| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08224023B2 |
Method of tracking an object in a video stream
A method of tracking an object such as a face in a video stream comprises running an object detector at a plurality of locations on a first frame, defining a coarse grid. This is repeated for second and subsequent frames, with the grid slightly offset each time so that, ultimately, all of the points on a fine grid are covered but in several passes. When an object such as a face is located on one frame, positional and/or scale information is propagated to the next frame to assist in the tracking of that object onto the next frame. |
| US08224020B2 |
Appearance inspection apparatus, appearance inspection system, and appearance inspection appearance
An appearance inspection apparatus, wherein an image inspection result based on a result of image-taking and image-analyzing a product to be inspected can be displayed with superposed on a visual field of an inspector inspecting the product to be inspected with an eye and in a position corresponding to an image in which the inspector is observing the product to be inspected is provided. An appearance inspection method includes: performing image inspection of a product to be inspected by image-taking the product to be inspected and image-analyzing the product to be inspected in an image-treating section. An inspector is capable of inspecting the product to be inspected with an eye in the state that a result of the image inspection is displayed with superposed on a visual field of an inspector inspecting the product to be inspected with an eye and in a position corresponding to an image in which the inspector is observing the product to be inspected. |
| US08224012B2 |
Vehicle accessory microphone
A microphone assembly includes one or more transducers positioned in a housing. Circuitry is coupled to the transducer for outputting an electrical signal such that the microphone has a main lobe directed forwardly and attenuates signals originating from the sides and/or rear. The transducers can advantageously include multiple transducers, which, with the circuit, produce a desired sensitivity pattern. The microphone assembly can be employed in a vehicle accessory. |
| US08224010B2 |
Sound reproduction apparatus for varying sound transmission and a corresponding method thereof
There is provided an apparatus for sound reproduction which is able to vary transmission of sound. The apparatus includes a plurality of speaker casings, with each of the plurality of speaker casings including at least one speaker driver; and a plurality of bases for each of the plurality of speaker casings, with a top portion of each base being for securable placement of a foot of one of the plurality of speaker casings, and a bottom face of each base being for securable attachment to the bottom face of another of the plurality of bases. In a first configuration of the apparatus, the plurality of speaker casings is securely placed on the top portion of each of the plurality of bases, and independently rests on the bottom face of each base. In a second configuration of the apparatus, the plurality of speaker casings is securely placed on the top portion of each of the plurality of bases, and is attached to one another at the bottom face of each base. A corresponding method of using a sound reproduction apparatus for varying sound transmission is also provided. |
| US08224009B2 |
Audio system with synthesized positive impedance
An audio system including an audio power amplifier, a transducer electrically connected to the audio power amplifier, an enclosure coupled to the transducer, and a secondary resonant element coupled to the enclosure. An electrical feedback signal representative of the transducer current is negatively fed back to the audio power amplifier to synthesize a positive output impedance. |
| US08224007B2 |
Hearing aid with rechargeable battery and rechargeable battery
A rechargeable battery is provided comprising a flexible elongate electron conductive core surrounded by a first electrochemically active layer, and a second electrochemically active layer, separated by a separation layer and where an electron conducting element contacts the outer surface of the second electrochemically active layer, whereby at least one of the two electrochemically active layers and the separation layer are comprised of thin-film layers. Further a hearing aid is provided wherein a battery comprising thin film layers is provided. Such a battery may be curled or wound to accommodate an irregular space inside the hearing aid. |
| US08224003B2 |
Hearing apparatus using an inductive switching controller as a radio transmitter
The installation size of hearing apparatuses and in particular of hearing devices is to be reduced. Provision is thus made for a hearing apparatus with a transmitting facility including an antenna for the wireless, electromagnetic transmission of data and a switching controller including an inductor, which is used to supply energy to the hearing apparatus and the transmitting facility, with the inductor of the switching controller being identical to the antenna of the transmitting facility. This multiple use of the inductor can save on installation space. In order to avoid mutual interference of the transmitting facility and the switching controller, the signals thereof are modulated independently of one another. |
| US08224002B2 |
Method for the semi-automatic adjustment of a hearing device, and a corresponding hearing device
The object is to take better account of subjective perceptions when setting a hearing device or a communication system, especially a hearing aid. Therefore, an automatic setting of the hearing device by automatically analyzing the hearing situation in which the hearing device is located, and automatic setting of a parameter of the signal processing device of the hearing device relative to the hearing situation in a first parameter range is provided. In addition, manual setting of the parameter of the signal processing device to a value in a second parameter range outside the first parameter range takes place, with the automatic setting in the first parameter range being ended by this. With this semi-automatic control, the user can find an individual compromise between effectiveness and artifacts of a signal processing. |
| US08223997B2 |
Waterproof enclosure for audio device
Disclosed herein is a waterproof case for protecting electronic devices. The waterproof case includes a flexible waterproof bag attached to a rigid lid that can be opened to allow electronic devices to pass into the bag. When closed, the lid forms a watertight seal that protects the inside of the bag from ingress of water. The lid can include a pass-through jack which allows a user to connect an electronic device, such as an audio device, to an output through the lid. The case may also be incorporated into a flexible attachment system, such as an armband or swimbelt. Methods of connecting an electronic device to an electronic output, such as an audio output, through a waterproof case are also provided. |
| US08223995B1 |
Hexaphonic guitar amplifier and hexaphonic speaker cabinet
A six channel guitar amplifier and speaker cabinet for producing orchestral guitar sounds and of the type having a hexagon shaped cabinet which will house six speakers (14) which will mount to six floating baffle boards (14a) which communicate at the six points of the hexagon cabinet and will vibrate independently. In addition a guitar with a hexaphonic pickup (16) will be received by a six way splitter box (18) through a seven pin cable (18b) and will feed the hexaphonic pickup signal into a six channel preamp (10a) to boost the weak signal inherent in hex pickups. The six channel hex preamp will feed into the six separate guitar amps (12) with six conventional patch cords (not shown). The six separate guitar amps outputs (12a) will be connected to the six speakers through conventional speaker cables facilitating independent amplification for each guitar string, resulting in hexaphonic guitar sound. |
| US08223994B2 |
Method of limiting the maximum permitted sound volume in an earphone, and an earphone for carrying out the method
A method of limiting the maximum permitted sound volume in an earphone, a headset or the like, includes the step that the size of the driving signal for driving the earphone is sensed. The driving signal has a voltage that is less than approx. 0.7 V. If the driving signal exceeds a certain level, one part of the driving signal is shunted past the earphone and another part of the driving signal is diverted. Either the voltage of the diverted part is increased and controls the shunt device by which the first part of the driving signal is shunted past the earphone, or it is supplied to a unit with a detector device and the shunt device. The unit is sensitive to work at voltages below approx. 0.7 V. An earphone or the like for the above-mentioned method comprises a shunt device and a detector device whose current source is the signal source of the earphone. |
| US08223992B2 |
Speaker array apparatus
A speaker array apparatus includes a speaker array that emits sounds of a plurality of channels, a beam formation calculating section that performs a calculation for controlling phases of the sounds so that the speaker array emits sound beams in directions set for the respective channels, a sound source localization applying section that performs a calculation for controlling the phases of the sounds emitted from the speaker array so as to form a plurality of virtual point sound sources, and performs a calculation of auditory sensation characteristics at a listening position on a basis of a head-related transfer function, a selecting section that selects one of the beam formation calculating section and the sound source localization applying section, and a phase controlling section that controls the phases of the sounds emitted from the speaker array on a basis of a calculation result of the beam formation calculation section which is selected by the selecting section or applies the auditory sensation characteristics and controls the phase of a wavefront from the virtual point sound source on a basis of a calculation result of the beam formation calculating section which is selected by the selecting section. |
| US08223990B1 |
Audio noise attenuation
This specification describes technologies relating to editing digital audio data. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving an audio signal including audio data in multiple channels; identifying noise in the audio signal including identifying panning information for the audio data in the signal at each of multiple frequency bands; and attenuating the audio data at one or more frequency bands to generate an edited audio signal when the panning exceeds a specified threshold for each of the one or more frequency bands. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products. |
| US08223988B2 |
Enhanced blind source separation algorithm for highly correlated mixtures
An enhanced blind source separation technique is provided to improve separation of highly correlated signal mixtures. A beamforming algorithm is used to precondition correlated first and second input signals in order to avoid indeterminacy problems typically associated with blind source separation. The beamforming algorithm may apply spatial filters to the first signal and second signal in order to amplify signals from a first direction while attenuating signals from other directions. Such directionality may serve to amplify a desired speech signal in the first signal and attenuate the desired speech signal from the second signal. Blind source separation is then performed on the beamformer output signals to separate the desired speech signal and the ambient noise and reconstruct an estimate of the desired speech signal. To enhance the operation of the beamformer and/or blind source separation, calibration may be performed at one or more stages. |
| US08223987B2 |
Attachment structure for a sound generating apparatus
An object is to enhance workability in attachment in a sound generating apparatus that generates sound by vibrating a vibration plate with a vibrator while ensuring acoustic performance as good as that achieved by fastening with fine screw threads. Workability in attaching operation is improved while ensuring acoustic performance as good as that provided by fastening with fine screw threads, by providing first fixing portion that brings engagement portions into screw engagement with each other by rotation by a predetermined angle that can be attained by a user without taking his/her hand that holds a coupler off it and second fixing portion for fixing the coupler to a bracket so as to prevent the coupler from rotating relative to said bracket in a direction to loosen the engagement achieved by said first fixing portion. |
| US08223986B2 |
Electronic device and external equipment with digital noise cancellation and digital audio path
Electronic devices and accessories are provided that may communicate over wired communications paths. The electronic devices may be portable electronic devices such as cellular telephones or media players and may have audio connectors such as 3.5 mm audio jacks. The accessories may be headsets or other equipment having mating 3.5 mm audio plugs and speakers for playing audio. Microphones may be included in an accessory to gather voice signals and noise cancellation signals. Analog-to-digital converter circuitry in the accessory may digitize the microphone signals. Digital voice signals and voice noise cancellation signals can be transmitted over the communications path and processed by audio digital signal processor circuitry in an electronic device. Digital-to-analog converter circuitry in the accessory may convert digital audio signals to analog speaker signals. Digital noise cancellation signals may use digital noise signals to cancel noise from digital audio signals that have been received from an electronic device. |
| US08223983B2 |
Fitting and verification procedure for direct bone conduction hearing devices
The present invention relates to a method for fitting and verification of direct bone conduction hearing devices to a patient, wherein a. in a first step the hearing threshold and loudness discomfort levels are measured directly on a titanium implant of a patient, b. in a second step these hearing threshold and loudness discomfort levels are converted to equivalent force thresholds (FHT) and loudness discomfort levels (FLDL) on an artificial skull force measuring device, c. in a final step the output force levels of the direct bone conduction hearing device is measured in a free sound field with the device attached to the said artificial skull force measuring device and compared to the FHT and the FLDL as the base for final adjustments of the device. |
| US08223982B2 |
Audio path diagnostics
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting a change in the performance of an audio signal processing path is disclosed. The method comprises: selecting a characteristic of a received audio signal indicative of its energy content; determining first and second predetermined values of the selected energy characteristic at respective first and second audio signal frequency bands; calculating a ratio of the first and second predetermined values for a reference time period and a test time period; and comparing the ratio at the reference time period with the ratio of the test time period to determine a performance change in the audio path. |
| US08223981B2 |
Wide dynamic range microphone
A microphone system has an output and at least a first transducer with a first dynamic range, a second transducer with a second dynamic range different than the first dynamic range, and coupling system to selectively couple the output of one of the first transducer or the second transducer to the system output, depending on the magnitude of the input sound signal, to produce a system with a dynamic range greater than the dynamic range of either individual transducer. A method of operating a microphone system includes detecting whether a transducer output crosses a threshold, and if so then selectively coupling another transducer's output to the system output. The threshold may change as a function of which transducer is coupled to the system output. The system and methods may also combine the outputs of more than one transducer in a weighted sum during transition from one transducer output to another, as a function of time or as a function of the amplitude of the incident audio signal. Methods of operating the system may include equalizing the outputs of two or more transducers prior to coupling one or more outputs to the system output. |
| US08223976B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a level parameter and apparatus and method for generating a multi-channel representation
A parameter representation of a multi-channel signal having several original channels includes a parameter set, which, when used together with at least one down-mix channel allows a multi-channel reconstruction. An additional level parameter is calculated such that an energy of the at least one downmix channel weighted by the level parameter is equal to a sum of energies of the original channels. The additional level parameter is transmitted to a multi-channel reconstructor together with the parameter set or together with a down-mix channel. An apparatus for generating a multi-channel representation uses the level parameter to correct the energy of the at least one transmitted down-mix channel before entering the down-mix signal into an up-mixer or within the up-mixing process. |
| US08223974B2 |
Self-healing encryption keys
A method and nodes provide self-healing encryption keys from a server to a client. Forward keys and backward keys are generated at the server. The server sends to the client a pair comprising a forward key for a first instant and a backward key for a later instant, the first and later instants being separated by a self-healing period. The client calculates a backward key for the first instant by processing the received backward key for the later instant. The server updates the keys to the client. If the client misses an update, it processes the first forward key to obtain a next one. If the client misses an updated backward key within the self-healing period, it uses the already processed backward key. If the client misses a later backward key, it sends a feedback to the server, responsive to which the server adjusts the self-healing period. |
| US08223966B2 |
Multiple stream decrypting and decoding systems and related methods thereof
A system for decrypting multiple transport streams is disclosed. The system includes: a Multiple Transport stream Multiplexer (M-Mux), for receiving at least a first transport stream and a second transport stream, and outputting a resultant transport stream; a multiple transport stream decryption card for decrypting the resultant transport stream to output a decrypted transport stream; a Source Multiplexer (S-Mux) for receiving the decrypted transport stream from the multiple transport stream decryption card and the resultant transport stream, and outputting a final resultant transport stream; and a Multiple Transport Stream Processor (M-Processor) for receiving the final resultant transport stream, and sending the final resultant transport stream to a corresponding framer. |
| US08223965B2 |
Switching network supporting media rights management
A communication infrastructure containing a plurality of templates stored in an intermediate routing node and data rights management service function that determines an incoming packet contains media content by comparing the packet contents with the plurality of predefined templates and verifies whether associated license in the packet is valid. The intermediate routing node triggers the data rights management service function, if the associated license is not valid. The data rights management service function verifies rights of the user of the destination device to use the media content and interacts with the destination device to verify the validity of the license. In addition, the intermediate routing node interacts with a media manufacturer's server to verify the validity of the license. An external data rights management server may in part or full carry out the DRM functionality, to assist the intermediate routing node. |
| US08223962B2 |
Common key generation system, common key generation method and node using the same
First and second nodes generate numeric string elements from time interval by their physical changes. The first node generates a basic numeric string from the numeric string elements and similar numeric strings, encrypts the generated basic numeric string and the similar numeric strings, and generates a cipher value list that stores the numeric strings with corresponding cipher values. The second node generates a basic numeric string based on the numeric string elements generated by the second node, encrypts the generated basic numeric string in accordance with the same encryption rule as that for the first node, and transmits the generated cipher value to the first node. The first node receives a cipher value from the second node, and compares the received cipher value with the cipher values in the cipher value list to find a match, and transmits a match signal if a match is found. |
| US08223961B2 |
Method and device for answering an incoming call
A method (200) and device (100) for answering an incoming call to an electronic communication device enables the device to answer the incoming call using one of a plurality of answer modes, in response to when an answer call signal is input from a user of the device. The method (200) comprises allowing the device (100) to answer the incoming call, using a first answer mode, in response to an answer call signal input from a user at a user interface of the device before expiration of a first predetermined time period (step 205). The device is then allowed to answer the incoming call, using a second answer mode, in response to an answer call signal input from the user at the user interface of the device after expiration of the first predetermined time period (step 210). |
| US08223953B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for rule-based direction of customer service calls
Directing customer service calls based upon one or more rules incorporating customer information, network status information, service status information, or various combinations thereof. An incoming service call, and a customer identifier for the incoming service call are received. The customer identifier is used to obtain customer information. Network status information is obtained, or service status information is obtained, or network status information and service status information are obtained. One or more rules are retrieved. The one or more retrieved rules are applied to at least one of the obtained network status information or the obtained service status information to automatically direct the incoming call to a help desk agent selected from a plurality of help desk agents. |
| US08223952B2 |
Routing based upon origin of a call
The invention relates to a data communications network and a method of operation thereof. A data communications network (14) is described which includes a call server (58, 60, 62, 64) for the purpose of signalling, and a routing server (66, 68) for the purpose of routing to permit communication between users of the network. The call server (58, 60, 62, 64) is operable to send a request to the routing server (66, 68) for the purpose of obtaining the identity of another call server (58, 60, 62, 64) to which it is required to communicate. The request is provided with a parameter which relates to the origin of the communication within the data network (14) to enable a desired routing of the communication through the network. |
| US08223950B2 |
Dual network telephone device
A dual network telephone device selectively performs a telephone communication via a public telephone network and via an IP telephone network. The dual network telephone device generates IP telephone identification information for a non-IP telephone device registers to an IP telephone server an association of an IP address of the dual network telephone device and the IP telephone identification information for the non-IP telephone device, receives a first call request sent from the IP telephone server, sends a call request notice instruction to the non-IP telephone device when the first call request includes the IP telephone identification information for the non-IP telephone device as a call request destination, receives IP telephone identification information input to and sent from the non-IP telephone device, sends a second call request to the IP telephone server. |
| US08223948B2 |
Multi-tiered media services for globally interconnecting businesses and customers
A multi-tiered communication system for minimizing communication latency for a caller in a remote location who initiates contact with a local data center. The system includes a local data center located in a first location including one or more Interactive Voice Recognition (IVR) functions that are configured for use with a caller who initiates contact with the local data center. The system also includes a remote media server located in a second location. The remote media server is configured to route an incoming call from the caller to the local data center, to route one or more IVR messages to the caller and to connect the caller with an agent for real-time communication. The agent is located in one of the second location or a third location that is substantially closer to the second location than the first location. Having the local data center in the first location enables the IVR message to be received by the caller after a period of expected delay and having the remote media server in the second or third location enables the real-time communication between the caller and the agent to be within an acceptable latency. |
| US08223946B2 |
Routing telecommunications to a user in dependence upon device-based routing preferences
Routing telecommunications to a user including receiving a call, determining that the call is intended for the user, receiving an RFID signal from an RFID tag located with the user, determining the user's location in dependence upon the RFID signal, identifying a plurality of available telephony devices in dependence upon the user's location, identifying a device-based preference for the user, selecting one of the plurality of available telephony devices in dependence upon the device-based preference, and forwarding the call to the selected telephony device. In typical embodiments, determining that the call is intended for the user also includes prompting the caller for the name of the user and receiving from the caller the name of the user. |
| US08223945B2 |
Communication acceptance time extender
A communication system allows a receiving party to request additional time to accept a communication. A telecommunications device of a receiving party detects when the receiving party has indicated a desire for an extended period of time in which to accept an incoming communication. A message is sent to a network communications processor that indicates the receiving party has requested additional time to accept. The network communications processor then processes the communication by resetting or extending a communications availability period associated with the incoming communication. |
| US08223943B2 |
Systems and methods for computer and voice conference audio transmission during conference call via PSTN phone
A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support canceling audio streams leaked from a speaker to a PSTN so that only the audio stream of a presenter or viewer speaking at a conference call is transmitted. Here, the audio streams being canceled includes the audio stream of an application being run or a material being presented online during a web conference. The voice audio stream of a presenter or viewer is then transmitted in addition to the computer audio stream, clean from any other audio stream of echoes or feedbacks captured by the hosting device during the conference call. |
| US08223941B2 |
System and method for call handling
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a call processing element in a communication system having a controller to detect an incoming call directed to a called party, retrieve presence information associated with a plurality of communication devices of the called party, retrieve presence information of a calling party initiating the incoming call, and determine from the presence information of the called party, the presence information of the calling party, and a call processing profile of the called party how to respond to the incoming call. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08223936B2 |
Method and system for providing pay-per-call services
A method and system are provided for connecting consumers and merchants. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the method includes (a) providing data on a plurality of merchants and one or more telephone numbers associated with each of the plurality of merchants; (b) receiving from a search system search data relating to an online search performed by a consumer directed at identifying a desired merchant, the search data identifying one or more merchants of the plurality of merchants matching the online search and a search association identifier associated with the consumer; (c) receiving the search association identifier from the consumer and facilitating communication between the consumer and a selected merchant of the one or more merchants; (d) associating the communication between the consumer and the selected merchant to the online search by matching the search association identifier received from the consumer and the search association identifier of the search data; and (e) charging the selected merchant a fee for connecting the consumer to the selected merchant when the communication between the consumer and the selected merchant is associated with the online search and the communication occurs within a predetermined period of time after the online search is performed by the consumer. |
| US08223933B2 |
Line interface unit of multifunction printer and facsimile
A line interface unit in which a circuit to detect a calling line and a ring signal includes a connecting unit connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to individually detect the calling line and the ring signal and to commonly use an insulating circuit electrically insulated from PSTN. A circuit to detect the calling line and the ring signal is simply implemented so that economical burden can be reduced. |
| US08223932B2 |
Appending content to a telephone communication
An interactive information distribution system that facilitates automatic transmission of a variety of information packets to the communication devices of a calling party and parties called during a call. The information packets are comprised of actual files and or links to files or websites, and are automatically transmitted following the initiation of a call. Upon initiating a call, an indicator that may include metadata linked to information packets is processed to identify at least one database for locating information packets to which the metadata is linked. The interactive information distribution system also includes a verbal communication conversion engine that allows verbal telephone communications to be converted to text and filtered to generate keywords which are used in additional database searching to identify additional information packets. The information packets automatically identified are retrieved from a database and are transmitted to the communication devices of parties participating in a call during the call. |
| US08223928B2 |
Method of and a device for quantifying a tone signal received in a telecommunications network
A tone signal received in a telecommunications network is bandpass filtered based on an identified type of the received tone signal, providing a bandpass filtered tone signal. The tone signal is also bandstop filtered based on the identified type of the received tone signal, providing a bandstop filtered tone signal. The bandpass filtered tone signal and the bandstop filtered tone signal are analysed and the received tone signal is quantified based on the analysis result. |
| US08223921B2 |
Pin base sensor for high-throughput macromolecular crystallography
Sensing methods and a compact, sample holding pin base sensor are provided for detecting if a sample pin is, for example, properly mounted on a goniometer used for automated, high throughput macromolecular crystallography. A first magnet is used for holding a magnetic base; a second magnet is disposed spaced apart from the first magnet. The first magnet and the second magnet have opposite orientation. A Hall-effect switch is located generally centrally between the first magnet and the second magnet. A state of the Hall-effect switch indicates if a sample pin is properly mounted on a mounting member, such as a goniometer. |
| US08223909B2 |
Digital sampling apparatuses and methods
Methods and apparatus for sampling and determining the frequency of periodic digital signals. An exemplary digital sampling apparatus includes a polyphase sampling apparatus configured to sample a periodic digital signal according to a polyphase clock system having multiple phases. The multiple phases provided by the polyphase clock system are successively distributed in time so that consecutive phases have a periodic phase difference. By using a polyphase clock system, a sampling rate that is equivalent to a sampling clock having a period equal to the phase difference in time between phases of the polyphase clocks is realized. Accordingly, the effective sampling rate of a given periodic digital signal can be increased, or the sampling of higher frequency periodic digitals signals can be achieved, while the underlying logic circuitry used to capture the samples is clocked at a much lower rate. |
| US08223908B2 |
Selection of acquisition sequences for optimal frequency offset estimation
Systems and methods are provided to generate a set of synchronization channel sequences that optimize time and frequency acquisition. A set of root indices of Zadoff-Chu sequences in a first domain (e.g., time domain) that optimize a performance metric or merit factor are identified. An optimal index is determined that also optimizes a performance metric in a reciprocal domain (e.g., frequency domain). Optimal indices satisfy a centro-symmetric relationship with respect to a half-value of sequence length: When 1 is an optimal index, N−1 is also an optimal root index. For sequences of length Q2=N, a base sequence generated with an optimal sequence can be utilized to generate at least two disparate optimal sequences through sign-flip, conjugation, and periodic modulation operations. |
| US08223907B2 |
Method for deriving parasitic signals from modulated digital signals
A method for deriving interference signals from modulated, digital signals is provided. The receiver end reconstructs the modulated digital signals sent by a transmitter. These reconstructed modulated digital signals are then subtracted from the received modulated digital signals, and the result of the subtraction is used to estimate the interference signals without influence by prior filtering at the receiver end. By way of example, it is possible to demodulate the interference signals estimated at the receiver end in order to ascertain possible unauthorized carrier frequencies which disturb the regular carrier frequencies, even if the interference signals are not completely in the bandwidth of the regular carrier frequency or carrier frequencies. |
| US08223904B2 |
Multiple hypothesis decoding
A multiple-input receiver for processing one or more communication signals is disclosed. The receiver includes a first and second demodulators, a decoder and decision logic. The first and second demodulators respectively use a first algorithm and a second algorithm and are both coupled to the receiver. The first algorithm includes interference nulling and is different from the second algorithm. A decoder can be alternatively used with the first or second demodulators to decode one or more signals from the receiver. The decoder produces a decoded signal. The decision logic chooses to use either the first demodulator or the second demodulator to affect the decoded signal. |
| US08223903B2 |
Method for error compensation in an OFDM system with diversity
A method provides for an improved compensation Fourier channel characteristics in a wireless communication embodiment. The method identifies one or more information carriers as pseudo pilot tones whose information may be realized to enhance the determination of the complex coefficient of the communication channel. |
| US08223902B2 |
Complex signal processing circuit, receiver circuit, and signal reproduction device
An analog complex filter combines an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal to output first and second analog signals. An analog-to-digital converter converts the first and second analog signals into first and second digital signals. A digital complex filter attenuates components corresponding to the quadrature signal and the in-phase signal of the first and second digital signals, respectively. A digital bandwidth limited filter allows a target component and an image component contained in the digital complex signal composed of the first and second digital signals from the digital complex filter to pass therethrough, and attenuates an adjacent interference component. An IQ imbalance correction circuit corrects a quadrature error and an amplitude error between the first and second digital signals from the digital band-pass filter. |
| US08223898B2 |
Method and system for down-converting an electromagnetic signal, and transforms for same
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for down-converting an electromagnetic (EM) signal are described herein. Briefly stated, in embodiments the invention operates by receiving an EM signal and recursively operating on approximate half cycles (½, 1½, 2½, etc.) of the carrier signal. The recursive operations can be performed at a sub-harmonic rate of the carrier signal. The invention accumulates the results of the recursive operations and uses the accumulated results to form a down-converted signal. In an embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to a baseband information signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is a frequency modulated (FM) signal, which is down-converted to a non-FM signal, such as a phase modulated (PM) signal or an amplitude modulated (AM) signal. |
