow. |
| US08213557B2 |
Filtering apparatus and digital broadcast receiving apparatus
A filtering apparatus including: first and second filters used to filter inputted packets; a connection information register disposed in correspondence with the first filter; a condition storage portion configured to store a filter condition for identifying a packet associated to the second filter; a reference number register configured to allocate any one of the numbers of the second filters as a reference number for each number of the first filter and to store the reference numbers; and a determination portion configured to determine the number of the second filter to be used to filter packets filtered using the first filter based on the reference number and on a value of the connection information register corresponding to the first filter. |
| US08213553B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying co-channel interference
Methods and apparatuses identifying a co-channel interference signal in communications systems are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises generating an interference signal by subtracting a reconstructed desired signal from an at least partially demodulated composite signal, and generating synchronization statistics of interference signal using different scrambling codes. The interference signal is identified as the signal associated with the scrambling code that was used to generate an interference signal having a desired synchronization statistic. |
| US08213548B2 |
Methods and apparatus for dynamic packet reordering
Methods and apparatus for dynamic packet reordering. In an aspect, a method is provided for processing slot data on-the-fly to produce decodable packets, wherein the slot data includes interleaved modulation symbols. The method includes de-interleaving a stream of the interleaved modulation symbols to produce a stream of modulation symbols, calculating parallel streams of LLR metrics based on the stream of modulation symbols, and mapping the parallel streams of LLR metrics to produce a stream of decodable packets. In another aspect, an apparatus is provided the includes de-interleaving logic to de-interleave a stream of interleaved modulation symbols to produce a stream of modulation symbols, metric processing logic configured to produce parallel streams of LLR metrics based on the stream of modulation symbols, and mapping logic configured to map the parallel streams of LLR metrics to produce a stream of decodable packets. |
| US08213543B2 |
System and method for I/Q imbalance compensation
A transmitter (102) generates a first set of data symbols and a first pilot symbol (601) at a first time, and a second set of data symbols and a second pilot symbol (602) at a different, second time. The first (601) and second (602) pilot symbols are each represented by first (701) and second (702) pilot carriers, respectively, located at first (703) and second (704) predetermined sample frequencies, respectively, in a channel bandwidth. For the first pilot symbol (601), the first (701) and second (702) pilot carriers have first and second predetermined values, respectively. For the second pilot symbol (602), the first (701) and second (702) pilot carriers have third and fourth predetermined values, respectively. A receiver (104) measures the first, second, fourth and third predetermined values responsive to receiving the first (601) and second (602) pilot symbols to determine first, second, third and fourth estimates of channel distortion, respectively, for compensating and recovering the first and the second sets of data symbols. |
| US08213535B2 |
Transmitting apparatus with bit arrangement method
A method of transmitting data by transmitting apparatus, that includes controlling generation of bit sequences to adjust an occupation rate of systematic bits in a first data block including systematic bits and parity bits, which is obtained by encoding first data in a first encoding process, and is equal or closer to an occupation rate of systematic bits in a second data block including systematic bits and parity bits, which is obtained by encoding second data in a second encoding process, and to adjust an occupation rate of parity bits in the first data block that is closer to an occupation rate of parity bits in the second data block, in regard to first bit positions of the bit sequences generated using bits included in the first and second data blocks and performs multi-level modulation for transmission based on the generated bit sequences. |
| US08213534B2 |
Transmission apparatus and communication system
Disclosed herein is a transmission apparatus including a first transmission block configured to modulate a carrier-wave signal having a predetermined frequency on the basis of a first input signal, thereby outputting a first transmission signal; and a second transmission block configured to modulate a carrier-wave signal having a predetermined frequency on the basis of a second input signal, thereby outputting a second transmission signal; wherein a first input point for inputting the first transmission signal outputted from the first transmission block into a waveguide and a second input point for inputting the second transmission signal outputted from the second transmission block into the waveguide are shifted by a distance for providing a predetermined phase difference between the first transmission signal and the second transmission signal. |
| US08213533B2 |
Distributed antenna diversity transmission method
A Distributed Antenna System employs a downlink transmission method that requires limited channel information feedback and less coherency between signals than is required for information broadcast. Distributed antennas are treated as diversity antennas with a given power allocation. Each antenna can transmit to multiple UEs by transmitting a weighed sum of their signals, and multiple antennas can transmit to one UE by transmitting weighed space-time (or space-frequency) coded signals. The power allocation weights are determined as an optimum power allocation policy with per-antenna power constraints. |
| US08213525B2 |
Method of estimating and removing noise in OFDM systems
The present invention relates to impulse noise estimation and removal in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmissions, and particularly to transmissions in power line communications and digital subscriber line (DSL) transmissions. The method includes the steps of: modulating data to be transmitted; performing an inverse fast Fourier transform; inserting a cyclic prefix into the data; transmitting the data as a set of OFDM symbols via a channel; receiving the set of OFDM symbols; removing the cyclic prefix; performing a fast Fourier transform; estimating impulse noise; canceling the impulse noise based upon the estimated impulse noise to produce a set of impulse noise-free data; estimating the channel; and demodulating and detecting the data transmitted based upon the estimated channel and the set of impulse noise-free data. |
| US08213523B2 |
Cost-effective preamble structure for high-speed communication of packetized systems
The system (700), apparatus (600), and method of the present invention provide an hierarchical pseudo-circularly symmetric and full circularly symmetric training sequence structure (100) for high-speed communication system. The hieratical pseudo-circularly symmetric part (101) is preferably used for burst detection, coarse frequency and timing error estimation and AGC gain setting. The full circularly symmetric part (102) is preferably used for channel estimation, fine frequency error estimation. The resulting sequence has a very good peak-to-average power (PAPR) property, making it suitable for many applications. The bandwidth efficiency is also improved due to using symmetric sequences. |
| US08213522B2 |
Digital broadcast receiving apparatus, semiconductor integrated circuit, and digital broadcast receiving method
The digital broadcast receiving apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first decoding unit which decodes video data of a first digital broadcast and outputs first video data that is decoded; a second decoding unit which decodes video data of a second digital broadcast and outputs second video data that is decoded; and a selection unit which selects one of the first video data and the second video data, and the first decoding unit outputs the first video data synchronous with a referential clock when the first video data is selected by the selection unit, and the first decoding unit outputs the first video data with timing delayed or accelerated by as much as an offset value with respect to timing of predetermined periodicity when the first video data is not selected by the selection unit. |
| US08213518B1 |
Multi-threaded streaming data decoding
Streaming data may be decoded by dividing a process for decoding the streaming data into two or more tasks based on data dependencies between the two or more tasks. The two or more tasks may be executed in parallel on three or more processors in a way that balances a processing load of executing the two or more tasks among the three or more processors. |
| US08213514B1 |
Video frame encoding and decoding
A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded. |
| US08213505B2 |
Encoding apparatus, encoding method, program for encoding method, and recording medium having program for encoding method recorded thereon
An encoding apparatus for generating, in an intra prediction mode, difference data by subtracting prediction values from input image data, and performing encoding processing on the input image data by processing the difference data. The apparatus includes a first prediction mode detecting section for detecting a first best prediction mode, a second prediction mode detecting section for detecting a second best prediction mode, and a prediction value generating section for selecting a best prediction mode. The first prediction mode detecting section detects the first best prediction mode by utilizing processing in the second prediction mode detecting section. |
| US08213501B2 |
Video encoding method, video decoding method, video encoding program, video decoding program, video encoding apparatus, and video decoding apparatus
In a video encoding method according to the present invention, an encoding mode controller 102 determines an encoding mode of each image on the occasion of encoding a moving picture consisting of a plurality of images, and a region partitioning unit 104 determines a region structural unit for partitioning the image into multiple regions, based on the encoding mode. A region determining unit 116 defines the regions on the basis of the region structural unit and information thereof is encoded. Then an encoder 105 compression-encodes pixel data included in the regions, in encoding units to generate compression-encoded data according to the encoding mode, and outputs the resultant data. |
| US08213500B2 |
Methods and systems for processing film grain noise
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for image noise characterization, parameterization, removal, reconstruction and/or re-combination with a denoised image. |
| US08213498B2 |
Bitrate reduction techniques for image transcoding
This disclosure describes techniques for encoding data to compress image data to a reduced size. The techniques may be particularly effective in transcoding an image to a reduced size for transmission. An encoding device may transcode an image to an acceptable file size using bitrate control techniques that affect the entire image uniformly to transcode the image. For example, the encoding device may modify one or more quantization tables as a function of the near linear relationship between bitrate (R) and the number of zero-valued quantized transform coefficients to reduce the file size uniformly over the entire image. Alternatively, or additionally, the encoding device may transcode the image using bitrate control techniques that affect only specific localized regions of the image. |
| US08213492B2 |
Channel estimation method operable to cancel a dominant disturber signal from a received signal
A processing module produces improved main channel estimate. This process involves initially estimating the channel impulse response. This result is based on and combined with a known sequences such as that provided by training sequences of the midamble within RF bursts. From this combination, it is possible to produce an estimated signal from a convolution of the channel impulse response and midamble. The estimated signal may be cancelled or subtracted from the received signal to produce a clearer image of the disturber signal. A blind data recovery performed upon the disturber signal. The recovered disturber data may be used as a reference for disturber channel estimation in order to produce a disturber channel impulse response. With the estimated disturber channel impulse response and the recovered disturber data, an estimated disturber signal may be reconstructed and subtracted from the received signal. This allows the cancellation of the estimated disturber signal. Without a clear or dominant disturber signal, a better representation of the main channel impulse response may be produced. This results in more accurate processing of the received RF bursts and improved receiver performance. |
| US08213489B2 |
Serial protocol for agile sample rate switching
The invention provides a communication protocol and serial interface having an approximately fixed interface clock and capable of accommodating a variety of communication rates. The interface employs a variable-length frame that may be expanded or reduced to obtain a desired communication rate, even though the interface clock rate is held approximately constant. The invention further provides a method for designing an agile barrier interface. In particular, the barrier clock rate is preferably selected to be an approximate common multiple of the various communication rates that the barrier interface must handle. The frame length corresponding to each communication rate may then be obtained by dividing the barrier clock rate by the ΣΔ rate. Finally, the invention provides an agile barrier capable of communicating data across a serial interface at a variety of data rates and at an approximately fixed interface clock rate. |
| US08213483B2 |
Hopping structures for broadband pilot signals
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate defining and utilizing hopping patterns to transmit broadband pilot signals in a wireless communications network. Portions of bandwidth can be dedicated to transmitting the broadband pilot data, and patterns can be utilized to hop across frequencies in given time periods to effectively utilize the entire dedicated bandwidth. Moreover, the periodicity for transmitting the data is configurable to allow devices requiring additional scheduling (e.g., high activity devices) to transmit the broadband pilot data more frequently. The hopping patterns can also hop across cyclic shifts of the patterns to provide optimum diversity for transmitting broadband pilot signals. |
| US08213481B2 |
Semiconductor laser module and manufacturing method therefor
A light-emitting element mount (4) is fixed onto a base (8), and a semiconductor laser element (1) is fixed onto the light-emitting element mount (4). An anchor member (5), which is in the shape of a roughly rectangular plate, is fixed onto the base (8). An optical fiber (2) is fixed onto the anchor member (5) by means of an anchoring material (6). The optical fiber (2) is aligned and optically coupled with the semiconductor laser element (1). A cut-out (9) is formed in the part of the base (8) corresponding to the anchoring material (6) (below the anchoring material (6)). Thus the anchor member (5) is fixed onto the base (8) so as to straddle the cut-out (9). Since the cut-out (9) is formed below the anchor member (5), a spot heater (10) or like can be used to heat the anchor member (5) from the bottom surface thereof. Thus, the anchoring material (6) on top of the anchor member (5) can be efficiently heated. |
| US08213477B2 |
Semiconductor laser and method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a semiconductor laser including: a substrate (semiconductor substrate); an optical waveguide (active layer waveguide) with a mesa structure that includes an active layer (strain-compensated multiple quantum well active layer) including Al, is provided over the semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor protective layer that is provided so as to cover the top and the side of a mesa of the active layer waveguide; a current block layer that is provided so as to embed the active layer waveguide and the semiconductor protective layer; and a clad layer (p-type InP clad layer) that is provided over the semiconductor protective layer and the current block layer, wherein, the semiconductor protective layer has a semiconductor layer (p-type InGaAsP protective layer) that includes As, but does not include Al. |
| US08213476B1 |
Integration of a terahertz quantum cascade laser with a hollow waveguide
The present invention is directed to the integration of a quantum cascade laser with a hollow waveguide on a chip to improve both the beam pattern and manufacturability. By coupling the QCL output into a single-mode rectangular waveguide the radiation mode structure can be known and the propagation, manipulation, and broadcast of the QCL radiation can then be entirely controlled by well-established rectangular waveguide techniques. By controlling the impedance of the interface, enhanced functions, such as creating amplifiers, efficient coupling to external cavities, and increasing power output from metal-metal THz QCLs, are also enabled. |
| US08213472B2 |
Optical transmitter and optical communications device
Disclosed is an optical transmission module in which effects of conductive heat from sides of a metal case upon a thermistor are reduced, thereby allowing steady optical beam wavelengths to be obtained over a wide range of temperatures, regardless of the temperature of the usage environment. Specifically, the optical transmission module includes Peltier elements disposed inside a metal case, a metal base disposed upon the Peltier elements, a laser diode substrate disposed upon the metal base, a laser diode disposed upon the laser diode substrate, a thermistor substrate disposed upon the metal base, a thermistor disposed upon the thermistor substrate, and a thermally conductive member, disposed in the vicinity of the thermistor, that has a height greater than the height of the thermistor. |
| US08213471B2 |
Thin disk laser operations with unique thermal management
A thermal management apparatus and method for a thin disk laser system enabling the laser system to have near isothermal temperatures across and throughout a thin disk comprising a mechanically controlled oscillating heat pipe having effective thermal conductivity of 10-20,000 W/m*K that promotes near isothermal conditions in lasing of the thin disk, a thin disk lasing crystal or ceramic bonded to the mechanically controlled oscillating heat pipe, and a supporting structure including a surface bonded to the thin disk that matches the CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) of both materials. |
| US08213463B2 |
Location-based sharing of multimedia control resources
In one embodiment, a multimedia resource is shared among a plurality of devices based upon a physical location of an active wireless endpoint unit within a structure. Devices are associated with corresponding zones within the structure. Each device provides functionality within the device's corresponding zone. Using one of a number of techniques, the physical location of the active wireless endpoint unit is determined to be within a particular zone. In response, one or more devices associated with the particular zone are provided with access to the multimedia control resources. Access is withheld to one or more other devices associated with another zone that is remote from the physical location of the active wireless endpoint unit. |
| US08213461B2 |
Method of designating slots in a transmission frame for controlling transmission of data over an interconnect coupling a plurality of master units with a plurality of slave units
A transmission frame for controlling data transmission includes a plurality of slots, each slot used for the transmission of data over an interconnect that couples master units to slave units. Slots in the transmission frame are in three groups: (a) a first group in which slots are each allocated to one predetermined master unit for data transmission with any slave unit; (b) a second group of slots each being allocatable to any master unit for data transmission with any slave unit; and (c) a third group of slots each allocated to a predetermined one of the master units and slave units. Where a slot of the third group is not needed by the allocated master unit or slave unit, the slot can then be reallocated to another master unit. Hence, more slots can be used and the efficiency of data transfers over the interconnect can be improved. |
| US08213460B1 |
Method and system for processing traffic in an access network
A method and system for processing traffic in an access network includes receiving a plurality of ingress traffic streams from customer premise equipment (CPE). Each ingress traffic stream includes a plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) packets having an IP address. The ingress traffic streams are aggregated into a combined traffic stream without regard to the IP addresses. The combined traffic stream is transmitted to a backbone network for routing based on the IP addresses. An egress traffic stream is received from the backbone network and includes a plurality of IP packets each having an IP address. A CPE port is determined for each IP packet based on its IP address. The IP packets are routed to their respective CPE ports and transmitted to their destination CPEs. |
| US08213459B2 |
Systems and method for establishing a data-path between a mobile station and a home access service network gateway
The present invention relates to systems and methods for establishing a data-path between a mobile station and a home access service network gateway (“ASN-GW”). During the authentication process, a visited ASN-GW receives a first message that identifies a home ASN-GW associated with the mobile station. After the mobile station has been authenticated, the visited ASN-GW receives a first data-path request message from a base station serving the mobile station, requesting a path for data-packet communication for the mobile station that extends between base station and the visited ASN-GW. The visited ASN-GW responsively uses the received identification to send a second data-path request message to the home ASN-GW which requests a path for data-packet communication that extends between the base station and the home ASN-GW. Once the data-path has been established, the home ASN-GW may monitor and/or place restrictions on the data being transmitted to and from the mobile stations. |
| US08213455B2 |
Communication node, and token issuing method and token-ring communication method in ring communication system
A communication node includes a token-start-right acquisition processor that issues a token-start-right acquisition frame containing specific information, determines a priority based on predetermined reference using specific information for other communication node and the specific information for the own communication node upon reception of a token-start-right acquisition frame from the other communication node, issues the token-start-right acquisition frame at a predetermined time interval when the own communication node has a higher priority than the other communication node, and stops issuing the token-start-right acquisition frame when the own communication node has a lower priority than the other communication node, to forward the token-start-right acquisition frame of the other communication node, and also includes a token start processor that passes the token frame to the ring upon reception of the token-start-right acquisition frame which is issued by the token-start-right acquisition processor and circulates around the ring. |
| US08213454B2 |
Self-adapting mechanism for managing data streams in a multiple access shared network
A method and a system for managing the transmission of data streams by a terminal of a multiple-access shared communications network, said data streams being structured as data frames and comprising at least one priority data stream and at least one non-priority data stream. The method comprises the steps of determining a congestion state of said multiple-access shared network, and managing the transmission by said station of said priority and non-priority data streams as a function of said congestion state. |
| US08213452B2 |
Optimized scheduling method using ordered grants from a central controller
A method, system, and computer program product for ordering grants of upstream bandwidth in a two-way grant-based communication system, such as a DOCSIS-based communication system. Typically, a central controller, such as a CMTS, sends a grant message to a set of end user devices, e.g., cable modems, wherein the message defines when each end user device can transmit upstream. The invention first determines, for each end user device, the time needed for processing the grant message. The central controller then constructs the grant message, such that grants for the end user devices associated with the shortest grant message processing times occur early in the grant message and represent the earliest grants. Grants for end user devices associated with the longest grant message processing times occur later in the grant message and represent later grants. With this ordering of grants within the grant message, the CMTS can assume a smaller processing time for processing the grant message by CMs, such that the grant message does not have to be sent so far in advance. Performance of the system is increased due to decreased roundtrip delay. |
| US08213451B2 |
Wireless communication terminal, transmission function adjusting method and transmission function control program for use in wireless communication terminal
To provide a wireless communication terminal enabling to reduce the load on a mobile communication network and saving upstream wireless resources.In step A1, an establishment request message for an individual channel is transmitted from a cell phone 10 to a mobile communication network NW. In step A2, determination is made as to whether an rrc Connection Setup Complete (individual channel establishment completion message) has been retransmitted at the establishment of the individual channel at the time of the previous communication. When the retransmission has been done (YES), it proceeds to step A3. In step A3, a predetermined delay time T1 is added to transmission timing with the individual channel, and transmission begins along the individual channel (DPDCH) at timing of parameters [PC Preamble+SRB delay]+delay time T1. As a result, after that, an individual channel establishment completion message will not be retransmitted. |
| US08213450B2 |
Communication apparatus
A CR/CMP layer sets up isochronous channels, the number of which is that of data streams to be transferred, and sets channel numbers associated with the isochronous channels in IT packet processing units of IT processing units of bus control LSI units connected to data streams of AV devices. The IT processing units of the bus control LSI units are caused to perform transmission/reception of isochronous packets using isochronous channels having the set channel numbers. The IT packet processing unit of the IT processing unit of each stealth bus control LSI unit sets, in an SID field of the CIP header of an isochronous packet to be transmitted, the node ID of the representative bus control LSI unit instead of its own node ID. |
| US08213449B1 |
Aging EV-DO pages in a queue based on latency-sensitivity
Methods and systems are provided for aging EV-DO pages in a queue based on latency-sensitivity. An access node receives data for access terminals, and responsively generates pages and adds them to the back of a queue. The access node associates a respective aging value with any latency-tolerant pages. The access node transmits the pages in the queue, which involves: (a) assessing the pages on a first-in, first-out basis; (b) transmitting latency-sensitive pages when those pages reach the front of the queue; (c) sending latency-tolerant pages to the back of the queue (and incrementing their aging values) when those pages reach the front of the queue with an aging value that is less than a maximum-delay parameter; and (d) transmitting latency-tolerant pages when those pages reach the front of the queue with an aging value that is greater than or equal to the maximum-delay parameter. |
| US08213448B2 |
Method to support lossless real time data sampling and processing on rapid I/O end-point
A serial buffer monitors an incoming stream of packets to identify single missing packets and multiple consecutive missing packets. Upon detecting multiple consecutive missing packets, an interrupt is generated, thereby stopping the data transfer. Upon detecting a single missing packet, a single missing packet identifier is inserted into the packet header of the packet that resulted in identification of the single missing packet. The incoming packets, including any inserted single missing packet identifiers, are written to a queue. When the water level reaches the water mark of the queue, the stored packets are read to create an outgoing packet stream. When a packet read from the queue includes an inserted single missing packet identifier, a dummy packet (e.g., a packet having a data payload of all zeros) is inserted into the outgoing packet stream. As a result, real-time applications are capable of processing the outgoing packet stream in a constant fashion. |
| US08213447B2 |
Apparatus and system for coupling and decoupling initiator devices to a network using an arbitrated loop without disrupting the network
The present invention enables the coupling and decoupling of multiple processing devices to a network without disrupting the network. In an embodiment, the invention provides a switch having a network port and several initiator ports each configured for coupling to a processing device. The switch is configured to route data from the network port to the initiator ports and from the initiator ports to the network port. A management agent facilitates operation of the switch by processing port initializations, replying to device registration requests, and processing predetermined unsolicited discovery commands. During operation, the management agent enables configuration changes caused, for example, by the coupling and/or decoupling of processing device to initiator ports. |
| US08213445B2 |
Communication device and method for controlling the output of packets
An apparatus including a holding portion temporarily holding packets for each individual quality class; a counter counting the amount of data of packets output from the holding portion for each individual quality class; a comparison portion comparing count values of the counter for individual quality classes with threshold values which are threshold values for the quality classes, respectively, the ratio of the threshold values for the quality classes being coincident with the weighting ratio between the quality classes; an output portion outputting packets held in the holding portion based on results of comparisons made by the comparison portion; and a control portion which, according to the results of the comparisons, subtracts values corresponding to the threshold values for the quality classes from the count values of the counter for the individual quality classes. |