| US08223896B2 |
Soft bit value generation in a sequence estimator
Teachings presented herein offer reduced computational complexity for symbol sequence estimation, and also provide for the generation of soft bit values representing the reliability of that estimation. A demodulator is configured to generate these soft bit values by identifying a candidate value for each symbol in the sequence which is more likely than at least one other in a defined set of candidate values. Based on the candidate value identified for each symbol, the demodulator forms a reduced set of candidate values for the symbol by selecting as many additional candidate values from the defined set as are needed to have complementary bit values for each bit value in that identified candidate value. The demodulator calculates soft bit values for the symbol sequence based on a sequence estimation process whose state space for each symbol is constrained to the corresponding reduced set. |
| US08223892B2 |
Data exchange between channels in a data acquisition system
An apparatus and method for inter-channel data exchange in multi-channel data acquisition systems is disclosed. A multi-channel data acquisition system may include a data exchange layer coupling two or more channels of the data acquisition system. Data may be transmitted via the data exchange layer between the channels, enabling data from one channel to be processed and output by another channel. The data exchange layer may include a serial exchange layer or a parallel exchange layer. |
| US08223890B1 |
Asymptotically optimal modulation classification method for software defined radios
A method for identifying the modulation scheme of a software defined radio in real-time without pilot symbols between transmitters and receivers, includes providing a predetermined look-up table (LUT) in the software-defined radio wherein the LUT is prepared by pre-calculating discrete likelihood ratio test (DLRT) function values; storing the pre-calculated DLRT values in said LUT; and indexing the pre-calculated DLRT values by addresses. |
| US08223887B2 |
Transmitter, receiver, and method of supporting space time block code scheme in single carrier system based on unique word
A transmitter, a receiver, and a method of supporting a space time block code (STBC) scheme in a single carrier (SC) system based on a unique word (UW) are provided. The transmitter supporting an STBC scheme in an SC system based on a UW includes: a space time (ST) encoder encoding a plurality of symbols, which has been received according to a predetermined pattern, using a space time encoding; a first UW adder generating a first transmission sequence by inserting a first UW after a first symbol, from the encoded plurality of symbols; and a second UW adder generating a second transmission sequence by inserting a second UW after a second symbol, from the encoded plurality of symbols. |
| US08223884B2 |
DTV transmitting system and method of processing DTV signal
A broadcast transmitting system includes a first randomizer randomizing mobile service data bytes; a Reed-Solomon (RS) frame encoder generating an RS frame and dividing the RS frame into RS frame portions; a first interleaver interleaving symbols corresponding to data in the RS frame portions; a group formatter forming data groups including data corresponding to the interleaved symbols, each data group including known data sequences, signaling information, non-systematic RS parity data place holders and MPEG header data place holders; a packet formatter removing the non-systematic RS parity data place holders in the data groups and replacing the MPEG header data place holders in the data groups with Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) header data in order to output mobile service data packets; and a second randomizer randomizing the MPEG header data in the mobile service data packets. |
| US08223877B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting signal in MIMO system
An apparatus and method for detecting a signal in a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) system are provided. The method includes filtering each stream of a received signal, acquiring a new search space by acquiring a set of candidates having reliability greater than a threshold with respect to each filtered stream, and detecting a signal for each stream of the new search space. |
| US08223875B2 |
Beamforming for non-collaborative, space division multiple access systems
A wireless communication system noncollaborative, multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) space division multiple access (SDMA) system determines subscriber station combining and weighting vectors that yield a high average signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR). Each subscriber station independently transmits information to a base station that allows the base station to determine a weight vector wi for each subscriber station using the determined combining vector of the subscriber station. The ith combining vector corresponds to a right singular vector corresponding to a maximum singular value of a channel matrix between a base station and the ith subscriber station. Each subscriber station transmits signals using a weight vector vi, which corresponds to a left singular vector corresponding to a maximum singular value of a channel matrix between the ith subscriber station and the base station. The base station uses the weight vector wi to determine the signal transmitted by the ith subscriber station. |
| US08223871B1 |
Method and apparatus for transmit beamforming
A rake receiver having a plurality of rake fingers is adapted based on a plurality of received signals. The plurality of received signals correspond to a single signal transmitted by a single antenna transceiver and received by a multiple antenna transceiver that includes the rake receiver. Each of a plurality of groups of rake fingers corresponds to a single-input, multiple output (SIMO) channel estimate. One coefficient from each of the plurality of SIMO channel estimates is selected, and a transmit steering vector is calculated based on the selected coefficients. The transmit steering vector is applied to a signal to be transmitted by the multiple antenna transceiver to the single antenna transceiver. |
| US08223870B2 |
Systems and methods for N-dimensional leaf-node prediction for MIMO detection
Embodiments achieve favorable performance-complexity trade-offs in MIMO detection for three or more channel inputs. Some embodiments describe systems and methods comprising a leaf node predictor for receiving a processed communications stream, determining at least one channel metric corresponding to the communications stream for a given channel realization, and generating at least three instructions to output, which at least one instruction corresponds to at least one predicted best leaf node candidate for the given channel realization. Further embodiments alternatively describe systems and methods which enumerate N1 best values of a first symbol, enumerate N2(i) best values of a second symbol for an i-th best value of the first symbol, enumerate N3(i, j) best values of a third symbol for an i-th best value of the first symbol and j-th best value of the second symbol, combine enumerated best values of each symbol into a leaf-node value, and compute the cost of each leaf-node value enumerated. |
| US08223866B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for communicating a data block in a multi carrier modulation communication scheme
Apparatus, and an associated method, for sending a data block in an OFDM, or other MCM, communication system with reduced PAPR is provided. The data block is combined with a random scrambling sequence. An IDFT operation is performed upon the combined sequence, and its PAPR, peak-to-average power ratio, is calculated. The PAPR is compared against a threshold. If the PAPR is smaller than a threshold, the transformed, combination sequence is transmitted. Otherwise, a different scrambling sequence, if available, is used to form a new combination sequence, and the process iterates until either a PAPR smaller than the threshold is obtained, or a pre-defined maximum number of iterations is reached. If the maximum number of iterations is reached and no combination sequence is created that leads to an acceptable PAPR, then the transformed, combination sequence that exhibits the smallest PAPR level is selected for transmission. |
| US08223864B2 |
Method, device and system for detecting radio frequency interference
A method for detecting radio frequency interference (RFI) is provided. The method includes the following steps. Parameters of at least two pairs of digital subscriber lines (DSLs) are acquired. Sub-carriers having RFI in each pair of the at least two pairs of DSLs are detected according to the parameters. The number of line pairs having RFI on the same sub-carrier in the DSLs is counted, and if the number of the line pairs occurring RFI on the sub-carrier is greater than a preset threshold, or if a ratio of the number of the line pairs occurring RFI on the sub-carrier to a line pair number of the at least two pairs of DSLs is greater than a preset threshold, it is determined that RFI exists at a frequency corresponding to the sub-carrier. A device and a system for detecting RFI are further provided. Therefore, RFI frequency existing in xDSL can be detected. |
| US08223863B2 |
Method and arrangement in a cellular communications system
The present invention relates to the area of wireless communication, and especially to a method and an arrangement for transmission output power control in a cellular telecommunications network. An improved transmission output power control is achieved by adapting a pre-defined power mask to a signal transmission characteristic of the signal transmission and applying the adapted power mask to a sub-frame or an OFDM symbol. The present invention could be implemented in a network node such as an eNodeB or in a user equipment. |
| US08223862B2 |
OFDM inter-carrier interference cancellation method
The OFDM channel estimation and Inter-Carrier Interference (ICI) cancellation method uses a few pilots within Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems in general, and mobile OFDM systems in particular. The frequency domain channel is estimated using an eigenvalue based model reduction technique with high accuracy. A Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) based Finite Impulse Response (FIR) equalizer is then used to obtain an ICI free estimate of the transmitted signal. |
| US08223861B2 |
Joint carrier synchronization and channel equalization method for OFDM systems
A joint carrier synchronization and channel equalization method for OFDM systems, that is suitable for use in a receiver of said orthogonal frequency division multiplexer (OFDM) systems, comprising the following steps: firstly, receiving a reception signal sample of an OFDM symbol, and obtaining simultaneously a phase error and a gain error on each sub-channel in a frequency domain, through outputting a sub-channel signal on each said sub-channel in said frequency domain; next, obtaining an execution carrier frequency offset factor, an execution phase compensation factor, and an execution gain compensation factor based on said phase error and said gain error; and finally, eliminating a phase offset of said reception signal sample of a next symbol in a time domain based on said factors, and compensating a magnitude distortion and a phase distortion on each said sub-channel in said frequency domain for said reception signal of said next symbol. |
| US08223858B2 |
Time synchronization method and frequency offset estimation method using the same in OFDM network
Provided are a time synchronization method and a frequency offset estimation method using the same in an OFDM system. The time synchronization method using a preamble transmitted from a transmitter to a receiver in the OFDM communication network includes the steps of: a) calculating a moving sum of a first sequence and a second sequence obtained by a product of neighboring elements in a received signal when the received signal containing a preamble is received from the transmitter; b) estimating a location of the received signal corresponding to the moving sum having a maximum value; and c) acquiring a time synchronization with respect to the received signal, based on the estimated location, wherein the first sequence is obtained from a product of neighboring elements in the preamble and a correlation value obtained by correlating another sequence with the first sequence is smaller than a predetermined value. |
| US08223857B2 |
Method of communication using frame
A device and method for communicating by a mobile communication terminal in communication with a base station. The method according to an embodiment includes exchanging a frame of data with the base station. The frame of data includes a) a plurality of first subframes each having a first number of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols, and b) a plurality of second subframes each having a second number of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols different from the first number. One of the second subframes includes an idle symbol. |
| US08223849B2 |
Picture decoder, reference picture information communication interface, and reference picture control method
A reference picture information communication interface implemented in a hardware/software integrated H.264 encoder/decoder is provided. The reference picture information communication interface includes a reference state register (RSR) and a reconstruct address register (RAR). The RSR has N bits, wherein N represents the maximum number of reference pictures supported by the H.264 encoder/decoder. The RSR is used by the hardware for notifying a software decoded picture buffer (DPB) controller about a current reference picture existence information. The RAR is used by the software for notifying the H.264 encoder/decoder about an address of a reconstruction information of a currently decoded picture in a memory space. |
| US08223848B2 |
System and method for adapting video decoding rate by multiple presentation of frames
An embodiment of the present invention provides systems and methods for adaptive video decoding. An example method includes: receiving a video stream comprising a first plurality of pictures having a first type and a second plurality of pictures having a second type; determining whether a resource in the system is constrained; responsive to the determination that a resource in the system is constrained, determining whether a picture repetition mode is to be initiated; and responsive to the determination that a picture mode is to be initiated, initiating the picture repetition mode. The initiating includes: foregoing decoding the first plurality of pictures; decoding the second plurality of pictures; and presenting a picture in the second plurality of pictures a plurality of times. |
| US08223843B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding video by motion prediction using arbitrary partition, and method and apparatus for decoding video by motion prediction using arbitrary partition
Disclosed is a method and apparatus of encoding a video, the method including: splitting video data into a maximum coding unit; encoding the video data of the maximum coding unit based on deeper coding units of hierarchical structures in which a coding unit of an upper depth is split as a depth deepens, according to at least one split region of the maximum coding unit, and determining a coding depth at which an encoding result is to be output, including inter prediction using partitions obtained by splitting the coding unit according to arbitrary ratios; and outputting a bitstream including the encoded video data corresponding to a coding depth for the at least one split region according to maximum coding units and information regarding the coding depth and encoding modes. |
| US08223840B2 |
Image decoding method of decoding hierarchy-encoded image data in respective hierarchies, and a device thereof
A lower hierarchical decoder (100) decodes lower hierarchical data (1001), and creates a prediction error signal (1004). A switch (107) accepts a decode hierarchical instruction signal (1100) indicating which of the upper and lower hierarchies a hierarchical image decoding device decodes, and switches a prediction decode processing. In case the lower hierarchy is decoded, the switch (107) inputs a lower decoded signal (1009) as an output to a prediction decode unit (105), and creates a lower hierarchical decoded image (1008). In case the upper hierarchy is outputted, the switch (107) inputs the lower decoded signal (1009) to a pseudo prediction decode unit (106), and creates a lower hierarchical decoded image (1009). An upper hierarchical decoder (200) inputs upper image data (2001), and creates an upper hierarchical decoded image (2008) with reference to the lower hierarchical decoded image (1009). |
| US08223839B2 |
Interpolation method for a motion compensated image and device for the implementation of said method
The invention proposes a motion compensated video interpolation that is not sensitive to the errors in the motion estimation vectors. The invention proposes a motion compensated video interpolation method in which the interpolation step varies according to the amplitude and/or a reliability index of the estimated motion vector for the considered pixel. The number of pixels to be taken into account for interpolation and the weighting factors associated with these pixels are made to vary according to the amplitude and/or reliability index of the estimated motion vector. |
| US08223837B2 |
Learning-based image compression
Learning-based image compression is described. In one implementation, an encoder possessing a first set of learned visual knowledge primitives excludes visual information from an image prior to compression. A decoder possessing an independently learned set of visual knowledge primitives synthesizes the excluded visual information into the image after decompression. The encoder and decoder are decoupled with respect to the information excluded at the encoder and the information synthesized at the decoder. This results in superior data compression since the information excluded at the encoder is dropped completely and not transferred to the decoder. Primitive visual elements synthesized at the decoder may be different than primitive visual elements dropped at the encoder, but the resulting reconstituted image is perceptually equivalent to the original image. |
| US08223834B2 |
Communication apparatus and control method for communication apparatus
A signaling unit of a display terminal establishes communication with a content server, video communication terminal, and PC server through a communication unit, and transmits/receives image data compressed by MPEG2, MPEG4, and JPEG. A media control unit switches compression schemes for decoding in a media processing unit on the basis of the received image data. The media processing unit performs decoding processing including inverse orthogonal transformation processing and dequantization processing in accordance with the switched compression scheme. At this time, a single processing circuit performs inverse orthogonal transformation processing and dequantization processing. |
| US08223833B2 |
Picture coding method and picture decoding method
A picture coding method for preventing occurrence of a malfunction includes: an adding step (Step S203) of coding a memory management command for the first picture of a predetermined picture number and adding the coded command to the second picture that is different from the first picture; and a re-adding step (Steps S205 to S208) of coding the memory management command again and re-adding re-coded command to the section other than the second picture in a coded picture stream VSt. In the re-adding step, re-addition of the memory management command is prohibited when the first picture is not immediately previous in coding order among the pictures of the predetermined picture number included in the coded picture stream VSt. |
| US08223831B2 |
System and method for periodic pattern detection for motion compensated interpolation
A method for detecting a pattern in an image includes defining a set of pixel values in an image using a window and calculating a Fourier transform of the pixel values. In one embodiment, the Fourier transform of the pixel values forms a spectrum. The method further comprises analyzing the spectrum of the Fourier transform to find a peak and analyzing the peak to determine whether the peak is indicative of the presence of a pattern in the image. |
| US08223823B2 |
Digital broadcast transmitter/receiver having an improved receiving performance and signal processing method thereof
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system, and a signal processing method thereof, includes a randomizer for randomizing a transport stream into a specified position of which stuff bytes are inserted, a stuff-byte exchanger for replacing the stuff bytes included in data output from the randomizer with specified known data, an RS encoder for performing an RS-encoding of data output from the stuff-byte exchanger, an interleaver for interleaving data output from the RS encoder, a trellis encoder for performing a trellis encoding of data output from the interleaver, an RS parity generator for generating a parity by performing an RS encoding of data output from the RS encoder, and outputting the generated parity to the trellis encoder, and a modulator/RF converter for modulating data output from the trellis encoder and performing an RF up-converting of the modulated data. The digital broadcast receiving performance can be improved even in an inferior multi-path channel by detecting the known data from the received signal and using the known data for synchronization and equalization in a digital broadcast receiver. |
| US08223822B2 |
Signal transceiver for differential data communication of ternary data and method therefor
A signal transceiver may include three transmission lines, a signal transmission unit, and/or a signal reception unit. The signal transmission unit may be configured encode first through third transmission data to generate first through third data and transmit the first through third data through the three transmission lines. The signal transmission unit may be configured to generate each of the first through third data at one of four or more voltage level. The signal reception unit may be configured to receive the first through third data and monitor voltage differences between the first through third data to restore the first through third data into first through third reception data. |
| US08223816B2 |
Signal sequence generating method, control information generating apparatus and user equipment terminal
A signal sequence generating method of generating a signal sequence used by a user equipment terminal in a mobile communication system includes the steps of generating, by a base station, a predetermined hopping pattern; generating, by the base station, a hopping sequence by applying an offset to the predetermined hopping pattern; transmitting, by the base station, the hopping sequence to the user equipment terminal; and generating, by the user equipment terminal, the signal sequence according to the hopping sequence. |
| US08223814B2 |
Semiconductor laser
The present invention provides a semiconductor laser realizing reduced possibility that a wiring layer disposed in the air is broken even under severe environment of a large temperature difference. A trench is provided between adjacent ridges, and a wiring layer electrically connecting an upper electrode and a pad electrode is disposed in the air at least above the trench. The wiring layer in a portion above the trench has a flat shape or a concave shape which dents toward the trench. With the configuration, accumulation of strains in the wiring layer when the wiring layer repeats expansion and shrink under severe environment of a large temperature difference is suppressed. |
| US08223812B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus
An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source configured to emit a plurality of laser beams from a plurality of light emitting parts, a beam shaping unit configured to shape the laser beams emitted from the light source, a detection unit provided outside the light source and configured to detect an amount of a laser beam that is not shaped by the beam shaping unit in the laser beams emitted from the light source in an area outside the beam shaping unit, and a light amount control unit configured to control amounts of the laser beams emitted from the light source based on a detection result detected by the detection unit. The detection unit includes a plurality of light-sensitive elements. The light amount control unit controls the light amounts of the laser beams emitted from the light source based on detection results of the light-sensitive elements. |
| US08223809B2 |
Suppression of parasitic lasing
A laser gain medium crystal comprising a square rod of laser gain medium material having top and bottom surfaces that are finely ground to introduce scattering surfaces to cancel parasitic lasing. The square rod of laser gain material has input and output faces and side surfaces, and portions of the side surfaces near the output face of the square rod are finely ground to introduce scattering surfaces to cancel parasitic lasing. The rest of the side surfaces of the square rod are polished. |
| US08223806B2 |
Reduction in the acquisition duration of a phase-locked loop able to reconstitute a synchronisation signal transmitted over an IP network
The present invention relates to the domain of video equipment. More specifically, it concerns a reception device that comprises the means for: receiving packets containing samples, that come from data sampled every Tech period, where Tech is from a time base synchronized on all the stations of said network, regenerating a counting ramp having a count increment and a range value PCR_Modulus, using a phase-locked loop PLL1 that receives the samples and that delivers local samples every Tech period and a reconstituted clock, initializing, at every zero-crossing of the counting ramp, an image counter that is determined by the reconstituted clock. According to the invention, it comprises, further, means for determining the values of count increments. |
| US08223798B2 |
Adaptive receiver
A receiver includes a sample rate converter configured to receive an input data stream having a variable data rate and to output a data stream having a fixed data rate. In some embodiments, the input data stream corresponds to digital video, digital audio and/or metadata, while in other embodiments the input data stream corresponds to any digital data stream that needs to be data rate converted for use by a receiving device. The sample rate converter is configured to track an externally sourced reference time signal corresponding to the input data stream. |
| US08223796B2 |
Graphics multi-media IC and method of its operation
A graphics multi-media integrated circuit (GMIC) is connected to a host processor over two serial links: a half duplex bi-directional serial link which accords to a protocol defined for a display serial interface, and a uni-directional serial link which accords to a compatible protocol defined for a camera serial interface. The GMIC receives packets according to the protocol from the host over the half duplex bi-directional serial link and processes these packets. The GMIC sends packets according to the protocol to the host over the uni-directional serial link. A packet from the host can request a processing operation by the GMIC or can initiate a memory operation at the memory of the GMIC. The GMIC can also send packets to the host to initiate a memory operation at the memory of the host. The GMIC may be connected to a display over a bi-directional serial link according to the display serial interface protocol and to a camera over a uni-directional serial link and a bi-directional control link according to the camera serial interface so that the host controls the display and camera indirectly through the GMIC. |
| US08223792B2 |
Ultra low cost ethernet architecture
A low cost mechanism that may be used to extend Ethernet capability to low end devices provides sufficient capacity to support Ethernet communications using only a single twisted pair medium. Because only a single twisted pair is used, the overall cost, complexity and size associated with the integrating Ethernet functionality into an end device is reduced. A distributed power system delivers power to a Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) device over the single twisted pair medium. With such an arrangement, Ethernet capability and power may be simultaneously delivered to low end devices at a reduced cost. |
| US08223790B1 |
Method and apparatus performing no back-off forwarding
A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing no back-off forwarding are presented. A timer (NAV) is maintained at each respective node of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). A frame is designated as a time-sensitive Quality of Service (TSQ) frame to be fast-forwarded from a first node to a second node of a plurality of nodes of the WLAN. The TSQ frame is forwarded by the second node according to a predetermined protocol, wherein a shorter back-off period is used for the TSQ frame than the back-off period normally used according to the predetermined protocol when the NAV of the second node expires. |
| US08223786B2 |
Quality of service scheduling for home mesh network
An embodiment is a technique to perform packet scheduling for QoS. A plurality of buffers is visited in a variable round robin manner. The buffers store packets having packet types associated with priority levels and having buffer types according to the packet types. The packets are generated for transmission from an application according to a network protocol in a multi-hop mesh network having a local node and a remote node. The buffers are dequeued according to the buffer types and using an amount dynamically weighted by the priority levels associated with the buffer types. |
| US08223784B2 |
Wireless sensor network having hierarchical structure and routing method thereof
A network having a hierarchical structure includes a plurality of clusters. Each of the clusters includes a plurality of nodes and a cluster head connected to the nodes in a mesh format. Each of the nodes is connected to other clusters via the cluster head. |
| US08223782B2 |
Method and procedures for radio bearer setup
A method and apparatus for optimizing the radio bearer setup procedure is provided. Downloading new default configurations allows a mobile terminal to use the default configuration as often as possible for radio bearer setup, thereby precluding the need to broadcast any pre-defined configurations, parameters and identifiers. |
| US08223781B2 |
System and method for implementing a universal messaging gateway (UMG)
The system and method for implementing a Universal Messaging Gateway (UMG) disclosed herewith provides telecommunications Network Operators (NO) and like related parties with innovative and flexible art for delivering domestic and foreign network originated Multi-media traffic and/or, more generally, interactive and/or synchronous mobile text and related telecommunications messaging or information services to a large number of related receiving telecommunications network equipment (as ESMEs and/or SMS-Cs in relation to SMS traffic). |
| US08223772B2 |
Clock supply device and transmission device
A clock supply device includes a receiving unit configured to receive frame synchronization packets from an asynchronous network and generate timing signals; a phase comparing unit configured to perform phase comparison by comparing phases of the timing signals generated by the receiving unit and clock signals generated by an internal oscillating unit; a phase variation detection unit configured to detect a frequency variation of the frame synchronization packets based on a trend of a variation amount of a phase difference that is obtained by performing a statistical process on count values obtained as a result of the phase comparison; and an oscillating frequency control unit configured to control an oscillating frequency of the internal oscillating unit when the phase variation detection unit detects the frequency variation of the frame synchronization packets. |
| US08223771B2 |
Systems and methods for transporting data across an air interface using reduced address headers
Systems and methods are disclosed for transporting data across an air interface using a blending of protocol layers to achieve reduced bandwidth. Advantage is taken of the fact that the extra overhead from, for example, the Ethernet protocol is addressing information pertaining to the destination of the packet. This destination information (for example, the Ethernet address) can be stripped from the transmission prior to the air interface and recreated after the air interface. In one embodiment, the concepts of a proper Layer 2 CS are merged on top of the 802.16 protocol and still retain the benefits of a Layer 2 transparent bridged service layer to the network layer. In one embodiment, the MAC address of the destination is used for the air interface and the Ethernet address is recreated and added on the far side of the air interface. |
| US08223766B2 |
Communication method for system including client device and plural server devices
An objective of the present invention is to secure the continuity of the communication between a client device and a standby server device, when a failure occurs and switch to the standby device is performed. A communication processing unit of the client device establishes connection with a plurality of server devices simultaneously by transmitting a UDP packet to the plurality of server devices by multicast. After establishing the connection, data of the application is transmitted by multicast to the plurality of the server devices. In the even of a failure, a standby server device receives the data packet multicast from the client device to continue the inter-application communication. |
| US08223763B2 |
Node device and label management method in optical transmission network
A node device in an optical transmission network where a manually set path and an ADP (autonomous decentralized protocol) set path coexist, wherein the manually set path is set by centralized control and the ADP set path is set by autonomous decentralized processing, the node device including: a label memory for storing at least first labels used for manually set paths and second labels used for ADP set paths, wherein the first and second labels previously defined before path setting; and a resource manager for setting a manually set path and an ADP set path by referring to contents stored in the label memory. |
| US08223762B2 |
Method and device for translating internet protocol addresses inside a communications network
A private IP address is converted into a public IP address in a communications network without adapting a client software. The conversion of the private IP addresses into the public IP addresses is carried out via a network address translation. The private IP address of each terminal included in a payload of the IP data packet is convertible into a corresponding public IP address and, if necessary, vice-versa. |
| US08223760B2 |
Logical routers
Systems and methods include providing a router that may be deployed as multiple logical routers that share a common fast interconnect. These logical routers may functionally serve as core routers, peering routers, aggregation routers, etc. A further aspect of the system and methods is that the resources assigned to a logical router are allocated from a pool potentially including multitude of hardware cards. A further aspect of the system and methods is that a logical router may be independently managed by the owner of the router or by an owner of the logical router. |
| US08223759B2 |
High-capacity data switch employing contention-free switch modules
A scalable router-switch that grows from a capacity of a few gigabits per second to hundreds of terabits per second is disclosed. In one embodiment, the router-switch comprises a plurality of switch units arranged in a plurality of combinations. Within each combination, each switch unit cyclically connects to each other switch unit to form a contention-free temporal mesh. Each switch unit belongs to a number of combinations and any two combinations have at most one switch unit in common. The router-switch further includes a distributed-control system which comprises an outer controller associated with each of the switch units and an inner controller associated with each combination. The structural simplicity significantly simplifies the operation and control of the router-switch. |
| US08223758B2 |
System and method of load dependent rate policing
A system, method and node for rate policing of bearers in a network. The method includes the steps of associating individual bearers from a first plurality of bearers with a first bit rate limit and a maximum bit rate, MBR, setting a load level for the first plurality of bearers in the communication network, determining an actual load in the communication network, wherein the actual load depends on the first plurality of bearers, and determining if the actual load is below the set load level. If the actual load is below the set load level the individual bearers from said first plurality of bearers are policed based on the associated MBR for the individual bearers. Else policing of the individual bearers is based on the first limit for the bit rate associated with the individual bearers. |
| US08223757B2 |
Methods and apparatus to perform call screening in a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) network
Methods and apparatus to perform call screening in a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) network are disclosed. An example method comprises sending a call initiation request to a VoIP endpoint, receiving a call screening indication from a user of the VoIP endpoint in response to the call initiation request and prior to a no answer determination made by an initiating call server, and playing a message for the user while a calling party is leaving the message. |
| US08223749B2 |
Communication method and apparatus
A method of sorting communication events at a user terminal connected to a communication network and executing a communication client arranged to be operable by a user is provided. The method comprises storing an event list comprising a list of identifiers, each identifier having information relating to at least one previously received communication event associated therewith, wherein the identifier identifies the initiator of the associated at least one previously received communication event and each identifier is listed only once in the list of identifiers. The event list is displayed in a user interface of the communication client. The method further comprises receiving an incoming communication event at the user terminal from an initiating user over the communication network and determining whether the initiating user is present in the list of identifiers stored in the event list. In the case that the initiating user is present in the list of identifiers, the event list is amended by adding information relating to the incoming communication event to the information relating to the at least one previously received communication event associated with the identifier of the initiating user. In the case that the initiating user is not present in the list of identifiers, a new entry is created at the top of the event list comprising an identifier for the initiating user and having information relating to the incoming communication event associated therewith. The display of the event list is updated in the user interface of the communication client. |
| US08223747B2 |
Predictive communication routing scheme using instant messaging preferences and/or settings for routing packet traffic for voice, video and other multimedia communications
Techniques for using instant messaging preferences and settings are used for predictive communications, including routing of data traffic, are provided. A voice call can be routed over a packet-based network if a voice network is not available, or for other reasons. In addition to voice calls, embodiments of the invention can route video calls, multimedia communications and other communications. In some implementations, an instant message presence can be queried for in determining how to route a voice-over-IP or PSTN telephone call. Thus, a call might be routed to a computer or computing device unrelated to the location of the PSTN telephone line being called, if an associated instant messenger presence is detected on that computer or computing device. |
| US08223746B2 |
More economical resource application on the user interaction within a speech dialogue system in a packet network by means of a simplifying processing of signalling information
According to the invention, the type of transmission of signaling information, for a user-interaction with a speech dialogue system in a packet network, is determined with relation to a simplifying processing for DTMF signaling information. A speech dialogue system without special hardware for the processing of DTMF in-band signaling is provided and maintains, during the codec negotiation or the fixing of the coding method for application, that only services with DTMF out-of-band signaling, or signaling by means of dedicated data packets (for example RFC 2833) are carried out by the speech dialogue system. The above may be achieved whereby coding methods with in-band signaling are basically not permitted with relation to the codec negotiation or the control device, controlling the speech dialogue system, is embodied such that, independently of the coding method, out-of-band signaling is always stipulated by the control device. According to a further embodiment, an as a rule smaller-sized speech dialogue system is provided with hardware devices for the processing of DTMF in-band signaling for service requirements, for which out-of-band signaling or signaling by means of dedicated packets cannot be required. The efficiency of information output in packet networks and an economic resource application is thus achieved. |
| US08223745B2 |
Adding packet routing information without ECRC recalculation
Additional routing information is added to a transaction packet without recalculating an ECRC by inserting the additional routing information at predetermined bit positions in the transaction packet known to have predetermined bit values. The modified transaction packet can then be routed using the additional routing information. The predetermined bit values can subsequently be reinstated at the predetermined bit positions in the packet. |
| US08223740B2 |
Method of transmitting feedback information in a multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) system
A method of transmitting feedback information in a Multi-Input, Multi-Output (MIMO) system is disclosed. In the method, a mobile station (MS) which determines to transmit feedback information and feedback type to a base station (BS) without solicitation from the BS, wherein the feedback type is transmission antenna type, and transmits the feedback information using a MIMO mode feedback extended subheader, wherein the MIMO mode feedback extended subheader appears between a Medium Access Channel (MAC) header and a payload. |
| US08223737B2 |
Adaptive DC sub-carrier handling in a receiver
Receiving units will switch between performing a DC bias suppression and not removing the DC distortion at the receiver depending on the amount of DC interference level observed/measured/estimated. Since the overall DC interference is from all uplink transmitters, potentially at different power levels, the amount of DC distortion can be measured based on the difference between the received power level and the expected power level on the DC sub-carrier. Additionally it can be estimated based on the number of active transmitters, their allocation bandwidth, power control target and/or a rough estimate of the DC distortion introduced by each active transmitter and also the distortion introduced by the receiver. Once this distortion level is estimated, a decision is then made whether or not to remove the DC distortion. |
| US08223734B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving forward shared control channel in a mobile communication system
A method is provided for transmitting a downlink shared control channel including a control signal necessary for restoring a transmission data signal in a mobile communication system that transmits a data signal using multiple antennas. It is determined whether the transmission data signal is coded with two or more codewords before being transmitted. One of a first element index of a sub-codebook configured only with a one codeword-dedicated precoding in a precoding codebook and a second element index of a sub-codebook configured only with a more-than-two codeword-dedicated precoding is selected, according to the determination result. A control channel is generated by including the selected element index in the precoding information. The generated control channel is mapped to a particular resource block and the mapped control channel is transmitted to a particular reception apparatus. |
| US08223729B2 |
Radio interface selection for a terminal
Techniques for selecting a radio interface for an application are described. A terminal identifies locally-addressable and globally-addressable wireless networks among wireless networks available to the terminal. Radio interfaces supported by the terminal may be prioritized based on the locally-addressable and globally-addressable wireless networks, information obtained for the application, the application type, etc. Different applications may have different radio interface preferences or requirements, which may be considered in prioritizing the radio interfaces. A suitable radio interface may be selected for the application based on the prioritized radio interfaces. WLAN interface may be selected for the application if (a) the WLAN interface is preferred and any WLAN is acceptable to the application or (b) a globally-addressable WLAN is available. A WLAN interface may be selected for the application if a globally-addressable WLAN is not available. |
| US08223728B2 |
Combined scheduling and network coding for wireless mesh networks
An architecture by which combined scheduling and network coding can be used in mesh networks, and more particularly wireless mesh networks. In various embodiments, this architecture includes a scheduling MAC protocol for scheduling nodes in the mesh network in order to take advantage of network coding opportunities. The schedule takes advantage of these opportunities by assigning a gain to transmit packets based upon the number of packets that are transmitted concurrently and choosing a schedule which minimizes the gain over the scheduling horizon. Regarding the assigned gain, in one embodiment this value is one for basic non-encoded operations and two or more for encoded operations. A scheduling MAC protocol is also used to announce and arbitrate network coding opportunities by indicating which packets (as characterized by their transmission slot) are to be encoded with each other. |
| US08223725B2 |
Telecommunications
In a MIPv6 network, a mobile home agent (MHA) in a foreign network (FN) acts as an intermediate node between a mobile node (MN) and a correspondent node (CN) and allocates itself a secondary care-of address (SCoA) different from the care-of address (CoA) of the mobile node (MN), with a one-to-one relationship between the secondary care-of address (SCoA) and the home address (HAddr) of the mobile node. |
| US08223724B2 |
Frame and chip offset for SRNC in UE involved relocation on carrier sharing
This invention is related to a system and method to setup a radio link in a CDMA mobile communication network. In particular, a radio network controller (RNC) sends a radio link setup request message, and a processing device receives the radio link setup request message. The processing device sends a radio link setup response message to the RNC, and the response is received the RNC and includes frame and chip offset information. In particular, frame and chip offset in a RNSAP Radio Link Setup Response message (after execution of UE involved relocation) is conveyed. A new SRNC will then include a random frame offset in the RNSAP Radio Link Setup Request message. The eHSPA Node B will ignore the random frame offset, and include the correct frame offset in the RNSAP Radio Link Setup Response message. |
| US08223722B2 |
Provisional hand-off mechanism in a heterogeneous MAC protocol for wireless networks
This disclosure describes a provisional hand-off mechanism to transfer handsets between base stations for a MAC protocol that combines contention-free and contention-based MAC protocols for use in wireless VoIP systems with multiple base stations that reduces packet overhead thus allowing for transmission of high bit-rate data to multiple users over wired and wireless means. |
| US08223721B2 |
Mobile station handover using transferrable virtual access point address for wireless networks
Various example embodiments are disclosed herein. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a wireless transceiver, memory and a controller. The apparatus may be configured to assign, by a first physical access point (AP), a unique transferrable virtual AP address to one associated mobile station address; and perform, in response to a network request for handover, a handover for the associated mobile station address including: transferring the transferrable virtual AP address assigned to the associated mobile station address from a first physical AP to a second physical AP; and providing association state information for the associated mobile station address to the second physical AP. |
| US08223718B2 |
Radio terminal, radio base station and radio communication method
Disclosed is a radio terminal including: a message transmitter-receiver configured to transmit and receive an IEEE 802.21 message using a protocol of a layer lower than an IP layer to and from a target radio base station for handover before an IP address acquisition unit acquires a new IP address; and a quality measurement unit configured to measure a radio communication quality including at least one of transmission delay and jitter in a radio communication path between the radio terminal and the target radio base station by using the IEEE 802.21 message transmitted and received by the message transmitter-receiver. |
| US08223717B2 |
Roaming gateway
A roaming gateway has at least one IP network interface, and at least one cellular network interface, and inter-working functions for inter-working between a wireless IP network and a cellular network. The inter-working functions communicate with user devices in an IP network according to a machine-level subscribe-and-notify event package protocol for managing handover of mobile devices roaming between IP and cellular networks. They also poll a cellular network for subscriber status on that cellular network in the absence of a mobility event package. The inter-working functions comprise HSS functionality programmed to access data on a HLR of a cellular network and to perform HSS operations using said data. The gateway applies routing policies specific to call types, allowing or disallowing the anchoring of calls originating in either an IP network or a cellular network based on number prefixes. The inter-working functions comprise an application server programmed to communicate with a user device as a client. The server provides a staging point for cellular supplementary services while anchoring calls, retrieving configurations from cellular network elements and applying appropriate routing based on these configurations and the current state of a call. |
| US08223712B2 |
Physical downlink control channel resource-based scheduling method and apparatus used by base station
Provided are a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)-based scheduling method and apparatus suitable for use by a base station in a long-term evolution (LTE) system. The scheduling method includes: determining an aggregation level of a common search space of a PDCCH by considering channel quality of a plurality of user equipments (UEs); identifying the number of PDCCH candidates and the number of messages, which require allocation of the common search space, based on the determined aggregation level and selecting messages by a smaller number of the number of messages and the number of PDCCH candidates; and allocating PDCCH resources and physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resources for the selected messages. In a situation where the PDCCH resources are shared by downlink scheduling information and uplink scheduling information of different UEs, the PDCCH resource-based scheduling method can be used by the base station to efficiently utilize the PDCCH resources. |
| US08223710B2 |
Communication method and terminal apparatus using the communication method
A wireless unit 12 through a processing unit 16 communicate while forming an ad hoc network with other terminal apparatuses. A control unit 18 receives, when being assigned a role of approving participation of a new terminal apparatus in an ad hoc network, a participation request from a new terminal apparatus over a predetermined period after the execution of the role is requested and performs an approval process. The control unit 18 calculates the number of new terminal apparatuses at this time that have been approved. The control unit 18 gives notification of the result of calculation in addition to giving notification of the result of the approval process. |
| US08223708B2 |
Method and apparatus for handling scheduling information report
The present invention provides a method for handling scheduling information report in a user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system. The method includes steps of triggering a Buffer Status Report (BSR), which is a Regular BSR, and a Power Headroom Report (PHR); and performing resource allocation when having uplink resource allocated for new transmission, wherein resource allocation priority of a MAC control element of the BSR is higher than that of the PHR. |
| US08223702B2 |
Method for transmitting data in packets in a radio communications system
The subject matter relates to a method for transmitting data in packets in a radio communications system, according to which the receipt of data packets from at least two terminals is confirmed by a base station of the radio communications. The confirmation of receipt takes place without an overlap in time, using identical resources. |
| US08223699B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and identifying spectrum opportunities
A method (20,200) and apparatus (10) for detecting and identifying spectrum opportunities, including the steps of communicating a location of at least one node (12) to at least one base station (14) (24), transmitting a list of at least one channel from the at least one base station (14) to the at least one node (12) (26), and sensing the at least one channel from the list by the at least one node (12) (34). The method (20,200) also includes the steps of determining if the at least one channel is in use, and if the at least one channel is in use, determining the user of the at least one channel that is in use (38). |
| US08223698B2 |
Non-carrier dependent femtocell and related methods
The methods and devices of the present disclosure may be used to enable non-carrier dependent, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) femtocells for in-service use with one or more mobile handheld devices. The VoIP femtocell generally includes at least one Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver; and program logic that, at least in part, performs a broadcast channel selection protocol and a handheld reselection protocol, so as to enable one or more mobile handheld devices to select the VoIP femtocell for in-service use. In certain embodiments, the broadcast channel selection protocol includes a configuration phase and a broadcast phase. |
| US08223697B2 |
Method and apparatus for state/mode transitioning
A user equipment implements a method of processing indication messages, such as SCRI (signalling connection release indication) messages. The user equipment (UE) maintains a count of how many indication messages with a cause set have been sent by the UE while in at least one radio resource control (RRC) state. Various conditions are provided for resetting the count. These include receiving packet switched (PS) data by the UE and transmitting packet switched (PS) data. |
| US08223696B2 |
Handover controlling method, radio base station, and mobile station
A radio base station (200A) according to the present invention includes: a radio related information retainer unit (206) configured to retain radio related information on connection between a mobile station (100) and the radio base station (200A); a handover request signal generator/transmitter unit (208) configured to transmit a handover request signal including the radio related information retained by the radio related information retainer unit (206) to a connection target radio base station (200B); and a handover command signal generator/transmitter unit (202) configured to transmit, to the mobile station, a handover command signal for notifying difference information between the radio related information retained by the radio related information retainer unit (206) and radio related information set by the connection target radio base station (200B) based on a handover request acknowledgment signal. |
| US08223695B2 |
Initial access control method between personal subscriber station and radio access station in mobile communication system
The present invention relates to an initial access based control method between a personal subscriber station and a radio access station in a mobile communication system. The present invention includes: a) selecting an initial access method corresponding to a first field value of a first parameter included in a first downlink channel descript message received from the radio access station; b) generating a first ranging request message corresponding to the initial access method; and c) transmitting the first ranging request message to the radio access station. The present invention guarantees mutual compatibility with the existing broadband wireless access system and realizes various initial access methods between the subscriber station and the radio access station. |
| US08223692B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a mobility of a mobile station in a wireless communication system
An infrastructure-based mobility determination module (MDM) receives multiple measurement reports from the MS and, for each received measurement report, stores values corresponding to values included in the report that are associated with measurements of parameters associated with received signals, wherein each stored value is stored in association with a wireless access node sourcing the corresponding signal. For each of one or more pairings of received measurement reports, the MDM then determines a signal parameter measurement change value corresponding to a change from the signal parameter measurement values associated with a first measurement report of the pairing to the signal parameter measurement values associated with a second measurement report of the pairing. Based on the one or more signal parameter measurement change values, the MDM determines an average signal parameter measurement change value and, based on the average signal parameter measurement change value, determines a mobility of the MS. |
| US08223691B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
A wireless communication apparatus is capable of improving communication efficiency by reducing the amount of control information transmitted. A channel quality information extraction section extracts CQI's from a received signal. An allocation control section allocates subcarriers every communication terminal apparatus and selects a modulation scheme in such a manner that required transmission rate is satisfied for each communication terminal apparatus based on required transmission rate information etc. and CQI's for communication terminal apparatus of each user. A required subcarrier number determining section decides the number of subcarriers allocated every communication terminal apparatus in such a manner as to satisfy the required transmission rate for each communication terminal apparatus based on required transmission rate information etc. of communication terminal apparatus of each user. A required subcarrier number information generating section generates information for the number of subcarriers allocated every communication terminal apparatus. A subcarrier allocation section allocates packet data to selected subcarriers. Modulating sections adaptively modulate packet data allocated to each subcarrier. |
| US08223689B2 |
Hierarchical service list
The present invention relates to communicating between a network and user equipment in a wireless communication system. The invention includes receiving an indicator on a first transmission frequency having no associated uplink service. The indicator indicates at least one transmission frequency different from the first transmission frequency and having no associated uplink service. Moreover, the indicator indicates whether the availability of a service on the at least one transmission frequency is provided on the first transmission frequency. |
| US08223688B2 |
Channel aggregation
Multiple channels are aggregated. In an example embodiment, first data is transmitted on a first channel to a wireless device, and second data is simultaneously transmitted on a second channel to the wireless device. The first data and the second data are transmitted in a coordinated manner by aggregating the first channel and the second channel. Various example channel characteristics and combinations thereof are described. Different data allocation options for aggregated channels are described. Other alternative implementations are also presented herein. |
| US08223687B2 |
Method for providing home agent geographic redundancy via a service redundancy protocol
Methods and systems for providing redundancy in servicing packet data communications within wireless mobile data networks are disclosed. More particularly, the method and system provide a redundant Home Agent with the ability to assume the role of the primary Home Agent in the event of a primary Home Agent network, software, or other failure. The redundancy allows the Home Agent services to remain functional even in the event of a failure of one of the Home Agents in the redundant group, which may be composed of one or more Home Agents. The Home Agents can use a service redundancy protocol which is composed of messages that are sent between the redundant group of Home Agents. The messages allow the Home Agents to, for example, back up call session information, check on the status of one another, and share priority information. |
| US08223680B2 |
Mesh network control using common designation wake-up
Each of a plurality of network nodes in an ad hoc mesh network utilizes a data communication device that includes a two-way communications component, comprising a first receiver and transmitter, and a second receiver. The second receiver activates the communications component from a dormant state when it receives a broadcast including a wake-up identifier of the communication device. A method of activating and deactivating a mesh network includes, first, transmitting a broadcast that includes a wake-up identifier such that each second receiver of each communication device identified by the wake-up identifier, upon receipt, activates the communications component of the communication device, which then engages in mesh networking communications, and, second, transmitting a second broadcast including a second identifier such that the communications component of each communication device identified by the second identifier, upon receipt, will cease its mesh networking communications and will return to the dormant state. |
| US08223677B2 |
System and method for managing radio systems
A system and method for switching between radio systems of a wireless device. The wireless device may include a first radio, a second radio, and a third radio. The radios may be configured to communicate using a first, a second, and a third communications protocol, respectively. Circuitry in communication with the radios may be configured to activate the first radio when a signal using the second communications protocol is not detected and to switch activation of the first radio to the third radio in response to detecting a signal using the second communications protocol. |
| US08223675B2 |
Information processing apparatus and duplex transmission method
There is provided an information processing apparatus includes a first module and a second module. The first module includes a first signal generator that produces a first signal by coding a first transmitted data into a waveform not including a direct-current component, having a polarity being inverted in each half period of a clock; a first signal sending unit that sends the first signal; and a signal subtracting unit that subtracts the first signal from a received signal. The second module includes a clock detecting unit that detects the clock based on the polarity inverting period of the first signal received from the first module; a second signal generator that produces a second signal by coding a second transmitted data into a waveform not including the direct-current component; and a second signal sending unit that sends the second signal while the second signal is synchronously added to the first signal. |
| US08223673B2 |
Method and system for secure conferencing
Methods and systems for secure conferencing in a network have been provided. Relevant endpoints from the provided endpoints are selected on the basis of the endpoint selection parameters received in an SRTP extension. Data streams generated from the selected endpoints are decrypted and mixed, to obtain all the possible data stream mixes. A source identifier is inserted in all the possible data stream mixes. On the basis of source identifiers, endpoints can selectively receive any of the generated data streams. |
| US08223669B2 |
Multi-protocol label switching multi-topology support
A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a packet, determining whether the packet comprises a topology label, and adding the topology label to the packet if the packet does not comprise the topology label. Included is a method comprising routing a plurality of packets corresponding to a plurality of forwarding equivalence classes (FECs) over a plurality of network topologies using a topology label and plurality of forwarding labels for each network topology. Also included is a network comprising a plurality of nodes in communication with each other and having a plurality of network topologies, wherein at least some of the nodes are configured to route data packets for a plurality of FECs along a path in each network topology using a topology label corresponding to each network topology and an inner label corresponding to each FEC. |
| US08223668B2 |
Method and apparatus for exchanging routing information and the establishment of connectivity across multiple network areas
Routes may be installed across multiple link state protocol controlled Ethernet network areas by causing ABBs to leak I-SID information advertised by BEBs a L1 network area into an L2 network area. ABBs will only leak I-SIDs for BEBs where it is the closest ABB for that BEB. Where another ABB on the L2 network also leaks the same I-SID into the L2 network area from another L1 network area, the I-SID is of multi-area interest. ABBs will advertise I-SIDs that are common to the L1 and L2 networks back into their respective L1 network. Within each L1 and L2 network area, forwarding state will be installed between network elements advertising common interest in an ISID, so that multi-area paths may be created to span the L1/L2/L1 network areas. ABBs may summarize BEB multicast trees such that the set of trees for a given I-SID transiting the ABB is condensed into a common tree. The L2 network may further be implemented as a second layer implemented using a L1/L2/L1 network structure, so that the L1/L2/L1 network structure may recurse an arbitrary number of times. |
| US08223667B2 |
Inferred discovery of a data communications device
Mechanisms for inferred discovery of a data communication device connected to a router, unreachable by a management module, and characterized by a device address are disclosed. The mechanisms include querying, by the management module, the router for connection data and identifying, by the management module in dependence upon the connection data, the device address. |
| US08223663B2 |
Characterizing home wiring via AD HOC networking
The invention is a method of measuring the RF losses among home wiring endpoints using battery-powered “remotes” placed at each accessible endpoint in the home. The remotes use a low power, ad hoc networking technology, e.g. Zigbee, Z-wave, to connect to one another over the home wiring, rather than over the air via antennas as in typical applications of these technologies. |
| US08223662B2 |
Concurrent operation in multiple wireless local area networks
A wireless terminal concurrently associates with multiple wireless local area networks. The wireless terminal may operate in power save mode on both of the WLANs to prevent a disruption of communication on either WLAN. The wireless terminal may adjust the times at which it listens for beacons to enable reception of beacon information even though the beacons for different WLANs may overlap in time. Beacon transmission times also may be scheduled to avoid overlapping transmissions of beacons on different WLANs. |
| US08223659B2 |
Relaying method of a mobile communication system and system thereof
A method for setting a path by a base station in a mobile communication system and a system thereof are provided. The base station measures quality of a link directly connected to the mobile terminal using the received signal, if a signal is directly received from a mobile terminal. If the signal is received via at least one relaying node, the base station calculates quality of an entire path determined taking quality of each link into account, depending on the signal received via the at least one relaying node. The base station compares the calculated quality of the entire path with the quality of the directly connected link, and determines an optimal path according to the comparison result. The base station sends a relaying request message to a relaying node corresponding to the optimal path. Upon receipt of a relaying response message from the relaying node, the base station configures new broadcast information and broadcasts the newly configured broadcast information. |
| US08223657B2 |
Modifying system clocks based on particular WLAN channel that is selected to improve RF sensitivity of a radio module
Techniques are provided for selecting one of a plurality of clock signals used to drive a bus of a WLAN-enabled device having a WLAN radio module coupled to the bus and designed to operate over a plurality of WLAN channels. A network infrastructure device, such as an access point or port, is provided that comprises a WLAN radio module, a PCI bus coupled to the WLAN radio module, a look up table (LUT) and a processor. The WLAN radio module designed to operate over a plurality of WLAN channels in a first frequency band. The LUT comprises a plurality of entries. Each entry comprises: a particular one of the WLAN channels and a corresponding one of a first clock signal having a first clock frequency and a second clock signal having a second clock frequency that is to be selected. The first clock signal causes interference at the WLAN radio module when operating over a first subset of the WLAN channels, and the second clock signal causes interference at the WLAN radio module when operating over a second subset of the WLAN channels. The processor selects, from the LUT based on the one of the WLAN channels that has been selected for the WLAN radio module to communicate over, either the first clock signal or the second clock signal that is to be used to drive the bus. |
| US08223656B2 |
Distributed resource management for multi-service, multi-access broadband networks
A qualification and monitoring function (604, 606) monitors the line conditions of a last mile access network that is connected with a multi-access broadband network. The qualification and monitoring function (604, 606) sends data to a Resource Manager (602) of the access network upon request. The monitoring function collects, stores, and analyzes performance data, media conditions and stability data using interpretation filters to derive performance indicators. The conditions of the network are also automatically provided to the resource manager (602) for immediate attention if the access network conditions exceed predetermined thresholds. |
| US08223654B2 |
Application-specific integrated circuit for monitoring and optimizing interlayer network performance
An application-specific integrated circuit for use in optimizing a packet network including a processing unit that processes defined sequences of assembler language and executes defined sequences of assembler instructions; program and data memory that stores the defined sequences of assembler instructions; an internal data bus; and an input/output (I/O) interface arranged between the internal data bus and at least one external network device for communicating data packets containing network performance information between the internal data bus and the at least one external network device. |
| US08223651B2 |
Information processing apparatus, summarizing method and summarizing program
An information processing apparatus retains topology information indicating how all nodes are connected in a predetermined target area within a network divided into plural areas. The information processing apparatus includes an ingress/egress determining unit that determines, by referring to connected area information indicative of which area an area border node is connected to, an ingress-node group and an egress-node group, a disjoint determining unit that determines, by referring to the topology information, whether two or more disjoint routes from a node(s) of the ingress-node group to reach a node(s) of the egress-node group are present, a summarized-information generating unit that generates summarized information indicating a route from the adjacent area through the target area to the other adjacent area according to determination result by the disjoint determining unit, and a summarized-information reporting unit that reports the summarized information to another area. |
| US08223650B2 |
Express virtual channels in a packet switched on-chip interconnection network
A method, router node, and set of instructions for using express virtual channels in a component network on a chip. An input link 302 may receive an express flow control unit from a source node 102 in a packet-switched network via an express virtual channel 110. An output link 306 may send the express flow control unit to a sink node 106. A switch allocator 322 may forward the express flow control unit directly to the output link 306. |
| US08223649B2 |
Method and apparatus for sending a packet from a source node to a destination node in the same broadcast domain
A method of sending a packet from a source node to a destination node in the same broadcast domain. The packet is associated with a traffic flow directed from the source node to the destination node. The source node is connected with the destination node via a first and a second communication path. A criterion based on an attribute of the traffic flow is measured for each of the communication paths. One path is selected between the first and second communication paths based on the measured criterion and the selected communication path is assigned to the associated traffic flow. The packet is then sent via the selected communication path. |
| US08223643B1 |
Method for packet-level FEC encoding a stream of source packets using shifted interleaving