| US08213443B2 |
Network system
A hub-free network system is provided in which control systems can operate normally for mutual communications, even though one of the plurality of control systems malfunctions.Each of the plurality of control systems has a network interface card, and each of the network interface cards has a plurality of communication ports. Each of the network interface cards has a phase structure of ring topology by sequentially connecting a plurality of the communication ports. The plurality of the control systems perform the communications in the phase structure of ring topology, and perform the communications by changing the phase structure of ring topology to a phase structure of bus topology if an error occurs in the communications. |
| US08213434B2 |
Method and device for providing QoS control capability for a presence server and system thereof
A method and device for QoS control for presence servers and a presence system supporting QoS control. The method for providing QoS capability for a presence server includes the steps of: receiving SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) messages; classifying said SIP messages based on a QoS policy; and delivering the classified SIP messages after a predetermined time corresponding to the QoS policy. |
| US08213431B2 |
System and method for enabling wireless real time applications over a wide area network in high signal intermittence environments
A system and method for communicating real time information using a wide area network protocol and communications protocol that mitigates against potentially significant packet loss rates caused by events such as signal blockage occurring at the underlying wireless transmission (e.g., radio) links. In one implementation the method involves creating a first data packet having a first segment of information, and a first identification (ID) code. The first data packet is then transmitted. A second data packet is then created having information forming the first data packet and also a second segment of information identified by a second code. The second packet is then transmitted. Subsequently formed data packets may include all of the information from previously created data packets until a maximum packet depth is reached, and then each subsequently created new data packet drops off the oldest packet information from the previously created packet while including new information. |
| US08213429B2 |
Virtual network interface
A virtual network has network interfaces coupled by a multipoint tunnel (100) through a forwarding network (40), each interface having a forwarding address in an address space of the forwarding network, each network interface having a reconfigurable address mapper (320) for determining a forwarding address for a packet, and encapsulating the packet with its forwarding address so that the forwarding network can forward the data packet transparent to its destination address. This makes the virtual network more agile since changes to the virtual network can be achieved by reconfiguring the corresponding forwarding addresses without needing to set up new tunnels new routing to these different tunnels. The forwarding network need not be aware of the virtual network and so no adaptation of the forwarding network or specialised hardware is needed. |
| US08213428B2 |
Methods and apparatus for indexing memory of a network processor
A method is provided for address mapping in a network processor. The method includes the steps of (1) determining a port number of a port that receives a data cell; (2) determining a virtual path identifier and a virtual channel identifier for the data cell; and (3) creating a first index based on at least one of the port number, the virtual path identifier and the virtual channel identifier. The method further includes (1) accessing one of a plurality of entries stored in a first on-chip memory using the first index; (2) creating a second index based on the accessed entry of the first on-chip memory; and (3) accessing an entry of a second memory based on the second index. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08213426B2 |
Method and system for multicasting targeted advertising data
A method for multicasting targeted advertising data to end user devices is disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment the method includes but is not limited to correlating at a regional internet protocol television (IPTV) server, multicast queue data with web data from web sites visited by each of a plurality of end user devices associated with the regional IPTV server; selecting a subgroup of end user devices from the plurality of end user devices to receive targeted advertising data correlating with a member of the multicast queue data; and multicasting targeted advertising data associated with the member of the multicast queue data to the subgroup of end user devices from the regional IPTV server. A system is also disclosed for multicasting targeted advertising data to end user devices. A data structure is disclosed for storing data used by the system and method. |
| US08213422B2 |
Selective internet priority service
An Internet Priority Service (IPS) provides to authorized users priority access to communication over the Internet during emergencies. Transmission of data packets from an authorized user that accesses the IPS are given priority for transmission over the Internet. The level of priority given to a data packet depends on the type of application associated with the data packet. Each user or group of users may also be given a respective IPS level of priority. Furthermore, for a particular authorized user, access to the IPS may be limited to a specific number of application types, which for example do not have high bandwidth requirements. Assigning different priority levels as a function of application type and user or group of users, and limiting IPS access to specific application types allows efficient methods of emergency communication to be implemented over the Internet during emergencies. |
| US08213421B2 |
Methods and systems for efficient multicast across a mesh backplane
The present invention relates to communications networks, and more particularly to packet switching and routing devices used in communication networks that provide efficient multicast services. The invention provides methods and systems for switching and routing of multicast data packets in two stages. In particular, in the first stage a received multicast data packet is in an internal multicast operation by an ingress line card across a switching fabric to a plurality of egress line cards through which multicast destinations of the packet are reachable. In a second stage each egress line card further replicates the data packet to the actual transmission links across which the multicast group are reachable. This invention also includes system performing this method. The invention reduces the service time for the multicast packets making it the same as for the unicast packets, and provides for better system throughput in comparison to traditional systems. |
| US08213414B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing time division multiplexed (TDM) terminating service in a packet network
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for providing TDM terminating services in a packet network. According to one method, a combined set including a plurality of TDM channels is received over a packet network. The combined set of TDM channels is terminated in the packet network as a combined TDM facility. Terminating the TDM channels as a combined TDM facility may include providing at least one terminating TDM service for the TDM channels, such as performing CAS signaling or providing a PRI interface for the TDM channels. |
| US08213412B2 |
System and method for providing multimedia services utilizing a local proxy
A communications system and method is configured to provide multimedia services utilizing a signaling protocol such as a session initiated protocol (SIP), via a local access network. The method includes providing a local proxy having an internet protocol (IP) address, wherein the local proxy is integrated with the local access network. The method further includes providing a client device having a signaling protocol client, wherein the client device is coupled to a remote access network that is external to the local access network. Additionally, the method includes initiating a session by the client device accessing the IP address of the local proxy. |
| US08213400B2 |
Collision-free beacon scheduling method based on distributed address assignment scheme
Provided is a beacon scheduling method based on a distributed address assignment scheme that schedules a beacon and minimizes data delay using non-collision of addresses in a network, such as a ZigBee network, that provides a distributed address system. In the method, a time offset Tn between beacon reception from a parent device and beacon transmission of a device in a wireless network system having a tree structure may be obtained from Tn=SD×(1+On×Bd) according to an address of the device determined by a distributed address assignment mechanism to create a beacon transmission schedule, where SD denotes a super-frame duration, On denotes a value for determining which child among sibling devices in the network the device corresponds to, and Bd denotes a maximum number of router devices that a sub-network having a depth d in a tree can have. |
| US08213398B2 |
Method for multiple use subchannels
Systems and methods for multiuse subcarriers in multipoint-to-point communication using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) are provided. In one embodiment, a remote unit for communicating with a host unit using OFDM is provided, the host unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of remote units in a multipoint-to-point configuration. The remote unit comprises a modulator for modulating up to a plurality of tones with upstream information using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, wherein the modulator is configured to adjust a carrier frequency and timing of the plurality of tones such that spectrally overlapping tones transmitted from the remote unit and at least one other remote unit of the plurality of remote units are orthogonal and combine to form an OFDM waveform when received at the host; and wherein a first tone of the plurality of tones carries both control data and payload data. |
| US08213397B2 |
Method of mobile communication and apparatus therefor
In order to accomplish efficient communication of data between a base station and a plurality of mobile terminals, particular orthogonal codes are transmitted from the mobile stations to the base station as alert signals indicating the presence of data to be transmitted. The base station checks whether particular orthogonal codes are contained in the alert signals, and when the particular orthogonal codes are detected in the alert signals, information representing the detected orthogonal codes and the schedules for transmitting the data from the mobile terminals to the base station are transmitted from the base station to the mobile terminals as an alert response to the alert signals. When the information representing the orthogonal codes used for the alert signals are contained in the alert response transmitted from the base station to the mobile terminals, the data waiting to be transmitted is transmitted from the mobile terminals to the base station according the data transmission schedules in the alert response. |
| US08213396B1 |
Methods and systems for disabling paging to a wireless communication device
Methods and systems for disabling paging to a WCD that fails to communicate properly with a RAN are introduced. In an exemplary embodiment, a first WCD that fails to communicate properly with the RAN may inform the RAN of the failure to communicate by relaying a message to the RAN via a second WCD. The second WCD preferably is able to communicate properly with the RAN. Upon receiving the message from the second WCD, the RAN may disable paging to the first WCD, thereby helping to conserve data storage, processing cycles, and paging channel capacity at the RAN. |
| US08213392B2 |
Cellular-based communications system and method of using same
An apparatus and method for transmitting serial digital data across wireless modems is disclosed. In one embodiment, data is collected by a remote monitoring device and transmitted to a first Cellular Digital Packet Data (“CDPD”) modem via one or more RS232 interfaces. The applications program in the first CDPD modem transmits a signal to a second CDPD modem initiating communications. The applications program in the second CDPD modem returns a signal, indicating the status of the interface. Data transmission is initiated when the status of both interfaces is established. |
| US08213388B2 |
Wireless hand-over in mobile deployments
The network communication system includes a wireless interface to exchange wireless signals during at least one network connection, and a handover controller that uses a route profile identifying access points distributed over a given route or region that are capable of supporting the network connection, and to handover the network connection between access points as the device travels along the given route or through a region according to the route profile. |
| US08213385B2 |
Method and apparatus for wireless communication with low-overhead mobility management
A method and apparatus for supporting handover of mobile communications is provided. A router performs routing services in a service area. The router maintains a location table configured to store current router addresses of mobile nodes that have the router as a home router. The router receives data intended for mobile nodes that are listed in the location table and are in the routers service area. The router receives a user datagram protocol (UDP) message from a mobile node when it leaves the service area. The UDP message includes an IP address of a new router in the mobile node's new service area. The router updates the location table with the new IP address and transmits data intended for the mobile node to the new router until the data is redirected at the source. |
| US08213383B2 |
Method and system to guarantee service reception within broadcast system
A system and method is provided for ensuring that time for tuning to another RF channel between two TF frames in TF slicing exists while reception with a single hopping-tuner is enabled, and reception for terminals can be guaranteed when transmitting and receiving common services. An additional time for tuning is introduced for TF-sliced services, where the time for tuning can be inserted either before of after the P1 & P2 symbols, and the symbols allocated for the tuning time can also be used for transmission of low-bit rate services. Alternatively, additional padding bits and a guard period can be added in the event that slots or slot fragments exceed a cyclic transfer border upon time shifting. Alternatively still, the tuning time is represented by a complete TF frame, where the complete TF frame carries services other than those in the first TF frame, so that a service is transmitted in every second TF frame and a receiver can perform tuning during the TF frames which do not carry the service. |
| US08213381B2 |
Mobile communication system, core network node selection method, and base station and mobile station used therefor
A mobile communication system in which a plurality of base stations and a plurality of core network nodes are distributed in a plurality of areas, wherein a source base station or a mobile station in a handover procedure of the mobile station transmits information for selecting a core network node to a target base station. |
| US08213378B2 |
Method, device and system for assigning ACK channels to users
A method for assigning acknowledgement (ACK) channels to a user is used to feed back ACKs of a plurality of downlink sub-frames in one uplink sub-frame. According to the method, reserved ACK channels are divided into blocks according to the number of downlink sub-frames; each downlink sub-frame corresponds to one block; each block is divided into several sub-blocks; control channel element (CCE) sets within the same sub-frame are respectively mapped to different sub-blocks; and the ACK channels are assigned to the downlink sub-frames according to a sequence of increasing a mapping label d first and then increasing a sub-block label m. Thus, more unused ACK channels can be released to form resource blocks (RBs) for transmission on other channels, for example, for PUSCH transmission. Other methods for assigning ACK channels to a user, a device for assigning ACK channels to a user, and a communication system are further provided. |
| US08213375B2 |
Method for receiving and managing a downlink radio link control data block in an EGPRS mobile electronic communication device
In a mobile electronic communication device for receiving a downlink radio link control (RLC) data block, the improvement comprising determining whether an Extension (E) bit within a header of the data block has been reset to zero, thereby denoting the existence of extension octets within the data block, summing the lengths of the extension octets, calculating the number of bytes in the data block, and discarding the data block in the event the sum of the lengths is greater than the number of bytes in the data block. |
| US08213373B2 |
Supporting method for REFER message expansion parameter
The present invention discloses a method for supporting extended parameter(s) in a REFER message, applied in a system comprising a parameter proxy server that can receive and forward the REFER message; upon receiving the REFER message including the extended parameter(s), the parameter proxy server performing the following processing: storing said extended parameter(s); sending the REFER message to the indicated party of the message; upon receiving a third party message sent by said indicated party and indicated by the method parameter in the REFER message, adding the extended parameter(s) stored into the third party message; sending the third party message to said third party. With the present invention, those IMS intelligent terminals that do not support the extended parameter(s) in the REFER message can more fully utilize the REFER message to use the abundant services provided by NGN. |
| US08213372B2 |
Method for transmitting control information
A method for receiving control information for data reception at a specific user equipment in a communication system in which at least one data transmission mode is used to transmit data of the at least one UE is disclosed. The method receives the control information including a first field and a second field, in which the first field indicates a data transmission mode of the specific user equipment (UE) and the second field indicates a resource block via which the data is transmitted, and receives the data by decoding the control information. As a result, a method for constructing control information required for receiving control data of a localized-mode UE and a distributed-mode UE can be recognized. |
| US08213369B2 |
Method and system for obtaining home agent information of a mobile node
Embodiments of the invention provide a method and a system for obtaining home agent information of a mobile node. The method includes: when a DHCPv6 server receives a request message from a mobile node, it obtains the home agent information of the mobile node; the DHCPv6 server includes the home agent information into the response message, and sends the response to the mobile node. With embodiments of the present invention, a mobile node may obtain its home agent information (such as its home agent address information) simultaneously when it requests related information. When the request message is a home address request message or a care-of address request message, the invention provides a clearly defined process for a mobile node to obtain home agent information when it is started up on a home link or foreign link. The invention avoids a special message interaction procedure to obtain home agent information. It increases the efficiency in obtaining home agent information, refines the RFC and improves the handover speed of the mobile node. |
| US08213367B2 |
Methods for dimensioning the control channel for transmission efficiency in communication systems
Embodiments of the invention provide methods for optimizing the spectral efficiency of control channel transmissions carrying scheduling assignments from a serving Node B to user equipments. This is accomplished by adjusting the control channel size between successive transmission time intervals according to the number of user equipments having scheduling assignments and possibly according to the modulation and coding scheme used for the transmission of each scheduling assignments. |
| US08213366B2 |
System and method for monitoring and optimizing network performance to a wireless device
In one embodiment, a method for monitoring and optimizing network performance to a wireless device that includes determining network performance information of a wireless router and communicating data packets containing the network performance information between said wireless router and a packet network switch. The data packets are communicated from said packet network switch to a network management device. The network management device is configured to instruct the said packet network switch to adjust at least one of encoding/decoding rate and power amount to optimize said network performance to said wireless device. |
| US08213362B2 |
Method and system for a node to join a wireless ad-hoc network
A method for a new node to join an ad-hoc network is provided. The method includes two basic functions. When the new node is allowed to join the network, the indicating device of the node being joined generates an indication. When the new node joins the network, the indicating device of the new node also generates an indication. The method further includes two commands, the join-rejection command and the joined-rejection command, to cancel the join procedure when the indicating device of the new node and the node being joined do not indicate correspondingly. Accordingly, the method efficiently reduces the possibility of joining an unanticipated node. |
| US08213356B2 |
Communication systems
A downlink transmission method for use in a multi-hop communication system, the system comprising a base station (BS), a mobile station (MS) and one or more relay stations (RS), and the system providing two or more different communication paths extending between the base station and the mobile station, the base station being operable to transmit information indirectly to the mobile station along a series of links forming a first such communication path via one or more of said relays and also being operable to transmit information to the mobile station along one link or a series of links forming a second such communication path; the method comprising transmitting particular information from the base station along the first and second communication paths and combining the same particular information transmitted along the first and second communication paths in the mobile station. |
| US08213354B2 |
Method for transmission of ACK/NACK for uplink enhancement in a TDD mobile communication system
Disclosed is a structure of a downlink common channel for transmitting an ACK/NACK to notify whether retransmission should be performed through a transmission position of the downlink common channel according to a channel code of a time slot allocated to a UE, and a method for distinguishing an ACK from a NACK, in using a HARQ scheme for uplink transmission of a TDD CDMA scheme in a 3G mobile communication. |
| US08213349B2 |
Method and device for antenna tracking
In a mesh network using a TDMA protocol: determination is made of a first set of antenna angles to be used by a receiving antenna of a recipient node to capture data respectively sent by a plurality of sending nodes; reception is made of data sent by the sending nodes using the respective antenna angle of the first set; at least one correlation operation is made between the various redundant copies of the same item of data, received by the recipient node; at least one copy not necessary for the decoding of the received data is deduced determination is made of at least one time slot during which the copy not necessary for the decoding is received; and during that time slot, the antenna angle used by the receiving antenna to receive data sent by the sending node allocated to that time slot is updated. |
| US08213347B2 |
Scalable IP-services enabled multicast forwarding with efficient resource utilization
Methods and apparatus are provided for managing multicast Internet Protocol (IP) flows. According to one embodiment, a multicast IP flow is identified at an interface of a network device using information from a packet header. For any newly identified multicast IP flow, if flow-specific services are required, a new first transmit control block (TCB), which includes one or more attributes relating to flow-specific services required by the newly identified multicast IP flow, is created for the newly identified multicast IP flow. Otherwise, if flow-specific services are not required by the newly identified multicast IP flow, a default second TCB, which excludes any attributes relating to flow-specific services and which includes one or more attributes related to a virtual interface (VI) serving as an outbound interface (OIF) for the newly identified multicast IP flow, is used. |
| US08213346B2 |
Group communication for a variety of media types and devices
In order to provide non-confusing information on supported media types in a group to group members, information on messages indicating supported media types are cross-checked with usable media types in the group. |
| US08213343B2 |
Communicating conversational data between signals between terminals
A method of and apparatus for communication of conversational data signals, especially voice signals, between transceiver terminals over a radio link, especially a Bluetooth link, capable of full-duplex transmission of conversational data packets in alternate directions within a pair of time slots. Local conversational activity is detected at each of the terminals and conversational activity signals indicative of the detected local conversational activity are sent to the other terminal. Reception at either terminal is disabled if conversational activity signalling indicates absence of remote conversational activity, and transmission by either terminal is disabled in the absence of local conversational activity, saving power. Audible comfort noise may be generated at the terminal from a locally generated comfort noise signal if reception is disabled in response to the conversational activity signalling indicating absence of remote conversational activity. |
| US08213342B2 |
Flagging/indicating user information in conference event package
A system and method for indicating user information in a conference event package. An extension is added to the current conference event package in various embodiments of the present invention. This extension adds a new attribute to user information, including an indicator that explicitly indicates to a user that certain information is the user's own information. Therefore, when a user desiring anonymity joins a conference and then subscribes to the conference event package in order to obtain the roster, the conference lists one of the participants with an indicator that indicates to the user that this particular participant is the user. |
| US08213337B2 |
IP multimedia subsystem for a multimode wireless device
System and method for managing connections in a mobile device. A first application may be executing on the mobile device. A first application request, including first quality of service (QOS) parameters and first connection information for the first application, may be received. The first QOS parameters and the first connection information may be stored in a routing table. A first connection for the first application may be established based on the first QOS parameters and the first connection information. A second application may be executing on the mobile device. A second application request, including second QOS parameters and second connection information for the second application, may be received. The second QOS parameters and the second connection information may be stored in the routing table. A second connection for the second application may be established based on the second QOS parameters and the second connection information. |
| US08213333B2 |
Identifying and resolving problems in wireless device configurations
Systems and methods for identifying and resolving problems in wireless device configurations in a wireless network. In one example embodiment, a method for resolving wireless device configuration problems includes various acts including identifying all wireless devices that are wired to a network, retrieving configuration information from each wireless device, retrieving wireless device incompatibility information and corresponding configuration solutions for each wireless device, attempting to contact each wireless device over one or more wireless communication channels in order to determine if one or more wireless capabilities of each wireless device are functioning properly, and determining that the incompatibility information of one of the wireless devices with a malfunctioning wireless capability conflicts with the configuration information of one or more of the wireless devices. |
| US08213327B2 |
Communication quality measurement system, device, management server and method thereof
A management server that includes a signal control unit for controlling a signal for a packet for measuring communication quality, and a signal communication quality measurement unit that measures communication quality of a signal based on a result of signal control by the signal control unit; and a communication quality measurement device includes a payload control unit for controlling payload of packets for communication quality measurement and a payload communication quality measurement unit that measures communication quality of payload based on a result of payload control by payload control unit. |
| US08213325B2 |
Packet analysis method, packet analysis apparatus, recording medium storing packet analysis program
A packet analysis apparatus analyzes content of communication obtained as a result of monitoring or capturing a packet passing through a network. The apparatus has a unit of acquiring source or destination address information from a network layer packet header. The apparatus has a unit of acquiring from the network layer packet header an identifier for which a value that increases monotonously with each sending for each source or destination address information is set. The apparatus has a unit of searching and acquiring an identifier corresponding to address information in a current packet from a storage part holding an identifier in a previous packet corresponding to source or destination address information. The apparatus has a unit of comparing the identifier in the previous packet acquired and the identifier in the current packet and determining that reordering occurs when the identifier in the current packet is smaller. |