A method for transmitting interleaved shares of packet-level FEC encoded packets, in which a given time shift occurs between consecutive shares, includes determining a current state; associating a packet with a share based on the current state; and determining a position of the packet within the share. Each share includes source packets and error-correcting or wildcard packets. If the position of the packet corresponds to a source packet position, a contribution of the packet to the wildcard packets of the share is computed, and the packet is transmitted as a source packet. If the position of the packet corresponds to a wildcard packet position, the packet is transmitted as a wildcard packet. |
| US08223642B2 |
Differentiated services using weighted quality of service (QoS)
Differentiated services for network traffic using weighted quality of service is provided. Network traffic is queued into separate per flow queues, and traffic is scheduled from the per flow queues into a group queue. Congestion management is performed on traffic in the group queue. Traffic is marked with priority values, and congestion management is performed based on the priority values. For example, traffic can be marked as “in contract” if it is within a contractual limit, and marked as “out of contract” if it is not within the contractual limit. Marking can also include classifying incoming traffic based on Differentiated Service Code Point. Higher priority traffic can be scheduled from the per flow queues in a strict priority over lower priority traffic. The lower priority traffic can be scheduled in a round robin manner. |
| US08223638B2 |
10 GbE LAN signal mapping to OTU2 signal
A high-capacity digital communications system and method of transporting 10 GbE LAN packets between user devices over an OTN network that allows the packets to be transported in a manner that is transparent to the destination device(s) on the network. The digital communications system includes an OTN network, and at least one source device and at least one destination device connected to the network via respective 10Gbase-R interfaces. The system transports 10 GbE LAN data packets over the OTN network by performing decoding on the packets to recover the preamble and variable length data contained in each packet, removing the IPG between successive packets in the stream, encapsulating the packets including the respective preambles and data, and mapping the encapsulated packets to the overhead and payload areas of ODUk frames. The packets are then transported over the OTN network from the source device to the destination device. |
| US08223634B2 |
Mechanism for implementing load balancing in a network
A mechanism is disclosed for enabling load balancing to be achieved in a network. In one implementation, load balancing is implemented on a “per flow” basis. At the time that a new flow starts, a path is selected. Packets associated with the flow are thereafter sent along that particular path. As the packets associated with the flow are forwarded along the particular path, a congestion metric is determined for the particular path as well as for a set of one or more other paths. Based at least partially upon the congestion metrics, a determination is made as to whether the flow should be moved. If so, then the flow is moved to an alternate path. By determining the congestion metrics for the multiple paths, and by moving the flow in response, it is possible to adapt to changing traffic conditions to keep the loads on the paths relatively balanced. |
| US08223629B2 |
Core router capable of securing the output router of an autonomous system
A core router adapted to back up a nominal output router. This kind of core router of a first autonomous subsystem is connected to a nominal output router of the first autonomous system adapted to route traffic whose destination is a second autonomous system, the first autonomous system further including a back-up output router adapted to route traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system. The core router includes means for identifying a router of the first autonomous system, adapted to identify a router adapted to route traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system in the event of a failure affecting traffic to said nominal output router, the identified router being either the back-up output router or a protector router of the first autonomous system, this protector router being adapted to redirect traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system via said back-up output router; means for detecting a failure affecting routing of traffic to said nominal output router; and means for redirecting traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system in a predetermined route in a tunnel to the identified router, said tunnel not passing through the nominal output router. |
| US08223626B2 |
Linear precoding for MIMO channels with outdated channel state information in multiuser space-time block coded systems with multi-packet reception
A joint set of linear precoder designs is provided for single cell uplink multiuser space-time block coded multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems with multi-packet reception by exploiting outdated channel state information. By deriving the pairwise error probability with respect to both minimum and average codeword distance design metrics, the technique solves an optimization problem subject to transmit power constraint for each user and dependent on the outdated channel state information. Due to the non-convex nature of the optimization problem, an iterative technique based on alternating minimization and projected gradient can be used to solve for a joint linear preceding structure for general space-time block coding. The linear precoding structure is then sent from the base station to various consumer premise equipment for use in later transmissions. For orthogonal space-time block code, a simplified distributed technique is provided to solve for a closed-form solution of the optimization problem. |
| US08223623B2 |
Timing and frequency acquisition for OFDM systems
Systems and methods are provided for processing Time Domain Multiplexing Pilot symbols by employing complex accumulators to determine peak values which indicate the start of timing and frequency information. In an embodiment, a method is provided for timing acquisition in a wireless network. The method includes acquiring samples from an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) data packet over a predetermined period of time, where the samples include one or more TDM pilot symbols. The samples are then processed to determine a maximum value that indicates the TDM pilot symbol has been detected. |
| US08223621B2 |
Optical information recording medium, and substrate and manufacturing method for the optical information recording medium
In an optical disk including at least a rewritable phase change material and comprising a recording layer having a reflectivity of more than 15%, an address output value as an address pit signal component occupying in a reproduced signal in a non recording state is prescribed to be 0.18 though 0.27 or a numerical aperture of an address pit signal occupying in a reproduced signal in a non recording state is prescribed to be more than 0.3. |
| US08223620B2 |
Super-resolution optical recording medium on which information is recorded using train of prepits, optical recording medium reproduction device, and control method
A super-resolution optical recording medium (10) of the present invention includes: a medium information region (1) on which medium identification information is recorded; a content region (3) on which content information is recorded; and a blank region (2) provided between the medium information region (1) and the content region (3) and in which at least two tracks are provided so as to connect a train of prepits in the medium information region (1) and a train of prepits in the content region (3). No information is recorded on the blank region (2). With this arrangement, the present invention provides a super-resolution optical recording medium in which a region on which medium identification information is recorded and a region on which content information is recorded are different in track pitch and in which a reproduction error hardly occurs when reproduction shifts from the region on which the medium identification information is recorded to the region on which the content information is recorded. |
| US08223613B2 |
Optical pickup device and optical disc apparatus
In an optical pickup device, an optical reflection beam from a multi-layer optical disc is divided into a plurality of areas, divided optical fluxes focus upon different positions on a photodetector, a focusing error signal is detected by using a plurality of divided optical fluxes by a knife edge method, and a tracking error signal is detected by using a plurality of divided optical fluxes. The optical flux divided areas and light receiving parts are disposed in such a manner that in an in-focus state of a target layer, stray light from another layer does not enter servo signal light receiving parts of the photodetector. It is therefore possible to obtain stable servo signals including both the focusing error signal and tracking error signal during recording/reproducing a multi-layer optical disc, without being influenced by stray light from another layer. |
| US08223610B2 |
Apparatus and method for initializing information recording medium, apparatus and method for recording information, and information recording medium
An initialization apparatus that has a simplified configuration and that forms an initial hologram in an information recording medium is provided. An initialization apparatus (10) rotates an optical disk (100) and emits blue light beams (Lb1) and (Lb2) to either side of the optical disk (100) while causing a red light beam (Lr1) to follow a track formed in a reference layer (102). Thus, the initialization apparatus (10) can perform an initialization process in which a linear initial hologram IH is formed in a recording layer (101) in a spiral pattern that corresponds to the track formed in a reference layer (102). Accordingly, the initialization apparatus (10) can form a planar initial hologram layer (YH) with significantly reduced optical energy or thermal energy emitted to the optical disk (100) at one time. |
| US08223602B2 |
Optical disc drive
With a high-density optical disc drive, although it is necessary to correct spherical aberrations which depend on a disc substrate thickness error, operation of an aberrations correction element takes time and therefore easy correction according to a disc radius degrades the operability of the apparatus. The present invention comprises an optical pickup unit including an objective lens and an aberrations correction lens, a focus actuator, a tracking actuator, a aberrations correction motor, a seek motor, an aberrations correction lens control module, a radius information detecting module, and a system control module. |
| US08223601B2 |
Device for accessing address information in an optical disc
An address-accessing device includes first and second information generators for producing first and second information according to the received address signals; a phase offset detector for producing a phase offset according to the first and second information; a reference signal generator for producing a reference signal according to the phase offset, the first information and the second information; and a decoder used to determine the structure type of an address-in-pregroove unit (ADIP) according to the reference value. This address-accessing device is capable of adjusting the decision level and the phase offset automatically to lower the error rate occurring in the address access procedure. |
| US08223598B2 |
Optically-readable disk with copy protection device
An optically-readable disk includes a device that disrupts readability of the disk when the disk is spun at an angular velocity substantially greater than required to play the disk in its intended playing device, or when a defined integral of velocity and time is exceeded. The device may include a fluid container that disperses a data-disruptive fluid. The device may include a membrane or layer that is disrupted when the disk is rotated above a defined angular velocity, or when a defined integral of velocity and time is exceeded. The device may include an electro-optical material that is activated by an electrical signal from a controller in response to an input from a sensor responsive to motion of the disk. |
| US08223594B2 |
Chronograph timepiece
Disclosed is a chronograph timepiece in which it is possible to prevent the chronograph drive timing and the magnetic field detection timing from overlapping each other to unnecessarily effect driving with correction drive pulses. A processing unit controls drive circuits so as to drive a time indication motor and a chronograph indication motor with a predetermined timing based respectively on timekeeping information obtained and chronograph measurement information obtained, and effects control such that a magnetic field detecting unit detects a magnetic field with a predetermined timing; when the drive timing for the chronograph indication motor and the magnetic field detection timing for the magnetic field detecting unit overlap each other, the processing unit changes the magnetic field detection timing for the magnetic field detecting unit so that the drive timing for the chronograph indication motor and the magnetic field detection timing for the magnetic field detecting unit may not overlap each other. |
| US08223591B2 |
Device for marine seismic exploration for deposits
The device hereof is most preferably an improved performance air gun as sound source for marine seismic exploration for petroleum deposits and it most generally is comprised of, an elongated cylindrical housing bored from each end to a fixed radial wall separating the two bores. The fixed radial wall having a through bore for hollow shaft of air control and release shuttle assembly to reciprocate within. The wall having fixed groove for elastomer shaft seal rings to seal around outside diameter of shuttle shaft and drilled passages for water entry to lubricate shaft seals. Air control end of shuttle assembly having set and release flange and internal bearing. Air release end of shuttle assembly cup shaped air release flange with bearing around outside diameter and seal means. Air control end of cylindrical housing having end cap drilled for air input means. The Air control end cap having bolt on shuttle support shaft with piston rings air input means air valving means and orifice means. The Release air end of cylindrical housing having attachable release air chamber sealing means and two air exhaust ports spaced opposite each other. |
| US08223584B1 |
Apparatus for memory interface configuration
An apparatus includes a memory circuit and an interface circuit. The interface circuit is coupled to the memory circuit. The interface circuit selects a phase value of clock signal adapted to clock the memory circuit. |
| US08223583B2 |
Row addressing
Embodiments are provided that include a row decoder, including a row activation path, having a row address converter with an output coupled to an input of a section replacement detector. Further embodiments provide a method including mapping an external row address to an internal row address, wherein the internal row address comprises a section address, determining whether a section corresponding to the section address includes an error, and if the section includes an error, converting the internal row address to a redundant row address, wherein mapping the external row address to the internal row address is initiated prior to determining whether the section replacement should be performed. Further embodiments include a method for receiving a row address for a row in a memory section including a non-2^n number of normal rows and mapping the row address to a redundant row address by subtracting a value from the row address. |
| US08223580B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding memory
A thin-film memory may include a thin-film transistor-free address decoder in conjunction with thin-film memory elements to yield an all-thin-film memory. Such a thin-film memory excludes all single-crystal electronic devices and may be formed, for example, on a low-cost substrate, such as fiberglass, glass or ceramic. The memory may be configured for operation with an external memory controller. |
| US08223579B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
A memory cell of a static random access memory (SRAM) includes a pair of drive transistors, a pair of load transistors, a pair of write-only transfer transistors, a pair of read-only transfer transistors, a pair of read-only drive transistors, and a pair of column selection transistors. The memory cell also includes a word line, a pair of write bit lines, a pair of read bit lines, and a column selection line. |
| US08223577B2 |
Semiconductor memory circuit
The present invention provides a semiconductor memory circuit capable of reducing current consumption at non-operation in a system equipped with a plurality of chips that share the use of a power supply, address signals and a data bus. The semiconductor memory circuit has an internal circuit which is capable of selectively performing the supply and stop of an operating voltage via switch means and includes a memory array. An input circuit, which receives a predetermined control signal therein, controls the supply and stop of the operating voltage by the switch means to reduce a DC current and a leak current when no memory operation is done, whereby low power consumption can be realized. |
| US08223574B2 |
Techniques for block refreshing a semiconductor memory device
Techniques for block refreshing a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for block refreshing a semiconductor memory device. The method may comprise arranging a plurality of memory cells in one or more arrays of rows and columns. Each of the plurality of memory cells may comprise a first region coupled to a source line, a second region, a first body region disposed between the first region and the second region, wherein the body region may be electrically floating and charged to a first predetermined voltage potential, and a first gate coupled to a word line, wherein the first gate may be spaced apart from, and capacitively coupled to, the first body region. The method may also comprise applying voltage potentials to the plurality of memory cells to refresh a plurality of data states stored in the plurality of memory cells. |
| US08223571B2 |
Generating and amplifying differential signals
A circuit includes a first left transistor having a first left drain, a first left gate, and a first left source; a second left transistor having a second left drain, a second left gate, and a second left source; a third left transistor having a third left drain, a third left gate, and a third left source; a first right transistor having a first right drain, a first right gate, and a first right source; a second right transistor having a second right drain, a second right gate, and a second right source; a third right transistor having a third right drain, a third right gate, and a third right source; a left node electrically coupling the first left drain, the second left drain, the second left gate, the third right gate, and the third left drain; and a right node electrically coupling the first right drain, the second right drain, the second right gate, the third left gate, and the third right drain. |
| US08223568B2 |
Semiconductor memory device adopting improved local input/output line precharging scheme
A semiconductor memory device capable of preventing or minimizing bit line disturbance and performing a low-voltage high-speed operation includes a read data path circuit including a bit line sense amplifier, a local input/output line sense amplifier, a column selecting unit to operationally connect bit lines connected to the bit line sense amplifier to local input/output lines connected to the local input/output line sense amplifier in response to a column selection signal, and a local input/output line precharging unit to precharge the pair of local input/output lines by a first precharging unit, equalizing the pair of local input/output lines by an equalizing unit, and to precharge the local input/output lines by a second precharging unit following an elapsed time after the bit line sense amplifier is activated, while the column selection is deactivated. |
| US08223567B2 |
Memory read stability using selective precharge
A memory device utilizes selective precharge and charge sharing to reduce a bit line voltage before accessing a bit cell. A reduction in bit line voltage is achieved by precharging different sections of the bit line to different voltages (e.g., a supply voltage and ground) and using charge sharing between these sections. Read stability improves as a result of the reduction of bit line voltage. The relative capacitance difference between bit line sections determines the bit line voltage after charge sharing. Thus, the memory device is tolerant to process or temperature variations. The bit line voltage may be controlled in design by selecting the sections that are precharged to supply voltage or ground. |
| US08223566B2 |
Memory device and memory control method
The embodiments of the present invention disclose a memory device having a fast and shared redundancy decision scheme and a memory control method. The memory device includes an address receiver, a command receiver, a command controller, a row address generator, a column address generator and a shared redundancy decision circuit. |
| US08223559B2 |
Method of programming a memory
A method of programming a memory, wherein the memory includes many memory regions having multiple multi-level cells. Each memory region includes a first bit line, a second bit line, a data buffer and a protecting unit. The protecting unit, coupled to the first and second bit lines, and the data buffer, prevents a programming error from occurring. In an embodiment of the programming method, corresponding data are inputted to the data buffers respectively. The data corresponding to an nth phase are programmed into the targeted multi-level cells. Data corresponding to an (n+1)th phase is modified to make the data corresponding to the (n+1)th phase be the same as the data corresponding to the nth phase if the targeted multi-level cells pass a programming verification process according to an nth programming verification voltage. The above steps are repeated until n is equal to a maximum, n being a positive integer. |
| US08223556B2 |
Programming non-volatile memory with a reduced number of verify operations
A method and non-volatile storage system are provided in which programming speed is increased by reducing the number of verify operations, while maintaining a narrow threshold voltage distribution. A programming scheme performs a verify operation at an offset level, before a verify level of a target data state is reached, such as to slow down programming. However, it is not necessary to perform verify operations at both the offset and target levels at all times. In a first programming phase, verify operations are performed for a given data state only at the target verify level. In a second programming phase, verify operations are performed for offset and target verify levels. In a third programming phase, verify operations are again performed only at the target verify level. Transitions between phases can be predetermined, based on programming pulse number, or adaptive. |
| US08223549B2 |
NAND flash memory programming
A programming method and memory structure for preventing punch-through in a short channel source-side select gate structure includes adjusting voltages on the selected and unselected bitlines, and the program, pass, and select gate voltages. |
| US08223546B2 |
Multi-dot flash memory
According to one embodiment, a multi-dot flash memory includes an active area, a floating gate arranged on the active area via a gate insulating film and having a first side and a second side facing each other in a first direction, a word line arranged on the floating gate via an inter-electrode insulating film, a first bit line arranged on the first side of the floating gate via a first tunnel insulating film and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a second bit line arranged on the second side of the floating gate via a second tunnel insulating film and extending in the second direction. The active area has a width in the first direction narrower than that between a center of the first bit line and a center of the second bit line. |
| US08223539B2 |
GCIB-treated resistive device
The present disclosure includes GCIB-treated resistive devices, devices utilizing GCIB-treated resistive devices (e.g., as switches, memory cells), and methods for forming the GCIB-treated resistive devices. One method of forming a GCIB-treated resistive device includes forming a lower electrode, and forming an oxide material on the lower electrode. The oxide material is exposed to a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) until a change in resistance of a first portion of the oxide material relative to the resistance of a second portion of the oxide material. An upper electrode is formed on the first portion. |
| US08223536B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device comprises: a phase change element (RP) and a memory cell transistor (MN0) that controls writing and reading of data with respect to the phase change element (RP); the memory cell transistor (MN0) supplies a current to the phase change element (RP) based on a first potential (VPS) in a first (read) operation mode, and in a second (write) operation mode supplies a current based on the first potential (VPS), and subsequently supplies a current based on a second potential (VPP) higher than the first potential (VPS). In a write operation, consumed current is reduced. |
| US08223532B2 |
Magnetic field assisted STRAM cells
Memory units that have a magnetic tunnel junction cell that utilizes spin torque and a current induced magnetic field to assist in the switching of the magnetization orientation of the free layer of the magnetic tunnel junction cell. The memory unit includes a spin torque current source for passing a current through the magnetic tunnel junction cell, the spin torque current source having a direction perpendicular to the magnetization orientations, and also includes a magnetic ampere field current source is oriented in a direction orthogonal or at some angles to the magnetization orientations. |
| US08223531B2 |
Semiconductor device and driving method of the same
The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a memory that has a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a control circuit that controls the memory, and an antenna, where the memory cell array has a plurality of bit lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of word lines extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and each of the plurality of memory cells has an organic compound layer provided between the bit line and the word line. Data is written by applying optical or electric action to the organic compound layer. |
| US08223527B2 |
Semiconductor device having memory array, method of writing, and systems associated therewith
In one embodiment, the semiconductor device, includes a non-volatile memory cell array, and a control unit configured to generate a mode signal indicating if a flash mode has been enabled. A write circuit is configured to write in the non-volatile memory cell array based on the mode signal such that the write circuit disables erasing the non-volatile memory cell array if the flash mode has not been enabled and instructions to erase one or more cells of the non-volatile memory cell array is received. |
| US08223526B2 |
Low power antifuse sensing scheme with improved reliability
Generally, a method and circuit for improving the retention and reliability of unprogrammed anti-fuse memory cells. This is achieved by minimizing the tunneling current through the unprogrammed anti-fuse memory cells which can cause eventual gate oxide breakdown. The amount of time a read voltage is applied to the anti-fuse memory cells is reduced by pulsing a read voltage applied to a wordline connected to the unprogrammed anti-fuse memory cells, thereby reducing the tunneling current. Further tunneling current can be reduced by decoupling the unprogrammed anti-fuse memory cells from a sense amplifier that can drive the corresponding bitline to VSS. |
| US08223524B2 |
Process variation compensated multi-chip memory package
A multi-chip package memory includes an interface chip generating at least one reference signal defined in relation to a reference process variation, and a stacked plurality of memory chips electrically connected to the interface chip via a vertical connection path and receiving the reference clock signal via the vertical connection path, wherein each one of the stacked plurality of memory chips is characterized by a process variation and actively compensates for said process variation in relation to the reference signal. |
| US08223519B2 |
Power control system
A power control system includes a rectifier circuit, a buck circuit, a voltage divider circuit, a control circuit, and a switch circuit. A first terminal of the rectifier circuit is connected to an alternating current (AC) power supply. A second terminal of the rectifier circuit is connected to a first terminal of the buck circuit and a first terminal of the voltage divider circuit. A first terminal of the control circuit is connected to a second terminal of the buck circuit. A second terminal of the control circuit is connected to a second terminal of the voltage divider circuit. A third terminal of the control circuit is connected to the switch circuit. The switch circuit is connected to the AC power supply and an electronic device. |
| US08223518B2 |
Multiple phase power supply having current shared power factor correction
A multi-phase (N) power supply is presented having current shared power factor correction. This includes N input rectifier filters each receiving a respective different one of an N phase AC input signal and providing therefrom one of N rectified signals. N single phase power factor correction pre-regulators each receive a respective different one of the rectified signals and provide therefrom a regulated signal. A current sharing N way to single way multiplexing switch network receives the N regulated signals and provides therefrom a single output signal. |
| US08223516B2 |
Multi-pulse rectifier for AC drive systems having separate DC bus per output phase
An 18n-pulse rectifier for AC drive systems having a separate DC bus for each output phase is described, where n=any positive integer. The rectifier uses three separate phase rectifiers, one for each output phase of a transformer, each comprised of n six-pulse diode bridges connected in series or parallel. Each phase rectifier may be supplied with n unique sets of phase inputs from a transformer secondary winding. In some configurations, the n sets of inputs provided to each rectifier are separated by 60/n degrees of phase (when n is greater than 1), while the corresponding inputs to neighboring rectifiers are separated by 20/n degrees of phase. In a 36-pulse example, the phase offsets for the inputs provided to the rectifiers may be −25° and +5° from the transformer primary winding (for the first rectifier), −15° and +15° from the primary winding (for the second rectifier) and −5° and +25° from the primary winding (for the third rectifier). Each set of inputs may include three lines of in-phase current, and may be coupled to one of the six-pulse diode bridges. |
| US08223512B2 |
Power converter having an inductor including a first set of windings and a second set of windings both wound on a common core
A power converter includes a small-sized inductor connected to an AC voltage input line for power factor correction and a filter for suppressing conduction noise. The inductor is connected to a rectifier and comprises first and second windings and that are wound on a common magnetic core and loosely coupled with each other. A leakage inductance component of the inductor functions as an energy storage element in a main conversion operation and an excitation inductance component of the inductor functions as a noise reduction element for suppressing an conduction noise caused by on-off operation of a switching element. |
| US08223511B2 |
Common mode voltage reduction apparatus and method for current source converter based drive
Current source converter drives and common mode voltage reduction techniques are presented in which a space vector modulation zero vector for current source inverter (or rectifier) control is selected according to the switching state of the current source rectifier (or inverter) and according to the AC input power and the AC output power to control the output common mode voltage. |
| US08223509B2 |
Integrated transformer and power supply using the same
There are provided an integrated transformer in which a power conversion transformer and an inductor for stabilizing output power by the transformer are integrated into one transformer structure, and a power supply using the same. An integrated transformer according to an aspect of the invention includes: a core part including: first and second supports; and first and second outer legs and a center leg provided between the first and second supports, and magnetically connecting the first and second supports to each other, wherein a cross-section of the first and second outer legs and a cross-section of the center leg have a width of the first support and a width of the second support in a longitudinal direction, respectively, and a width of each of the first and second outer legs exceeds 0.5 times a width of the center leg but does not exceed 2 times the width of the center leg. |
| US08223502B2 |
Chip card holder and electronic device using the same
A chip card holder is configured for receiving a chip card. The chip card holder includes a housing defining a groove, a latching part received in the groove, a fixing element made of rubber material. The chip card is received in the latching part. The fixing element includes a main plate, a positioning portion, a rib, and a free end. The positioning portion is positioned on a side of the main plate. The positioning portion latches the housing. The rib is positioned on the same side which positioning the positioning portion. The rib resists the chip card. The free end extends from a peripheral edge of the main plate. The present disclosure further discloses an electronic device using the chip card holder. |
| US08223498B2 |
Thermal interface members for removable electronic devices
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a printed circuit board and a thermal interface member. The printed circuit board is configured to be coupled to an electronic device, such as, for example, a removable (or “pluggable”) optical transceiver. A first surface of the printed circuit board includes a thermally-conductive portion, and a second surface of the printed circuit board includes a thermally-conductive portion that is coupled to the thermally-conductive portion of the first surface by a thermally-conductive via between the first surface and the second surface. The thermal interface member is coupled to the first surface of the printed circuit board such that a portion of the thermal interface member is in contact with the thermally-conductive portion of the first surface. The portion of thermal interface member is deformable and thermally-conductive. |
| US08223497B2 |
Thermal bridge extensions for a module-chassis interface
A module for use with an expandable wedge clamp assembly in a chassis channel is provided. The module comprises a first side, a second side, a first extension attached to the first side, and a second extension attached to the second side. The first extension and the second extension are flexible. When the wedge clamp assembly is expanded, the first extension and the second extension flex from a first position to a second position. When the wedge clamp is returned from the expanded position to a relaxed position, the first extension and the second extension return from the second position to the first position. |
| US08223494B2 |
Conduction cooled circuit board assembly
A conduction cooled circuit board assembly may include a frame and at least one circuit board attached to the frame, having at least one area to be cooled. The assembly may also include at least one rail attached to the frame, and at least one heat pipe having a first end and a second end, the first end disposed near the area and the second end in contact with the rail so as to transfer heat from the area to the rail. |
| US08223493B2 |
Electronic device and fan module thereof
An electronic device includes an enclosure, an expansion card received in the enclosure, and a fan module received in the enclosure for dissipating heat of the expansion card. The fan module includes a cooling fan and a fixing member. The fixing member includes a fixing portion fixed on the cooling fan, a first rotary portion rotatably connected to the fixing portion, and a second rotary portion rotatably connected to the fixing portion. The first rotary portion and the second rotary portion are fixed on the enclosure. |
| US08223490B2 |
Latching mechanism and electronic device using the same
A latching mechanism for a portable electronic device includes an assembly seat, two latching members, two resilient members and a pressing member, the two latching members are pivotably positioned on the assembly seat, the two resilient members are secured on the assembly seat and resist the two latching members respectively, the pressing member is resisted by the two latching members and is slidable relative to the assembly seat. |
| US08223487B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device including a main body, a display, and a light emitting module is provided. The main body has a restrictive opening. A pivoting side of the display is pivoted to the main body. A side of the display away form the pivoting side has a latch structure protruding from a first surface of the display. The light emitting module is disposed at the latch structure. When the display is opened relative to the main body, the light emitting module emits light toward a second surface of the main body to illuminate the second surface of the main body. When the display is closed relative to the main body, the latch structure is accommodated in the restrictive opening. |
| US08223475B2 |
Sealed circuit breaker
A sealed electrical enclosure used in hazardous locations for enclosing circuit breakers having a bottom housing and a top housing with a labyrinth seal or joint formed therebetween, the bottom housing adapted to receive one or more circuit breakers, a first metal bus extending from a point internal to the bottom housing through a first end wall to a point external thereto, and a second metal bus extending from a point internal to the bottom housing through a second end wall to a point external to thereto, where the first and second metal buses are adapted to contact first and second electrical terminals of a circuit breaker when placed within the bottom housing, and a first vent positioned on the top housing for dissipating pressure buildup, wherein the top housing is removably secured to the bottom housing to allow for removal and replacement of a circuit breakers within the housing. |
| US08223474B2 |
Apparatus for electric power distribution
An apparatus, such as a metering panel, for electric power distribution. An enclosure having an access opening defining an interior space, at least two electrical components for separate phases of electricity. The two components located within the enclosure and spaced laterally apart, at least one electrically insulating barrier panel, movable between at least two guided positions, a working position within the enclosure and between the components and an access position displaced from the components. |
| US08223469B2 |
Power node switching center with active feedback control of power switches
A circuit fault detector and interrupter which consists of parallel current conduction paths, including a path through a mechanical contactor and a path through a power electronics switch having active feedback control. A fault can be detected by a fault detection circuit within 50 microseconds of the occurrence of the fault, causing the mechanical contactor to be opened and the fault current to be commutated via a laminated, low-inductance bus through the power electronics switch. The power electronics switch is thereafter turned off as soon as possible, interrupting the fault current and absorbing the inductive energy in the circuit. The fault current can be interrupted within 200 microseconds of the occurrence of the fault, and the device reduces or eliminates arcing when the mechanical contactor is opened. |
| US08223465B2 |
Surge current detection in a switch by detecting change in a duty cycle
An embodiment of the invention provides a surge current protection circuit. The surge current protection circuit comprises a peak current detector and a current sensing device. When the peak current detector detects when a surge current has occurred, by monitoring a change in duty cycle on a node of a HS (high side) switch, a LS (low side) switch is activated. The current sensing device senses the current drawn through the LS switch. When the current sensing device senses a current that exceeds a current limit, the HS switch is turned off for a period of time such that the surge current is reduced. |
| US08223462B2 |
Magnetoresistive sensor design for signal noise pickup reduction for use with deep gap electrostatic discharge shunt
A magnetic head having an electrostatic shunt structure for preventing damage to the magnetic head during manufacture. A portion of the shunt structure is removed during manufacture, however another portion remains. In order to prevent the remaining portions of the shunt structure from picking up stray magnetic and electromagnetic fields, an electromagnetic shield, is provided between the remaining portions of the shunt structure and the substrate. |
| US08223460B2 |
Asymmetric load beam for improving resonance performance of hard disk drive suspension
A structure for a load beam used in hard disk drive devices includes an asymmetric structure. The load beam exhibits longitudinal asymmetry (i.e., is asymmetric along its long axis) in regard to the weight distribution, but has a center of mass that lies along its longitudinal axis due to the provisioning of counterbalancing features, such as the addition of material, the removal of material, or a combination of adding material and removing material, or the use of an asymmetrical damping layer. |
| US08223458B2 |
Magnetic head having an asymmetrical shape and systems thereof
A magnetic head, according to one embodiment, includes a main magnetic pole having a protruding portion such that a distance from a first side of a trailing edge of the main magnetic pole to a leading edge of the main magnetic pole is different from a distance from a second side of the trailing edge of the main magnetic pole to the leading edge of the main magnetic pole, an auxiliary magnetic pole, and a coil wound around a magnetic circuit, the magnetic circuit including the main magnetic pole and the auxiliary magnetic pole. In another embodiment, a disk drive system includes a magnetic storage medium, at least one magnetic head as described previously for writing to the magnetic medium, a slider for supporting the magnetic head, and a control unit coupled to the magnetic head for controlling operation of the magnetic head. Additional systems and heads are also presented. |
| US08223457B2 |
Nanometer scale magnetization
Magnetic heads for perpendicular magnetic recording on magnetic recording media are provided. |
| US08223455B2 |
Rotor hub, motor, and disk driving device
A rotor hub includes a shaft connecting portion arranged to be connected to a shaft serving as a central axis, a disk loading portion centered about the central axis and arranged to support a disk shaped storage medium mounted thereon, a yoke arranged below the disk loading portion and supporting a field magnet at one of an inner side surface thereof and an outer side surface thereof, and a flexible portion connecting the disk loading portion to the yoke and being flexible with respect to a force applied thereto from the yoke. |
| US08223453B1 |
Disk drive having a vibration absorber with fixed free ends
A disk drive includes a disk drive base, a disk, an actuator arm actuatable over the disk, and a motor. The motor is operable to rotate the disk, and is coupled to the disk drive base. During operation of the disk drive, the motor emits vibrations at a source vibration frequency. A vibration absorber is coupled to the disk drive base, the vibration absorber including a cantilever beam having a fixed end and a free end. |
| US08223452B1 |
Writing and reading user data using servo spirals
A system includes a self-servo-write (SSW) module, a read module, and a write module. The SSW module writes servo spirals on a magnetic medium of a hard disk drive (HDD) via a write head of the HDD. The read module reads the servo spirals via a read head of the HDD and generates read signals. The write module writes non-servo data on the magnetic medium via the write head based on the read signals before the SSW module writes servo wedges on the magnetic medium. |
| US08223450B2 |
Cartridge refresh and verify
A method according to one embodiment includes: deciding to perform a refresh operation on a media cartridge having a tape wrapped around a spool; determining which drive of a plurality of drives is available to perform the refresh operation; causing the media cartridge to be mounted to the available drive; causing the drive to unwrap the tape from the spool of the media cartridge to about an end of the tape; and causing the drive to wrap the tape back onto the spool after the unwrapping, wherein at least some data on the tape is overwritten with new data, and a verification operation is performed using the new data. |
| US08223448B1 |
Disk drive calibrating preamp for servo sectors and data sectors
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk including a plurality of tracks defined by servo sectors, wherein each track comprises a plurality of data sectors. The disk drive further comprises a preamp circuit operable to amplify a read signal emanating from the head to generate a pre-amplified read signal. A first gain setting of the preamp circuit is calibrated in response to a plurality of the servo sectors, and the first gain setting is adjusted in response to a plurality of the data sectors. |
| US08223447B2 |
Color compensating retinal safety filter
A filter and method for filtering an optical beam are disclosed. One embodiment of the filter is an optical filter for filtering an incident light beam, comprising an optically effective material characterized by: a light transmittance of less than 1% for wavelengths below 420 nm; and a light transmittance for wavelengths complementary and near complementary to wavelengths below 420 nm that, combined with the transmittance for wavelengths below 420 nm, will yield a filtered light beam having a luminosity of about 90% and an excitation purity of 5% or less. The complementary wavelengths can be wavelengths above about 640 nm, wavelengths above about 660 nm, and/or wavelengths from about 540 nm to about 560 nm. Further, in one embodiment the difference between the light transmittance just below 420 nm and the light transmittance just above 420 nm can be greater than 90%. Above 420 nm, in some embodiments, the light transmittance can be arbitrarily determined. |
| US08223444B2 |
Medium exhibiting negative refraction, optical element, and optical system
An optical element using a medium exhibiting negative refraction, a carbon nano tube being used for the medium exhibiting negative refraction, is disclosed. There is also disclosed an optical system having a plurality of optical elements each formed of a medium exhibiting negative refraction, wherein the plurality of optical elements includes optical elements having different chromatic dispersions. |
| US08223443B2 |
Collection optics
An imaging system including a back-plane reflector having a concave aspherical reflecting surface and an outer diameter that is no greater than a first distance, with an aperture formed in the back-plane reflector, the aperture for admitting light from a field of view to the imaging system, a fore-plane reflector having a concave aspherical reflecting surface and an outer diameter that is no greater than the first distance, with an aperture formed in the fore-plane reflector, the aperture for discharging the light from the imaging system to an image plane, and a central reflector having a convex aspherical reflecting surface for receiving light from the fore-plane reflector and discharging the light from the imaging system through the aperture in the fore-plane reflector. |
| US08223441B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel of the present invention includes a fixing frame 100 provided with cam grooves 103-105 formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame, and a drive frame 200 provided with cam followers 201-203 formed on an outer circumferential surface of the drive frame and a plurality of engaging teeth 200a provided to the outer circumferential surface of the drive frame so as to be located on substantially the same circumference as the cam followers 201-203. The drive frame 200 is adapted such that, with the drive frame incorporated in the fixing frame 100, the cam followers 201-203 are fitted in the cam grooves 103-105, drive force is transmitted via the engaging teeth 200a, and the drive frame 200 can move relative to the fixing frame 100 in the optical axis direction of a lens as the cam followers 201-203 move along the cam grooves 103-105. According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a lens barrel in which cam followers are less likely to come out of the cam grooves even in the case where a retainer wall cannot be provided within an area where a cam follower about to fall out is received directly by the wall, or in the case where the retainer wall provided within the area where a cam follower is received directly is not sufficient. |
| US08223440B2 |
Zoom lens system and image pickup apparatus including the same
A zoom lens including in order from an object side to an image side: a positive first lens unit which does not move for zooming; a negative second lens unit for magnification, and a rear lens group including two or more lens units, in which: the first lens unit includes a first subunit not moving for focusing and a second subunit moving for focusing, and the first subunit includes two or more negative lenses and one or more positive lenses; and an average Abbe number and an average partial dispersion ratio of materials of the negative lenses included in the first subunit, average Abbe number and average partial dispersion ratio of materials of the one or more positive lenses included in the first lens unit, combined focal length of the negative lenses included in the first subunit, and focal length of the zoom lens at telephoto end are appropriately set. |
| US08223439B2 |
Optical system and image pickup apparatus having the optical system
An optical system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit, a stop, and a second lens unit. The first lens unit includes a first negative lens having a meniscus shape and a negative refractive power at a position closest to the object side and a negative lens Gn having a negative refractive power at a position closer to the image side than the first negative lens. The second lens unit includes a positive lens Gp having a positive refractive power. A material of each of the negative lens Gn and the positive lens Gp satisfies the following condition: θgF−(−0.001682·νd+0.6438)≧0.01 where “νd” denotes an Abbe number of a lens material and “θgF” denotes a relative partial dispersion with respect to g-line light and F-line light. |
| US08223434B2 |
Imaging lens system with two lenses
An imaging lens system with two lenses is provided. The imaging lens system with two lenses, along an optical axis from an object side to an image side, comprises an aperture stop; a first lens having positive refractive power and being a biconvex lens; and a second lens having negative refractive power and being a meniscus lens with a concave surface on the object side and a convex surface on the image side. |
| US08223428B2 |
Microscope
A microscope includes a microscope main body, a revolving nosepiece rotatably mounted on the microscope main body and equipped with plural objective lenses, and focusing handles that adjust focal points of the objective lenses. The microscope further includes operation knobs mounted in a vicinity of the focusing handles and configured to move by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, and an operating-force transmitting mechanism provided between the operation knobs and the revolving nosepiece and configured to transmit, when the operation knobs move, operating force to the revolving nosepiece to cause the movable member to move so that the objective lenses can be switched from one to the other through a single moving operation of the operation knobs by the predetermined amount. |
| US08223427B2 |
Method of fixing polarization-reversed region formed in ferroelectric single crystal
A method of fixing a polarization-reversed region formed in a ferroelectric single crystal, including preparing a ferroelectric single crystal having a polarization-reversed region; and irradiating an ion beam or a neutral beam on the ferroelectric single crystal. The ferroelectric single crystal is a substantially stoichiometric lithium tantalate single crystal or a substantially stoichiometric lithium niobate single crystal, and the polarization-reversed region is fixed and any back switch and expansion of the polarization-reversed region are suppressed. |
| US08223422B2 |
Dual-purpose electrode/mirror design for optoelectronic devices in a focusing assembly
An electro-optic device with a doped semiconductor base and a plurality of pixels on the semiconductor base. Pixels include oppositely doped semiconductor layer and a top electrode formed on the oppositely doped semiconductor layer. The top electrode has a grid pattern with at least one busbar and a plurality of fingers extending from the busbar, and spacing between the fingers decreases with distance from the bondpad along the busbar. Each pixel can also include a multiple quantum well formed on the semiconductor base. The top electrode shape produces an approximately uniform lateral resistance in the pixel. An embodiment is a large area modulator for modulating retro-reflector systems, which typically use large area surface-normal modulators with large lateral current flow. Uniform resistance to each part of the modulator decreases location dependence of frequency response. A chirped grid electrode balances semiconductor sheet resistance and metal line resistance components of the series resistance. |
| US08223421B2 |
Shutter and camera module having same
A shutter includes a first insulating substrate, a first electrode layer, a second insulating substrate, a second electrode layer, and a light-blocking layer. The first electrode layer is formed on the first insulating substrate. The first electrode layer includes layer portions insulated from one another. The second electrode layer is formed on the second insulating substrate. The light-blocking layer is disposed between the first and second electrode layers. The light-blocking layer includes a liquid and opaque and charged balls movably distributed in the liquid. At least one layer portion is selected. The at least one selected layer portion and the second electrode layer are connected to respective positive voltage and negative voltage to generate an electric field to the charged balls. The charged balls are attracted by the electric field to arrange in a configuration corresponding to the at least one selected layer portion to block light. |
| US08223420B2 |
Cylindrical lens, optical beam scanning apparatus using apparatus the same, image forming apparatus, and method of manufacturing the lens
A cylindrical lens according to the present invention is a cylindrical lens of a bi-concave type in which both of a surface on which light is made incident and a surface from which the light is emitted are formed as concave surfaces, wherein, in at least one of the concave surfaces, both ends of the concave surface projecting to outer sides are formed to coincide with a plane, a normal of the plane being an optical axis of the cylindrical lens. |
| US08223418B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
A first optical system couples a light beam from a light source, including a first lens made of glass with a positive power and a second lens made of plastic with a negative power. A second optical system focuses the light beam from the first optical system onto a scanning surface and moves a light spot on the scanning surface in a main-scanning direction. One of an incidence plane and an output plane of the first lens is spherical while the other is spherical or flat. A cross-sectional plane of the second lens along one of the main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction has a non-arc shape on at least one of the incidence plane and the output plane. |
| US08223415B2 |
Scanning optical device
A scanning optical device that scans a light beam through a relay optical system, the relay optical system comprising: front group lenses arranged at a light source side; rear group lenses arranged at a side of a surface to be scanned; and first and second mirrors arranged between the front group lenses and the rear group lenses and supported by a common supporting member, wherein a normal vector of a mirror surface of the first mirror makes an angle (180−ω) with an incident optical axis from the front group lenses, a normal vector of the second mirror makes an angle α (α≠180×m) with the normal vector of the first mirror, and the supporting member includes a mechanism being linearly movable in a direction which makes an angle (ω−α+90) with the normal vector of the first mirror. |
| US08223409B2 |
Optical device, image reading apparatus and adjusting method for optical device
An optical device equipped with a mirror which reflects light, include a plurality of first receiving parts that touch one face of one of ends in a lengthwise direction of the mirror; a plurality of first pressing parts that touch a face opposing to the face to which the first receiving parts touch, and press the mirror with elastic force toward the first receiving parts. |
| US08223405B2 |
Contact image sensor and image reader
An image reader includes a casing, a contact glass plate, a contact image sensor, and a sliding mechanism; wherein the contact image sensor has a housing, a light source attached to the housing so as to face the contact glass plate, a plurality of light receiving elements attached to the housing so as to face the contact glass plate and aligned in parallel in a longitudinal direction of the housing, and a bearing formed integral to the housing at a position below a lower surface of the housing; and the sliding mechanism includes a guide shaft provided on the casing and extending in a short direction of the housing and inserted through the bearing, and an urging member elastically which urges the guide shaft toward the contact glass plate so that the housing is pressed against the contact glass plate. |
| US08223397B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
A preprocessing unit determines a feature of a brush pattern for each line of a background setting command to set a background, and selects a drawing processing method that enables a high speed drawing process from among a plurality of drawing processing methods based on the determined feature of the brush pattern. A post-processing unit performs a drawing process based on the drawing processing method selected by the preprocessing unit. |
| US08223394B2 |
Image-forming apparatus, image-forming method, and recording medium
An image-forming apparatus includes: a supply section that supplies image data; an image-forming section that forms on a continuous sheet a toner image according to the image data; a conveyor section that conveys the continuous sheet; and a control section that controls operations of the conveyor section and the image-forming section. If a first toner image according to first image data and a second toner image according to second image data are formed on the continuous sheet, the control section controls conveyance of the continuous sheet so as not to be halted until the second toner image is formed if the second image data is supplied before a predetermined time period elapses from when the first toner image is formed, or so as to be stopped if the second image data is not supplied before the predetermined time period elapses from when the first toner image is formed. |
| US08223392B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
According to a fine line detection processing, when for a subject pixel to be subjected to the fine line detection processing, a 3×3 matrix area centered on this subject pixel is set as a subject area. Point values “0” to “8” are assigned to the matrix elements constituting this 3×3 matrix subject area. Then, three pixels with the first, second, and third lowest brightness values are extracted from the subject area. When the total point value of the three extracted pixels is equal to “12”, the extracted pixels are determined as being in a connected state. Then, an intermediate value is calculated from the minimum and maximum values of brightness (Y) of pixels in the subject area. When the number of pixels with a brightness (Y) value smaller than the intermediate value is less than 4, the subject pixel is determined as being a fine-line pixel. A fine-line code is added to the subject pixel that is determined as being a fine-line pixel. By the fine line detection processing, even a one-dot fine line, which is difficult to detect during the edge part detection, can be detected with certitude. |
| US08223389B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program and storage medium therefor
An information processing apparatus separates an object from image data of a read document to allow the object to be reused, the apparatus and includes: a storing unit for storing a relative relationship between an object and the other objects included in the document in metadata as a first characteristic amount when the object is separated from the image data of the read document; a designating unit for receiving a designation of a size of a document to which the object is outputted and a designation of observation distance setting; an enlargement/reduction processing unit for performing enlargement/reduction processing on the stored object on the basis of the metadata and a second characteristic amount defined according to the size of the document and the observation distance setting; and a pasting unit for pasting the object subjected to the enlargement/reduction processing into image data of the document. |
| US08223388B2 |
Image data processor and image data processing program storage medium
It is judged whether or not impositioning is applied to an image, based on layout information. If the image is the imposed one, layout information (storage layout information) for each page constituting one impositioning and output joint information for impositioning based on the storage layout information are generated. A page raster for each page constituting an imposed image is saved without duplication. |
| US08223387B2 |
Image data processor and image data processing program storage medium
Based on layout information, in regard to a group of reusable objects appearing in a range from a lowermost layer to a layer immediately before a variable object appears in the order of arranging image objects, one new reusable object is generated for each group of pages on which reusable objects constituting the group of reusable objects are identical and have same arrangement positions, the new reusable object generated by merging the reusable objects constituting the group of reusable objects. Also new layout information is generated by replacing description of each of the reusable objects constituting the group of reusable objects in the layout information with description of the new reusable object corresponding to the group of reusable objects. |
| US08223386B2 |
Image forming apparatus with detecting devices for image positioning on reversed sheet
An image forming apparatus provided with an image forming section forming a reference mark at the position being away from the leading edge of the front surface of a sheet by a prescribed length, and forming an image for the front surface based on the forming position of the reference mark, a transfer sheet reversing section reversing the sheet, a leading edge detection sensor detecting the leading edge of the rear surface of the sheet and a mark detection sensor detecting the forming position of the reference mark on the sheet based on the leading edge of the rear surface of the transfer sheet, and the image forming section forms an image on the rear surface of the transfer sheet based on the forming position of the reference mark on the sheet whose reference point is the leading edge of the rear surface of the transfer sheet. |
| US08223384B1 |
Defining a print image in memory for handheld image translation devices
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for defining an image in a handheld imaging translation device are described herein. The image may be defined as a plurality of color planes having a plurality of bits, the bits of each color plane stored in consecutive memory addresses, and the color planes separated by a consistent offset, such that each bit and its associated bits are equally separated by the consistent offset. |
| US08223382B2 |
Printing apparatus and control method therefor
An object of this invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of reducing slanting displacement for high-quality image. To achieve this object, slant information of a printing element array (141, 142, 143, 144) in a printhead scanning direction is obtained. Image data used to print by one scanning of the printhead (11) is stored in a printing buffer (204). Image data of three columns used by the printing element array are stored in a transfer buffer (213). Image data of two successive columns out of the image data of three columns are read out from the transfer buffer (213), and image data of a column is selected based on the slant information. Image data of one column is newly read out from the printing buffer (204), and the data area of the transfer buffer corresponding to one column is rewritten. The selected image data is transferred to the printhead (11) for printing. |
| US08223380B2 |
Electronically transmitted document delivery through interaction with printed document
A system for delivering an electronic document is disclosed. The system has a printer for printing on a substrate user information indicative of a send instruction which is visible to a user and coded tags invisible to the user. A sensing device senses the coded tags when the sensing device is moved relative to the substrate by the user interacting with the user information. A computer system electronically captures a message composed with the sensing device via movement of the sensing device relative to a predetermined area on the substrate. The computer system determines the predetermined area on the substrate and electronically captures the message. When the sensing device senses coded tags coincident with the send instruction, the computer system transmits the message to a recipient address. |
| US08223379B2 |
Printers and printer systems having cellular input/output
A method includes accessing a cellularly configured printer with a cellular device; and cellularly sending the printer an indication of a resource that is to be printed by the printer, said resource comprising a network-accessible resource that does not reside on the printer and which the printer is to retrieve. |
| US08223377B2 |
Print workflow automation
Illustrative systems and methods provide a graphical user interface for establishing parameters for printing and finishing print jobs. In an illustrative system and method, print job parameters are defined, for example: by establishing print parameters corresponding to the position of a document in a print job and/or the position of a page in document; by establishing associations between values of fields in file names and print parameters; and by establishing associations between text at a particular position on a page of a document and print parameters. The user's inputs defining the printing and finishing parameters are stored in a file such as, for example, an XML file. The system retrieves the printing and finishing parameters and formats PDL and JCL commands which can be forwarded onto the printing and finishing system. |
| US08223374B2 |
Maintenance system of image forming apparatus and maintenance method of the same
A maintenance system of an image forming apparatus is composed of an image forming apparatus and a central management apparatus connected to it via a communication line. The image forming apparatus is composed of an image forming unit for forming an image, an information output unit for outputting intra-machine information of the image forming unit, a voice information input unit for inputting voice information of a user of the image forming unit, and a first communication controller for outputting the intra-machine information and voice information via the communication line. A central management apparatus is composed of a second communication controller connected to the communication line for inputting the intra-machine information and voice information which are outputted from the image forming apparatus, an emotional condition recognition unit for recognizing the emotional condition of the user of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the voice information received by the second communication controller, a support data storage unit for storing beforehand support information corresponding to the intra-machine information and emotional condition, a main controller for extracting the corresponding support information from the support information storage unit on the basis of the intra-machine information received by the second communication controller and the emotional condition of the user recognized by the emotional condition recognition unit, and an input/output unit for reporting the support information extracted by the main controller to an operator. |
| US08223372B2 |
Printing system, image forming apparatus, web page printing method, and computer-readable storage medium for computer program
An image forming apparatus is provided with: a job data reception processing portion that receives a command to print a web page and a conditional expression used to search for that web page from a terminal; a print execution processing portion that causes a printing device to print a web page based on the received command; a web browser portion that causes a search engine to search for a web page based on the received conditional expression and receives the results of that search; and a window display processing portion that causes the obtained results to be displayed in a display. The web browser portion furthermore obtains a web page selected by a user from the displayed results, and the print execution processing portion causes the printing device to print the obtained web page. |
| US08223370B2 |
Information processing system, program, recording medium, and history information displaying method
When a transmission history such as a job is displayed, specific information is quickly retrieved from the transmission history by displaying an image included in the transmission history as a thumbnail. An information processing system includes an MFP that includes a function of transmitting image data and a client PC that instructs transmission of the image data to the MFP and the MFP and the client PC are connected to each other through a network. The client PC includes an HDD that stores therein, for each transmission job, a transmission history that includes image data that the client PC instructs the MFP to transmit, a history data creating portion that creates a thumbnail image by converting the image data of the stored transmission history into a thumbnail, and a display data control portion that causes the thumbnail image created by the history data creating portion to be displayed. |
| US08223367B2 |
Document processing apparatus and method for creating an image of information identifying a document
A document processing apparatus includes: a storage that stores a manner of a document on which a document processing is performed in a series of tasks; a creating unit that creates an instructing image including an image of information identifying the document, an image of the manner, and an image of a first entry column on which an information indicating that a manner of an actual document is different from the stored manner is entered; an output unit that outputs the instructing image; a receiving unit that receives a read-instructing image corresponding to the instructing image, the read-instructing image being read by an image reading device; an extracting unit that extracts first information entered on a second entry column provided in the read-instructing image and second information identifying the document; and a storage that correlates the first information and the second information, and that stores the correlated information. |
| US08223363B2 |
Universal print driver with best fit discovery
A universal print driver allows an application program to print to any printer available on a network without the user having to perform the configuration that is required in conventional printing arrangements. The universal print driver includes functionality for performing printing device discovery to determine printing devices that are available to process print data. The universal print driver allows users to manage options and settings for printing devices through the universal print driver. The universal print driver may also be configured with a “best fit” matching function that selects an available printing device to process print data that has characteristics that most closely match user-specified characteristics. The universal print driver generates a graphical user interface that allows users to view printing devices available to process print data and to select options and settings for printing devices. |
| US08223360B2 |
Image data processing system, control apparatus, image converting program and method
An image data processing system comprises: a first storing unit that previously stores an apparatus information corresponding to an image recording apparatus; a determining unit that determines whether or not the apparatus information stored in the first storing unit is in a predetermined range of values; a notifying unit that notifies whether or not a content of the apparatus information is normal based on a result determined by the determining unit; an instruction acquiring unit that acquires an instruction indicating whether or not an image data is converted by using the apparatus information stored in the first storing unit; a converting unit that converts an image data based on the instruction; and an image data supplying unit that supplies the image data to the image recording apparatus corresponding to the apparatus information. |
| US08223356B2 |
Printing service ordering system and ordering method
An image reading device reads an original document image and generates original document data, and sends a job made up of the generated original document data and first information necessary for processing to be performed at a service providing device based on this original document data, to the service providing device, and further, notifies an information processing device or the user of the information processing device, of the job identification information of the job that has been sent. The information processing device acquires the job identification information notified thereto and sends, to the service providing device, second information necessary for the processing to be performed at the service providing device relating to the job corresponding to the job identification information. This improves the operational functionality in the case of sending read image data directly from an image reading device to a service providing device on the Internet. |
| US08223355B2 |
Cellular telephone protocol adaptive printing