| US08213324B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving BCMCS information
A broadcast/multicast service information receiving method and broadcast/multicast service information transmitting method using the same are disclosed. The present invention includes the steps of receiving length information of a BCMCS component flow discriminator (BCMCS Flow Discriminator) configuring a BCMC service flow identifier (BCMCS Flow Identifier) and receiving information for a number of BCMCS component flow discriminators configuring the BCMC service flow identifier using a bit number corresponding to a value of the length information of the BCMCS component flow discriminator. Accordingly, the information for the BCMCS component flow identifier can be efficiently transmitted and received. |
| US08213323B1 |
System and method for network performance monitoring
A method and system are provided for monitoring network performance in order to reveal micro-behavior of network traffic. At least two distinct durations are set for monitoring link utilization. At least one link utilization threshold is set for each duration. Link utilization is monitored at a router using a counter. In addition, a number of durations is provided during which the at least one link utilization threshold has been exceeded. |
| US08213318B2 |
System for remote supervision and diagnosis using mobile program
A system for performing remote supervision and diagnosis, having a plurality of local terminals for performing supervision and diagnosis on an object, by executing a mobile program transmitted from a central system. When a disaster occurs and the network is cut, inevitably disconnecting the local terminals from the central system, one of the local terminals is set as a representative local terminal. The representative local terminal collects from the local terminals the maintenance information required for supervising and diagnosing the object. |
| US08213311B2 |
Control plane to data plane binding
Binding a control plane to a data plane is disclosed. Binding includes receiving a request to initiate a session, wherein the request is sent via a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based protocol and transmitting a set of one or more service parameters associated with the request to an edge node configured to participate in the session. |
| US08213310B2 |
High-priority communications session within a wireless communications system
An access network receives a request from an access terminal for communication session support resources associated with a communication session, determines whether sufficient communication session support resources are available for allocating to the access terminal and selects communication session support resources from another access terminal for de-allocation, the selected at least one communication session support resource associated with a communication session having a lower priority than the communication session. The access network sends instructions to the at least one other access terminal to facilitate de-allocation of the selected communication session support resource, and allocates communication session support resources to the access terminal for supporting the communication session after the selected communication session support resource is de-allocated from the other access terminal. |
| US08213305B2 |
Dynamic service management for multicore processors
A system, apparatus, method and article to perform dynamic service management for multicore processors are described. The apparatus may include, for example, a processing device having multiple types of processors to process packets. A service manager may dynamically assign executable files for multiple services to the multiple types of processors during execution of the executable files based on packets processed for each service. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08213304B2 |
Method and arrangement for transferring information in a packet radio service
A method and an arrangement for transferring information including delay sensitive data, such as speech and video data, in a packet radio service is provided. Data blocks are transmitted from a mobile station to a radio resource entity during a first active data transfer period using an uplink temporary block flow (TBF) connection. The uplink TBF connection is maintained during a passive period that follows the first active data transfer period, wherein during the passive period the mobile station does not send data blocks to the radio resource entity. |
| US08213299B2 |
Methods and systems for locating redundant telephony call processing hosts in geographically separate locations
Methods and systems for providing redundant telephony call processing in geographically separate locations are disclosed. First and second telephony call processing hosts are provided in first and second geographic locations separated from each other. The telephony call processing hosts are located on the same LAN, which is also divided among the geographically separated locations. The geographically separate LAN or LANs are bridged using either a customer's IP network or isolation routers associated with the redundant telephony call processing hosts. |
| US08213295B2 |
Transaction timeout handling in communication session management
This disclosure describes techniques for handling transaction timeouts during setup and management of communication sessions. In particular, a communication device may be configured to handle transaction timeouts differently based on the type of signaling and control message that experienced the transaction timeout. In one aspect, the communication devices may handle transaction timeouts experienced during register transactions differently than transaction timeouts experienced during non-register. For example, the communication device that initiated the transaction initiates at least one subsequent transaction to the current proxy server when a non-register transaction experiences the transaction timeout. After experiencing a threshold number of consecutive transaction timeouts, an expiration of a failure duration timer, or a transaction timeout associated with a register transaction, the communication device cancels the current communication session and sends a register message to a new proxy server. |
| US08213290B2 |
Optical disc and optical disc device
In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method. |
| US08213288B2 |
Optical information reproducing apparatus, information reproducing method of optical information reproducing apparatus, program and recording medium
A deterioration of reproduction light is occurred by a laser drive current on which a high-frequency current is superimposed. The present invention, for example, is an optical information reproducing apparatus which irradiates a laser beam to an optical disc 1 and reads an information, the optical information reproducing apparatus includes a semiconductor laser 6 which generates the laser beam, a laser drive unit 7 which supplies a drive current on which a high-frequency current are superimposed to the semiconductor laser 6, a spindle motor 2 which drives the optical disc 1 and a control unit 5 which controls the laser drive unit 7 and the spindle motor 2, and the control unit 5 determines a parameter of the high-frequency current based on magnitude of a current on which the high-frequency current is to be superimposed. |
| US08213285B2 |
Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus having a reproduction means to play digital data from a recording medium recorded with that digital data and retrieval information, a recording means to write the digital data reproduced by the reproduction means and record the retrieval information on a control table, and a control circuit to search the control table by using the retrieval information when the digital data from the reproduction means is written by the recording means, to permit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the retrieval information is not recorded on the control table, and to prohibit the writing of digital data recorded on the medium with the recording means when the retrieval information is already recorded on the control table, and also prevent the mistaken duplicate copying of the digital data with the recording means. |
| US08213284B2 |
Multi-layered rewritable optical disc recording apparatus and recording method
A recording apparatus performs recording on an optical disc recording medium which has a plurality of recording layers and is capable of having data rewritten thereon. The recording apparatus includes recording means for performing data recording on each recording layer of the recording medium and recording controlling means for controlling the recording means so that, among the plurality of recording layers, recording of dummy data is performed preferentially starting from a recording layer intended for the final user data recording operation. |
| US08213283B2 |
Information recording method for optical recording medium and optical recording apparatus
A recording method suitable for high-density recording is provided to increase the reproduction quality. An optical information recording method is for recording information on an optical recording medium by irradiation of a write pulse of a laser beam to perform reproduction in a production system using a PRML detection scheme. The method includes recording a recording mark by a single write pulse, when the total length of the recording mark to be recorded and a space adjacent to the recording mark is less than a diameter of an effective reproduction spot, being 0.82×(λ/NA), where λ is a wavelength of a reproduction laser beam and NA is a numerical aperture. |
| US08213282B1 |
Method for identifying optical disk type
The invention provides a method for identifying a disk type of an optical disk in an optical disk drive. First, a pickup head of the optical disk drive is moved towards the optical disk. A reflected signal is then observed as said pickup head of the optical drive is moving on the optical disk. A motion behavior is then detected from said reflected signal. A first period between motion initiation of the pickup head and a first peak occurrence of the power of the reflected signal is then determined, the first peak occurrence take places while the pickup head detects said motion behavior of said reflected signal is in accordance with a motion reflected by an polycarbonate layer of the optical disk. A second period between the first peak occurrence and a second peak occurrence of the power of the reflected signal is then determined, the second peak occurrence takes place while the pickup head detects said motion behavior of said reflected signal is in accordance with a motion reflected by an reflection layer of the optical disk. An identification threshold value is then determined according to the first period. The second period is then compared with the identification threshold value to obtain a comparison result. Finally, the disk type of the optical disk is identified according to the comparison result. |
| US08213278B2 |
System comprising an optical disc and an apparatus for reading of respective data
The optical disc comprises a substrate layer and a data layer disposed on the substrate layer, the data layer having a mark/space data structure arranged in tracks which are arranged in groups being separated each by a land section. The tracks of the groups are each arranged as a spiral, and the start of a track of a consecutive group begins at a position corresponding with the end of a track of a preceding group. A group comprises advantageously an inner track, a center track and an outer track. The optical disc comprises in a preferred embodiment a nonlinear layer with a super-resolution structure and the track pitch between neighboring tracks within a group is below the diffraction limit of a corresponding pickup for reading of data. Further, a tracking method is described which does not rely on tracking offsets to detect the inner and outer tracks of a group. |
| US08213274B2 |
Optical disc reproducing method
There is provided an optical disc reproducing method capable of reproducing a non-finalized DVD+R. When a seek operation is performed from a present address on the non-finalized DVD+R to an outer circumferential side target address, the outer circumferential direction total jump number of tracks is calculated from a difference between the present address and the target address. When a first condition is satisfied in which the present address is in an inner circumferential zone, the target address is in a second outer circumferential zone, and the outer circumferential direction total jump number is 701 to 2500, the jump number of tracks is set to 340 smaller than the outer circumferential direction total jump number, and a traverse seek using a moving mechanism to move an optical pickup in a radius direction by 340 is performed. |
| US08213273B2 |
Content reproduction system, content reproduction apparatus, and content reproduction method
The present invention provides a content reproduction system that can continue reproduction of a plurality of content even if a part of content is unreproducible. The content reproduction system includes a content storage apparatus including a content storage section that stores a plurality of content whose reproduction order has previously been specified based on reproduction order information, and a content reproduction apparatus including a communication section that communicates with the content storage apparatus, a request section that requests the content storage apparatus to transmit content stored in the content storage section in the order according to the reproduction order information, and a reproduction section that reproduces the content, wherein when content that the request section has requested from the content storage apparatus is unreproducible, the request section requests the content storage apparatus to transmit content which is listed as content to be reproduced subsequent to the unreproducible content in the reproduction order information. |
| US08213271B2 |
System, method and apparatus for internal polarization rotation for horizontal cavity, surface emitting laser beam for thermally assisted recording in disk drive
A horizontal cavity, surface emitting laser (HCSEL) with internal polarization rotation is used in thermally assisted recording in hard disk drives. The desired polarization of the laser is accomplished with two beam reflections off of facets within the diode. The facets are formed in a single ion beam etching step. This device can be used in a thermally assisted recording head to produce polarization incident on the disk aligned with the direction of the tracks on the disk. |
| US08213267B2 |
Day and time chronometer movement
A day clock has day, hour, and minute hands revolving continuously around a common center. It has a time adjustment knob and a day adjustment knob. When the day adjustment knob is pulled out, a set of gears are disengaged, allowing the day hand to be adjusted with that knob without affecting the other hands. Then, when the set of gears are reengaged, the time adjustment knob can be utilized to set the time of day. In order to set the day and time accurately, the user may first set the time to midnight with the time adjustment knob, pull out the day adjustment knob, set the day to a clock face line between days with that knob, push that knob back in, and then set the time to the correct time with the time adjustment knob. |
| US08213266B2 |
Electronic timepiece
An electronic timepiece, comprises a timing section to perform timing of time based on an oscillation signal; an electric wave receiving section to receive an electric wave; a voltage detecting section to detect a power source voltage supplied from a power source section; and a stop control section to stop a receiving function of the electric wave receiving section and continue a timing operation of the timing section when the voltage detecting section detects that the power source voltage becomes lower than a first level range, and then to stop the timing operation of the timing section when a warning period for urging a user to perform the power generation by the power generating section elapsed in a state where the power source voltage is lower than the first level range without changing to a lower level than a second level range lower than the first level range. |
| US08213265B2 |
Method of object tracking in 3D space based on particle filter using acoustic sensors
There is provided a method of tracking an object in a three-dimensional (3-D) space by using particle filter-based acoustic sensors, the method comprising selecting two planes in the 3-D space; executing two-dimensional (2-D) particle filtering on the two selected planes, respectively; and associating results of the 2-D particle filtering on the respective planes. |
| US08213264B2 |
Method and device of measuring location, and moving object
Disclosed is a moving object and a location measuring device and method thereof that may transmit an ultrasound signal to the moving object through a plurality of ultrasound transmitting units, and may estimate a location of the moving object at a current time based on distance information of distances between the moving object and the plurality of ultrasound transmitting units measured based on the transmitted ultrasound, inertia information, and location information of the moving object at a time prior to the current time. |
| US08213262B2 |
Transducer array arrangement and operation for sodar applications
A monostatic sodar system includes an array of essentially identical acoustic transducers. Each transducer includes a cone transducer element which generates and receives sound and a horn which guides the sound to and from the cone to a circular or hexagonal active region from which sound is emitted during a sound emission and into which sound is received during a reception of emitted sound that has been reflected by the atmosphere. Each transducer defines a generally hexagonal perimeter shape and occupying a generally hexagonal area of the array. The system includes a signal generator that generates signals that are used to drive the transducers, a phase and switching control, a receiver that receives signals from the transducers, a processor, an open-top enclosure, and a sound reflector within the enclosure. |
| US08213260B2 |
Fast residual migration of seismic data through parsimonious image decomposition
A technique for performing a fast residual migration of seismic data through parsimonious image decomposition is presented. In one aspect, the technique includes a software-implemented method for processing a set of seismic data includes through parsimonious image decomposition. Other aspects of the technique include a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform such a method or a computing apparatus programmed to perform such a method. |
| US08213258B2 |
System with controller and memory
According to the system of the present invention, data (DQ) signals are outputted/received between a controller 100 and a memory 200 based on a data strobe signal sent out from the controller 100. The data strobe signal is independently and completely separated from a clock signal. The data strobe signal has a frequency different from a clock signal. Therefore, the memory 200 is not required to generate a read data strobe signal from the clock signal nor to send the read data strobe signal in synchronization with the clock signal. |
| US08213251B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for driving the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a cell block including a first bit line, a sense amplifier unit including a second bit line and configured to amplify a data signal applied to the second bit line, a connection unit configured to selectively connect the first bit line and the second bit line, a connection control unit configured to receive a control signal for driving the sense amplifier unit and a selection signal for selecting the cell block and generate a connection signal for activating the connection unit at a first time, and a sense amplifier driving control unit configured to receive the control signal and generate a sense amplifier driving signal for driving the sense amplifier unit at a second time after the first time. |
| US08213249B2 |
Implementing low power data predicting local evaluation for double pumped arrays
A method and static random access memory (SRAM) circuit for implementing low power data predicting local evaluation for double pumped arrays, and a design structure on which the subject circuit reside are provided. A novel variation of a domino read local evaluation circuit accurately predicts the write data for the next cycle. The domino read local evaluation circuit uses static write data set up prior to a write enable signal to determine the value of the data that is being written into the array. When the data being written to the array matches the data last read the local bitlines stay in their previous state. When the data being written is opposite of the data last read then the bit lines are precharged to the precharge value. |
| US08213244B2 |
Distributed write data drivers for burst access memories
An address strobe latches a first address. A burst cycle increments the address internally with additional address strobes. A new memory address is only required at the beginning of each burst access. Read commands are issued once per burst access eliminating toggling Read control line at cycle frequency. Control line transition terminates access and initializes another burst access. |
| US08213237B2 |
Charge pump and semiconductor device having the same
A charge pump and method of operation are provided. The charge pump includes a first boosting unit configured to receive a pre-charge voltage and electrically charge a first MOS capacitor during a pre-charge period, and to boost a voltage of a connection node to a first output voltage during a boosting operation period, and a second boosting unit configured to receive the pre-charge voltage and electrically charge a second MOS capacitor during the pre-charge period, and to receive the first output voltage and boost a voltage of an output node to a second output voltage during the boosting operation period. Here, the pre-charge voltage is applied to electrically charge a parasitic capacitor during a parasitic capacitor charging period between the pre-charge period and the boosting operation period. |
| US08213231B2 |
NAND flash memory devices having wiring with integrally-formed contact pads and dummy lines and methods of manufacturing the same
A NAND flash memory device includes a plurality of continuous conductors disposed on a common level of a multilayer substrate, the plurality of continuous conductors including respective conductive lines extending in parallel along a first direction, respective contact pads disposed at ends of the respective conductive lines and respective conductive dummy lines extending in parallel from the contact pads along a second direction. |
| US08213224B2 |
High density low power nanowire phase change material memory device
A memory cell device includes a semiconductor nanowire extending, at a first end thereof, from a substrate; the nanowire having a doping profile so as to define a field effect transistor (FET) adjacent the first end, the FET further including a gate electrode at least partially surrounding the nanowire, the doping profile further defining a p-n junction in series with the FET, the p-n junction adjacent a second end of the nanowire; and a phase change material at least partially surrounding the nanowire, at a location corresponding to the p-n junction. |
| US08213220B2 |
Device and method of programming a magnetic memory element
The present disclosure provides a non-volatile memory device. A memory device includes a first magnetic element having a fixed magnetization. The memory device also includes a second magnetic element having a non-fixed magnetization. The memory device further includes a barrier layer between the first and second magnetic elements. A unidirectional current source is electrically coupled to the first and second magnetic elements. The current source is configured to provide a first current to the first and second memory elements. The first current has a first current density and is in a first direction. The current source is also configured to provide a second current to the first and second magnetic elements. The second current has a second current density, different than the first current density, and is in the first direction. The first and second currents cause the non-fixed magnetization of the second magnetic element to toggle between substantially parallel to the fixed magnetization of the first magnetic element and between substantially antiparallel to the fixed magnetization of the first magnetic element. |
| US08213215B2 |
Resistive sense memory calibration for self-reference read method
Resistive memory calibration for self-reference read methods are described. One method of self-reference reading a resistive memory unit includes setting a plurality of resistive memory units to a first resistive data state. The resistive memory units forms a memory array. Reading a sensed resistive data state for each resistive memory unit by applying a first read current and a second read current through each resistive memory unit and then comparing voltages formed by the first read current and the second read current to determine the sensed resistive data state for each resistive memory unit. Then the method includes adjusting the first or the second read current, read voltages, or storage device capacitance for each resistive memory unit where the sensed resistive data state was not the same as the first resistive data state until the sensed resistive data state is the same as the first resistive data state. |
| US08213213B2 |
Reference current generator for resistance type memory and method thereof
A reference current generator for a resistance type memory and a method thereof is disclosed. The reference current generator comprises N parallel circuit sets. Each of the N parallel circuit sets is formed with at least one first reference element and second reference elements connected in parallel. The number of the first reference elements plus the number of the second reference elements is N. The resistance value of first reference elements (a first resistance value) is not equal to the resistance value of the second reference elements (a second resistance value). An equivalent resistance provided with a equivalent resistance value between the first and second resistance value is formed by connecting the N parallel circuit sets in series between an input terminal and output terminal. A reference current is outputted from the output terminal by applying an operation voltage to the input terminal. |
| US08213211B2 |
High reliability OTP memory
A method and system for improving reliability of OTP memories, and in particular anti-fuse memories, by storing one bit of data in at least two OTP memory cells. Therefore each bit of data is read out by accessing the at least two OTP memory cells at the same time in a multi-cell per bit mode. By storing one bit of data in at least two OTP memory cells, defective cells or weakly programmable cells are compensated for since the additional cell or cells provide inherent redundancy. Program reliability is ensured by programming the data one bit at a time, and verifying all programmed bits in a single-ended read mode, prior to normal operation where the data is read out in the multi-cell per bit mode. Programming and verification is achieved at high speed and with minimal power consumption using a novel program/verify algorithm for anti-fuse memory. In addition to improved reliability, read margin and read speed are improved over single cell per bit memories. |
| US08213202B2 |
Energy distributing circuit arrangement, including a DC/DC-converter
The present invention relates to a current distributing circuit arrangement (20, 20′), adapted for charging a plurality of arrays of co-ordinated energy supplying DC-networks (“A” (DC)), (“B” (DC)), wherein the circuit arrangement (20) includes a plurality of setup-related circuits (21, 22, 23, 24) each of which is adapted to a pre selected energy supplying DC-network, (“A” (DC)) with, inter alia, its allocated terminal voltage (350V DC), its allocated capacity and/or its allocated maximized loading current. Respective circuit arrangements (20, 20′) can be allocated an AC-supplied rectifying bridge (21), an after-coupled sinus pump unit (23) and a DC/DC-converter (24) that includes a maximum current limiting circuit (43). A conductor (25) required for a first circuit (20) may be related to earth system (2q) and coupled electrically (61) to a conductor (25′) required for a second circuit (20′) and related to said earth system (2q), wherein said earth system (2q) is connected directly to the rectifying bridge (21) supplied with an alternating current. The circuit arrangement (20) includes a DC/DC-converter (24), constructed of solely a few components, and an energy storage circuit, which is related to a sinus pump unit, a SP-unit, and which has the form of a capacitor (40) adapted for a high capacitance value and/or for a high voltage valve (420V DC). |
| US08213200B2 |
Switching power supply apparatus
In a switching power supply apparatus, multiplier 9 multiplies error voltage Verr generated in voltage error amplifier 8 and input voltage Vin to generate first threshold signal Vth1 in-phase with and similar to input voltage Vin and having an amplitude proportional to error voltage Verr. Second threshold signal generator circuit 14 generates second threshold signal Vth2 from first threshold signal Vth1. Switching device 7 is turned on and off so that the inductor current may change between first and second threshold signals Vth1 and Vth2. The switching frequency is detected and the proportional factor of first and second threshold signals Vth1 and Vth2 is changed to control the average switching frequency almost at a constant value for reducing the high frequency noises and the switching losses. The switching power supply apparatus facilitates reducing the noises and losses, improving the power factor thereof, and preventing the response performances thereof from being impaired. |
| US08213196B2 |
Power supply circuit with protecting circuit having switch element for protecting pulse width modulation circuit
A power supply circuit includes a direct current (DC) voltage source, a protecting circuit having a first switching element, a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit having a first terminal, a switching circuit, and a transformer. The DC voltage source is configured to provide a first DC voltage. The first terminal is configured to receive the first DC voltage via the first switching element to enable the PWM circuit. The PWM circuit is configured to switch on or switch off the switching circuit. The transformer is configured to convert the first DC voltage to an alternating current (AC) voltage in cooperation with the switching circuit. |