A cellular telephone protocol adaptive printing method is provided. An example method may include identifying a cellular telephone print item to print, identifying a print data transmission protocol for transmitting from a cellular telephone to an image forming device via a wireless communication link, identifying print job elements to process according to the print data transmission protocol, selectively processing the print job elements according to the print data transmission protocol, and processing the print job elements into a print job. In one example, the method includes transmitting the print job to an image forming device.It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the application. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be employed to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims 37 CFR 1.72(b). |
| US08223354B2 |
Printing apparatus capable of performing confidential printing and printing method for use therein
An printing apparatus capable of maintaining confidentiality of a printed matter more reliably. Where a confidential print command is received, when user identification information for a user who issued the confidential print command is read from a recording medium such as an IC card by a reader, the printing apparatus puts the execution of the print processing pertaining to the confidential print command on hold if print processing based on a command issued by a user other than the user who issued the confidential print command via operation of an operation unit is being executed, and it begins the execution of the print processing pertaining to the confidential print command if print processing based on a command issued by a user other than the user who issued said confidential print command via operation of the operation unit is not being executed. |
| US08223350B2 |
System and method for minimizing visibility of print defects
A printing system and method is provided including a printer having an print marking means for printing a printer-ready document, including transferring or applying an image associated with the printer-ready document to a substrate; and a processor assembly in operative communication with the printer. The processor assembly executes application software for receiving a print job request including the printer-ready document. The processor assembly includes a module for accessing print defect data indicating location and color separation information on the print marking means which corresponds to a detected print defect; and a module for modifying the printing in accordance with the print defect data for minimizing visibility of the detected print defect in the printer-ready document once printed. |
| US08223348B2 |
Media identification system with sensor array
A printing system includes a media input location for storing a recording medium prior to transport within the printing system for subsequent printing; a light source directed toward an extended region of the media input location; an array of photosensors restricted to only a substantially perpendicular movement relative to a plane of the media input location; and an optical path including a first optical path section from the light source to the extended region of the media input location and a second optical path section from the extended region of the media input location to the array of photosensors. |
| US08223343B2 |
Interferometric confocal microscope
The invention concerns a confocal microscope for imaging a sample comprising at least a light source, said microscope comprising at least an objective and a tube lens with an image focus, said microscope comprising interference means constructed to generate interference figures from said light source, characterized in that said interference means comprising first image generation means constructed to generate a first image of said light source, second image generation means constructed to generate a second image of said light source symmetrical to the first image relative to the image focus, image interference means constructed to make said first image and said second image interfere. |
| US08223342B2 |
Methods and systems for measuring target movement with an interferometer
Systems and methods are disclosed for an interferometer system. An interferometer system may comprise a plurality of light sources, wherein each light source of the plurality is configured to transmit a source beam. The interferometer system may also include an interferometer including a polarizing beam splitter and a reference reflector. The interferometer is configured to receive the source beam and transmit a measurement beam to a target reflector and a reference beam to the reference reflector. Additionally, the interferometer system may include a plurality of receivers, wherein each receiver of the plurality is associated with a light source and configured to receive a mixed beam comprising a reflected measurement beam and a reflected reference beam. Moreover, the interferometer is configured to receive at least one source beam at an angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to a side of the interferometer configured to receive the source beam. |
| US08223341B2 |
System and method for enhancing signal-to-noise ratio of a resonator fiber optic gyroscope
A resonator fiber optic gyroscope includes a sensing resonator having a first resonance frequency for a first laser beam propagation direction and a second resonance frequency for a second laser beam propagation direction; an intensity modulator coupled to an output of the sensing resonator and configured to modulate the intensity of a signal output from the sensing resonator, wherein the intensity modulator modulates the output signal at an intensity modulation frequency; and resonance tracking electronics coupled to an output of the intensity modulator and configured to demodulate the intensity modulated signal output from the intensity modulator at a resonance tracking modulation frequency to produce a first demodulated signal; the resonance tracking electronics further configured to demodulate the first demodulated signal at the intensity modulation frequency, wherein the intensity modulation frequency is different from the resonance tracking modulation frequency. |
| US08223340B2 |
Laser-driven optical gyroscope having a non-negligible source coherence length
A fiber-optic sensor, a method of configuring a fiber-optic sensor, and a method of using a fiber-optic sensor are provided. The fiber-optic sensor includes an optical fiber coil having a length and a laser source optically coupled to the coil. The laser source has a coherence length. Light from the source is transmitted to the coil as a first signal propagating along the coil in a first direction and a second signal propagating along the coil in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The optical paths of the first signal and the second signal are substantially reciprocal with one another and the first signal and the second signal are combined together after propagating through the coil to generate a third signal. The coherence length is greater than 1 meter or is in a range between 200 microns and 10 centimeters. |
| US08223339B1 |
Scanning spectroscopy modulation for frequency domain spectral analysis
A method for analyzing an optical signal comprising: directing the optical signal into a scanning spectrometer system comprising a variable-wavelength filter and a detector; continuously modulating the variable-wavelength filter at a given modulation frequency to produce a time-based waveform; measuring the time-based waveform with the detector; converting the time-based waveform into a frequency spectrum comprising harmonics of the modulation frequency; and comparing the harmonics of the modulation frequency to premeasured harmonic spectra in a reference database. |
| US08223336B2 |
Method for converting digital color images
A method for characterizing a color in terms of tristimulus values, the method includes providing a source of a color; measuring a set of spectral values for color stimulus associated with the color using a spectral measurement device controlled by a digital processing system; calculating a first set of tristimulus values from the set of spectral values; defining a set of human observer color matching functions, the set of human observer color matching functions being functions of the tristimulus values; and determining a second set of tristimulus values from the set of spectral values using set of human observer color matching functions. |
| US08223330B2 |
Nanostructures and lithographic method for producing highly sensitive substrates for surface-enhanced spectroscopy
A method for producing planar extended electrodes with nanoscale spacings that exhibit very large SERS signals, with each nanoscale gap having one well-defined hot spot. The resulting highly sensitive substrate has extended metal electrodes separated by a nanoscale gap. The electrodes act as optical antennas to enhance dramatically the local electromagnetic field for purposes of spectroscopy or nonlinear optics. SERS response is consistent with a very small number of molecules in the hotspot, showing blinking and wandering of Raman lines. Sensitivity is sufficiently high that SERS from physisorbed atmospheric contaminants may be detected after minutes of exposure to ambient conditions. |
| US08223329B2 |
Endpoint detection device for realizing real-time control of plasma reactor, plasma reactor with endpoint detection device, and endpoint detection method
An endpoint detection device, a plasma reactor with the endpoint detection device, and an endpoint detection method are provided. The endpoint detection device includes an OES data operation unit, a data selector, a product generator, an SVM, and an endpoint determiner. The OES data operation unit processes reference OES data by normalization and PCA. The data selector selects part of the linear reference loading vectors and selects part of the selected linear reference loading vectors. The product generator outputs at least one reference product value. The SVM performs regression and outputs a prediction product value. The endpoint determiner detects a process wafer etch or deposition endpoint and outputs a detection signal. |
| US08223326B2 |
Dark-field examination device
The present invention relates to a dark-field examination device. The dark-field examination device according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises: an illumination unit for irradiating light towards an examination object on a base; a reflection unit for reflecting, back towards the examination object, incident light which has been reflected by means of the examination object or incident light which has passed through the base; and an imaging unit for imaging the examination object by receiving light which has been scattered by means of the examination object, and in that the illumination unit, the reflection unit and the imaging unit are arranged in such a way that part of the light which has been irradiated from the illumination unit is scattered by means of the examination object and falls incident upon the imaging unit while another part of the light which has been irradiated from the illumination unit falls incident upon the reflection unit, and the light reflected back towards the examination object by means of the reflection unit is scattered by means of the examination object and falls incident upon the imaging unit. |
| US08223322B2 |
Visual appearance measurement method and system for randomly and regularly arranged birefringent fibers
A method for measuring visual appearance of birefringent fibers is disclosed. The method involves emitting light, creating N polarization states of the emitted light, wherein the polarized emitted light illuminates the birefringent fibers, thereby generating internal reflection components, external reflection components, and diffusion components of the light, observing the light from the illuminated birefringent fibers, creating N polarization states of the observed light, forming N images of the observed polarized light, each image comprising a plurality of pixels, measuring the intensity in each pixel of the N images, and for each pixel, separating the internal reflection component, the external reflection component, and the diffusion component from the i-th image for the N images, wherein i=1, 2, . . . N and N≧4. |
| US08223318B2 |
Illuminating optical apparatus, exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
An illumination optical apparatus is able to quickly perform switching between polarization states of illumination light in a first region and in a second region. The illumination optical apparatus of the present invention for illuminating a surface to be illuminated on the basis of light from a light source is provided with an optical integrator of a wavefront division type arranged in an optical path between the light source and the surface to be illuminated and including a plurality of wavefront division regions; and a polarization changing member for changing a polarization state of at least one beam out of a beam incident to a first region in the wavefront division regions of the optical integrator and a beam incident to a second region in the wavefront division regions of the optical integrator. |
| US08223313B2 |
Light intensity distribution measurement apparatus and measurement method, and exposure apparatus
A measurement apparatus which illuminates a pattern inserted on the object plane of an optical system, and measures a light intensity distribution corresponding to the pattern formed on the image plane of the optical system includes a sensor. The sensor includes a light-shielding member having a slit and a plurality of light-receiving units, wherein the light-shielding member is inserted on the image plane of the optical system and rotates and scans, and the plurality of light-receiving units receive light transmitted through the slit. The measurement apparatus controls rotation of the light-shielding member, on the basis of the positional relationship between the plurality of light-receiving units, and the phase differences between the signals detected by the plurality of light-receiving units arising from the scan of the light-shielding member. |
| US08223310B2 |
Liquid crystal device, method of manufacturing liquid crystal device and electronic apparatus
Provided is a liquid crystal device including a first substrate and a second substrate which face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein a plurality of columnar spacers for maintaining a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate is arranged on a surface of a liquid crystal layer side of the first surface, and spacer reception portions are arranged on a surface of a liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate in regions which face the columnar spacers, and wherein the spacer reception portions include contact reception portions which are in contact with the columnar spacers and non-contact reception portions which are not in contact with the columnar spacers. |
| US08223309B2 |
Display panel having different thickness of alignment layers in different regions
A display panel provided with a first region and a second region includes an active device array substrate, an opposite substrate, a display medium between the active device array substrate and the opposite substrate and a conductive member. The active device array substrate includes an active device array, a pad located in the second region and a first alignment layer covering the first region and the second region. The opposite substrate includes an electrode layer and a second alignment layer covering the electrode layer. The ratio of a thickness of the first or second alignment layer in the second region to that in the first region is substantially greater than zero and less than or equal to about 0.43. The conductive member is located in the second region and corresponding to the pad and penetrates the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer to connect the electrode layer and the pad. |
| US08223308B2 |
Method and device for dispensing sealant and LCD panel
The method for dispensing sealant comprises: preparing an inner-side sealant that comprises a light curing sealant or a first mixture of a light curing sealant and a thermal curing sealant in which the content of the light curing sealant is more than that of the thermal curing sealant; preparing an outer-side sealant that comprises a thermal curing sealant or a second mixture of a light curing sealant and a thermal curing sealant in which the composition of the light curing sealant is less than or equal to that of the thermal curing sealant; simultaneously dispensing the inner-side sealant and the outer-side sealant onto a substrate along four edges of the substrate by using a device for dispensing sealant so that one side of the inner-side sealant abuts the sealed liquid crystal materials and the other side thereof integrates with the outer-side sealant. |
| US08223307B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate and liquid crystal display device having the same
A liquid crystal display device with a display region and a non-display region surrounding the display region, the liquid crystal display device comprising: a first substrate; a second substrate which faces the first substrate; and a liquid crystal layer which is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, the first substrate comprising: a first insulating substrate; gate and data lines which are formed on the first insulating substrate and intersecting each other; a pixel thin film transistor formed on the display region and electrically connected to the gate and data lines; a pixel electrode electrically connected to the pixel thin film transistor; a gate driver formed on the non-display region and connected to the gate line to drive the gate line; and a direct current (DC)/DC converter formed on the non-display region and comprises a converter thin film transistor and a capacitance part; the capacitance part includes: a first capacitance part which comprises a first electrode, a first dielectric layer formed on the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the first dielectric layer; and a second capacitance part which comprises the second electrode, a second dielectric layer formed on the second electrode, and a third electrode formed on the second dielectric layer. |
| US08223306B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a plurality of pixel regions each of which is surrounded by a pair of gate signal lines and a pair of the drain signal lines. Each of the pixel regions includes a first electrode and a second electrode formed on one substrate and each of the pixel regions is constituted of a first region and a second region which are arranged in a direction in which the pair of the drain signal lines extend. In the pixel region, the first electrode is formed in a planar shape and below an insulation film, and the second electrode has a plurality of linear parts which extend linearly and are arranged with respect to each other and is formed above the insulation film. |
| US08223298B2 |
LCD based polarization, phase and amplitude spatial light modulator
An optical pulse shaper includes an optical delay line; a spatial light modulator placed at the Fourier plane of the optical delay line having a spectral amplitude spatial light modulator; a spectral phase and polarization ellipticity spatial light modulator; and a spectral polarization rotator; and a controller configured to independently control an amplitude, a phase and polarization ellipticity, and a linear polarization of an optical pulse. A method for shaping an optical pulse is also provided. |
| US08223296B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device having the same
A backlight unit for an LCD device produces a more uniform brightness by reducing or preventing bright lines occurring at the location of each LED device. The backlight unit includes a plurality of light guide plates which are arranged to overlap with an incident portion of adjacent light guide plate to at least partially cover the LED array. Accordingly, the backlight unit can prevent the generation of bright lines and hot spots caused when the light guide plate does not cover the LED array. As a result, the LCD device may improve images of uniform brightness. |
| US08223294B2 |
Electronic device
Disclosed is an electronic device which is formed thin while maintaining good display by a liquid crystal display unit. Specifically disclosed is an electronic device wherein a main substrate (130) mounted with an electronic component is so arranged as to face a reflecting sheet (126) which is formed on the back surface of a liquid crystal display unit (110). A flexible substrate (140) arranged between the liquid crystal display unit (110) and the main substrate (130) is connected to a surface (132) of the main substrate (130), which surface (132) is on the side of the reflecting sheet (126). A protective sheet (150) covering the reflecting sheet (126) is interposed between the flexible substrate (140) and the reflecting sheet (126). |
| US08223291B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of assembling the same
A liquid crystal display (LCD) which can prevent electronic elements from being short-circuited due to a detachment of a printed circuit board (PCB). The LCD includes a liquid crystal panel which displays an image, a first container which is disposed below the liquid crystal panel and includes one or more first protrusions that are formed on an outer surface of a sidewall of the first container, a printed circuit board (PCB) which is electrically connected to the liquid crystal panel via a plurality of connection elements, wherein the PCB is held to the sidewall of the first container, and includes one or more coupling holes that respectively correspond to and receive the first protrusions. The LCD includes a second container which covers the periphery of the liquid crystal panel, the first container and the PCB and the second container includes one or more second protrusions that are formed on a sidewall of the second container and respectively correspond to the first protrusions. |
| US08223290B2 |
Liquid crystal display with one of subpixel electrodes being offset with respect to other
A liquid crystal display includes a substrate, a plurality of a gate line and a plurality of a data line disposed on the substrate, a plurality of a thin film transistor each connected to a gate line and a data line, a plurality of a pixel electrode each connected to a thin film transistor, a common electrode facing the pixel electrodes, and a liquid crystal layer between the pixel electrodes and the common electrode. Each of the pixel electrodes includes a first longitudinal edge adjacent to a first data line and a second longitudinal edge adjacent to a second data line adjacent to the first data line. A first distance between an edge of the first longitudinal edge and the first data line is larger than a second distance between the second longitudinal edge and an edge of the second data line. |
| US08223288B2 |
Flat panel display and fabricating method thereof
A flat panel display device includes a gate line and a data line crossing each other to define a pixel area, a pixel electrode in the pixel area, and a thin film transistor having a gate electrode connected to the gate line, a source electrode connected to the data line, and a drain electrode connected to the pixel electrode, wherein the gate line has at least two or more separated gate line portions where the gate line crosses the data line. |
| US08223282B2 |
Display apparatus and driving method thereof
A display apparatus including a plurality of gate lines, a data line intersecting the plurality of gate lines; a first pixel unit connected with a n-th gate line of the plurality of gate lines and the data line. A second pixel unit connected with a (n+1)-th gate line of the plurality of gate lines; and a coupling capacitor disposed between the first pixel unit and the second pixel unit, wherein the first pixel unit comprises a first liquid crystal capacitor and a first thin film transistor (TFT), the second pixel unit comprises a second liquid crystal capacitor and a second thin film transistor (TFT), and a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second TFT are connected with both electrodes of the coupling capacitor, respectively. |
| US08223281B2 |
Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
An array substrate for an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a gate line disposed along a first direction on the substrate, a data line disposed along a second direction and crossing the gate line to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, pixel electrodes disposed in the pixel region and connected to the thin film transistor, common electrodes disposed in the pixel region and alternating with the pixel electrodes, a semiconductor layer underlying the data line and including a portion having a width greater than a width of the data line, and a first blocking pattern comprising an opaque material and disposed under the semiconductor layer. |
| US08223278B2 |
Display device having a touch screen panel
A display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, pads, a first flexible circuit board, and a second flexible circuit board. The first substrate includes a first insulating substrate, a first resistance layer formed on the first insulating substrate, and first and second signal lines formed on the first insulating substrate. The second substrate faces the first substrate and includes a second insulating substrate, a second resistance layer formed on the second insulating substrate, and third and fourth signal lines formed on the second insulating substrate. The pads comprise a first pad connected to the first signal line, a second pad connected to the second signal line, a third pad connected to the third signal line, and a fourth pad connected to the fourth signal line. The first flexible circuit board is connected to two of the pads and the second flexible circuit board is connected to the other two pads. |
| US08223277B2 |
Display device and display method
A display device displays a D-seat image and a P-seat image on a display screen in a time-sharing manner, and forms a non-display state by inserting a black image BL or the like when changing the viewing angle of the display screen by controlling a liquid crystal shutter provided on the display screen in synchronization with the switching between the D-seat image and the P-seat image. With this display device, it is possible to prevent the image in one field of view from entering the other field of view, even if there are differences in the switching timing of the liquid crystal shutter. |
| US08223273B2 |
Video transmission apparatus and video transmission method
According to one embodiment, a video transmission apparatus includes a detection unit which detects a communication quality level of a wireless communication channel which wirelessly connects a display device and the video transmission apparatus, a start control unit which starts a process of transmitting video data to the display device via the wireless communication channel if the detected communication quality level exceeds a first threshold value and a hot plug detect signal is received in a state in which transmission of the video data to the display device is stopped, and a stop control unit which stops the transmission of the video data to the display device if the detected communication quality level falls below a second threshold value, which is lower than the first threshold value, in a state in which the process of transmitting the video data to the display device is being executed. |
| US08223263B2 |
Digital camera
A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 133 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 133 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein the microcomputer 110 controls so that, when the live view mode is set, the digital camera comes out of the live view mode, and setting information on the digital camera is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 150, in accordance with the manipulation of the manipulation portion 140. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced. |
| US08223257B2 |
Focal plane shutter, photographing apparatus including the same, and photographing method for the photographing apparatus
A focal plane shutter, a photographing apparatus including the same, and a photographing method for the photographing apparatus are provided. More specifically, provided are a focal plane shutter, which is easily manufactured and controlled because of its simple mechanical structure and can offer a live view function, a photographing apparatus including the focal plane shutter, and a photographing method for the photographing apparatus. The focal plane shutter includes a front curtain and a rear curtain for moving relative to each other to expose and conceal the focal plane shutter, a cam for independently controlling movements of the front curtain and the rear curtain, a front curtain lever interposed between the front curtain and the cam to transmit movement of the cam to the front curtain, and a rear curtain lever interposed between the rear curtain and the cam to transmit movement of the cam to the rear curtain. |
| US08223248B2 |
Image sensor module having a semiconductor chip, a holder and a coupling member
An image sensor module is presented which includes a semiconductor chip, a holder and a coupling member. The semiconductor chip has a semiconductor chip body; an image sensing section over the semiconductor chip body; and bonding pads on the semiconductor chip body. The holder is mounted over the semiconductor chip and has an insulation section over the semiconductor chip body; connection patterns on the insulation section which are electrically coupled to the bonding pads; and a transparent cover over the image sensing section which is connected to the insulation section. The coupling member is interposed between the holder and the semiconductor chip for coupling together the holder to the semiconductor chip. |
| US08223247B2 |
Method for calculating shift amount of image pickup element and image pickup element
A method for calculating a shift amount of a microlens from a position of a light receiving element arranged in a pixel of an image pickup element is provided. The microlens collects incident light from an image pickup lens. The method comprises: acquiring an incident angle characteristic value indicating a relation between an arranged position of the pixel and an incident angle of the incident light to the pixel; calculating a sampled shift amount of the microlens from the position of the light receiving element corresponding the incident angle characteristic value based on light collection efficiency of the incident light; approximating the sampled shift amount by a second or higher order function to calculate a shift amount characteristic function indicating a relation between the arranged position and the shift amount; and calculating the shift amount of the pixel using the shift amount characteristic function. |
| US08223244B2 |
Modulated light image capturing apparatus, image capturing method and program
There is provided an image capturing apparatus including a light receiving section that receives light from an object, an optical system that passes the light from the object therethrough so as to cause the light receiving section to receive the light from the object, where the optical system includes an optical modulating section which causes an optical transfer function of the light from the object to remain substantially constant at a position where the light receiving section is provided on condition that an object distance of the object falls within a predetermined range in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the optical system, a diaphragm section that blocks at least partially the light from the object to be received by the light receiving section, a light quantity detecting section that detects a quantity of the light from the object, and an image capturing control section that, when the light quantity detected by the light quantity detecting section is smaller than a predetermined light quantity, (i) sets an aperture size of the diaphragm section so as to be larger than a predetermined value and (ii) causes the light receiving section to receive the light from the object at least part of which is modulated by the optical modulating section. |
| US08223241B2 |
Self shot camera
A camera for facilitating multi-positioned photography, wherein the camera includes a housing and a lens. The camera also includes a pair of control interfaces disposed on the top side and the bottom side of the housing. In addition, the camera includes a pair of flashes oppositely disposed on the front side of the housing. Furthermore, the camera may include a pair of display modules disposed on the front side and the back side of the housing. The camera includes an orientation module and a control module, configured to control an aspect of functionality of the camera according to the orientation information from the orientation module. The control module includes a self-shot module configured to automate a setting while taking a self photo. |
| US08223236B2 |
Apparatus and method for image recording
Apparatuses and methods which involve reading out an image sensor comprising an array of light-sensitive sensor elements are disclosed. In an embodiment, the light-sensitive sensor elements are grouped into a plurality of consecutive sensor element groups, and in an embodiment reading out the light-sensitive sensor elements is performed groupwise in an at least partially not according to the consecutive order of the groups. |
| US08223232B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method
An image processing method includes the following steps. First, noise of a first image is filtered, and the first image is converted to obtain a luminance signal. Second, the first image is stored and outputted. Third, a color space converting process is performed upon the first image according to the luminance signal to obtain a second image. Fourth, a linear computing is performed upon the second image to obtain a third image. Fifth, the color space converting process is performed according to a third image and the luminance signal to obtain and output a fourth image. Sixth, an error compensation is performed upon the first image and the fourth image, and the fourth image is outputted. Accordingly, a linear operating process and error compensation processing is performed upon the single image to filter the noise of the image, and thus a load of the system is reduced. |
| US08223225B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method, and recording medium for reducing noise in an image
An image processing method, apparatus and program for reducing noise in an image. The apparatus includes a low-frequency component extraction unit extracting a first low-frequency component from first image data, a noise reduction unit obtaining a second low-frequency component by applying a noise reduction filter to the first low-frequency component or data obtained by processing the first low-frequency component, a high-frequency component extraction unit extracting a first high-frequency component from the first images data and either one of the second low-frequency component and data obtained by processing the second low-frequency component, and the first image data, a high-frequency component tuning unit obtaining a second high-frequency component by tuning the first high-frequency component, and an image synthesis unit obtaining second image data by combining either one of the second low-frequency component and the data obtained by processing the second low-frequency component with the second high-frequency component. |
| US08223224B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with same
A zoom lens comprises first and fourth units which don't move for zooming, and second and third units moved during zooming. The first unit includes a front side partial unit which don't move for focusing, a movable partial unit moved for focusing, and a rear side partial unit which don't move for focusing, the rear side partial unit includes positive lenses and one or more negative lenses, and the following conditions are satisfied: −1.2×10−3<(θpa−θn)/(νpa−νn), and νn<30, where νn is the smallest Abbe number of the material of the negative lenses, θn is the partial dispersion ratio of the material of the negative lens of the smallest Abbe number, νpa is the average of the Abbe numbers ν of the materials of positive lenses, and θpa is the average of the partial dispersion ratio θ of the materials of the positive lenses. |
| US08223222B2 |
Image storing-transferring method and apparatus, image processing method, image processing system, and image processor
Disclosed herein is a method of storing or transferring an image along with an image-processing parameter for processing the image. When storing or transferring a second image for storage or transfer which has a second resolution for storage or transfer differing from a reference resolution, a reference image-processing parameter set according to a reference resolution image having the reference resolution is corrected based on a difference between the reference resolution and the second resolution, so that it becomes a second parameter corresponding to the second image. The second parameter obtained by the correction is stored or transferred along with the second image. |
| US08223220B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and information storage medium
Provided is an image processing device, an image processing method, and a program which can prevent a total processing time from significantly increasing while maintaining precision of image processing at a high level, where an image acquiring section sequentially acquires images generated by imaging a predetermined subject to be imaged; an image processing executing section executes, in each of sequentially-arriving processing periods, image processing on the image acquired by the image acquiring section; a preprocessing execution result output section outputs an execution result of preprocessing performed on the image in part of the sequentially-arriving processing periods, the image having been acquired by the image acquiring section before the part of the sequentially-arriving processing periods; an execution result holding section keeps holding the execution result output by the preprocessing execution result output section at least until the execution result is output next time by the preprocessing execution result output section; and the image processing executing section executes the image processing by applying the execution result held in the execution result holding section to the image acquired by the image acquiring section. |