| US08213191B2 |
Constant-current circuit capable of voltage compensation and zero-voltage switching
The present invention is to provide a constant-current circuit capable of voltage compensation and zero-voltage switching, wherein the constant-current circuit is a single-switch isolated flyback converter and includes a control circuit, a sensing resistor, a transformer, a voltage divider, and a primary-side power switch. The control circuit obtains information related to a primary-side current of the transformer by way of the sensing resistor and obtains a compensation signal from an input voltage by way of the voltage divider, so as to control the primary-side power switch accordingly. Due to a compensating effect of the compensation signal, a peak voltage resulting from the sensing resistor is adjusted to a reference voltage through adding the compensation signal thereto, thereby enabling the constant-current circuit to generate a constant output current over a wide range of input voltage. |
| US08213190B2 |
Single-stage isolated high power factor AC/DC converter with leakage inductor energy recovery function
A single-stage isolated high power factor AC/DC converter with a leakage inductor energy recovery function includes a buck-boost circuit, for step-down or step-down a power supply; a transformer, electrically connected to the buck-boost circuit, for transforming the stepped-down or stepped-up power supply; a switch, electrically connected to the buck-boost circuit; an input capacitor, electrically connected to the buck-boost circuit; and an output circuit, for outputting the power supply transformed by the transformer. When the switch is cut off, the buck-boost circuit provides an energy recovery path to return energy stored in a leakage inductor of the transformer to the input capacitor. The energy stored in the leakage inductor of the transformer in a flyback converter or a forward converter is returned to the input capacitor through the energy recovery path. The problem caused by the leakage inductor of the transformer is solved without using any additional element. |
| US08213184B2 |
Method of testing using a temporary chip attach carrier
A method of testing integrated circuit chips. The method includes: attaching integrated circuit chips to an interposer of a temporary carrier, the carrier comprising: a substrate, a first interconnects on a bottom surface and a second array of interconnects on a top surface of the substrate, corresponding first and second interconnects electrically connected by wires in the substrate; the interposer, first pads on a top surface and a second pads on a bottom surface of the interposer, corresponding first and second pads electrically connected by wires in the interposer, and the second pads in physical and electrical contact with corresponding second interconnects; and the interposer including an interposer substrate comprising a same material as a substrate of the integrated circuit chip; connecting interconnects of the first array of interconnects to a tester; and testing the one or more integrated circuit chips. |
| US08213179B2 |
Semiconductor element cooling structure
A semiconductor element cooling structure includes a plurality of semiconductor elements, and electrode structure, which has cooling medium channels therein and is electrically connected to the plurality of semiconductor elements. The electrode structure includes an alternating current electrode having the semiconductor elements on each of opposite surfaces, and a plurality of direct current electrodes holding therebetween the alternating current electrode and the semiconductor elements respectively mounted on the opposite surfaces of the alternating current electrode. Each of the alternating current electrode and the direct current electrodes has the cooling medium channels therein. |
| US08213176B2 |
Systems and methods for providing airflow
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a silencer. The silencer includes an enclosure with a first airflow path configured to allow air to pass through the enclosure and attenuate noise entering the enclosure. The enclosure also includes an opening configured to provide a second airflow path if the first airflow path is obstructed. |
| US08213175B2 |
Electronic device having improved input device
An electronic device includes a body and an input device. The body includes a shell and a non-conductive rear cover. The shell defines an opening. The rear cover tightly covers the opening and defines a through hole. The input device includes a resistor, a wire, a non-conductive rotating plate, and a conducting member. The resistor and the wire both are discontinuous ring-shaped, and concentrically disposed on the rear cover surrounding the through hole. The rotating plate is rotatably inserted through the through hole. The conducting member is disposed on the rotating plate and connects the resistor and the wire. The conducting member is operable to move around the resistor and the wire such that a resistance between one end of the resistor and one end of the wire is changed. |
| US08213174B1 |
Vibration-damping mount
In an example, a vibration-damping mount comprises a bolt including a threaded shaft and a bolt head fixed to the threaded shaft, and a vibration-damping base. The vibration-damping base includes a head segment that envelops the bolt head and a neck segment adjacent to the head segment and opposite to the threaded shaft. The vibration-damping base further includes a rear segment adjacent to the neck segment and opposite to the head segment. The head segment, the neck segment and the rear segment combine to form a notch configured to mate with a hole in a mounting board, such as a printed circuit board. The vibration-damping mount may be suitable to mount a mass data storage device such as a hard disk drive to a printed circuit board in a chassis system and simultaneously isolate the mass data storage device from vibrations in the chassis system. |
| US08213173B2 |
Mass data storage device cartridge flexible interconnect
This disclosure includes a portable data storage device comprising a mass data storage device, a cartridge housing enclosing a mass data storage device, and a flexible interconnect. The flexible interconnect includes an external electrical connector mechanically coupled to the cartridge, an internal electrical connector mechanically and electrically coupled to a data port of the mass data storage device, and a set of flexible electrical conductors electrically coupling the external electrical connector to the internal electrical connector. The flexible electrical conductors are routed within the cartridge such that no portion of the set of flexible electrical conductors lies in a volume defined by the space between the external electrical connector and the internal electrical connector. |
| US08213172B2 |
Hard disk mounting device
A hard disk mounting device for fixing two hard disks with fixing members includes a pedestal, and two latching members. The pedestal includes a bottom plate, and two side plates extending from the bottom plate. Each side plate includes a first mounting portion and two second mounting portions extending from opposite ends of the first mounting portion. Each first mounting portion includes a first receiving portion. Each second mounting portion defines two latching grooves to receive corresponding fixing members of the hard disks. Each latching member includes a first engaging portion to resist against a corresponding hard disk, and two first latching portions protruding from opposite ends of the first engaging portion. One latching portion includes a first fixing portion received in the first receiving portion and a second receiving portion, the other latching portion includes a second fixing portion received in the second receiving portion. |
| US08213170B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing including a palmrest, and a honeycomb-shaped rib on an inner surface of the palmrest. |
| US08213168B2 |
Assembly of a display module
A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include a single piece housing and a display module. The display module can include a protective top glass cover that is bonded to a plastic display frame and surrounded by a seal frame. The display module can also include a display panel and its associated circuitry suspended from the display frame below the protective glass cover. The display module is coupled to the single piece housing mounting clips in a manner that allows the display module to move relative to the single piece housing during an impact event. The plastic display frame can include inserts that provide structural support near openings in the single piece housing. |
| US08213166B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes: a casing; a detachable cover having a plate shape forming a part of a top surface of the casing; and an electrostatic touch sensor disposed on an inner surface of the cover to detect a touch location of a finger on an outer surface of the cover. |
| US08213164B2 |
Quick mounting system and media for video recording
A mounting system comprising a base and a media module for mounting and dismounting of storage media is disclosed herein. In general, the mounting system allows one or more media modules to be rapidly mounted and dismounted to and from various devices. The media module may comprise an enclosure for storing the storage media and a rotatable cap with an open portion to accept the enclosure. The enclosure may have one or more media guides and the cap may have one or more locking guides. The media guides may engage one or more pins of the base to align the enclosure with the base. This allows a communications connection to be formed between the storage media and a device. The locking guides may engage the pins to mount the enclosure to the base as the cap is rotated. |
| US08213162B2 |
Protective cover mechanism and electronic device using the same
A protective cover mechanism for a port of electronic device, includes a latching element and a cover element. The latching element has a main body and a slit defined through the main body. The cover element has a cover body, a follower protruding from the cover body slidably extending into the slit of the main body, and a stopping portion protruding from a distal end of the follower preventing the follower and the main body from separating. |
| US08213161B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitor and method of manufacturing same
A solid electrolytic capacitor according to the present invention comprises an anode body, an anode lead in contact with an outer surface of the anode body, a dielectric layer formed on a surface of the anode lead, and a cathode layer formed on a surface of the dielectric layer. The anode lead is provided with a plurality of openings passing through the anode lead. Another solid electrolytic capacitor according to the present invention comprises an anode body, an anode lead in contact with an outer surface of the anode body, a dielectric layer formed on a surface of the anode lead, and a cathode layer formed on a surface of the dielectric layer. The anode lead is provided with a cutout on an outer circumference edge of the anode lead. |
| US08213157B2 |
Single-wall carbon nanotube supercapacitor
A supercapacitor comprising a cathode, an anode, a first single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) film electrode adjacent the cathode, a second SWNT film electrode adjacent the anode, and separator disposed between the first and second electrodes. The SWNT film electrodes may be manufactured by a non-filtration process comprising depositing the SWNT film on a foil via CVD; separating the SWNT film from the foil; heating the SWNT film; treating the SWNT film with an acid solution; washing the SWNT film; and excising the electrodes from the SWNT film. |
| US08213155B2 |
Multilayer chip capacitor
There is provided a multilayer chip capacitor a multilayer chip capacitor including: a capacitor body including first and second capacitor units arranged therein; and first to fourth outer electrodes, wherein the first capacitor unit includes first and second inner electrodes, and the first capacitor unit includes a plurality of capacitor elements each having a pair of the first and second inner electrodes repeatedly laminated, the second capacitor unit includes third and fourth inner electrodes, and the second capacitor unit includes at least one capacitor element having a pair of the third and fourth inner electrodes repeatedly laminated, and at least one of the capacitor elements of the first capacitor unit is different from the other capacitor elements of the first capacitor unit in a lamination number of the first and second inner electrodes or a resonant frequency. |
| US08213154B2 |
Co-doped nickel oxide
A nickel oxide that is co-doped with a first alkali metal dopant and a second metal dopant may be used, for example, to form a dielectric material in an electronic device. The dielectric material may be used, for example, in a capacitor. The second metal dopant of the nickel oxide may be, for example, tin, antimony, indium, tungsten, iridium, scandium, gallium, vanadium, chromium, gold, yttrium, lanthanum, ruthenium, rhodium, molybdenum or niobium. |
| US08213152B2 |
Multilayer ceramic electronic component including dummy conductors
A multilayer ceramic electronic component includes dummy conductor patterns on a ceramic green sheet laminated in an earlier stage of the lamination and sheet-by-sheet crimping process that have widths that are less than the widths of dummy conductor patterns on a ceramic green sheet laminated in a later stage of the lamination and sheet-by-sheet crimping process. |
| US08213150B2 |
Door lock
In an embodiment according to the invention, the controller for a solenoid in an electromechanical lock is arranged to generate motion power to move the solenoid plunger and holding power to hold the solenoid plunger in place so that the motion power generated consists of a higher power level and a lower power level that are alternating. |
| US08213146B2 |
Semiconductor power conversion apparatus
A semiconductor power conversion apparatus capable of protecting an IGBT from an overvoltage by supplying a sufficient gate current to the gate of the IGBT. The IGBT is protected from the overvoltage by connecting clamping elements connected in series between a collector of the IGBT and the gate thereof, and by connecting a resistor to each of different junction points between the clamping elements connected in series. |
| US08213143B2 |
Circuit arrangement for the protection of electronic components or assemblies
A circuit arrangement for protecting an electronic device from damage upon a fault. The circuit arrangement includes at least one first terminal, at least one second terminal, a first interface and a second interface, a fault detection circuit region, a fault signal processing circuit region, and a disconnection circuit region. The at least one first terminal is coupled to the at least one second terminal in a fault-free state, the fault detection circuit region is coupled to the fault signal processing circuit region, the fault signal processing circuit region is coupled to the disconnection circuit region, the disconnection circuit region is configured to disconnect at least one of the at least one first terminal and the at least one second terminal, and the fault detection circuit region, the first and second interfaces, and the disconnection circuit region are configured to be compatible with another different fault signal processing circuit region. |
| US08213142B2 |
Amplifier with improved ESD protection circuitry
An amplifier (e.g., an LNA) with improved ESD protection circuitry is described. In one exemplary design, the amplifier includes a transistor, an inductor, and a clamp circuit. The transistor has a gate coupled to a pad and provides signal amplification for the amplifier. The inductor is coupled to a source of the transistor and provides source degeneration for the transistor. The clamp circuit is coupled between the gate and source of the transistor and provides ESD protection for the transistor. The clamp circuit may include at least one diode coupled between the gate and source of the transistor. The clamp circuit conducts current through the inductor to generate a voltage drop across the inductor when a large voltage pulse is applied to the pad. The gate-to-source voltage (Vgs) of the transistor is reduced by the voltage drop across the inductor, which may improve the reliability of the transistor. |
| US08213141B2 |
Power over Ethernet electrostatic discharge protection circuit
A Power over Ethernet electrostatic discharge protection circuit has a first diode with an anode coupled to a positive power port and a cathode coupled to an ESD protection port. A second diode has an anode coupled to ground and a cathode coupled to the positive power port. A third diode has an anode coupled to a negative power port and a cathode coupled to the ESD protection port. |
| US08213140B2 |
Apparatus and method for operation of an electrical machine for driving a motor vehicle
In an apparatus and method for the operation of an electrical machine, the electrical machine is connected to an external controller via a direct switch-off line and is rapidly switched off when the external controller identifies a fault in order to prevent an electrical machine from being operated in-correctly. |
| US08213138B2 |
Circuit breaker with arc fault detection and method of operation
A circuit breaker having a series arc fault detector and method of operation is provided. The series arc fault detector measures the RMS current and monitors current stability in response to a change in current levels. The sensitivity of the series arc fault detection is changed in response to the current satisfying a stability criterion. The circuit breaker further enables and disables series arc fault detection based on an enable threshold. The enable threshold is set based on the level of sensitivity being used to detect a series arc fault. |
| US08213137B2 |
Solid state relay controller
A solid state relay has independent charge pumps isolating each gate of a full bridge to achieve faster and proper gate turn on. The low side MOSFETs of the bridge are the current sensing device reducing loss and allowing a device controlled by the relay to achieve peak performance. Dynamic braking is achieved by the two low side MOSFETs being fully conducted and applying a load across the DC motor. Addition of a microprocessor to the device provides undervoltage sensing, current vs time readings, motor stall sensing, and motor temperature sensing. Motor temperature is detected by checking impedance of the motor at microsecond pulses to see if the motor is getting hot. |
| US08213132B2 |
Magnetic sensor having a physically hard insulation layer over a magnetic bias structure
A narrow track-width magnetoresistive sensor by defining a trench formed between first and second hard bias layers and depositing the sensor into the trench. The sensor can include a sensor stack sandwiched between first and second electrically conductive lead layers. First and second electrically insulating side walls are formed at either side of the sensor stack. First and second hard bias layers extend from the sides of the sensor stack, being separated from the sensor stack by the first and second electrically insulating side walls. First and second physically hard insulation layers are provided over each of the hard bias layers. |
| US08213129B2 |
Current-perpendicular-to-plane magnetoresistive element in which the magnetization direction of an intermediate metallic magnetic layer is twisted
A magnetoresistive element includes at least three metallic magnetic layers, at least two connection layers provided between the at least three metallic magnetic layers, each having an insulating layer and current confined paths including a metallic magnetic material penetrating the insulating layer, and electrodes which supply a current perpendicularly to a plane of a stacked film of the metallic magnetic layers and the connection layers. |
| US08213125B2 |
Heat transfer for a hard-drive pre-amp
A substrate for mounting a preamp chip thereupon, fabricated using a stiffener layer made of a conductive material; an insulating layer provided over the circuitry area of the substrate; a circuitry made of a conductive material provided over the insulating layer; and a flap which is an extension of the stiffener layer having no insulating layer provided thereupon. The flap is fabricated to fold over the preamp chip to remove heat therefrom. |
| US08213120B2 |
Flexible cable comprising liquid crystal polymer
A tape drive system according to one general embodiment includes a magnetic head; a drive mechanism for passing a magnetic recording tape over the head; a cable coupled to the magnetic head, the cable comprising a first layer of liquid crystal polymer, and at least 16 electrically conductive leads operatively coupled to the first layer of liquid crystal polymer; and a controller coupled to the cable, and communicating with the head using the cable. A cable according to another general embodiment includes a first layer of liquid crystal polymer; and at least 16 electrically conductive leads operatively coupled to the first layer of liquid crystal polymer. |
| US08213119B2 |
Writing and reading multi-level patterned magnetic recording media
A method and system for reading readback waveforms representing written magnetization states of a pair of magnetic islands of a two-level patterned magnetic recording medium, and a structure that include a multi-level patterned magnetic medium. Reading the readback waveform representing the written magnetization state includes: identifying the written magnetization state by decoding the readback waveform; and displaying and/or recording the written magnetization state. The magnetic medium of the structure includes distributed pillars. Each pillar includes a first and second magnetic island. Each magnetic island has a magnetic easy axis oriented at a first tilt angle (α1) and a second tilt angle (α2), wherein α1 and α2 satisfy: α1≠α2, either or both of α1 and α2 differing from 0, 90, 180, and 270 degrees, or combinations thereof. |
| US08213114B2 |
Disk drive hub with motor coil wiring arrangement to reduce thickness and suppressed torque decrease
The disk drive device includes a base member, a hub, a bearing unit which is arranged on the base member and which rotatably supports the hub, and a spindle drive unit which drives the hub to rotate. The spindle drive unit includes a stator core having a salient pole, a coil wound around the salient pole and a magnet opposed to the salient pole. The hub formed of magnetic material includes an outer cylinder portion engaged with an inner circumference of a recording disk and an inner cylinder portion to which an outer circumference of the magnet is fixed. The diameter of the inner cylinder portion is larger than the diameter of the outer cylinder portion. |
| US08213109B2 |
Library storage apparatus having maintenance program to detect removal of a drive device and move a robot to close the load port of the removed drive
A storage apparatus includes at least one device insertion section, at least one robot, a replacement detection section, a first determination section, and a movement section. A device can be inserted into the device insertion section. The robot has a moving mechanism. The replacement detection section detects a start of the replacement of the device. When it is detected by the replacement detection section that the replacement of the device is started, the first determination section determines a position of the device insertion section at which the device is replaced. The movement section moves the robot so as to close an opening formed by removal of the device from the device insertion section based on the determination result of the first determination section. |
| US08213107B2 |
Methods, systems and apparatus for reducing the effects of tape dimensional stability
A method, system, apparatus, and computer readable medium storing instructions for recording data tracks and a method and system for reading data tracks. For recording data tracks, virtual boundary of a first data track recorded on the storage medium is determined. The recording element is positioned based on the determined virtual boundary of the first track and a second data track is recorded by the positioned recording element. For reading data tracks, a first virtual boundary of a first data track and a second virtual boundary of the first data track are determined and a reading element is positioned at a center of the first data track based on the determined virtual boundaries. In the system of reading recorded data tracks, a number of forward reading elements and backward reading elements are provided. The forward reading elements have different pitches. |
| US08213102B2 |
Systems and methods for storing data to magnetic tape having damaged areas
A method for using magnetic tape having damaged areas is disclosed. The method may include writing data to streaming magnetic tape, determining if the data write was successful, and responding to an unsuccessful data write by interrupting the data writing and advancing the magnetic tape forward a predetermined distance. Additionally, the method may include attempting to write data at the next location on the magnetic tape and determining if the data write was successful. The method may further include repeating the steps of advancing the tape, attempting to write, and determining whether the data write was successful following any determination that an attempted data write was not successful. The method may include further include resuming writing data to streaming magnetic tape at a location where a data write is determined to be successful. |
| US08213097B2 |
Compact imaging lens assembly
This invention provides a compact imaging lens assembly from an object side toward an image side in order including a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface with at least one of surfaces thereof being aspheric, a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a concave image-side surface with at least one of surfaces thereof being aspheric. An aperture stop is positioned between the imaged object and the second lens element. There are two lens elements with refractive power in the compact imaging lens assembly. |
| US08213095B2 |
Projection lens and projection display device using the same
Disclosed are a projection lens that has a small size, a simple inner focus structure, a high optical performance, and a wide angle of view of about 75 degrees or more, and a projection display device.A projection lens includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power arranged in this order from a magnification side. A fifth lens arranged closest to a reduction side in the first lens group is moved along an optical axis to adjust focus. The projection lens satisfies the following conditional expression: 3.0 |
| US08213086B2 |
Coating composition for antireflection with resistance and antireflection characteristic and antireflection film prepared by using the same
A coating composition for antireflection that includes a low refraction-thermosetting resin having a refractive index of 1.2 to 1.45, a high refraction-ultraviolet curable resin having a refractive index of 1.46 to 2, and an ultraviolet absorber; an antireflection film manufactured using the coating composition; and a method of manufacturing the antireflection film. The antireflection film has excellent abrasion resistance and antireflection characteristic. Further, since the antireflection film can be manufactured in one coating process, it is possible to reduce manufacturing cost. |
| US08213083B2 |
Wavelength selection filter, filter unit, light source device, optical apparatus, and refractive index sensor
A wavelength selection filter selectively resonating and reflecting light of a given wavelength contained in incident light, includes a substrate having a rectangular waveform concave and convex structure which is formed on a plane on which the incident light falls incident, the concave and convex structure including convex portions and concave portions which are arranged in one axial direction and a multilayer structure including a first layer and a second layer respectively coating one and the other one of side surfaces, in the one axial direction, of each of convex portions of the concave and convex structure. A refractive index of the first layer and a refractive index of the second layer are both higher than a refractive index of the substrate. |
| US08213076B2 |
Multi-color electrophoretic displays and materials for making the same
Novel addressing schemes for controlling electronically addressable displays include a scheme for rear-addressing displays, which allows for in-plane switching of the display material. Other schemes include a rear-addressing scheme which uses a retroreflecting surface to enable greater viewing angle and contrast. Another scheme includes an electrode structure that facilitates manufacture and control of a color display. Another electrode structure facilitates addressing a display using an electrostatic stylus. Methods of using the disclosed electrode structures are also disclosed. Another scheme includes devices combining display materials with silicon transistor addressing structures. |
| US08213075B2 |
Method and device for multistate interferometric light modulation
A multi-state light modulator comprises a first reflector. A first electrode is positioned at a distance from the first reflector. A second reflector is positioned between the first reflector and the first electrode. The second reflector is movable between an undriven position, a first driven position, and a second driven position, each having a corresponding distance from the first reflector. In one embodiment, the three positions correspond to reflecting white light, being non-reflective, and reflecting a selected color of light. Another embodiment is a method of making the light modulator. Another embodiment is a display including the light modulator. |
| US08213072B1 |
Electrofluidic display device and driving method thereof
An electrofluidic display device including a first structure layer and a second structure layer is provided. The first structure layer includes a first substrate. A trench structure layer is disposed on the first substrate and has a trench surrounding an indent groove of a second substrate. A first electrode layer is disposed on the first substrate. A first hydrophobic layer is disposed on the first electrode layer. The second structure layer having the second substrate is located aside the first substrate with a gap. A groove structure layer is disposed on the second substrate. The groove structure has the indent groove surrounded by the trench. A second electrode layer is disposed on the groove structure layer. A second hydrophobic layer is disposed on the second electrode layer. Polar fluid is disposed in the indent groove. Non-polar fluid is disposed in the gap between the first and second substrates. |
| US08213063B2 |
Image sensing apparatus, image sensing system, and operating program product for image sensing system