| US08223217B2 |
Solid state shutter devices and methods
Disclosed are methods and devices for solid state electronically switched optical shutters of cameras and other devices. The disclosed non-mechanical camera shutter includes an electronically controlled material that provides optical density variation, to transition the shutter from being open to being closed. The layer of electronically controlled material is configured to change from substantially to transparent to substantially opaque, without scattering, by changing the state of the material. The transmittance period is the period of time that the layer changes transmittance from approximately 100% to approximately 0%. Electronic circuitry is in communication with a timing control module that is configured to provide a signal output to a transparent conductive layer proximal to the layer of electronically controlled material to initiate a change in its transmissivity. The described electronically switched optical component would add little or no additional bulk to a small camera. |
| US08223216B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus in which auto-selecting of an object to be prioritized from among a plurality of detected objects is capable more appropriately. A characteristic detecting unit detects a previously set characteristic portion of an object from an image signal constituting a moving image. A control unit sets a priority to each characteristic portion when a plurality of the characteristic portions are detected by the characteristic detecting unit and also sets a high priority to a characteristic portion being detected for a long period of time. |
| US08223213B2 |
Wireless and CCTV megapixel digital camera for surveillance and unmanned air vehicles
A system for Unmanned Air Vehicles and security applications that enables the use of a megapixels commercial digital camera with high resolution stills picturing capability, integrated with a camera control interface unit, long range wireless analog video link or CCTV link having 5 MHz bandwidth, but still able to transmit the high resolution pictures in full, by breaking the megapixels stored picture of the digital camera to a multitude of “subpictures”, each limited in resolution and 5 Mhz bandwidth.The wireless received analog video “subpictures” stream feed a P.C with frame grabber and software that reconstruct the complete megapixels picture. |
| US08223211B2 |
Digital photographing apparatus, method of controlling the same, and recording medium storing a program for implementing the method
A digital photographing apparatus, a method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus, and a recording medium storing a program for implementing the method are provided in a manner by which a user can enjoy maximized convenience in manipulating the digital photographing apparatus. The method includes (a) determining a motion direction of the digital photographing apparatus by analyzing image data obtained from light that is incident on an imaging device; and (b) switching from a current mode of the digital photographing apparatus to another mode corresponding to the motion direction determined in (a). |
| US08223210B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmission, apparatus and method for production, program, and recording medium
Transmit data composed by linking to main data representing an image and/or audio accessory information including frame rate information and frame identification information of each frame included in a reference frame period is generated and output. If the main data is reproduced using this transmit data, a variable reproduction speed range is set based on the frame rate information. In accordance with a specified reproduction speed within the variable reproduction speed range, thinning-out or repeating processing is performed on the data of image and/or audio utilizing the frame identification information, thereby making a reproduction speed of the main data variable easily to generate image signals or audio signals. |
| US08223202B2 |
Airborne reconnaissance system
The present invention relates to an airborne reconnaissance system for capturing images in a wide field of regard which comprises: (a) An array of a plurality of n prisms being one next to the other, each prism having an essentially flat and rectangular front surface, and at least an output surface wherein: (a1) a front surface of each of the plurality of prism is being directed toward a different section of a strip of terrain transversal to the flight direction of the aircraft, thereby collecting light rays coming mostly from that terrain strip section; (a2) each output surface of each of the prisms directs light rays which are received through said front prism surface toward a front lens of an optical unit; (b) A focal plane array; (c) Optical unit comprising a front lens, the front lens receiving light separately but simultaneously through the output surfaces of all the prisms, said optical unit comprises addition optics for directing the light received from said lens thereby to produce separate corresponding prism images on said focal plane array; (d) Control unit for periodically capturing all the images that are produced on the focal plane array at each instant, and transferring them into an electronic storage; and (e) Processing and combining unit for processing and combining all the separate stored prism images into a full image of the terrain relating to said wide field of regard. |
| US08223196B2 |
Projector systems and methods for producing digitally augmented, interactive cakes and other food products
A method for digitally augmenting or enhancing a food product such as the surface or top of a cake or other edible object. The method includes generating an augmentation media file based on a projection surface of the food product such as a digital movie or image that is mapped to the 3D topography of projection surface and that is projected on the food product using a properly aligned projector. Interactivity is provided by having the method include determining a modification or change of the 3D topography of the projection surface and, based upon the modification, generating a modified augmentation media file and operating the projector to use the modified augmentation media file to project a modified projected image on the food product. The method further provides interactivity by detecting a user interaction with the projection surface and generating a modified augmentation media file based on this tracked interaction. |
| US08223195B2 |
Three-dimensional image pickup apparatus, three-dimensional display apparatus, three-dimensional image pickup and display apparatus and information recording method
A three-dimensional image pickup apparatus, a three-dimensional display apparatus and a three-dimensional image pickup and display apparatus are disclosed by which high-definition three-dimensional display from a plurality of eye points of different directions can be achieved by a simple apparatus configuration. The incoming directions and the intensities of a plurality of lights incoming from different directions to a light reception section are coordinated with each other for individual pixels to form video signals. A light emission section emits lights based on a coordinated relationship between the outgoing directions and the intensities of lights to be emitted therefrom for the individual pixels. The light incoming directions and the light outgoing directions are time-divisionally selected by means of light path selection elements, and a plurality of pixels are formed to pick up and display images having a parallax. |
| US08223192B2 |
Free viewpoint video
A method of remotely viewing a video from a selected viewpoint selected by the viewer from a continuous segment, including, recording a video of a subject using at least one depth video camera that records a video comprising a sequence of picture frames and additionally records a depth value for each pixel of the picture frames, recording a video of the subject using at least one standard video camera positioned to record a video at a viewpoint that differs from the viewpoint of the depth video camera, rendering a depth hull that defines a three dimensional outline of the subject being recorded using the depth values recorded by the depth video cameras, providing the recorded video from one or more cameras positioned on either side of the selected viewpoint, incorporating the recorded video from the one or more cameras onto the rendered depth hull to render a viewable video from the selected viewpoint; and displaying the rendered viewable video to the viewer. |
| US08223189B2 |
Systems and methods of providing video features in a standard telephone system
Systems and methods of providing video support for standard (i.e., non-video-capable) communications systems that require little or no modifications to any existing standard communications systems. The systems and methods can be implemented between at least one video channel and a standard communications system to establish call connections between a user of a video-capable communications device and a user of a standard (i.e., non-video-capable) communications device, to access video content and any associated audio content stored on a video server, and to exchange audio between the respective users of the video-capable and standard communications devices while controlling the video and/or audio output of the video-capable communications device, using the video content and any associated audio content accessed from the video server. The systems and methods can significantly enhance the experience of the user of the video-capable communications device, without requiring cost prohibitive upgrading or replacement of any existing standard communications systems. |
| US08223187B2 |
Non-bandwidth intensive method for providing multiple levels of censoring in an A/V stream
Particular embodiments generally relate to providing different censoring levels for audio-video streams. In one embodiment, an audio-video stream is received. Metadata including censoring information for the audio-video stream is also received. The audio-video stream and metadata may be sent by a source in separate streams. A first level of censoring associated with a first receiver is determined along with a second level of censoring for a second receiver. A first audio-video stream is generated for the first receiver with a first censor level and a second audio-video stream is generated for the second receiver with a second censor level. For example, the first audio-video stream may include censoring of faces and the second audio-video stream may be an audio-video stream without censoring or may censor some other part of the audio-video. The first audio-video stream and the second audio-video stream are then sent to the first and second receivers, respectively. |
| US08223186B2 |
User interface for a video teleconference
A method is described for initiating and controlling a video conference between multiple video conference studios. A virtual meeting space is defined within a user interface comprising icons representing selected remote studios in geometric positions that mimic the locations of separate live video images coming from the selected remote studios, enabling participants in the local studio to naturally associate the live video images with the icons representing the remote studios. |
| US08223181B2 |
Wear-indicating resistors for thermal printhead
A thermal printhead includes a substrate, a nonconductive coating over the substrate, a number of heating elements disposed on the substrate, and one or more resistors at least partially disposed within the nonconductive coating. The heating elements cause thermochromic media to selectively darken in accordance with selective activation of the heating elements as the media moves in relation to the thermal printhead, to print a desired image on the media. The nonconductive coating protects the heating elements and wears away with usage of the printhead. The media comes into contact with the nonconductive coating during printing of the desired image on the media. The resistors indicate wear of the thermal printhead, and have electrical resistances that increase as the resistors are worn away in accordance with wearing away of the nonconductive coating. |
| US08223176B2 |
Display device and method of driving the same
Provided are a display device, which can improve display quality by correcting an original image signal whose frame frequency is a first frequency or a second frequency different from the first frequency, and a method3 of driving the display device. The display device includes an image signal processor which corrects an original image signal whose frame frequency is a first frequency or a second frequency different from the first frequency and outputs a corrected image signal, a first lookup table which stores image correction data corresponding to an (n−1)-th frame and an n-th frame that corresponds to the original image signal having the first frequency, and a display panel which displays an image corresponding to the corrected image signal. A second lookup table, which corresponds to the original image signal having the second frequency, is generated from the first lookup table, and the first or second lookup table is selected based on the frame frequency of the original image signal to output the corrected image signal. |
| US08223163B2 |
Display device, program, and information storage medium
A display device includes: a brightness histogram information producing unit that produces brightness histogram information on the basis of an image signal; an APL calculating unit that calculates an APL on the basis of the brightness histogram information; a highest class determining unit that determines a highest class, which is a class with a highest brightness, on the basis of the brightness histogram information; an APL difference value calculating unit that calculates an APL difference value which is a difference value between an APL of a previous frame and an APL of a current frame; and a white peak value determining unit that determines a white peak value of a current frame by adding a predetermined value to a white peak value of a previous frame when a highest class difference absolute value, which is an absolute value of a difference value between a highest class of the previous frame and a highest class of the current frame, is less than a threshold value and that determines a white peak value of the current frame by performing a predetermined operation regardless of a white peak value of the previous frame when the highest class difference absolute value is equal to or larger than the threshold value. |
| US08223157B1 |
Stochastic super sampling or automatic accumulation buffering
A graphics system that implements a binning database with an accumulation buffer to perform super sampling. In one embodiment, an application of a host machine passes a geometry of a full scene to a binning database which stores the scene in spatially sorted bins. The contents of the bin are passed to rendering hardware, and rendered multiple times, each time with a stochastic offset applied to the sample points. The results are accumulated in an accumulation buffer and prepared for display. |
| US08223153B2 |
Apparatus and method of authoring animation through storyboard
Described herein is an animation authoring apparatus and method thereof for authoring an animation. The apparatus includes a storyboard editor that provides a storyboard editing display that a user may interact with to edit a storyboard, and to store the edited storyboard. The apparatus further includes a parser to parse syntax of the edited storyboard, and a rendering engine to convert the edited storyboard into a graphic animation based on the parsed syntax of the edited storyboard. |
| US08223147B1 |
Method and system for vision-based interaction in a virtual environment
Method, computer program and system for tracking movement of a subject within a video game. The method includes receiving data from a plurality of fixed position sensors comprising a distributed network of time of flight camera sensors to generate a volumetric three-dimensional representation of the subject, identifying a plurality of clusters within the volumetric three-dimensional representation that correspond to features indicative of movement of the subject relative to the fixed position sensors and the subject, presenting one or more objects as the subject of a video game on one or more three dimensional display screens, and using the plurality of fixed position sensors to track motion of the features of the subject to determine interaction of one or more of the features of the subject and one or more of the one or more objects on one or more of the one or more the three dimensional display screens. |
| US08223144B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing object collision
A parallelization permission and prohibition management unit of a processor manages the permission or prohibition of the parallelization for each combination of partial spaces in cooperation with another parallelization permission and prohibition management unit of a different processor. Specifically, when any given object is present across the boundary between a first partial space and a second partial space, the parallelization is prohibited between the collision process to be performed by any given processor on the virtual objects in the first partial space and the collision process to be performed by another processor on the virtual object in the second partial space. |
| US08223142B2 |
Display panel drive apparatus
A display panel drive apparatus which can keep display brightness constant, thus preventing the occurrence of unevenness in brightness. The drive apparatus includes a current controlling voltage generating circuit to generate a current control voltage. The drive apparatus also includes a plurality of output drivers to supply brightness pulses whose amplitude is decided based on the current control voltage respectively onto data lines of a display panel in synchronization with a clock signal. The drive apparatus also includes a clock generating circuit to generate a pulse signal of a pulse period based on the current control voltage as the clock signal. |
| US08223141B2 |
System and method for driving displays with single latch pixels
A method is disclosed for loading and modulating the pixels of a display in parallel. The method includes the steps of receiving a plurality of data bits, loading the data bits into the storage elements of single-latch pixels in a plurality of rows of the display within a loading period, turning on a light source prior to the end of the loading period when each of the loaded bits has an assertion time greater than or equal to the duration of the loading period. Alternatively, the method includes turning on the light source following the loading period when each of the bits has an assertion time less than the duration of the loading period. Another method includes modulating the light source on and off to conserve power when the light source is supposed to be turned on. A display driver is also disclosed to perform the inventive methods. |
| US08223137B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same
An liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes an LCD panel provided with a plurality of pixels, wherein the pixels are defined by a plurality of gate and data lines formed perpendicularly, an auxiliary storage capacitor formed in each of the pixels, a gate driver to drive the gate lines in sequence by supplying a scan pulse voltage to the gate lines of the LCD panel, wherein the scan pulse voltage is comprised of a high gate voltage and a low gate voltage, and a discharger to supply a pulse voltage to the gate line based on a source voltage for operating the LCD panel, wherein the discharger enables the auxiliary storage capacitor to be discharged to the ground voltage as the voltage of the gate line approaches the ground voltage. |
| US08223130B2 |
Touch-sensitive sheet member, input device and electronic apparatus
A touch-sensitive sheet member contains a first raw material member having predetermined hardness and a second raw material member that presents sense of touch. The second raw material member is disposed in the first raw material member. The second raw material member has hardness different from the hardness of the first raw material member. |
| US08223126B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for facilitating user designation of device functions
Systems, apparatuses and methods for facilitating input function designation. A function of a device specified via a user input is identified, and one of a plurality of sub-functions of the identified function is activated, based on an associated durational user input. One representative function is a keyguard function, and user invocation of such a keyguard function is recognized, where the keyguard function is associated with at least a normal keyguard sub-function and security keyguard sub-function. A duration of the user input associated with the user invocation of the keyguard function is determined and one of the normal keyguard sub-function or the security keyguard sub-function is activated, depending on the duration of the user input. |
| US08223123B1 |
Hardware accelerated caret rendering
Techniques for hardware accelerated caret rendering are described in which a system based caret is emulated using hardware acceleration technology. The hardware accelerated caret can be rendered using dedicated graphics processing hardware to look and feel like a system caret. This can involve using pixel shaders to produce the hardware accelerated caret and a employing a back-up texture to remove the caret after it is drawn and cause the caret to blink. In addition, rendering of the caret can be coordinated with other animations and/or other presentations of a frame buffer to piggy back drawing of the caret onto other drawing operations. This can reduce the number of times the frame buffer is presented and therefore improve performance. |
| US08223119B1 |
System and apparatus for graphical flight display manipulation
A system for providing a manipulatable graphical display comprising a user input device responsive to a user input, a cursor control device operably coupled to the user input device, and a menu engine operably coupled to the cursor control device. The cursor control device is further configured to process an output received from the user input device and generate a cursor image positioned on a display in response to the user output suitable for locking onto and tracing a path on the display. |
| US08223117B2 |
Method and apparatus to control display brightness with ambient light correction
An ambient light sensor produces a current signal that varies linearly with the level of ambient light. The current signal is multiplied by a user dimming preference to generate a brightness control signal that automatically compensates for ambient light variations in visual information display systems. The multiplying function provides noticeable user dimming control at relatively high ambient light levels. |
| US08223115B2 |
Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
The liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines forming a matrix, a back light unit including a plurality of light source blocks capable of being driven separately, an image processing circuit to generate a movement judgment signal based on a digital video data to be displayed in an interior mode, a backlight controller to generate a light source driving control signal to control portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a moving image and portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a still image, separately, based on the movement judgment signal, and a backlight driving circuit including a plurality of light source drivers to turn on the portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a moving image and to turn off the portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a still image based on the light source driving control signal. |
| US08223109B2 |
Gate driving circuit having a low leakage current control mechanism
A gate driving circuit having a low leakage current control mechanism is disclosed for providing a plurality of gate signals forwarded to a plurality of gate lines respectively. The gate driving circuit includes a plurality of shift registers. Each shift register includes a driving unit, an energy store unit, a buffer unit, a voltage regulation unit, and a control unit. The driving unit generates a gate signal based on a driving control voltage and a first clock. The buffer unit functions to receive a start pulse signal. The energy store unit provides the driving control voltage through performing a charging process based on the start pulse signal. The control unit generates a control signal based on the first clock and a second clock having a phase opposite to the first clock. The voltage regulation unit regulates the driving control voltage based on the control signal. |
| US08223108B2 |
Array substrate and display apparatus having the same
In an array substrate and a display apparatus having the array substrate, a pixel part includes gate lines, data lines and pixels electrically connected to the gate and data lines. A gate driving circuit is electrically connected to a first end of the gate lines and applies a gate signal to the gate lines. A first inspecting circuit is electrically connected to odd-numbered gate lines of the gate lines and inspects odd-numbered pixels connected to the odd-numbered gate lines. A second inspecting circuit is electrically connected to even-numbered gate lines of the gate lines and inspects even-numbered pixels connected to the even-numbered gate lines. Thus, electrical defects between the pixels may be easily detected, thereby improving the inspectability for the defects of the array substrate. |
| US08223099B2 |
Display and circuit for driving a display
A display driver for evenly display the screen driven by a plurality of driver circuits is provided. The display apparatus includes a display panel driven by data lines and driver units. Each of the data lines is driven by the corresponding driver unit. Each of the driver units has a resistance division unit for generating grayscale voltages, an operational amplifier unit for supplying voltages to the terminals of the resistance division unit in response to a bias control signal. The corresponding terminals of the resistance division unit of the plurality of driver circuits are commonly connected. The bias control signal is supplied when each of the driver circuit drives the corresponding data line. |
| US08223095B2 |
Organic light-emitting display device having a pixel unit for testing pixels of the display device
An organic light-emitting display device having a pixel unit to test pixels, wherein the organic light-emitting display device includes: a substrate; a display unit located on the substrate; a plurality of first scan lines located in the display unit; and a second scan line located in the display unit and separated from the first scan lines, wherein a plurality of pixel units, except one test pixel unit located in at least one corner of the display unit, are electrically connected to the first scan lines, and the test pixel unit that is not connected to the first scan lines is electrically connected to the second scan line. |
| US08223093B2 |
Electro-optical device, electronic apparatus, and projection display
An electro-optical device includes an element substrate having a first signal line; a second signal line extending in a second direction crossing the first signal line; a first field-effect transistor including a first semiconductor layer extending in a direction crossing the second direction; a second field-effect transistor including a second semiconductor layer extending in the direction crossing the second direction; a first pixel electrode is adjacent to a second pixel electrode. The first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer are displaced from each other in the second direction. An end of the first semiconductor layer facing toward the second pixel electrode is closer to the second pixel electrode than an end of the second semiconductor layer facing toward the first pixel electrode. |
| US08223091B2 |
Image display apparatus, electronic apparatus, liquid crystal TV, liquid crystal monitoring apparatus, image display method, display control program, and computer-readable recording medium
An image display apparatus is provided for performing image display by dividing one frame period into a plurality of sub-frame periods, determining a gradation level of each of the sub-frame periods in accordance with a gradation level of an input image signal and supplying the determined gradation level to an image display section. The image display apparatus comprises a display control section, wherein the display control section supplies a relatively largest gradation level in a relatively central sub-frame period which is at a time-wise center or closest to the time-wise center of one frame period, and supplies a sequentially lowered gradation level in a sub-frame period which is sequentially farther from the relatively central sub-frame period. |
| US08223090B2 |
Plamsa display device and method for manufacturing the same
A plasma display device is disclosed. The device includes a plasma display panel including an address electrode, first and second display electrodes crossing the address electrode, a dielectric layer covering the display electrodes, and an MgO protective layer covering the dielectric layer. The device also includes a driver configured to generate a sustain pulse width of 1 to 3.5 μs, and a statistical delay time (Ts) depending on temperature is represented by the following Formula 1: y=A×e−kx (Formula 1), wherein k is a constant, x is 1/temperature, y is 1/Ts, and A is a constant. The MgO protective layer may be formed by MgO deposition in which water vapor partial pressure is in a range of from 2×10−7 to 6×10−7 Torr·l/s. The temperature dependency of the discharge characteristics is reduced, response speed is improved, and the discharge stability is improved. |
| US08223084B2 |
Antenna element
It is made possible to realize both miniaturization and a wider band in an antenna element. An antenna element includes a first conductor wire part 11A; a second conductor wire part 11B crossing the first conductor wire part 11A and connected; a third conductor wire part 11C crossing the second conductor wire part 11B and connected, and parallel to the first conductor wire part 11A; a fourth conductor wire part 11D crossing the third conductor wire part 11C and connected; and a first conductor flat plate 12 connected to one or two of the first conductor wire part 11A, the second conductor wire part 11B, the third conductor wire part 11C, and the fourth wire part 11D and disposed in the area surrounded by any three of the first conductor wire part 11A, the second conductor wire part 11B, the third conductor wire part 11C, and the fourth wire part 11D. An end part of the first conductor flat plate 12 is parallel with the first conductor 11A not connected to the first conductor flat plate 12. |
| US08223083B2 |
Multiband monopole slot antenna
A multiband monopole slot antenna includes a ground plane, a dielectric substrate, a radiating portion, and a microstrip feedline. The dielectric substrate is connected to an edge of the ground plane and extends toward the opposite direction of the ground plane. The radiating portion is on the metal surface of the dielectric substrate and includes a first monopole slot, a second monopole slot and a third monopole slot. The microstrip feedline is on the surface opposite to the metal surface of the dielectric substrate. A first end of the microstrip feedline is connected to a signal source, and a second end of the microstrip feedline is an open end. The microstrip feedline passes over the first, second, and third monopole slots. A section of the microstrip feedline which passes over the third monopole slot is parallel to the third monopole slot, and the microstrip feedline is generally of a step shape. |
| US08223082B2 |
Slot antennas for electronic devices
Slot antennas are provided for electronic devices such as portable electronic devices. The slot antennas may have a dielectric-filled slot that is formed in a ground plane element. The ground plane element may be formed from part of a conductive device housing. The slot may have one or more holes at its ends. The holes may affect the impedance characteristics of the slot antennas so that the length of the slot antennas may be reduced. For example, the holes can be used to synthesize the impedance of the slot antennas so that the slot antennas have a resonant frequency that is different from their natural resonant frequency. The holes may affect the impedance of the slot antennas in multiple radio-frequency bands. |
| US08223081B2 |
Slot antenna
A slot antenna located on a substrate with a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface includes a feeding portion, a grounding portion and a radiating portion. The feeding portion is located on the first surface of the substrate to feed electromagnetic signals. The grounding portion is rectangular and located on the second surface of the substrate, and defines a circular clearance in a substantial center portion thereof. The radiating portion is located on the second surface of the substrate and comprises at least one elongated microstrip with one end connected to the grounding portion and the other end extending towards the center of the circular clearance, wherein the feeding portion interacts with the radiating portion to transmit the electromagnetic signals. |
| US08223076B2 |
Minified dual-band printed monopole antenna
A dual-band printed monopole antenna is disclosed. The antenna is in a rectangular structure and comprising: a first radiating unit; a second radiating unit; a matching unit; a first matching unit; a second matching unit; a signal feed-in terminal, and a feed-in signal grounding terminal, whereby its size is effectively minified so as to meet the demand for the application of the minified modern wireless apparatus. |
| US08223070B2 |
High accuracy satellite receiving controller and associated method
A high accuracy satellite signal receiving controller and associated method is provided. The high accuracy satellite signal receiving controller includes a frequency synthesizer, and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiving module and a control unit. The frequency synthesizer, coupled to an external non-temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (non-TXCO), generates an oscillating frequency signal to the GPS receiving module. The ADC converts an analog temperature signal into a digital temperature signal. The control unit, coupled to the ADC, adaptively updates temperature/frequency offset data. |
| US08223069B2 |
Network assisted positioning
A method for acquiring positioning information includes receiving downlink data in a plurality of downlink slot frames, and receiving at a mobile terminal within one of the downlink slot frames, broadcasted global positioning system (GPS) orbital description data. The GPS orbital description data information relates to a first group of orbiting satellites within operable range of the base station (BS) providing the broadcasting of the GPS orbital description data. The method further includes performing GPS-based positioning for the mobile terminal based upon signaling received from a second group of a plurality of orbiting satellites in conjunction with the GPS orbital description data, such that at least one of the second group of the plurality of orbiting satellites is the same as some or all of the orbiting satellites of the first group. |
| US08223067B2 |
Noise-canceling down-converting detector
A detector system has a first detector configured to detect a first high-frequency signal having amplitude-modulated (“AM”) noise to produce a first detected signal having at least a first detected AM noise signal component and a demodulated signal component and a second detector configured to detect a second high-frequency signal having the AM noise to produce a second detected signal having at least a second detected AM noise signal component. An algebraic combining network combines the first detected signal and the second detected signal to cancel the first detected AM noise signal component with the second detected AM noise signal component to produce an output signal including the demodulated signal component. |
| US08223065B1 |
Methods and systems for partitioning a radar acquisition volume
A method according to an aspect of the disclosure is for partitioning a radar acquisition volume, the method comprising the steps of: determining an allocated time to search an unpartitioned volume; determining a number of beam rows in an unpartitioned acquisition face; determining an average per-row search time for searching the angular region based on the determined allocated time and determined number of beam rows in an unpartitioned acquisition face; determining a number of beam rows in an allotted acquisition period that is searchable based on the average per-row search time; calculating a maximum elevation extent based on the number of beam rows in the allotted acquisition period; and searching an angular extent of the search volume based on the calculated maximum extent. |
| US08223061B2 |
Method and apparatus for spoofing of infrared, radar and dual-mode guided missiles
The invention proposes to provide distraction spoofing even on modern infrared, radar and dual-mode guided missiles (4) by production of a decoy chain (20). The chain (20) is formed by a plurality of apparent targets which are switched successively, for example by firing of individual chaff submunitions (2.1-2.5). The deployment takes place before or during the search phase of the missile and can in this case, for example, be carried out using the reverse walk-off principle or at the same time simultaneously or successively and in the form of a pattern. This ensures that the decoys (2.1-2.5) act initially in the greatest selected range zone away from the target (3). The spoofing chain (20) created in this way results in the missile (4) having to carry out a series of time-consuming analysis processes on its way to the target (3). |
| US08223057B2 |
Quantizing sampled inputs using fixed frequency analog to digital conversions through interpolation