An image sensing apparatus including an image sensor having a first area and a second area and a gradation converter for applying a gradation conversion to an image signal is provided with a gradation conversion LUT storage storing at least two kinds of gradation conversion information. The image sensing apparatus is also provided with a gradation conversion information rewriting section for rewriting the gradation conversion information into new gradation conversion information. There can be provided an image sensing apparatus capable of carrying out a precise gradation conversion even in the case that the inflection point between the first area and the second area of the image sensor constantly changes. |
| US08213061B2 |
Detection device, image reading control device, and recording medium in which is recorded an error correction program of a detection device
A detection device that includes a setting component, a measuring component, an accumulating component, a determining component, and an increasing/decreasing component is provided. The joint quantity measuring component measures joint quantities between the photoelectric conversion elements that are dependent on precision when arraying the plural photoelectric conversion elements. The joint error quantity accumulating component accumulates error quantities of the joints that are obtained from the joint quantities that have been measured and a reference quantity. The determining component determines whether or not the accumulated error quantity has exceeded an allowable range. The interpolation pixel increasing/decreasing component increases/decreases, on the basis of direction of error, interpolation pixels between specific photoelectric conversion elements when it has been determined that the accumulated error quantity has exceeded the allowable range. |
| US08213055B2 |
Color separation into Neugebauer primary area coverage vectors
The disclosure describes methods for color printing, performing a color separation process and performing a halftoning process. Furthermore, the disclosure describes the color separation process determining one or more Neugebauer Primaries, tessellating the Neugebauer Primaries, and generating one or more Neugebauer Primary area coverage vectors, whose area coverages are linear with respect to a device-independent color space. The disclosure further describes that the color separation process communicates with the halftoning process using one or more Neugebauer Primary area coverage vectors. |
| US08213054B2 |
Image processing apparatus, error diffusion processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes a dividing portion that divides input multivalue image data into a plurality of bands, an error diffusion process portion that carries out an error diffusion process on each divided band to quantize each pixel, and a controlling portion that controls the dividing portion and error diffusion process portion. The error diffusion process portion, following control by the controlling portion, operates in a first mode to repeat the error diffusion process not accompanying quantization given times on each noted pixel included in a given line of the each band (head line, etc.), and operates in a second mode to carry out the error diffusion process on the each band sequentially from the head line of the each band on the basis of an error value obtained in the first mode to put out quantized data. |
| US08213053B2 |
Information processing apparatus and computer-readable information recording medium
A type detecting part detects types of drawing objects included in a printing job. A rate detecting part detects a rate of each type of drawing object. A storing part stores the rate of each type of drawing object as a count value of a statistics counter which counts predetermined units of drawing objects for each type of drawing object. A comparing part compares a previously set printing quality with a recommended printing quality which is derived from count values of statistics counters. A changing part changes the previously set printing quality to the recommended printing quality when the previously set printing quality is different from the recommended printing quality. |
| US08213052B2 |
Digital image brightness adjustment using range information
A method for adjusting the brightness of objects in a digital image using range information that includes distances of pixels in the scene from a reference location, the method comprising: generating a cluster map based at least upon an analysis of the range information and the digital image, the cluster map grouping pixels of the digital image by their distances from the reference location; detecting a plurality of objects in the digital image based at least upon an analysis of the cluster map and the digital image; determining a brightness adjustment amount for each object; and applying the brightness adjustment amounts to the detected objects to form a modified digital image with adjusted brightnesses. |
| US08213049B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus which can perform a multiple exposure with a plurality of laser lights driven by the PWM signal without deteriorating the image quality of a line image and a character image. Scanning start points are controlled to be different between a first light beam and a second light beam, among a plurality of light beams emit from a light source, exposing the identical pixel position. |
| US08213045B2 |
Correction of image data scaling in screen area
An image forming apparatus comprises a scaling correction circuit that corrects scaling in a sub-scanning direction of image data according to scaling data, a screen processing circuit that, of image data whose scaling in the sub-scanning direction has been corrected by the scaling correction circuit, performs screen processing on image data included in a screen area; and an image forming unit that forms an image based on the image data that has been processed by the screen processing circuit. The scaling correction circuit changes the scaling in the sub-scanning direction such that a pixel arrangement of the screen area after the scaling is changed becomes a pixel arrangement of image data before the scaling was changed. |
| US08213043B2 |
Printing apparatus, printing apparatus control method, printing apparatus control program, and printing system
A printing apparatus includes: a tag information reading/writing unit which reads information from an IC tag attached to or embedded in a predetermined location of a print medium and writes information to the IC tag through wireless communication with the IC tag and which reads layout information, which defines at least a location of a printable area on the print medium, from the IC tag; a record data inputting unit which inputs record data representing contents recorded on the print medium; and a printing control unit which performs a printing process on the print medium on the basis of print target data in which a print location of the contents represented by the record data is determined on the basis of the layout information and which updates the layout information on the basis of information directly or indirectly representing a printed area in the print medium subjected to the printing process and allows the tag information reading/writing unit to write the layout information subjected to the updating process to the IC tag. |
| US08213042B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method carried out by the image forming apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium having image forming program recorded thereon
In order to maintain consistency between stored data and an image formed on a recording medium, an MFP includes an HDD to store data, a data designation portion to designate target data to be an output target from the data stored in the HDD, a prohibition portion to prohibit modification or deletion of the target data, and an image forming portion to generate a composite image by combining the target data with positional information indicating a position in the HDD where the target data is stored and to form the composite image on a sheet of paper. |
| US08213039B2 |
Application service provider server, data server, recording medium, and program
An application server, a data server, and a printer are connected to one another via a communication network. The application server executes application software. Then, the application server generates print data for printing an interim result or final result of processing performed by the application software, and sends the print data to the data server. The data server provides the supplied print data to the printer. The printer performs printing in accordance with the provided print data. |
| US08213035B2 |
Printing apparatus, information processing apparatus, control method thereof, printing system and program for direct-printing application data using a temporary licensing key
From an external device, a print job which includes application data generated by an application on the external device and print data printable by a printing apparatus is received. The print data in the received print job is rasterized into bitmap data. The application data in the received print job is converted into bitmap data which represents encrypted information rasterizable by the printing apparatus. The converted bitmap data and rasterized bitmap data are composited. The composited bitmap data is printed. |
| US08213027B2 |
Generic interface
A system and process for ensuring the smooth flow of electronic ink is described. Dynamic rendering is given priority over other event handlers. Priority may be the use of one or more queues to order when events occur and may be performing dynamic rendering prior to other steps. |
| US08213024B2 |
Method and system for aerial imaging of a reticle
A system, method and computer readable medium for reticle evaluation, the method includes: (i) obtaining, during an imaging process, multiple images of the reticle under different polarization and optionally interferometric conditions; and (ii) generating an output aerial image in response to (i) the multiple images and (ii) differences between the imaging process and an exposure process; wherein during the exposure process an image of the reticle is projected onto a wafer. |
| US08213022B1 |
Spatially smart optical sensing and scanning
Methods, devices and systems of an optical sensor for spatially smart 3-D object measurements using variable focal length lenses to target both specular and diffuse objects by matching transverse dimensions of the sampling optical beam to the transverse size of the flat target for given axial target distance for instantaneous spatial mapping of flat target, zone. The sensor allows volumetric data compressed remote sensing of object transverse dimensions including cross-sectional size, motion transverse displacement, inter-objects transverse gap distance, 3-D animation data acquisition, laser-based 3-D machining, and 3-D inspection and testing. An embodiment provides a 2-D optical display using 2-D laser scanning and 3-D beamforming optics engaged with sensor optics to measure distance of display screen from the laser source and scanning optics by adjusting its focus to produce the smallest focused beam spot on the display screen. With known screen distance, the angular scan range for the scan mirrors can be computed to generate the number of scanned spots in the 2-D display. |
| US08213021B2 |
Interferometric measurement of non-homogeneous multi-material surfaces
Correction factors for the ALR and PTR parameters of magnetic-head sliders are determined by calculating an effective reflectivity and a corresponding PCOR at each pixel of the air-bearing surface. The absolute value of reflectivity at each pixel of the AlTiC air-bearing surface is obtained from an empirical equation relating it to modulation. The ratio of Al2O3 and TiC in the AlTiC surface is then calculated at every pixel assuming a linear relationship between the absolute value of AlTiC reflectivity and the theoretical reflectivity of each constituent. The linear relationship is then also used to calculate the effective (complex) reflectivity for the AlTiC material from the relative concentrations of Al2O3 and TiC at each pixel. |
| US08213019B2 |
RFOG with optical heterodyning for optical signal discrimination
A RFOG comprises a reference laser configured to produce a reference laser beam; a first laser source configured to produce a first laser beam; a second laser source configured to produce a second laser beam; a sensing resonator coupled to the first and second laser sources such that the first and second laser beams propagate through the sensing resonator in first and second directions, respectively; resonance tracking electronics configured to generate first and second control signals that indicate when the first and second laser beams, respectively, are off resonance; first and second optical combiners configured to beat the first and second outputs of the sensing resonator with the reference laser beam creating first and second beat signals, respectively; wherein the resonance tracking electronics is configured to discriminate between at least one rotation-sensing error and the first and second outputs of the resonator based on the first and second beat signals. |
| US08213015B2 |
Integrated flow cell with semiconductor oxide tubing
An integrated flow cell, the flow cell comprising a semiconductor substrate, and a fluidic conduit having an at least partially transparent semiconductor oxide tubing, wherein the semiconductor oxide tubing is formed with the semiconductor substrate. |
| US08213013B2 |
Substance concentration sensor and production method therefor
The invention relates to a sensor for determining a concentration of a substance contained in a fluid-containing matrix, with a measurement chamber (5), a sender (3) for the emission of optical radiation (6) into the measurement chamber, and a receiver (4) for receiving optical radiation which has traversed the measurement chamber, wherein the measurement chamber is designed for bringing into the matrix and is filled with a specific fluid, and the wall (12, 13) is at least sectionally permeable to the diffusion of the substance. A control and evaluation circuit (7) is connected to the sender (3) and controls the sender (3), and is connected to the receiver (4) for selecting the receiver signals and determines, from the receiver signal, a measurement for the concentration of the substance in the matrix. |
| US08213005B2 |
Method for discriminating between benign and malignant prostate tumors
The method for discriminating between benign and malignant prostate tumors relates to analyzing samples of blood, urine and tissue by fluorescence spectroscopy in order to detect the presence of naturally occurring molecules in the fluids and tissue that serve as biomarkers indicative of cancer in the human body. The analysis can be carried out based on fluorescence emission spectra, fluorescence excitation spectra and synchronous (emission and excitation) spectra of bio-samples. The detection, diagnosis, and follow-up and also discrimination between malignant and benign prostate tumors may be made by comparison of ratios of fluorescence emissions and/or excitation intensities of tryptophan, tyrosine, elastin, collagen, bile pigments, NADH, flavins and various species of porphyrins. |
| US08213003B2 |
Method and device for determining the position of a sensor
The present invention relates to a method and a device for determining the spatial position of a sensor, in which a rough position information initially is determined by rough detection of the position of the sensor, and then the more accurate position of the sensor is obtained by measuring at least three reflectors mounted on the sensor with a laser tracker, wherein the search region of the laser of the laser tracker is limited for the reflectors with reference to the rough position information. |
| US08213002B2 |
PON tester
A high resolution optical fiber length meter, live fiber detector, and reflectance tester (instrument) for single mode applications using a low power, long wavelength laser for generating wide and narrow optical pulses that are launched into a single mode fiber under test. The laser output fiber pigtail is fusion spliced to a singlemode coupler whose output is coupled to the instrument bulkhead connector. A PIN photodiode is fusion spliced to the singlemode coupler to receive the reflected light from the fiber under test. The high resolution hand-held instrument is useful in examining singlemode passive optical networks (PON). |
| US08213001B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting microscope slide coverslips
A method and apparatus of the present invention determines whether zero, one, or a plurality of microscope slide coverslips are about to be applied to a microscope slide. Light, such as ultraviolet light, may be directed toward a coverslip testing region, in which a number of coverslips reside. The amount of light passing through the coverslip testing region is collected and measured. Based on the measured amount, the method and apparatus determine the number of coverslips present in the coverslip testing region. |
| US08213000B2 |
Retail compatible detection of CVD grown diamond
A system includes a radiation source to provide short wavelength light. A holder positions a table of a gemstone to receive the light. A detector is positioned to receive fluorescent light from the gemstone when the gemstone is a CVD grown gemstone. |
| US08212998B2 |
Device and method for the determination of distance by means of light pulses
A device (1) for the determination of distance by means of light pulses is disclosed. The device (1) comprises a light source (2) for emitting light pulses with a specified frequency, a detector (8) for receiving the light pulses emitted and reflected by the light source, and a controller (4) which is in communication with the light source (2) and the detector (8) and which can control said light source and detector by means of signals. The device (1) further comprises at least two timers (Z1, Z2, Z3) which are connected to the controller (4) and the detector (8). Said controller (4) is designed in such a way that when a light pulse is emitted by the light source (2), the controller (4) generates a start signal which triggers the time measurement by each one of the at least two timers, in order, and beginning again from the start. The detector (8) is designed in such a way that upon receiving a reflected light pulse, said detector (8) generates a stop signal which is forwarded to the at least two timers (Z1, Z2, Z3) and which stops the time measurement by the timer of the at least two timers, to which at that instant a measuring window is assigned by the controller (4). The device can preferably be designed as a fiber-optic scanner. In addition, a method for the determination of distance by means of light pulses is disclosed. |
| US08212994B2 |
Distance detecting sensor and close range detecting method
The present invention discloses a distance detecting sensor, comprising: a casing, focusing lenses, a circuit board mounted with several electronic elements, and an emitting device emitting infrared light and a receiving device receiving and sensing a reflected infrared light. Wherein, the casing comprises a main body and two round openings on the top surface of the main body. The lenses comprise an emitting lens and a receiving lens arranged at the openings of the casing. The circuit board is mounted in the main body of the casing; the emitting device is an infrared emitting diode (LED), emitting infrared light toward the emitting lens. The receiving device is a distance detecting sensor module, which senses the reflected light focused by the receiving lens. The distance detecting sensor further comprises an emitting light guide unit arranged between the emitting lens and the emitting device, and the emitting light guide unit comprises small round holes at the emitting tube core of the emitting device. The present invention has higher detection accuracy and improves the overall detection performance of the sensor. |
| US08212986B2 |
LCD device, display method thereof and electronic apparatus employing LCD device
An LCD device comprises upper substrate, lower substrate, and a liquid crystal (LC) cell disposed therebetween. The LC cell comprises liquid crystals. According to the present invention, in the LCD device which applies voltage to the liquid crystals to control transmissive light for proceeding display, the liquid crystals are applied with a voltage larger than a predetermined voltage for proceeding display. The reflect light and the transmissive light of the liquid crystals are the predetermined color under a condition without applying the voltage thereto. |
| US08212982B2 |
Liquid crystal display unit and electronic device
A liquid crystal display unit includes: a first substrate having an under-layered insulation film, a common electrode formed on the under-layered insulation film, and a pixel electrode formed over the common electrode with a pixel insulation film in between; a second substrate provided on pixel electrode side of the first substrate so as to oppose thereto; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a spacer provided to retain a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate, in such a manner that one end of the spacer is contacted with a top face of the pixel electrode. A thickness of the under-layered insulation film in a spacer region which is defined as a region occupied by the spacer is smaller than a thickness of the under-layered insulation film in a region other than the spacer region. |
| US08212981B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device including first and second substrates with liquid crystal contained therebetween, and a plurality of picture elements located on the first substrate. Each of the picture elements is defined between a pair of gate bus lines and a pair of data bus lines. At least one of the picture elements includes a switching element connected to one of the data bus lines, a first sub picture element electrode, and a second sub picture element electrode. At least one of the first and second sub picture element electrodes has a body portion and a plurality of branches that extend from the body portion. A neighboring two of the branches are parallel with each other. The first sub picture element electrode connects to the switching element, and the second sub picture element electrode connects, via capacitive coupling, to the switching element. |
| US08212980B2 |
Liquid crystal display and active matrix substrate
An active matrix substrate is provided. The active matrix substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of scan lines disposed on the substrate, a plurality of data lines disposed on the substrate, a plurality of pixel units disposed on the substrate and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate. The pixel units are electrically connected with the corresponding scan lines and data lines. Each pixel unit includes an active device and a pixel electrode electrically connected with the active device, such a pixel electrode includes at least a first slit. The dielectric layer covers the first slit, and the dielectric layer includes a plurality of second slits for exposing a part of each of the pixel electrodes. |
| US08212979B2 |
Method of manufacturing spacer for liquid crystal display device, substrate for liquid crystal display device having spacer manufactured by the method and liquid crystal display device having the same
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a spacer for a liquid crystal display device that includes a step a) of forming a spacer body on a substrate body and a step b) forming a passivation film on the spacer body, a substrate for a liquid crystal display device having the spacer manufactured by the method, and a liquid crystal display device having the substrate for the liquid crystal display device. |
| US08212976B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display device includes opposing substrates. One of the substrates has a thin film transistor and a color filter formed thereon. A spacer formed between the substrates maintains a cell gap. A light shielding layer is formed at a lower portion of the spacer and overlaps the thin film transistor. The light shielding layer has a pattern substantially identical to the spacer. The light shielding layer and the spacer are simultaneously formed using the same photolithographic process steps. |
| US08212974B2 |
Blue color composition containing dye, color filter and liquid crystal display device and organic EL display provided with the color filter
Disclosed is a dye-containing blue color composition for color filter, including a triarylmethane-based dye having a structure represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, a phenyl group which may have a substituent or a benzyl group which may have a substituent, R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19 and R20 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms which may have a substituent or a halogen atom and X represents a tristrifluoromethanesulfonylmethide anion. |
| US08212972B2 |
Display device with multilayer body having at least one layer of a gluing agent
An object of the present invention is to provide a display device where a display panel and a transparent cover which are pasted together can be separated from each other without breaking the liquid crystal display panel and the transparent cover. The present invention provides a display device having: a liquid crystal display panel having a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between a first substrate and a second substrate which is provided on the viewer side relative to the first substrate; a polarizing plate provided on the above described liquid crystal display panel on the above described viewer side; a viscous film pasted on the viewer side relative to the above described polarizing plate; and a transparent cover pasted on the viewer side relative to the above described viscous film, wherein the above described viscous film is made up of a multilayer body of gluing agents. |
| US08212971B2 |
Polarizer, method of manufacturing polarizer and liquid crystal projector
A polarizer capable of being manufactured in simple steps, and a method of manufacturing the polarizer, as well as a liquid crystal projector are provided. The polarizer includes a substrate having light permeability, and a plurality of linear projections being arranged on the substrate and extending along one direction within a plane thereof. Each of the linear projections having a base layer and a plating layer in the named order from the substrate, the base layer containing a catalyst material for electroless plating process, and the plating layer being deposited by using the base layer as a catalyst. |
| US08212967B2 |
Back light unit and liquid crystal display device therewith
A backlight unit includes a cover bottom having a plurality of light source groups each with a plurality of light sources thereon, wherein the light sources with the higher brightness are arranged in the light source group closer to a center portion of the cover bottom, and the light sources with the lower brightness are arranged in the light source group closer to a periphery of the cover bottom. |
| US08212964B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display module including the same
A backlight unit includes a reflection sheet, lamps arranged over the reflection sheet and with a first distance between adjacent lamps, a first diffuser plate disposed over the lamps and spaced apart from the reflection sheet with a second distance, the first diffuser plate having a first surface facing the reflection sheet and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the first surface is flat and the second surface includes first patterns, and a second diffuser plate disposed over the first diffuser plate, the diffuser plate having a third surface facing the first diffuser plate and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, wherein the third surface is flat and the second surface includes second patterns, wherein a ratio of the first distance over the second distance is within a range of more than 0 and less than and/or equal to 2.75. |
| US08212961B2 |
Backlight for liquid crystal display device having a first FPCB mounting a plurality of light emitting diodes connecting a second FPCB via a through hole formed on a lower cover
A first printed circuit board is disposed on a first side of the cover. A second printed circuit board is disposed on a second side of the cover. A first connector and a second connector are disposed on the first and second printed circuit boards, respectively. A through hole is formed in a region of the cover that corresponds to the first connector. The first and second connectors are electrically connected to each other through the through hole. |
| US08212959B2 |
Display enclosure
A low profile display enclosure system for enclosing a display device for viewing that protects the display device from environmental effects and is configured to dissipate heat generated within the display enclosure. The substantially sealed display enclosure comprises a rigid bezel, a substantially transparent front cover coupled to the bezel, and a rear cover assembly that includes a heat sink portion. The thickness of the bezel is minimized to provide the enclosure with a low profile about the periphery of the display device enclosed therein. Thermal control devices may be mounted within the enclosure to modulate a temperature within the enclosure. |
| US08212956B2 |
Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus having particular mounting case
An electro-optic device includes an electro-optic panel and a mounting case. The mounting case includes a frame, a first cover member and a second cover member. The second cover member has an elastic portion for pressing the electro-optic panel against the first cover member. |
| US08212955B2 |
Backlight module with bezel having protrusions thereon and liquid crystal display using same
An exemplary backlight module includes at least one light source, a light guiding plate having a light incident portion adjacent to the at least one light source, a bezel having a plurality of protrusion; and a reflector disposed between the light guiding plate and the protrusions of the bezel. The protrusions abut edges of the reflector, and provide supporting force to attach the reflector to the bezel. A related liquid crystal display is also provided. |
| US08212951B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes, for an embodiment, a first insulation substrate; a gate line extending in a first direction on the first insulation substrate; a data line insulated from the gate line and extending in a second direction; a pixel electrode formed in a pixel area defined by the intersection of the gate line and the data line; and storage wiring formed with the same layer as the data line, wherein the storage wiring includes a storage electrode extending in the first direction and covering the gate line, and a storage line connected to the storage electrode and formed according to the second direction. |
| US08212944B2 |
Fast stream switching
A method of fast stream switching including receiving at least one first stream at a device corresponding to at least one first program, wherein the device employs dynamic power management and is operating at a first power level; activating a selection panel; receiving a plurality of streams corresponding to a plurality of programs; and adjusting to a second power level. After a stream is selected, the non-selected streams may be deactivated and the device may return to the first power level. |
| US08212940B2 |
Hybrid architecture of TV receiving devices
A hybrid architecture of a television (TV) receiving system is disclosed. The architecture includes two portions, a hardware portion and a software portion. The hardware portion includes a minimum amount of hardware to achieve operations of receiving a RF signal, producing an IF signal and outputting data representing the IP signal. The software portion, taking advantage of available computing power (e.g., high-speed microprocessor and a lot of memory) in a computing device and executed therein, includes one or more demodulators, all implemented in software. Each of the demodulators is implemented in accordance with one type of TV standard. Thus depending on the received data, a corresponding demodulator is activated to demodulate the received data and subsequently produces audio and video data. One of the advantages, benefits and objects in the present invention is to have a band of software-based demodulators, any of which may be updated or expanded whenever there is a new TV standard or modification to an existing standard. |
| US08212937B2 |
Video processing apparatus
According to one embodiment, a video processing apparatus includes a histogram generator, a determination module and a sharpening processor. The histogram generator generates a histogram based on a luminance level of pixels of a video signal. The determination module determines whether the video signal is a captured video based on the histogram. The sharpening processor sharpens the video signal based on an imaging model function in which a blur due to imaging is not considered, if the video signal is not the captured video. |
| US08212936B2 |
Picture quality control apparatus, method therefor, picture quality processing apparatus, programs for them, and recording medium recording that program therein
A request recognition section (373) recognizes an input operation for a source switching request to switch broadcast program contents extracted from broadcast waves to contents recorded in a recording and reproducing apparatus to display the contents on a display unit (350). Values of a plurality of setting factors such as brightness, contrast, and black level related to picture quality, which correspond to the source to be switched, specified corresponding to the previous contents source are read from a memory (360). Predefined values of the setting factors set corresponding to the previous contents source are compared with values newly read, and the values of the respective setting factors are sequentially changed stepwise. It is possible to prevent a flicker on a screen caused by a sudden change in the picture quality during processing of changing the picture quality, thereby favorably adjusting the picture quality. |
| US08212935B2 |
Noise reduction apparatus for image signal and method thereof
The present invention provides a noise reduction apparatus and method thereof. The noise reduction apparatus includes a first detecting logic, a second detecting logic, a first noise filtering logic, a second noise filtering logic, and an output logic. The first detecting logic detects if a video signal has a first noise characteristic. The second detecting logic detects if the video signal has a second noise characteristic. The first noise filtering logic performs a first noise filtering process upon the video signal to generate a first filtered signal. The second noise filtering logic performs a second noise filtering process upon the video signal to generate a second filtered signal. The output logic receives the first filtered signal and the second filtered signal, and references detection results provided by the first detecting logic and the second detecting logic when generating an output signal. |
| US08212934B2 |
Method for processing an analog television signal
A method for processing an analog television signal. A reference signal based on a field synchronizing signal of the analog television signal and equalizing the analog television signal based on the reference signal are determined. The reference signal is determined by calculating a difference between a first part of the field synchronizing signal and a second part of the field synchronizing signal, wherein the first and second parts are selected such that the reference signal is non-zero. |
| US08212925B2 |
Sync separation circuit
A sync separation circuit separates a synchronizing signal from a video signal containing the synchronizing signal. A minimum level detecting section detects a minimum level of a video signal. A sync tip level detecting section detects a sync tip level in the video signal. A pedestal level detecting section detects a pedestal level in the video signal. Based on both the sync tip level detected by the sync tip level detecting section and the pedestal level control by the pedestal level detecting section, a slice level setting section sets a slice level corresponding to an intermediate value between the sync tip level and the pedestal level. The slice level control section sets the slice level based on the minimum level detected by the minimum level detecting section if the slice level set based on the sync tip level and the pedestal level is inappropriate. |
| US08212922B2 |
Information display apparatus, information display method and program therefor
An information display apparatus includes a display device configured to display a video, a speech detection unit configured to detect a playback state of a playback speech, a closed caption display unit configured to generate character information associated with the playback speech and display it on the display device together with the video, and a closed caption display unit configured to carry out a changing control for changing according to the detected playback state a display state of the character information that is displayed on the display device by the closed caption display unit. |
| US08212920B2 |
Apparatus and method of motion adaptive image processing
A method of image processing for conversion of an image in a sequence of images comprises the steps of associating pixels of an image with respective motion values indicative of a degree of inter-image motion for each pixel; adjusting the motion value of each pixel based upon the motion value of a secondary pixel found within a first region of a first predetermined size substantially centered upon each respective pixel, said secondary pixel being that whose associated motion value is indicative of the greatest motion of any pixel in the first region; adjusting the motion value of each pixel based upon the motion value of a secondary pixel that lies within a second region of a second predetermined size substantially centered upon each respective pixel, said secondary pixel being that whose associated motion value is indicative of the least motion of any pixel in the second region; categorizing each pixel as a static pixel or a motion pixel according to its respective associated motion value, and then selecting respectively either a first conversion process or a second conversion process for a pixel dependant upon whether that pixel is categorized as a static pixel or a motion pixel. |
| US08212918B2 |
Image pickup apparatus shutter control
An image pickup apparatus includes a controlling unit moving an electronic front curtain in a simulated manner from an exposure start position towards an exposure end position by successively performing reset operations on a plurality of pixels in an image pickup element in a predetermined direction; a rear curtain that moves from the exposure start position towards the exposure end position by a biasing force of a biasing unit; and a storage unit storing data indicating a change in movement characteristics of the rear curtain with time. On the basis of the data, the controlling unit changes movement characteristics of the electronic front curtain in accordance with the change in the movement characteristics of the rear curtain with the time. |
| US08212917B2 |
Imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup device that includes a first pixel group configured to photoelectrically convert an object image formed by a luminous flux from an imaging optical system, and a second pixel group which includes a plurality of pixels configured to photoelectrically convert a split pair of the luminous flux from the imaging optical system and a detecting unit configured to implement a first detection control that changes an imaging state of the image pickup device while detecting a contrast of the object image based on an output of the second pixel group, and then a second detection control that changes the imaging state of the image pickup device while detecting the contrast of the object image based on an output of the first pixel group. |
| US08212916B2 |
Image display device, image pickup apparatus, and image display method that allow focus assistant display
An image display device that is capable of checking a focusing operation at the time of shooting by a user easily even if a small-sized monitor is used. A luminance-signal extracting unit extracts a luminance signal from a video signal. An amplitude change calculating unit calculates an amplitude change component of the luminance signal extracted. An edge-signal extracting unit extracts an edge signal from the luminance signal extracted. An amplitude calculating unit calculates an amplitude of the edge signal extracted. An amplitude-ratio calculating unit calculates a ratio of the amplitude of the edge signal to the amplitude change component of the luminance signal. A color conversion unit converts the edge signal to add colors according to the calculation result. An adder unit adds the color-converted edge signal and the luminance signal. A display unit displays the video signal to which the color-converted edge signal is added. |
| US08212915B1 |
Externally actuable photo-eyepiece relay lens system for focus and photomontage in a wide-field imaging system
A relay lens assembly (100) for use with a microscope (1400), telescope or binocular (1500), comprises a lens element (300) that is responsive to commands, conveyed from a control unit (400), via a conduit (410) between the control unit and the lens element. A computing device (810) controls operation of the lens assembly and a digital camera (805) that has an image sensor (125). The control unit causes the lens assembly to assume any of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths so that different depths of an object being imaged can be rendered in-focus on the sensor. A series of images can be taken at predetermined, computer-controlled focal depths. These images can be processed in order to create a photomontage that is in focus at a plurality of predetermined depths in a process commonly called focus-stacking. The addition of a plurality of data input and analysis units (1105) and a combiner (1115) makes rapid processing of individual images possible for photomontage at video rates. |
| US08212911B2 |
Imaging apparatus, imaging system, and imaging method displaying recommendation information
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging section converting an image into image data, an image classifying section classifying the image data, and a display section for displaying information regarding a recommended image as a shooting object based on a classification result by the image classifying section. Further, a server having a shooting assist function receives image data from an imaging apparatus that has an imaging section converting an image into the image data and includes a scene determining section classifying the received image data and determining whether a typical image has been taken repeatedly, a guide information section outputting information regarding a recommended image as a shooting object based on a determination result by the scene determining section, and a communication section outputting the information to the imaging apparatus. |
| US08212890B2 |
Imaging device and imaging method
An imaging device is configured to include a dividing unit which divides a generated image into blocks, a white balance evaluation value acquiring unit which acquires color information and a white balance evaluation value of each block, a classifying unit which combines the blocks into areas based on the color information, a correction coefficient calculating unit which calculates a white balance correction coefficient for each of the areas, a white balance setting unit which sets the calculated white balance correction coefficient for each of the areas, and a green area determining unit which determines whether or not each of the blocks is a green area based on the color information. The white balance setting unit sets a different white balance correction coefficient for a block determined as a green area from the one set for the area including the block in question. |
| US08212886B2 |
Interface converting circuit
An interface converting circuit applied between a 3D de-interlace chip and a rear-end image compression chip. The interface converting circuit includes: a reducing FPS circuit, for dividing a first vertical synchronization signal to generate a second vertical synchronization signal, and converting a first horizontal synchronization signal to a second horizontal synchronization signal by masking the first horizontal synchronization signal according to the second vertical synchronization signal; a pixel clock multiplier, for multiplying a first pixel clock signal to generate a second pixel clock signal; and, a data-width converter, for converting an input signal with M bits data width, which is transmitted at a frequency of the first pixel clock signal by the 3D de-interlace chip, to an output signal with M/2 bits data width, which is transmitted at a frequency of the second pixel clock signal. |
| US08212884B2 |
Scanning beam device having different image acquisition modes
A method of one aspect may include monitoring movement of a scanning beam image acquisition device. Images may be acquired with the scanning beam image acquisition device using a first image acquisition mode when the monitoring indicates that the scanning beam image acquisition device is moving. Images may be acquired with the scanning beam image acquisition device using a second image acquisition mode when the monitoring indicates that the scanning beam image acquisition device is substantially still. The second image acquisition mode is different than the first image acquisition mode. In one aspect, the first mode has a relatively higher frame rate and relatively lower number of lines of image resolution than the second mode. |
| US08212881B2 |
Drive device
A drive device is provided having a movable part, a fixed part, a drive part, and a direction-detecting part. The fixed part is provided within a movement range of the movable part. The drive part drives the movable part in a first direction against the fixed part. The direction-detecting part detects the bound direction of the movable part after the movable part strikes the fixed part. The drive part drives the movable part so as to strike the fixed part according to the bound direction detected by the direction-detecting part after the movable part strikes the fixed part. |
| US08212876B2 |
Synthetic colour night vision system
A night vision coloring system may color a scene by extracting the spectral signature of each area in a scene and matching the extracted signature with a predetermined database signature and associated color. The system may comprise a temporal or spatial filtering element that may typically allow the capturing of an image reflection through a plurality of spectral bands, thereby extracting the spectral signature of each area in the image. The color associated with the matched database signature may be used to color each area comprising the image. |
| US08212875B2 |
Interface for browsing and viewing video from multiple cameras simultaneously that conveys spatial and temporal proximity
An interface and display of video from multiple fixed-position cameras is provided. A main video stream captured by a camera is selected to be the main video stream and is displayed to the interface. Video streams captured by the set of cameras and the main camera that are temporally related to the displayed main video stream are selected, including playback positions from one or more of a first segment of time in each of their respective video streams at the time of the main video stream, a second segment of time in each of their respective video streams prior to the time of the main video stream, and a third segment of time in each of their respective video streams after the time of the main video stream. The selected video streams are displayed to the interface in temporal relation to the display of the main video stream. |
| US08212874B2 |
Automatic camera calibration using GPS and solar tracking
A system and method for automatically calibrating the aiming direction of a camera onboard a vehicle. The method uses GPS and solar almanac data to estimate the location of the sun relative to the vehicle, and compares this to the solar position in an image from the camera. The comparison is performed with an ongoing recursive calculation which yields an improved estimate of the sun position relative to the vehicle, while simultaneously calibrating the aiming direction of the camera. The aiming calibration data is used to improve the accuracy of the camera's images as used for all of the camera's other functions. |
| US08212873B2 |
Security camera image correction system and method
A security camera and an image, within the camera's field of view, of a test pattern, containing color elements and grayscale elements having know predetermined spectrophotometrical values and resolution elements. After taking of images at a scene, and when subsequently reproduced accurately the elements will produce electronic signals that are detectable on measuring equipment well-known to the trade, such as vectorscopes and waveform monitors. Adjustments and corrections can then be made to the images of a scene, based on those readings. A method of adjusting and correcting images using the test pattern is also disclosed. |
| US08212872B2 |
Transformable privacy mask for video camera images
A system including a camera, display screen and processing device. A privacy mask obscures a portion of the displayed images. The processing device transforms the privacy mask in accordance with changes in the field of view of the camera, wherein, in a first field of view, the privacy mask is defined by a plurality of vertices having coordinates (x1, y1), . . . (xn, yn), and, in a second field of view, the processing device determines transformed coordinates, (x1′, y1′), . . . (xn′, yn′), for each of the vertices based upon changes in the field of view of the camera. The privacy mask is definable by pixel rows and the processing device identifies opposing ends of a plurality of the pixel rows, each of the identified ends defining one vertex of the privacy mask. The privacy mask may also include an unmasked area completely encircled by masked area. |
| US08212866B2 |
Method and an apparatus for localization of single dye molecules in the fluorescent microscopy
A method and apparatus are provided for obtaining a sub-resolution spatial information of a sample labeled with at least one type fluorescent label. The sub-resolution spatial information has localization information about the positions of fluorescent molecules of the at least one type fluorescent label in at least one spatial direction. The method acquires localization image data by employing fluorescence localization microscopy. The acquired localization image data is processed to obtain the localization information about the positions of fluorescent molecules of the at least one type fluorescent label in at least one spatial direction. The step of processing includes determining in each of the detected images of the series the positions of the barycenters of the detected fluorescence emission distributions from the single fluorescent molecules of the one or more fluorescent labels in at least one spatial direction. |
| US08212865B2 |
Microscope image pickup apparatus, microscope image pickup program product, microscope image pickup program transmission medium and microscope image pickup method
This is a microscope image pickup apparatus for shooting and forming the observation images of a specimen in order to observe it by a microscope. The microscope image pickup apparatus comprises an image pickup unit for shooting and forming the observation images, a display unit for dynamically displaying the observation images shot and formed by the image pickup unit in succession and an operating state detection unit for detecting an operating state of a microscope operation part in order to operate the microscope on the basis of the change of the observation images dynamically displayed on the display unit. The present invention provides a microscope image pickup apparatus, a microscope image pickup program product, a microscope image pickup program transmission medium and a microscope image pickup method which are capable of displaying an optimum moving image according to the operating state of the microscope. |
| US08212864B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for using image acquisition data to detect and correct image defects
A method and device for detecting a potential defect in an image comprises acquiring a digital image at a time; storing image acquisition data, wherein the image acquisition data includes at least one of a position of a source of light relative to a lens, a distance from the source of light to the lens, a focal length of the lens, a distance from a point on a digital image acquisition device to a subject, an amount of ambient light, or flash intensity; determining dynamic anthropometric data, wherein the dynamic anthropometric data includes one or more dynamically changing human body measurements, of one or more humans represented in the image, captured at the time; and determining a course of corrective action based, at least in part, on the image acquisition data and the dynamic anthropometric data. |
| US08212859B2 |
Peripheral treatment for head-mounted displays
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for projecting a source image in a head-mounted display apparatus for a user. A first display projects an image viewable by a first eye of the user. A first peripheral light element is positioned to emit light of one or more colors in close proximity to the periphery of the first display. A receives data representing a source image, processes the data representing the source image to generate a first image for the first display and to generate a first set of peripheral conditioning signals for the first peripheral light element, directs the first image to the first display, and directs the first set of peripheral conditioning signals to the first peripheral light element. As a result, an enhanced viewing experience is created for the user. |
| US08212858B2 |
Optical device
Stereoscopic device including an image directing assembly, an image differentiator and an image detector, the image directing assembly having a first light inlet for receiving a first image and a second light inlet for receiving a second image, the first light inlet being spaced apart from the second light inlet, the image differentiator differentiating between the first image and the second image, wherein the image directing assembly directs the first image to the image detector via a common path, and wherein the image directing assembly directs the second image to the image detector via the common path. |
| US08212854B2 |
System and method for enhanced teleconferencing security
A method and system with means for preventing unauthorized monitoring of a local conference room in which a local conferencing system is located comprising generation of a deterministic sound signal, and loading the deterministic sound signal on a first loudspeaker connected to, or integrated in the conferencing system, detecting the deterministic signal by analyzing a microphone signal picked up by a microphone connected to, or integrated in the conferencing system, and transferring the conference system into a security mode, if the deterministic signal is not detected. |
| US08212852B2 |
Image writing device using digital light-emitting elements
An image-data transfer controller divides one line of image data for each of the light-emitting-element array units, transfers the divided image data to respective light-emitting-element array units, to drive each of the light-emitting elements in the light-emitting-element array units for an exposure in a main-scanning direction. The image-data transfer controller divides the one line of image data for each of the light-emitting-element array units and transfers the divided image data during one-line interval in the main-scanning direction, performs a plurality of data transfers in the one-line interval for driving each of the light-emitting elements by controlling a lighting time, and includes a plurality of lines of storing units. |
| US08212851B2 |
Portable printer
A portable printer includes: a housing; a platen roller configured to convey a label sheet having a base sheet; a pinch roller configured to rotate following the platen roller via the base sheet; a supporting shaft configured to support the pinch roller; a shaft holder configured to hold the supporting shaft; a removing and inserting section configured to hold the shaft holder to be removable therefrom and insertable thereinto; a pawl section provided in the shaft holder, configured to resiliently hook to the removing and inserting section; a member holding section provided in the housing; and an urging member detachably attachable to the member holding section, nipped by the member holding section and the supporting shaft, and configured to apply pressing force on the platen roller to the pinch roller. |
| US08212846B2 |
Display control method
A display controlling method is provided. The display controlling method includes following steps. A plurality of display data of a frame is received. The display data is analyzed to obtain a plurality of grayscale distributions corresponding to the display regions. According to the grayscale distributions, a backlight controlling signal for adjusting a brightness of each of the light emitting groups is generated. According to the backlight controlling signal, a plurality of interferences corresponding to the display data is obtained. According to the interferences, grayscales of the display data are correspondingly adjusted. Therefore, the optical interference of each of the pixels from the light emitting groups not corresponding to the pixels can be eliminated. |
| US08212845B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and driving method thereof
An LCD device includes: a liquid crystal panel configured to include liquid crystal cells formed in regions defined by crossing gate lines and data lines; an image analyzer configured to analyze whether or not an image data corresponds to a specific pattern in which a black or white gray-scale data having a large difference between positive and negative data voltages is continuously opposed to the liquid crystal cells of a vertical direction; a polarity control signal modulator configured to respond to a control signal from the image analyzer and modulate a polarity control signal, so as to prevent the black gray-scale data continuously opposed to the liquid crystal cells of the vertical direction from being polarity-inverted; and a data driver configured to apply the data voltages to the data lines on the basis of the modulated polarity control signal applied from the polarity control signal modulator. |
| US08212843B2 |
Error metric associated with backlight adaptation
Embodiments of a system that includes one or more integrated circuits are described. During operation, the system reduces power consumption by changing an intensity setting of a light source, which illuminates a display that is configured to display a video image, and scales brightness values for the video image based on a brightness metric associated with the video image. Then, the system calculates the error metric for the video image based on the scaled brightness values and the video image. |
| US08212840B2 |
3-D clipping in a graphics processing unit
A graphics processing unit (GPU) efficiently performs 3-dimensional (3-D) clipping using processing units used for other graphics functions. The GPU includes first and second hardware units and at least one buffer. The first hardware unit performs 3-D clipping of primitives using a first processing unit used for a first graphics function, e.g., an ALU used for triangle setup, depth gradient setup, etc. The first hardware unit may perform 3-D clipping by (a) computing clip codes for each vertex of each primitive, (b) determining whether to pass, discard or clip each primitive based on the clip codes for all vertices of the primitive, and (c) clipping each primitive to be clipped against clipping planes. The second hardware unit computes attribute component values for new vertices resulting from the 3-D clipping, e.g., using an ALU used for attribute gradient setup, attribute interpolation, etc. The buffer(s) store intermediate results of the 3-D clipping. |
| US08212837B1 |
Color processing pipelines generating a lower color bit-depth image compared to an unprocessed image from a wide-angle camera
A wide-angle video camera which captures high-resolution images using a Bayer filter to colorize the pixels. The image is processed to generate multiple views. The camera applies color processing pipelines independently and simultaneously to each of multiple regions of the full image captured by the sensor to generate a color image of acceptable quality for human viewing. An initial color image possesses greater color bit-depth compared to the output color image. |
| US08212835B1 |
Systems and methods for smooth transitions to bi-cubic magnification
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transitioning from bilinear sampling to filter-4 sampling, while avoiding the visual artifacts along the boundary between the two different types of filters. The technique may be implemented using a linear transition function or an arbitrary transition function stored in a lookup table. The transition to filter-4 sampling occurs when the view of a textured object includes both minified and magnified levels of texture detail. Using this technique, high image quality is maintained for texture mapped images that include both highly minified pixels as well as highly magnified pixels, without suffering the performance penalty associated with using a filtering operation such as filter-4 sampling across all pixels. |
| US08212829B2 |
Computer using flash memory of hard disk drive as main and video memory
A computer includes a processing unit; a hard disk drive having a main memory region on and from which processing information used in correspondence to processing procedures of the processing unit is directly written and read; a control unit which communicates with the hard disk drive at high speed, for controlling the writing and reading for the hard disk drive; and a communications bus which connects between the hard disk drive and the control unit so that the hard disk drive and the control unit can communicate with each other at high-speed. Accordingly, there is provided a computer which effectively overcomes the limit on a memory storage capacity, and saves the space of a mainboard and reduces the weight thereof. |
| US08212828B2 |
Hybrid multiple bit-depth video processing architecture
An apparatus including a processor and a memory. The processor may be configured to process pixel data comprising eight or more bits. For pixel data having bit-depths greater than eight bits, a number of most significant bits (MSBs) of a pixel are presented as a first byte and a number of least significant bits (LSBs) of the pixel are packed with LSBs from one or more other pixels into a second byte. The memory may be coupled to the processor and configured to store the first byte in response to a first pointer and the second byte in response to a second pointer. The first byte and the second byte are stored independently in the memory. |
| US08212827B2 |
Mode conversion method and display apparatus using the same
Mode conversion methods and display apparatuses thereof are provided. The method converts to a second mode in which the display apparatus displays an image inputted from a second source, if there is no input of an image signal from a first source during the display apparatus operates in a first mode in which the display apparatus displays the image inputted from the first source. According to the present invention, it is possible to convert a mode automatically based on the external input status. A user may be provided two modes conveniently using the conversion method. |
| US08212823B2 |
Systems and methods for accelerating sub-pixel interpolation in video processing applications
A data path for a SIMD-based microprocessor is used to perform different simultaneous filter sub-operations in parallel data lanes of the SIMD-based microprocessor. Filter operations for sub-pixel interpolation are performed simultaneously on separate lanes of the SIMD processor's data path. Using a dedicated internal data path, precision higher than the native precision of the SIMD unit may be achieved. Through the data path according to this invention, a single instruction may be used to generate the value of two adjacent sub-pixels located diagonally with respect to integer pixel positions. |
| US08212821B1 |
Decomposing animations into primitives for browser-dependent rendering
A method for computer-implemented rendering of an animation presentation includes receiving, at a server, a request to view the animation presentation on a computing device, obtaining information identifying a browser application running on the computing device, determining requirements of a presentation technology supported by the browse, decomposing the animation presentation into animation primitives compatible with the presentation technology, and transmitting the animation primitives to the computing device. A computer-implemented method to render an animation presentation include replacing an animation type within an animation page structure of the animation presentation with an animation primitive, flattening the animation, updating the animation page drawing objects to point to the rendered document module object, grouping the animation primitives into sequences to create a timeline for the animation page, and adjusting delays of the animations so as to begin at a correct point in time. A system for implementing the rendering of animations is described. |
| US08212818B2 |
Windowless shape drawing
Development environments are commonly used to facilitate the development of user interfaces (e.g. windows forms, web forms, etc.). Drawing objects are components that may be used within the development environment to provide visual enhancements to the user interface. An effective method for drawing one or more drawing objects is disclosed herein to draw the drawing objects as windowless shapes within a shape container. The shape container may be configured to participate in a windows message loop (e.g. event handling system), wherein the windowless shapes do not participate in the windows message loop (e.g. lack a windows handle). The shape container listens, for example, within the windows message loop for operations pertaining to windowless shapes, and executes the operations upon the windowless shapes. Computer resources may be efficiently allocated, for example to the graphical user interface during runtime, instead of the windowless shapes consuming resources to participate in the windows message loop. |
| US08212815B2 |
Drawing apparatus, drawing program, and drawing method
A drawing apparatus has dividing unit for dividing a rectangle frame circumscribing a triangle displayed on a display screen into a plurality of rectangle segments. A determining unit sequentially determines whether each rectangle segment included in the rectangle frame overlaps the triangle in a predetermined direction and outputs a determination result of overlap or nonoverlap. The sequential determination of overlap or nonoverlap is stopped in the predetermined direction, if a determination result output from the determining unit changes from the overlap to the nonoverlap. A drawing process is performed on the rectangle segment determined to overlap the triangle. |
| US08212810B2 |
Method and devices for calibrating a display unit comprising a display and autostereoscopic adapter disc
A method and a device for calibration (or “electronic” adjustment) of a display unit are provided and include a display and autostereoscopic adapter disc, particularly provided for fixing to the display. A method and a device for generation or playback of 3D images by the display unit including autostereoscopic adapter disc and display are also provided. Misalignment of the adapted disc with the display are compensated for by corresponding adjustment of the image display on the display. |
| US08212809B2 |
Floating transitions
A computer implemented method and apparatus for floating object transitions. In one embodiment, tracking data identifying a location of an avatar in relation to a range of an object in a virtual universe is received. The range comprises a viewable field. In response to the tracking data indicating an occurrence of a trigger condition, a set of flotation rules associated with the trigger condition is identified. An optimal location and orientation of the object is identified for each flotation action in a set of flotation actions associated with the set of flotation rules. The set of flotation actions are initiated to float the object above a surface. The object changes the location and orientation of the object in accordance with the set of flotation actions associated with the set of flotation rules. |
| US08212808B2 |
Image processing program and image processing apparatus
Multilayer polygon data for constructing multilayer polygonal models and a height map including height data values, arranged in a two-dimensional array, each of which indicates the height of each position provided on a three-dimensional object to be drawn, are read from a storage device. Then, the height of a layer of the multilayer polygonal models is compared to the height data value of a position provided on the height map, so as to determine a visible region provided on the layer of the multilayer polygonal models. And then, the visible region which is determined as described above and provided on the layer of the multilayer polygonal models is drawn in a predetermined color. Thus, it is possible to easily draw, in three-dimensional image processing, a three-dimensional object, such as an accumulation of snow, soil, sand, or bricks, positioned in the virtual space, regardless of the shape of the object. |
| US08212804B2 |
Integrated circuit for controlling operations of display module and first circuit module with shared pin
An integrated circuit for controlling a display module and a first circuit module with a shared pin includes: a shared pin, a display control module, a first control module, and a pin-sharing management module. The display control module is for controlling operations of the display module, wherein the display module is externally coupled to the integrated circuit via the shared pin. The display control module generates a pin-sharing control signal according to its operating status. The first control module is for controlling operations of the first circuit module, wherein the first circuit module is externally coupled to the integrated circuit via the shared pin. The pin-sharing management module is coupled to the display control module, the first control module and the shared pin and grants one of the display and first control modules access to the shared pin according to the pin-sharing control signal. |
| US08212803B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display and a method of driving the same are provided. The liquid crystal display includes a first source drive IC group outputting a first feedback lock signal in response to one of a power voltage input through a first lock signal input terminal and a lock signal from the timing controller, a second source drive IC group outputting a second feedback lock signal in response to one of the power voltage input through a second lock signal input terminal, the lock signal from the timing controller, and a lock signal transferred from the first source drive IC group, and a comparator that compares the first feedback lock signal with the second feedback lock signal and supplies a comparison result to the timing controller. |
| US08212802B2 |
Driving apparatus of display device and display device including the same
A display device includes driving apparatus having first, second, third, and fourth gate drivers. The first and second gate drivers are connected to gate lines and are positioned on one side of the display device side by side. The third and fourth gate drivers are connected to gate lines and are positioned on the other side of the display device side by side. The first and third gate drivers apply the gate signal to the same gate line, and the second and fourth gate drivers apply the gate signal to the same gate line. |
| US08212798B2 |
Display device and electronic product
A display device includes: a screen unit; a drive unit; and a signal processing unit, wherein the screen unit includes rows of scanning lines, columns of signal lines, matrix-state pixel circuits and a light sensor, the drive unit includes a scanner supplying a control signal to the scanning lines and a driver supplying a video signal to the signal lines, the pixel circuit emits light in accordance with the video signal, the light sensor outputs a luminance signal in accordance with the light emission, and the signal processing unit corrects the video signal in accordance with the luminance signal and supplies the signal to the driver. |
| US08212793B2 |
Liquid crystal device, image sensor, and electronic apparatus
The invention provides a liquid crystal device including: a first substrate; a second substrate that is provided over the first substrate in such a manner that the first substrate and the second substrate face each other; a plurality of optical sensing sections that is formed in an image display area over the first substrate; and a plurality of light-amount adjusting sections that is formed in the image display area in such a manner that each of the plurality of light-amount adjusting sections includes a liquid crystal portion that overlaps the corresponding optical sensing section in a plan view, constituting a part of a liquid crystal layer that is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, the plurality of light-amount adjusting sections being capable of adjusting, independently of one another, the amount of incident light that enters the plurality of optical sensing sections through an image display surface that lies at one of two surfaces of the second substrate that does not face the liquid crystal layer, the image display surface being pointed to by a pointing means. |
| US08212792B2 |
Touchscreen using oriented microscopic linear conductive elements
A cover sheet assembly is provided for a touchscreen system. The cover sheet assembly includes an insulating layer having a surface configured to be disposed over an electrically conductive area of a substrate of the touchscreen system. An electrically conductive material is disposed on at least a portion of the insulating layer surface. The electrically conductive material includes a plurality of microscopic linear conductive elements arranged in a pattern that is oriented with respect to a first direction of a first polarization of light such that the electrically conductive material is more transparent to the first polarization of light than to a second polarization of light that is polarized in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. |
| US08212787B2 |
Movable contact body and switch using same
A touch panel has a plurality of band-like optically transmissive lower electrodes and upper electrodes formed at predetermined intervals in directions perpendicular to each other on an upper surface of an optically transparent base sheet. A dome-like movable contact is formed from a conductive metal sheet which is mounted under the touch panel. A light guide sheet with a plurality of convex-concave light emitting portions is formed on an optically transparent substrate, which is disposed between the touch panel and the movable contact. Accordingly, uniform illumination can be attained by using only one or two light emitting elements, and it is possible to obtain a movable contact body capable of inexpensive and reliable illumination. |
| US08212779B2 |
Digital audio/video playing device
A digital audio/video playing device includes a touch control board, a plurality of switch units disposed outside a perimeter of the touch control board, and a support plate disposed on the touch control board and switch units. The support plate includes a central portion, an intermediary portion ringing the central portion, and an outer portion ringing the intermediary portion. The central portion and the outer portion are thicker than the intermediary portion such that the intermediary portion is recessed relative to the central portion and the outer portion. The intermediary portion is disposed directly facing the touch control board. A plurality of depressible tabs are formed in the outer portion, each depressible tab corresponding to and directly facing a corresponding one of the switch units. A surface film is arranged over and covering the support plate such that a raised-recessed-raised configuration is formed. |
| US08212776B2 |
Optical finger navigation device with integrated tactile switch
A system of a tactile switch and an optical navigation device. The system includes a user device. The user device includes an optical finger navigation device. The optical finger navigation device enables a user to control a function of the user device via the optical finger navigation device. The optical finger navigation device includes a circuit board, a sensor array electrically coupled to the circuit board, and a tactile switch electrically coupled to the circuit board. The sensor array detects light and generates a navigation signal that corresponds to the detected light. The tactile switch is physically aligned with the sensor array on the circuit board. The tactile switch generates a switch signal upon actuation of the tactile switch in response to a force on a packaging structure of the sensor array. |
| US08212773B2 |
Mouse
There is disclosed a mouse including: an obtaining unit that obtains a vein image; a generation determination unit that determines a predetermined generation from the vein image; and a setting switch unit that switches content of settings, which is set in a computer connected through a predetermined transfer path, to content of settings assigned to the generation determined by the generation determination unit. |
| US08212772B2 |
Haptic interface device and actuator assembly providing linear haptic sensations
An interface device and method providing haptic sensations to a user. A user physically contacts a housing of the interface device, and a sensor device detects the manipulation of the interface device by the user. An actuator assembly includes an actuator that provides output forces to the user as haptic sensations. In one embodiment, the actuator outputs a rotary force, and a flexure coupled to the actuator moves an inertial mass and/or a contact member. The flexure can be a unitary member that includes flex joints allowing a portion of the flexure to be linearly moved. The flexure can converts rotary force output by the actuator to linear motion, where the linear motion causes a force that is transmitted to the user. In another embodiment, the actuator outputs a force, and a mechanism coupling the actuator to the device housing uses the force to move the actuator with respect to the device housing. The actuator acts as an inertial mass when in motion to provide an inertial force that can be transmitted to the user. The mechanism can be a flexure including at least one flex joint or a mechanism with bearings. |
| US08212771B1 |
Interconnected computer mouse and pad
A computer mouse with an integral attached mouse pad is herein disclosed. The top portion of the mouse moves conventionally while the base is equipped with sliding X-Y access plates having a protruding analog stick. The bottom surface of the base plate comprises a non-slip material. The top portion has both left and right mouse buttons as found on a conventional mouse. In use, the top portion of the device slides in relation to the base generating higher resolution computer cursor movements. This device is ideal for use on desktops with crowded spaces or for with notebook computers. |
| US08212770B2 |
Joystick assembly for improved machine control
A joystick assembly that provides enhanced operator control and stability during rough operation by being primarily rotatable about a vertical axis of a clockspring. The joystick assembly also includes a palm support that is associated with the clockspring via a clamp in the lower housing of the palm support. Further, the joystick assembly has an interface device that includes at least one input device that is conveniently actuated by an operator's thumb. |
| US08212769B2 |
Hierarchical structure display
A hierarchical structure display device according to the present invention includes operation condition output means for outputting operation condition information for a switch operation condition of a first switch or a second switch to cause an operator to recognize the operation. condition information, and screen transition means for operating only when a detected switch operation of the first switch or the second switch satisfies the switch operation condition related to the operation condition information output from the operation condition output means to carry out a screen transition of a display screen. Further, the operation condition information is a display image which is displayed within the display screen and repeatedly inverted at predetermined timing during a switch operation, and a necessary number of times of inversion for the switch operation condition is displayed as the display image. |
| US08212768B2 |
Digital, data, and multimedia user interface with a keyboard
A system and corresponding method for providing a 3-dimensional (3-D) user interface to display images in a 3-D coordinate system. The 3-D interface generates and displays one type of holographic keyboard in response to a user's desired selection. The holographic keyboard provides versatility and ergonomic benefits to the user. Sensors are configured to sense user interaction within the 3-D coordinate system, so that a processor may receive user interaction information from the sensors. The sensors are able to provide information to the processor that enables the processor to correlate user interaction with images in the 3-D coordinate system. The system may be used for interconnecting or communicating between two or more components connected to an interconnection medium (e.g., a bus) within a single computer or digital data processing system. |
| US08212763B2 |
Liquid crystal display controller and liquid crystal display device
In conventional liquid crystal display controllers such as for portable telephone sets, the display is reduced in the stand-by state but the liquid crystal display duty is not changed, i.e., even the common electrodes of the rows that are not producing display are scanned, and the consumption of electric power is not decreased to a sufficient degree in the stand-by state. A liquid crystal display controller (2) includes a drive duty selection register (34) capable of being rewritten by a microprocessor (1), and a drive bias selection register (32). When the display is changed from the whole display on a liquid crystal display panel (3) to a partial display on part of the rows only, the preset values of the drive duty selection register and of the drive bias selection register are changed, so that the display is selectively produced on a portion of the liquid crystal display panel at a low voltage with a low-duty drive. |
| US08212760B2 |
Digital driving method for LCD panels
A liquid crystal display (LCD) with a driver IC and an LCD panel having source and gate lines. A gate driver is disposed in the LCD panel for sequentially supplying scan signals to the gate lines of the panel. A source driver in the driver IC converts pixel data into an analog source signal and supplies the signal to the source lines. A lookup table is stored with a mapping of possible luminance values for pixels of the LCD panel onto at least one luminance control parameter. The source driver converts the pixel data so that a voltage of the analog source signal increases during a gate scan period depending on the luminance control parameter in such a way that at the end of the gate scan period a voltage at a corresponding pixel electrode is equal to an analog value corresponding to the pixel data. |
| US08212756B2 |
Display panel driving apparatus, display panel driving method, display apparatus, and television receiver
In a display panel driving apparatus which generates, based on an input gray scale, a gray scale of a first sub-frame and a gray scale of a second sub-frame so as to display the input gray scale as a result of a summation of respective display corresponding to the first sub-frame and the second sub-frame into which one frame is divided, and the gray scale of the second sub-frame being greater than the gray scale of the first sub-frame, for a response in which (i) the input gray scale of a subsequent frame is greater than an input gray scale of a previous frame and (ii) the input gray scale of the subsequent frame is not less than a first threshold gray scale, a gray scale of the first sub-frame in the subsequent frame is set not more than a second threshold gray scale, regardless of input gray scale of the subsequent frame. Thus, it is possible to reduce jaggy in an edge of a moving image in time-division driving. |
| US08212753B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display device includes a pixel defined by at least four sub-pixels. The sub-pixels include at least one sub-pixel belonging to a first group and at least one sub-pixel belonging to a second group, the sub-pixel of the second group being different from that of the first group. The luminances of the sub-pixels are set such that if the colors represented by the pixel change from black into white while being kept achromatic, the first group of sub-pixel starts to increase in luminance first, and the second group of sub-pixel starts to increase in luminance when the luminance of the first group of sub-pixel reaches a predetermined value. |
| US08212744B2 |
See-through display
In a particular embodiment, a see-through display includes a screen having transparent layer of material with a front side and a back side. At least one plurality of shaped louver members is disposed between the front side and the back side. The plurality of the louver members allow transmission of a fraction of light through the screen with minimum scattering within a range of incident angles. The plurality of the louvers also redirect image signal light from an image source into a range of angles centered about a normal to the screen. The louver members combine the image signal light with the light emitted from background objects located on the backside of the screen. The background image light is transmitted through the display screen with minimal scattering. For embodiments providing two sets of louver members, the image signal light may be redirected to observers on either side of the screen, such that the observers may see each other as well as the intended image. |
| US08212739B2 |
Multiband tunable impedance surface
A tunable impedance surface capable of steering a multiband radio frequency beam in two different, independently band-wise controllable directions. The tunable surface has a ground plane and a plurality of first conductive elements disposed in a first array a first distance therefrom, the first distance being less than a wavelength of a lower frequency band of the multiband radio frequency beam. A first capacitor arrangement controllably varies capacitance between selected ones of the first conductive elements. A plurality of second conductive elements are disposed in a second array a second distance from the plurality of first conductive elements, the second distance being less than a wavelength of a higher frequency band of the multiband radio frequency beam, the plurality of first conductive elements serving as a ground plane for the plurality of second conductive elements. A second capacitor arrangement controllably varies capacitance between selected ones of the second conductive elements. |
| US08212738B2 |
Antenna and an antenna feed structure
A dielectrically-loaded helical antenna has a cylindrical ceramic core bearing metallised helical antenna elements which are coupled to a coaxial feeder structure passing axially through the core. Secured to the end face of the core is an impedance matching section in the form of a laminate board. The matching section embodies a shunt capacitance and a series inductance. |
| US08212736B2 |
Antenna device and communication device
An antenna device and a communication device capable of changing over polarization characteristics of an antenna to improve transmission capacity in various kinds of polarization environments and used configuration by preventing reduction of the communication capacity for a reception signal degrading or varying depending on momentarily changing polarization conditions between a base station and a terminal. The antenna device (110) includes a plurality of first antenna elements (111,112) for a first polarizing direction, a second antenna element (121) provided in the direction orthogonal to the first polarizing direction, a plurality of switches (131,132) for switching connection between the plurality of first antenna elements (111,112) and the second antenna element (121), and power supply parts (141,142) respectively provided on the plurality of first antenna elements (111,112). |
| US08212735B2 |
Near field communication
Apparatus including: an antenna configured for efficient far field communication at a first frequency; an inductive element including a plurality of series-connected coiled portions, including a first coiled portion and a second coiled portion, wherein the inductive element is configured to provide near field communication at a second frequency; and at least one reactive element parallel connected between the first coiled portion and the second coiled portion, wherein the at least one reactive element has a lower impedance at the first frequency than at the second frequency. |
| US08212734B1 |
Hybrid reflector with radiating subreflector
An antenna system comprises a first reflector and a second reflector including one or more radiating elements disposed on a side of the second reflector facing the first reflector. The one or more radiating elements are configured to illuminate the first reflector. The antenna system further comprises a dual reflector feed configured to illuminate the second reflector. The antenna system may further include a beamforming network configured to feed the radiating elements, and to provide amplitude weighting and/or phase control to the antenna system. |
| US08212732B2 |
Dual polarized antenna with null-fill
The present invention relates to a dual polarized array antenna comprising at least two dual polarized antenna elements being arranged for radiating electromagnetic energy having a first polarization, constituting a first antenna radiation pattern, via a connection to a first antenna port, and electromagnetic energy having a second polarization, constituting a second antenna radiation pattern, via a connection to a second antenna port, the second polarization being orthogonal to the first polarization, the first antenna radiation pattern and second antenna radiation pattern each having a main beam and a number of side-lobes with nulls. The array antenna comprises at least one further dual polarized antenna element arranged for radiating electromagnetic energy having two mutually orthogonal polarizations, constituting further antenna radiation patterns, via respective connections to the first antenna port and the second antenna port, where the polarization of said at least one further dual polarized antenna element that is associated with the first antenna port deviates from the first polarization such that said at least one null of the first antenna pattern is at least partly filled. |
| US08212730B2 |
Low profile full wavelength meandering antenna
A low profile antenna has a meander length based on the full electrical wavelength of the signal being transmitted or received. The antenna can have either an open-loop structure or a closed-loop structure with a matching network. The low profile enables the antenna to be used in a card for a device such as a personal computer, personal digital assistant, wireless telephone and so on with minimal risk of the antenna breaking off, as compared with a prior art antenna having a higher height and thus more likelihood of being broken from its card. |
| US08212728B2 |
Foldable portable radio device
A foldable portable radio device comprises a first housing, a second housing, a hinge section for coupling the first and second housings such that the radio device is foldable, a radio communication antenna built in a region of the first or second housing near the hinge section, and a digital television reception whip antenna which can be retracted into and drawn out from the region near the hinge section where the radio communication antenna is built in. The foldable portable radio device also comprises a function for powering the digital television reception whip antenna through an electric connection pattern, wherein the electric connection pattern is formed in a direction away from the region near the hinge section where the radio communication antenna is built in. |
| US08212727B2 |
Antenna and wireless transceiver using the same
An antenna and a wireless transceiver are provided. The antenna includes: a substrate having first and second surfaces with circuits thereon; and two shield boxes located on the first and second surfaces for covering the circuits thereon. The shield boxes each comprise an antenna section and a shield section. The antenna sections are disposed at one side of the shield section and aligned with a margin of the substrate, and include signal ends electrically connected to the circuits and grounding ends electrically connected to the shield sections. The first antenna section is disposed on a diagonal opposite of the second antenna section flush with substrate margin or aligned with the substrate margin, thereby maximizing the distance between the two antennas disposed on the substrate, and preventing the two antennas from electromagnetic interference. The antennas are disposed on sides of the shield sections flush with substrate margins and thereby are space-saving. |
| US08212722B2 |
System and method for discovering and tracking communication directions with asymmetric antenna systems
A system and method for discovering and tracking communication directions is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, communication directions for two devices with asymmetric antenna systems are discovered. In one embodiment, a contention access period (CAP) is partitioned into an association CAP and a regular CAP, either of which may be further partitioned into sub-CAPs corresponding to different reception directions. In one embodiment, an association request command is transmitted by a device at different association sub-CAPs to train a transmission direction of the device. In one embodiment, further training is performed to find the best communication directions, as collisions may occur when association request commands are transmitted at different association sub-CAPs. |
| US08212720B2 |
Detecting lack of movement to aid GNSS receivers
Embodiments of the invention provide a method of detecting movement to aid GNSS receivers. By detecting when the user is stationary, the Doppler frequency estimation can be corrected or the SNR can be boosted more both of which lead to improved performance. The embodiments allow a GNSS receiver to process signals in when the signal level would otherwise be too low—for example indoors. The embodiments can improve performance when one or more satellites are temporarily blocked but one or more satellites are still being tracked. |
| US08212712B2 |
Method of processing a radar image, obtained in particular from an airborne radar, with evaluation of the altitude of the 0° C. isotherm
The invention targets a method of processing a radar image obtained from a radar. It comprises an automatic evaluation of the altitude of the isotherm at zero degrees Celsius, called zero isotherm, using a processing of the reflectivity information (rf(px)) conveyed by pixels (px) forming all or part of the radar image. |
| US08212711B1 |
UAV trajectory determination method and system
A method for determining a corrected UAV trajectory for a UAV having an on-board synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and a programmed trajectory includes the SAR obtaining observed radar range profile curves associated with point scatterers; calculating an error objective function based on the observed radar range profile curves to obtain a perturbation path; and applying the perturbation path to the programmed trajectory to obtain the corrected UAV trajectory input back into the SAR. Optimal parameter values applied to the UAV motion model then constitute an improved estimate of the UAV trajectory. A system for computing the corrected UAV trajectory also includes an on-board UAV inertial navigation system and an on-board processor having a machine-readable storage media capable for storing the software instructions for applying the subject algorithm via the processor that then applies the corrected trajectory to the SAR. |
| US08212710B2 |
Radar image generation system
According to one embodiment, a synthetic aperture radar includes a back projection processor that is configured to receive multiple return signals from the radar as the radar is moved with respect to an object, wherein the return signals are representative of electro-magnetic radiation reflected from the object. The back projection processor generates a dynamic image of one or more internal features of the object from the return signals by varying a squint angle of the plurality of return signals in which the squint angle varied by modifying a back projection filter. Once generated, the back projection processor displays the dynamic image on a display. |
| US08212707B2 |
Remote control system and remote control signal processing method
A remote control system is provided. The remote control system includes at least one first remote control apparatus and at least one second remote control apparatus. The at least one first remote control apparatus includes a command input unit, a first control unit, and a first output unit. The at least one second remote control apparatus includes a first user interface unit, a first input unit, a second control unit, and a second output unit. |
| US08212705B2 |
Pipeline ADC
Pipeline analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are used in many applications, but because of the configuration, components may be idled, which wastes power. Here, an ADC is provided that enables one or more stages to be switched off during a power conservation mode. By using switch networks, the ADC can produce accurate results with reduced power consumption, as desired. |
| US08212702B2 |
Delta-sigma analog-to-digital conversion apparatus and method thereof
A delta-sigma analog-to-digital conversion apparatus for receiving an analog input signal to generate a digital output signal includes a subtracting unit, a quantizer, and a feedback unit. The subtracting unit is utilized for performing a subtraction function to generate a subtracted signal according to the analog input signal and a feedback signal. The quantizer is coupled to the subtracting unit and utilized for performing quantization to generate a quantized signal according to the subtracted signal. The feedback unit is coupled between the subtracting unit and the quantizer, and utilized for providing the feedback signal to the subtracting unit according to the quantized signal. The subtracting unit is arranged to reduce signal input swing of the quantizer. |
| US08212701B2 |
Integrated circuit and corresponding method of processing a multitype radio frequency digital signal
An integrated circuit includes input circuitry for receiving a radio frequency digital signal, output circuitry capable of delivering a radio frequency analog signal, and a processing stage coupled between the input circuitry and the output circuitry and including several processing channels in parallel. Each processing channel may include a voltage switching block the input of which is coupled to the input circuitry and a transmission line substantially of the quarter-wave type at the frequency of the radio frequency analog signal coupled in series between the output of the voltage switching block and the output circuitry. |
| US08212694B2 |
Data output circuit
A data output circuit is presented. The data output circuit includes: a data serializer and a driver. The data serializer is configured to generate serial data using first parallel data. The driver is configured to drive the serial data to generate output data. The data serializer is also configured to generate the serial data by multiplexing second parallel data generated by changing a power domain of the first parallel data. |
| US08212692B2 |
Manual pulse generator with touch sensor inputs
A manual pulse generator that includes a main body, a magnification selector, an axis selector, and an input device is disclosed. The input device is disposed on an upper surface of the main body. The input device includes a control chip and a panel with many touch-sensors electronically connected to the control chip. When the touch-sensors are touched, the touch-sensors generate signals to the control chip. The control chip is configured to generate pulse signals according to the signals received from the touch-sensors to control a servo motor of a CNC machine. |
| US08212690B1 |
Vehicle detection inductive loop activation device
A passive activator, used in combination with a vehicle sensing arrangement in a roadway, includes an electrically conductive material such as a wire mesh and placed inside or within a vehicle tire. The electrically conductive material portion forms a closed loop. The electrically conductive material portion may also include a protective layer or liner to prevent damage to the tire or to an inner tube of the tire. The passive activator causes sufficient disturbance of the electro-magnetic field to activate a vehicle detection sensor located in a roadway when a tire equipped with the passive activator passes over the roadway induction loop. |
| US08212687B2 |
Load side voltage sensing for AMI metrology
Disclosed are apparatus and methodologies for providing improved functionality of a meter in a 2-way communications arrangement, such as an Advanced Metering System (AMS) or Infrastructure (AMI). More particularly, the present technology relates to methodologies and apparatus for providing load side voltage sensing for utility meters which preferably are operable with remote disconnect features in an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) open operational framework. The present subject matter provides enhanced capabilities resulting in improved functionality, increased safety, and greater economy vis-à-vis fraud detection for individual metrology components in an open operational framework. Meters per the present subject matter utilize a detection circuit, which is situated generally downstream of a remote disconnect functionality. Such detection circuit is able to sense whether voltage exists or doesn't exist at such relatively downstream, or load side location. Providing such functionality allows for: (a) verification that a remote disconnect switch did open subsequent to an instruction or command to do so, (b) identification of possible user fraud, as would possibly be reflected by the presence of voltage at a time when the remote disconnect switch is open, (c) verification that the remote disconnect switch did re-close after having been given an instruction or command to close, and (d) verification of lack of voltage present before re-closing such remote disconnect switch, which serves an important safety feature. |
| US08212682B2 |
Method and device for easily monitoring the maintenance status of an UV-drinking water disinfection system in an aircraft
A disinfection system for liquids is provided that features an irradiation chamber for accommodating a liquid to be disinfected. A UV-radiator with a cladding that is transparent to UV-light is arranged in the irradiation chamber such that the UV-radiation emitted by the UV-radiator may penetrate the liquid. A first UV-sensor is arranged in the irradiation chamber such that a first attenuation characteristic with respect to the UV-light emitted by the UV-radiator may be measured with the first UV-sensor, wherein the first attenuation characteristic comprises a first aging characteristic and a first liquid attenuation characteristic. A second UV-sensor is arranged in the irradiation chamber such that a second attenuation characteristic with respect to the UV-light emitted by the UV-radiator may be measured with the second UV-sensor, wherein the second attenuation characteristic comprises a second aging characteristic and a second liquid attenuation characteristic and differs from the first attenuation characteristic. |
| US08212679B2 |
Near-field RFID reader antenna
A near-field radio frequency identification (RFID) reader antenna is provided. The near-field RFID reader antenna is intended to separately recognize adjacent items to which a plurality of small RFID tags are attached, such as wines displayed on a shelf in a store or chip trays on casino tables, using a near field. The near-field REID reader antenna includes a dielectric layer, at least one signal line formed on the dielectric layer, a ground surface formed under the dielectric layer, at least one ground line formed under the dielectric layer to be electrically connected to the ground surface in parallel with the signal line, at least one signal stub formed to be electrically connected to the signal line toward the ground line, and at least one ground stub formed to be electrically connected to the ground line toward the signal line in parallel with the signal stub. |
| US08212678B2 |
RFID system, gate arrangement with RFID system and method of detecting transponders
With an RFID system for communicating between reading units (R1, R2) and transponders (T1, T2) in at least two different scan areas (S1, S2), wherein at least one reading unit (R1, R2) and at least one antenna (A1-A4, B1-B4) communicating with the reading unit are allocated to each scan area (S1, S2) for the radiation of electromagnetic signals (EA1-EA4, EB1-EB4) in the scan area (S1, S2), the antennas (A1-A4, B1-B4) are designed in such a way that at least one antenna (A1, A3) of a scan area (S1) has a different polarization and/or a different polarization rotation direction relative to at least one antenna (B2, B4) of another scan area (S2). |
| US08212676B2 |
RFID tag and method of manufacturing the same
A radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and method of manufacturing the same. In a preferred embodiment, the RFID tag includes a radio frequency (RF) inlay, the RF inlay including a carrier sheet, an antenna printed on the carrier sheet and a wireless communication device bonded to the antenna. The RFID tag also includes a plastic extrudate, the RF inlay being disposed within the extrudate so that the antenna and the wireless communication device are encapsulated on all sides within the extrudate. Optional metallic reflector and mounting adhesive layers may be laminated onto the underside of the extrudate. The present invention is also directed to an automated method for manufacturing the above RFID tag, such a method involving, in one embodiment, feeding a continuous supply of RF inlays into a cross-head extruder to yield a continuously extruded block and then cutting the block between successive antennae to yield a plurality of individual RFID tags. |
| US08212674B2 |
Inventory devices and methods
In one implementation, a method includes reading first component data from a first tag associated with a first component of a device. The device may be powered on or off. The first component data indicate components associated with the first component at a first time. The method may involve obtaining second component data from a second tag associated with a support structure. The second component data may indicate components disposed in the support structure at a second time. The method may also involve comparing the first component data with the second component data and determining whether the first component data match the second component data. |
| US08212668B2 |
Apparatus and method for finding a misplaced object using a database and instructions generated by a portable device
The basic invention uses a portable device that can contain a camera, a database, and a text, voice or visual entry to control the storage of an image into a database. Furthermore, the stored image can be associated with text, color, visual or audio. The stored images can be used to guide the user towards a target that the user does not recall its current location. The user's commands can be issued verbally, textually or by scrolling through the target images in the database until the desired one is found. This target can be shoes, pink sneakers, a toy or some comparable items that the user needs to find. |
| US08212666B2 |
Motor vehicle having hybrid drive and external display device for displaying a current operating mode of the hybrid drive
A motor vehicle has a hybrid drive that includes a first drive unit and a second low-emission drive unit. The motor vehicle can be driven in travel mode in different modes of operation of the hybrid drive at least either by the first drive unit or by the second low-emission drive unit. To determine a current emission of pollutants and/or substances that are harmful to the climate and/or the noise emissions of such a motor vehicle, a display device is placed at a location of the motor vehicle so as to be clearly visible from outside the motor vehicle during the travel mode for displaying a current mode of operation of the hybrid drive. |
| US08212663B2 |
Wheel electronics system and method for operating a wheel electronics system
A wheel electronic system and a method for operating a wheel electronic system. The wheel electronic system interacts with a tire secured to a vehicle and produces and emits, based on a captured trigger signal, a message containing information on at least one tire parameter measured with the wheel electronic system. The wheel electronic system is operated in an operational mode in which the system is configured to periodically capture the trigger signals in a first time period. Based on a predetermined first operational ratio of the vehicle, the wheel electronic system automatically switches to a test mode, in which the wheel electronic system is configured to periodically capture the trigger signals in a second time period which is substantially shorter than the first time period. |
| US08212661B2 |
Alert signal control using receiver velocity
An electronic communication system provides text or voice messages to remote receiving devices, such as cell phones or PDA's. The remote receiving devices are equipped with velocity sensors, or position sensors from which velocity may be inferred. The remote receiving devices periodically report a velocity or current position to an alert signal control node of the communication system. The alert signal control node determines a most recent-determinable velocity for each receiving device before transmitting a message alert signal. If the velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold, the alert signal may be delayed until the velocity drops below the threshold. The system may be operated as a safety measure to prevent reception of distracting alert signals while driving, thereby silencing messaging devices at appropriate times. |
| US08212660B2 |
Overhead obstacle avoidance system
A collision avoidance system for use with vehicles includes a sensor mounted on a moving vehicle, wherein the sensor is operative to measure the distance between an overhead obstacle ahead of the vehicle and the sensor itself; a processor connected to the sensor; means for determining a reference height which is the height above ground level at which the sensor is mounted on the vehicle, and wherein the reference height is entered into the processor; means for determining the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle above ground level, wherein the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle is also entered into the processor; and wherein the processor adds the reference height to the distance between the obstacle and the sensor to determine a measured height of the obstacle, and wherein the processor produces an alarm if the measured height of the obstacle is less than the height of the tallest portion of the vehicle. |
| US08212658B2 |
Product container for use with device capable of long-range and short-range communications
A container for a product is used with an external device having long-range communication capability and short-range communication capability and location sensing capability. The container has a storage element for storing an access code for a central facility and a container identification code, a first data acquisition component for detecting that the container has been opened, and a second data acquisition component for sensing an identity of a nearby person, the nearby person being a member of a group registered at a central facility, the container identification code not uniquely associated with a member of the group. The container also has a local communication interface for communicating with the external device using the short-range communication capability of the external device, and a processor for producing information and directing the local communication interface to send the information to the external device. The information sent from the container to the external device includes (a) the access code for the central facility, (b) the container identification code, (c) the detection that the container has been opened, (d) the sensed identity of the nearby person, and (e) instructions for the external device to use its location sensing capability to sense its location and to report its sensed location to the central facility. The container may also have a switch for activation by a user to produce an activation signal that is sent from the container to the external device. |
| US08212654B2 |
Channel selection method for reading tag information, tag selection apparatus of radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, and RFID reader
A channel selection method for reading tag information, a channel selection apparatus of an RFID reader applying the same, and an RFID reader. A channel selection apparatus of a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader equipped within a wireless communication portable terminal, includes a channel selection unit which selects a channel to read tag information stored in an RFID tag, and a channel determination unit which, when determining that the selected channel is not used by another RFID reader, determines the selected channel to be a channel to read the tag information. Accordingly, when a plurality of RFID readers reads out the tag information from the RFID tag almost at the same time, the interference among them can be avoided. |
| US08212653B1 |
Protected zone system
A system is provided for establishing a protected zone and monitoring interactions therewith. The system includes a protected zone designator and a wearable device. The protected zone designator establishes the protected zone. The protected zone designator is configured for placement at a location in which the protected zone is desired. The wearable device is separate and distal from the protected zone designator. The wearable device includes a protected zone recognition component configured to recognize the protected zone and identify pre-defined interaction criteria for the protected zone. Upon the wearable device entering the protected zone, the protected zone recognition component recognizes the protected zone and identifies the interaction criteria of the protected zone. Based on the interaction criteria the wearable device determines and records compliance with the interaction criteria. |
| US08212641B2 |
Choke
An electronic device including a core, at least a wire and a magnetic material is provided. The core includes a pillar, a top board and a bottom board. The pillar is disposed between the top board and the bottom board. An area of the top board is smaller than an area of the bottom board. A winding space is fanned among the top board, the bottom board and the pillar. The wire is winded around the pillar and located in the winding space. The magnetic material fills the winding space to encapsulate the wire. The magnetic material includes a resin and a metallic powder, wherein an average particle diameter of the magnetic powder is smaller than 20 μm. |
| US08212630B2 |
Thin film balun
The present invention provides a thin film balun capable of preventing a resonant frequency from being increased to a high frequency due to size and thickness reductions and maintaining a preferable passage characteristic, while improving a balance characteristic. A thin film balun 1 includes: an unbalanced transmission line 2 having a first coil portion C1 and a second coil portion C2; and a balanced transmission line 3 having a third coil portion C3 and a fourth coil portion C4 which are magnetically coupled with the first coil portion C1 and the second coil portion C2, respectively. The first coil portion C1 is connected to an unbalanced terminal T0, and the second coil portion C2 is connected to a ground terminal G (ground potential) via a capacitor D (C component). The third coil portion C3 is connected to a balanced terminal T1 and the fourth coil portion C4 is connected to a second balanced terminal T2. At least a part of the capacitor D is contained in a second magnetic coupling area R2 formed by the coil portions C2 and C4. |
| US08212629B1 |
Wideband low frequency impedance tuner
An electro-mechanical impedance tuner generates wideband and complete Smith chart reflection factor coverage at frequencies as low as 1 MHz. It comprises an in-line adjustable linear phase shifter and a variable capacitor connected in parallel to ground. The transmission line, which serves as an adjustable phase shifter of variable electrical length, is made as a cylindrical rotating spiral wire-over-ground transmission line, on which runs a sliding contact, connected with a variable capacitor; the capacitor can be, depending on the frequency, immersed in a dielectric liquid, such as oil (∈r≈3) or alcohol (∈r≈20) for increased capacitance. The cylindrical structure of the spiral transmission line allows for a compact, 1 meter long apparatus at 1 MHz, whereas the required linear electrical length for this type of impedance tuner would be 150 meters in air, or 100 meters when low cost polyethylene dielectric (∈r≈2.25) is used. Cascading two or more tuners allows pre-matching and harmonic tuning. |
| US08212626B2 |
Constant-temperature type crystal oscillator
A constant-temperature type crystal oscillator includes: a surface-mount crystal unit, in which a crystal element is housed in a case main body to hermetically encapsulate the crystal element with a metal cover, and which includes a crystal terminal serving as a mounting terminal that is electrically connected to at least the crystal element on an outer bottom face of the case main body; a thermistor that detects an operational temperature of the surface-mount crystal unit; and a circuit substrate, on which elements forming an oscillator circuit and elements forming a temperature control circuit along with the thermistor are installed. The thermistor includes a first and second terminal electrode and a temperature detecting electrode that is electrically independent of the first and second terminal electrode. The temperature detecting electrode is electrically connected to the crystal terminal of the surface-mount crystal unit through a circuit pattern formed on the circuit substrate. |
| US08212624B2 |
Reference frequency generation circuit, semiconductor integrated circuit, and electronic device
An oscillator circuit increases and reduces signal levels of first and second oscillation signals in a complementary manner in response to a transition of a signal level of a reference clock. An oscillation control circuit compares each of the signal levels of the first and second oscillation signals to a comparison voltage, and causes the signal level of the reference clock to transition according to results of the comparison. A reference control circuit increases or reduces the comparison voltage so that a difference between a signal level of an intermediate signal which is proportional to respective swings of the first and second oscillation signals and a reference voltage is reduced. |
| US08212615B2 |
Variable-gain amplifier circuit and wireless communication device integrated circuit equipped therewith
There is disclosed a variable-gain amplifier circuit that operates on a low voltage, exhibits low distortion, provides a wide range of variation, and is suitable for use in a low-power-consumption wireless communication system. The variable-gain amplifier circuit is configured so that a variable-load circuit, which includes three reactance function elements and provides a wide range of impedance variation, is connected to a conductor circuit whose output terminal generates a positive-phase output current proportional to conductance with respect to an input voltage. |
| US08212610B2 |
Techniques for digital loop filters
A digital loop filter includes a fine control circuit and a coarse control circuit. The fine control circuit adjusts a phase of a feedback clock signal by a first phase adjustment in response to a first phase error signal that indicates a sign of a phase error between a reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal. The coarse control circuit adjusts the phase of the feedback clock signal by a second phase adjustment in response to a second phase error signal. The second phase adjustment is larger than the first phase adjustment. The second phase error signal indicates a magnitude of a phase error between the reference clock signal and the feedback clock signal. |
| US08212609B2 |
Internal voltage generation circuit
An internal voltage generation circuit includes a first enable signal generator configured to delay an active signal to generate a first enable signal, a comparison signal generator configured to compare the internal voltage with an internal reference voltage to generate a comparison signal, a pulse signal generator configured to receive the first enable signal and to generate a pulse signal, a transmission device configured to buffer and transfer the comparison signal as a pull-down signal, and a drive device configured to drive the driving signal to the first level in response to the pull-down signal. |
| US08212608B2 |
Apparatus and method for a smooth powerup of a reference signal
A circuit for providing a reference voltage can be widely used in audio applications. However, at startup an abrupt start in the reference signal can cause undesirable audible artifacts. A circuit employing feedback of a reference voltage to control the charging of a capacitor which provides the reference voltage can be used to provide a smooth startup to the reference voltage. The circuit contains a differential pair for steering a fixed current source from one path to another as the reference voltage increases. The steered current can then be mirrored into one or more current mirrors where the newly mirrored current can be squeezed to zero when the difference between a desired reference voltage and the reference voltage approaches zero. This newly mirrored current can be used to charge a capacitor which is used to provide the reference voltage. |
| US08212607B2 |
Internal voltage generator and method of generating internal voltage
An internal voltage generator and a method of generating an internal voltage are disclosed. The internal voltage generator includes: a charge pumping block configured to perform charge pumping base on a period pulse signal to generate an internal voltage, and output the generated internal voltage to an interval voltage terminal; a voltage detection block configured to detect the voltage level of the internal voltage terminal; a driving voltage supply block configured to supply a first power supply voltage or a second power supply voltage having a higher voltage level than the first power supply voltage as a driving voltage, depending on the detection result of the voltage detection block; and a period pulse generation block configured to drive the period pulse signal to the is driving voltage supplied from the driving voltage supply block. The period pulse signal driven by the second power supply voltage has a longer pulsing period than the period pulse signal driven by the first power supply voltage. |