A system and methods for synchronizing quantized sampled data in a monitoring device. A variable frequency output signal is coupled to an analog to digital converter. A fixed frequency clock is coupled to the analog to digital converter. The analog to digital converter samples the output signal at a fixed frequency to produce high speed samples. A group of initial high speed samples is stored from the analog to digital converter over a fixed window of time. The group of initial high speed samples is interpolated to produce a group of fewer low speed samples from the initial group of high speed samples over the fixed window of time. The group of low speed samples is stored as a representation of the variable frequency output signal. |
| US08223050B2 |
Delta-sigma A/D converter
In a delta-sigma A/D converter provided with plural channels for converting an analog input signal into a digital signal, an adverse influence of an idle tone is reduced in each channel. The delta-sigma A/D converter comprises: a first quantizer which quantizes and outputs a received signal; a first D/A converter which converts an output signal of the first quantizer into an analog signal, and outputs the converted analog signal; a first operation unit which outputs a signal indicative of a difference of the first analog input signal and an output signal of the first D/A converter; a first integrator which integrates an output signal of the first operation unit and outputs the integrated signal; a first dither circuit which generates a first dither signal; and a second operation unit which adds the first dither signal to the output signal of the first integrator and outputs the added signal to the first quantizer. |
| US08223044B2 |
INL correction circuitry and method for SAR ADC
INL error in a SAR ADC (10) is reduced by providing correction capacitors (11B) each having a first terminal connected to a conductor (13) which is also connected to one terminal of the capacitors of a CDAC (11A) and to an input of a comparator (5) of the SAR ADC. Stored INL error information (18A) is utilized to control switches (32) coupled to second terminals of the correction capacitors to selectively couple them to either a ground voltage (GND) or a reference voltage (VREF) in response to the stored INL error information so as to reduce the INL errors. |
| US08223041B2 |
Information processing apparatus, and signal processing method
Provided is an information processing apparatus including a distributor that distributes input data in units of M bits and generates N M-bit bit sequences, an encoder that converts each of the N bit sequences distributed by the distributor into a binary symbol sequence of K symbols and generates N binary symbol sequences, a signal generator that generates N transmission signals Sj synchronized with a specific symbol clock and having, as an amplitude value, each symbol value included in the N binary symbol sequences, a signal delay unit that delays, with regard to j, the transmission signals Sj generated by the signal generator by a (j−1)/N-symbol period and generates delay signals Rj, a signal addition unit that adds the delay signals Rj generated by the signal delay unit and generates an added signal, and a signal transmitter that transmits the added signal generated by the signal addition unit. |
| US08223040B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for operating touch keypad thereof
A mobile terminal and method for operating a touch keypad, the mobile terminal including a touch keypad, a touch sensor processor for sensing a signal inputted from a key selected by a user on the touch keypad and outputting location information corresponding to the selected key based upon the sensed signal, a Control Processor (CPU) for outputting at least one or more control signals based upon the outputted location information, and a light emitting diode controller for independently driving a light emitting diode corresponding to the selected key based upon the outputted control signals. |
| US08223038B2 |
Driver assistance system for traffic sign recognition
An evaluation device for a driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an input for receiving image information recorded by a camera, a first component for locating an image section present in a predefined shape in first image information received from the camera, and a second component for requesting second image information. The second image information corresponds to a renewed image of an image section found by the first component, with improved contrast in relation to the first image information. A third component is present for identifying a traffic sign in the second image information, and an output for emitting a signal relating to a traffic sign identified by the third component. There is also provided a computer program product and a method for operating a driver assistance system. |
| US08223035B2 |
Method for commissioning and/or operating a communication system
A method for start-up and/or operation of a communication system composed of at least one multivariable sensor, at least one converter unit and at least one receiving unit, which are connected with one another via a two-wire line. A wherein a primary measured value in the form of an analog signal and extra measured values in the form of an encoded digital signal modulated on the analog signal are provided from the multivariable sensor via the two-wire line, wherein only analog signals are received by the receiving unit. The extra measured values are scaled in the multivariable sensor into formatted values by means of a conversion algorithm, wherein at least the formatted values are requested and received by the converter unit, and wherein corresponding analog signals of the extra measured values are produced from the formatted values in the converter unit by a fixedly predetermined, unconfigurable, reconversion algorithm. The analog signals of the extra measured values are transmitted via respective separate electrical current lines to the receiving unit. |
| US08223033B1 |
Vehicle communication system and method of use
Described is a vehicle communication system. The system includes a display installed in, or on, a first vehicle such that the display is viewable by persons in other vehicles or pedestrians proximate the first vehicle. The display is communicatively linked to one or more vehicle systems or a vehicle controller area network whereby based on activation, engagement or utilization of a vehicle system, the display automatically displays a message associated with the activation, engagement or activation of the vehicle system. For example, if a driver of the vehicle applies the brakes, a “STOPPING” message is displayed. Messages may be pre-programmed into the system or custom created and entered by a user. The display may also be used to advertise, alert passersby to an emergency or otherwise communicate with persons in other vehicles or pedestrians. |
| US08223031B1 |
Ground potential rise monitor
A device and method for detecting ground potential rise (GPR) comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a voltage attenuator. The first electrode and the second electrode are both electrically connected to the voltage attenuator. A means for determining the presence of a dangerous ground potential is connected to the voltage attenuator. The device and method further comprises a means for enabling one or more alarms upon the detection of the dangerous ground potential. Preferably, a first transmitter/receiver is connected to the means for enabling one or more alarms. Preferably, a second transmitter/receiver, comprising a button, is electromagnetically connected to the first transmitter/receiver. Preferably, the means for determining the presence of a dangerous ground potential comprises a means for determining the true RMS voltage at the output of the voltage attenuator, a transient detector connected to the output of the voltage attenuator, or a combination thereof. |
| US08223029B2 |
Method for controlling cleaning device
A method for controlling a cleaning device is presented, which includes the following steps. A cleaning device includes a control unit, a fan module, an optical emitter, and an optical sensor. The optical emitter and the optical sensor are located in an air inlet of the fan module. The control unit is preset with a first impedance value (Z1), a second impedance value (Z2), and a threshold, where 0 |
| US08223026B2 |
Blanket for protecting a ceiling from moisture
A water-absorbent blanket that is located between a roof and the ceiling of a building, such as a residence, to catch and absorb any water that may leak through the roof or which is a result of condensation and prevent that water from reaching a finished ceiling. |
| US08223020B2 |
Method and device for synchronization of a decoder of a RFID receiver
A method for synchronizing a RFID receiver, comprising receiving an input signal from a RFID tag, said input signal comprising a preamble section, creating a first reference waveform, comprising at least a fraction of said preamble section, calculating a first correlation value by correlating said input signal and said first reference waveform, creating a second reference signal so that there is virtually zero correlation between said first reference waveform and said second reference waveform, and using said first correlation value and said second correlation value for adjusting synchronization timebase, wherein the sign and the size of said second correlation value indicates the size and the sign of phase inaccuracy of the synchronization timebase. |
| US08223019B2 |
Firearm maintenance
A method for identifying, tracking, and monitoring a firearm includes steps of: attaching a low frequency radio tag to the firearm; storing, in the data storage device of the radio tag, identification data relating to the firearm; and reading the identification data from the transceiver by interrogating the radio tag. The radio tag includes a shot sensor, a shot count register for tracking the number of shots fired and cadence registers for tracking the intervals between shots. |
| US08223014B2 |
Energy-conserving triggered ID system and method
An energy-conserving triggered ID system, comprising: a reading assembly having a normally non-activated state and having a triggered subassembly configurable to activate the reading assembly; and a mobile assembly having no power source and having a triggering subassembly configurable to activate the triggered subassembly when the mobile assembly is located within a triggering range, wherein the reading assembly is operable to transfer power to the mobile assembly and wherein data transfer is effected between the mobile assembly and the reading assembly within a data transfer range. |
| US08223012B1 |
System and method for conveying object location information
An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively. |
| US08223008B2 |
Device and method for preventing wiretapping on power line
Provided are a device and method for detecting a wiretapping device using a power line and nullifying the wiretapping device. More particularly, a device and method for preventing wiretapping, which sense a wiretapping signal from a power line and transmit a noise signal to the power line, are provided. The device for preventing wiretapping includes: a signal detector for receiving signals from a power line and filtering the received signals in at least one frequency band; a controller for receiving the filtered signal from the signal detector and determining whether a wiretapping signal exists; and a noise signal output unit for transmitting a noise signal to the power line according to whether or not the wiretapping signal exists. The device can detect wiretapping and simultaneously nullify the function of the wiretapping device by detecting a wiretapping signal from a power line and transmitting a noise signal having a frequency corresponding to a frequency band of the wiretapping signal. |
| US08223007B2 |
Method for ensuring or maintaining the function of a complex complete safety-critical system
A method, the use thereof and a computer program product for maintaining the operation of a safety-critical overall vehicle regulatory and/or control system in the event of the occurrence of errors, in which the overall system is divided into system components on the basis of the findings of an error source analysis, in which modes of operation are also defined for the individual system components, and also, in the event of the occurrence of errors in the overall system, the error sources including the signals are analyzed and those methods of operation which are affected by the errors or signals which have occurred are ascertained, wherein on the basis of the error source analysis, those modes of operation of the individual system components which are not affected by the errors are taken and those which ensure an optimum or prescribed response from the overall system are selected. |
| US08223006B2 |
Vehicle temperature warning system
A temperature warning system for a vehicle includes a thermal plug disposed on the wheel end assembly of the vehicle. The thermal plug is in fluid communication with an air supply and with a flow sensor. The flow sensor is operatively connected to a warning light or indicator. Excessive heat in the axle spindle end and/or the wheel end assembly causes a fusible material in the thermal plug to melt allowing air to flow from the air supply through the thermal plug thus activating the flow sensor. The flow sensor in turn activates the warning light or indicator alerting the driver of the vehicle of a problem condition at the wheel end assembly and/or axle spindle. |
| US08223001B2 |
Two way remote control
A target device comprising a wireless interface that transmits configuration data to and receives commands from a remote control device. A control module that receives said commands and that adjusts operation of said target device based thereon; and a user input interface for locally adjusting operation of said target device. |
| US08223000B2 |
Information access system for accessing information in contactless information storage device, and method therefor
An information access system includes: a passive contactless information storage device (500) capable of transmitting and receiving signals; a fixed-station information processing device (100) having an information processing unit, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting, in a contactless manner, a command signal for requesting transmission of information stored in the information storage device and supplying power in a contactless manner to the information storage device; and a mobile-station information processing device (200) having an information processing unit, an information presenting unit, a battery, and a wireless receiver for receiving a response signal for response to the command signal, from the information storage device in a contactless manner. While the fixed-station device is supplying power to the information storage device in the contactless manner, the information storage device transmits, in response to the command signal, the response signal to the mobile-station device in the contactless manner. |
| US08222992B2 |
Control system and method, and communication device and method
A control system has a control device for performing a control of a predetermined process, and a communication device for communicating with the control device. The control device has a first transmission unit for transmitting a request signal requesting for transmission of a response signal to the communication device, a first reception unit for receiving the response signal transmitted through a predetermined procedure from the communication device in response to the request signal transmitted by the first transmission unit, an authentication unit for performing authentication of the communication device using identification information of the communication device contained in the response signal received by the first reception unit and identification information of the communication device registered in advance, and a process executing unit for executing the predetermined process when the authentication of the communication device by the authentication unit is successful. The communication device has a first storage unit for storing transmission scheduled time information indicating a time scheduled to transmit the response signal assigned to the communication device, a second reception unit for receiving the request signal transmitted from the first transmission unit, and a second transmission unit for transmitting the response signal corresponding to the request signal received by the second reception unit to the control device at a time different from times assigned to other communication devices based on the transmission scheduled time information stored in the first storage unit. |
| US08222986B2 |
Multilevel magnetic system and method for using same
A multilevel magnetic system and method for using the same are described herein. A wide-range of devices including a momentary snap switch, a cushioning device, and an exploding toy are also described herein that may incorporate one or more of the multilevel magnetic systems. |
| US08222982B2 |
Overload relay trip mechanism
An overload relay trip mechanism includes a housing, a reset button, a leaf spring, a test button, a coil spring, and an actuator. The reset button can be actuated from a normal position to a reset position to cause the leaf spring to transition from a first position to a second position, which causes a reset actuator-engaging element to move the actuator from a tripped position to a closed position. The test button can be actuated from a normal position to a test-stop position to cause a first test actuator-engaging element to move a moveable contact from an electrically connected position to an electrically disconnected position. The test button can further be moved from the test-stop position to the test-trip position to cause a second test actuator-engaging element to move the actuator from the closed position to the tripped position. |
| US08222981B1 |
Electrical switching device
An electrical switching device includes first and second circuit assemblies. Each of the first and second circuit assemblies includes a base terminal and a moveable terminal movable between an open state and a closed state. The movable terminal is electrically connected to the base terminal in the closed state. An actuator assembly is electromechanically controlled by a motor. The actuator assembly includes a pivot member rotated by the motor that has a post extending outward from a pivot body. An actuator is moved by the pivot member and is movable between a first position and a second position. The actuator is operatively coupled to the moveable terminals of the first and second circuit assemblies. The actuator moves the movable terminals to the closed state as the actuator is moved from the first position to the second position. The actuator has a pocket with a compression spring received in the pocket. The compression spring extends between a first end and a second end. The first end engages the actuator. The second end engages the post. The compression spring provides a force on the actuator to push the movable terminals toward the base terminals. |
| US08222975B2 |
Transmission line resonator, high-frequency filter using the same, high-frequency module, and radio device
A transmission line type resonator has a low-loss characteristic and, in order to realize the low-loss characteristic, the transmission line type resonator includes a laminate body formed of a plurality of dielectric sheets, a transmission line of complex right hand left hand system disposed between the plurality of dielectric sheets, and an external connection terminal disposed at the end face of the transmission line type resonator and connected with the transmission line of complex right hand left hand system. |
| US08222972B2 |
Acoustic wave element, duplexer, communication module, and communication apparatus
An acoustic wave element includes: resonators 2 each including an electrode to excite acoustic waves; a power supply wiring portion 3 that is disposed so as to connect the resonators 2 electrically; a piezoelectric substrate 4 on which the resonators 2 and the power supply wiring portion 3 are formed; a second medium 5 that is formed on the piezoelectric substrate 4 so as to cover the resonators 2; and a third medium 6 that is formed on the piezoelectric substrate 4 so as to cover at least the second medium 5 and the power supply wiring portion 3. A side surface 34 of the power supply wiring portion 3 that is in contact with a surface of the piezoelectric substrate 4 forms an obtuse first angle θ with respect to the surface 4a of the piezoelectric substrate 4. |
| US08222970B2 |
Resonant device, communication module, communication device, and method for manufacturing resonant device
A resonant device includes first and second piezoelectric thin film resonators. The first piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a first lower electrode formed on the substrate, a first piezoelectric film formed over the first lower electrode, and a first upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film and opposed to the first lower electrode. The second piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a second lower electrode formed above the first upper electrode, a second piezoelectric film formed over the second lower electrode, and a second upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film and opposed to the second lower electrode. The first membrane region in which the first lower electrode opposes to the first upper electrode through the first piezoelectric film and a second membrane region in which the second lower electrode opposes to the second upper electrode through the second piezoelectric film are laminated through a second cavity. |
| US08222960B2 |
RF power amplifier
An RF power amplifier includes an RF choke coil, a power amplification circuit unit, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection unit. The RF choke coil is connected to a voltage terminal through which an operating voltage is applied. The RF choke coil supplies the operating voltage and interrupts an RF signal. The power amplification circuit unit is supplied with the operating voltage through the RF choke coil. The power amplification circuit unit amplifies an input signal inputted through an input terminal and outputs the amplified input signal through an output terminal. The ESD protection unit is connected between a first connection node and a ground. The ESD protection unit bypasses an ESD voltage from the first connection node to the ground, the first connection node being a node between the voltage terminal and the RF choke coil. |
| US08222959B2 |
Amplification control circuit
There is provided an amplification control circuit that can adjust the amount of current being supplied to an amplifier according to a reference signal set beforehand. An amplification control circuit according to an aspect of the invention may include: a power supply section supplying a DC power set beforehand to at least one amplifier according to a reference signal set beforehand; a current control section detecting a current being supplied from the power supply section according to a ratio set beforehand and controlling the amount of current being supplied to the at least one amplifier from the power supply section; and a current adjustment section adjusting a level of the current being controlled by the current control section in order to increase or decrease the amount of current being supplied to the at least one amplifier from the power supply section. |
| US08222954B1 |
Method and apparatus for a process, voltage, and temperature variation tolerant semiconductor device
A method and apparatus to reduce the degradation in performance of semiconductor-based devices due to process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) and/or other causes of variation. Adaptive feedback mechanisms are employed to sense and correct performance degradation, while simultaneously facilitating configurability within integrated circuits (ICs) such as programmable logic devices (PLDs). A voltage-feedback mechanism is employed to detect PVT variation and mirrored current references are adaptively adjusted to track and substantially eliminate the PVT variation. More than one voltage-feedback mechanism may instead be utilized to detect PVT-based variations within a differential device, whereby a first voltage-feedback mechanism is utilized to detect common-mode voltage variation and a second voltage-feedback mechanism produces mirrored reference currents to substantially remove the common-mode voltage variation and facilitate symmetrical operation of the differential device. |
| US08222952B2 |
Semiconductor device having a complementary field effect transistor
A semiconductor device prevents the OFF current of a complementary field effect transistor from varying with changes in ambient temperature. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate voltage generating circuit that generates the substrate voltage of an n-channel MOS transistor forming a CMOS; a replica transistor that is a replica of the n-channel MOS transistor, and is diode-connected; and a voltage applier that applies a voltage of a predetermined voltage value between the anode and cathode of the replica transistor. In this semiconductor device, the substrate voltage of the replica transistor is the substrate voltage generated by the substrate voltage generating circuit. The substrate voltage generating circuit controls the substrate voltage to be generated so that the current value of the current flowing into the replica transistor becomes equal to a given target value. |
| US08222951B2 |
Semiconductor device and bias generation circuit
A first power supply voltage input section can input a first power supply voltage, a second power supply voltage input section can input a second power supply voltage, a regulator circuit generates a back bias voltage on the basis of the second power supply voltage, and an output section can output the back bias voltage generated by the regulator circuit as an output voltage. A substrate bias can be generated with low power consumption, and the circuit scale can be reduced. |
| US08222948B2 |
Bootstrapped switch circuit
A bootstrapped switch circuit can include at least one transistor, to receive an input signal and allow the input signal to pass through as an output signal based on a control signal, and a voltage-controlled voltage source, to provide first and second voltages between a gate and a source of the at least one transistor in response to the control signal. The voltage-controlled voltage source can include a differential pair and a current source. A gate of one of the differential pair can receive the control signal and a gate of the other of the differential pair can receive a logical inverse of the control signal. The current source can provide a current to connected sources of the differential pair. The first voltage can turn on the at least one transistor and be produced in response to a first logic state of the control signal resulting in the current of the current source flowing entirely through a first one of the differential pair. The second voltage can turn off the at least one transistor and be produced in response to a second logic state of the control signal resulting in the current of the current source flowing entirely through a second one of the differential pair. |
| US08222947B2 |
Low distortion active balun circuit and method thereof
A signal converting circuit includes: a first single-to-differential circuit arranged to generate a first signal having a first polarity and a second signal having a second polarity different from the first polarity; a second single-to-differential circuit arranged to generate a third signal having the second polarity and a fourth signal having the first polarity; and a combining circuit arranged to generate a first combined signal having the first polarity according at least two signals from the first signal, the second signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal, and output an output signal according to at least the first combined signal. |
| US08222945B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device
A semiconductor integrated circuit device provided with a first circuit block BLK1, a second circuit block DRV1 and a conversion circuit MIO1 for connecting the first circuit block to the second circuit block. The first circuit block includes a first mode for applying a supply voltage and a second mode for shutting off the supply voltage. The conversion circuit is provided with a function for maintaining the potential of an input node of the second circuit block at an operation potential, thereby suppressing a penetrating current flow when the first circuit block is in the second mode. The conversion circuit (MIO1 to MIO4) are commonly used for connecting circuit blocks. |
| US08222942B2 |
Initialization circuit and bank active circuit using the same
An initialization circuit comprises a section signal generator generating a section signal, of which a prescribed section is enabled in response to a power-up signal, a first oscillator generating a first period signal in response to the section signal, a first period multiplier generating a first multiplied signal by multiplying a period of the first period signal, and a signal selector transferring the first multiplied signal or a second multiplied signal selectively as a self-refresh enable signal in response to the section signal. |
| US08222940B2 |
Electrothermal frequency reference
An electrothermal frequency-locked loop (EFLL) circuit is described. This EFLL circuit includes an oscillator in a feedback loop. A drive circuit in the EFLL circuit generates a first signal having a fundamental frequency, and an electrothermal filter (ETF) in the EFLL circuit provides a second signal based on the first signal. This second signal has the fundamental frequency and a phase (relative to the first signal) that corresponds to a temperature-dependent time constant of the ETF. Moreover, a sensing component in the EFLL circuit determines a parameter associated with a temperature of the ETF. For example, the parameter may be the temperature or may be other than the temperature, such as the fundamental frequency and/or the phase of the second signal. Furthermore, the EFLL circuit includes a compensation circuit that compensates for frequency changes associated with changes in the temperature based at least on the parameter so that the fundamental frequency is approximately independent of the temperature. |
| US08222939B2 |
Method and system for a glitch correction in an all digital phase lock loop
The present invention relates to a method and system for glitch correction in an all digital phase lock loop. An all digital phase lock loop can include a phase error signal generation unit, a multi-phase oscillator, a glitch correction unit, and a phase to digital converter. The phase to digital converter receives a multi-phase signal from the multi-phase oscillator and generates a phase signal. The error signal generation unit receives the phase signal and a reference phase signal and generates a phase error signal, which is fed to the glitch correction unit. The glitch correction unit removes the glitches in the phase error signal by a portion of the phase error signal. The phase lock loop can also include a phase rotator and a calibration block. The calibration block instructs the phase rotator to rotate the multi-phase signal by the phase rotation which generates the minimum number of glitches. |
| US08222937B2 |
Charge pump for PLL/DLL
A charge pump for use in a Phase Locked Loop/Delay Locked Loop minimizes static phase error through the use of an operational amplifier. The operational amplifier also mitigates the effects of low power supply voltage. |
| US08222932B2 |
Phase-locked loop with switched phase detectors
A phase-locked loop includes: a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) system receiving one or more control signals and in response thereto generating a PLL output signal; a plurality of phase detectors for comparing a reference signal having a reference frequency to a PLL feedback signal having a PLL feedback frequency derived from the PLL output signal, and in response thereto to output a comparison signal; and a plurality of signal processing paths each connected to an output of a corresponding one of the phase detectors for outputting a phase detection output signal. The signal processing paths have different frequency responses from each other. In operation only one of the phase detectors is activated, and a switching arrangement selectively switches between outputs of the signal processing paths to select the phase detection output signal from the activated phase detector to generate the control signal(s) for the VCO system. |
| US08222931B2 |
Semiconductor device and driving method thereof
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of synchronization clock generators configured to generate a plurality of synchronization clock signals by mixing phases of first and second source clock signals having an identical frequency, a first clock transmission path configured to sequentially apply the first source clock signal to the plurality of synchronization clock generators by transferring the first source clock signal in a forward direction, a second clock transmission path configured to sequentially apply the second source clock signal to the plurality of synchronization clock generators by transferring the second source clock signal in a backward direction, and a plurality of data output units configured to synchronize a plurality of data with the plurality of synchronization clock signals and outputting the synchronized plurality of data. |
| US08222924B2 |
Asynchronous FIFO circuit for long-distance on-chip communication
The disclosed embodiments provide a first-in, first-out (FIFO) circuit that operates asynchronously. The FIFO circuit includes a data path that contains data latches sequentially connected through data-wire segments. The FIFO circuit also includes a control circuit that generates control signals for the data latches so that the data path behaves like a FIFO. The control circuit includes control components sequentially connected to each other through control-wire segments and repeaters located within the control-wire segments. The control components are configured to asynchronously generate the control signals for the data latches, and the repeaters are configured to repeat asynchronous signals communicated between the asynchronous control components. |
| US08222923B1 |
Method and apparatus for memory control with a programmable device
A technique is provided for memory control in a device having programmable circuitry, including providing a dedicated memory controller circuit in the device before the programmable circuitry is field programmed. Another technique involves fabricating a device, where the fabricating involves forming programmable circuitry that includes a dedicated memory controller circuit before the circuitry is field programmed. |
| US08222915B2 |
Fault tolerant asynchronous circuits
New and improved methods and circuit designs for asynchronous circuits that are tolerant to transient faults, for example of the type introduced through radiation or, more broadly, single-event effects. SEE-tolerant configurations are shown and described for combinational logic circuits, state-holding logic circuits and SRAM memory circuits. |
| US08222914B2 |
Systems and methods for adjusting threshold voltage
Systems and methods for adjusting threshold voltage. A threshold voltage of a transistor of an integrated circuit is measured. A bias voltage, which when applied to a body well of the transistor corrects a difference between the threshold voltage and a desired threshold voltage for the transistor, is determined. The bias voltage is encoded into non-volatile storage on the integrated circuit. The non-volatile storage can be digital and/or analog. |
| US08222912B2 |
Probe head structure for probe test cards
A probe head assembly for testing a device under test includes a plurality of test probes and a probe head structure. The probe head structure includes a guide plate and a template and supports a plurality of test probes that each includes a tip portion with a tip end for making electrical contact with a device under test, a curved compliant body portion and a tail portion with a tail end for making electrical contact with the space transformer. Embodiments of the invention include offsetting the position of the tail portions of the test probes with respect to the tip portions of the test probes so that the tip portions of the test probes are biased within the apertures of the guide plate, using hard stop features to help maintain the position of the test probes with respect to the guide plate and probe ramp features to improve scrubbing behavior. |
| US08222910B2 |
Method and apparatus for sub-assembly error detection in high voltage analog circuits and pins
The innovation relates to systems and/or methodologies for error detection during sub-assembly in high voltage analog circuits. A signal driver communicates test signals to one or more high voltage analog circuits, and a state machine compares the electrical and/or thermal responses of the high voltage analog circuits to a set of predetermined expected results (e.g., signatures). The signal driver and state machine can be incorporated into the high voltage analog circuits. The expected results can be stored in the target circuits in the form of look-up tables, matrices, and so forth. Errors, such as, dry solders and bridge solders can be determined based on the comparison of the obtained responses to the expected signatures. |
| US08222904B2 |
Battery end-point voltage detection method and battery end-point voltage detection system
Battery driven display device includes a battery, first and second comparators, non-volatile memory, controller driven by the voltage of the battery, and display device. Non-volatile memory stores the first and second reference voltages of the first and second comparators measured by using stabilized power supply. Controller detects when the first and second reference voltages of the first and second comparators become lower than the voltage of the battery when battery is connected, and determines the time at which end-point voltage of the battery will be reached based on the first and second detection times at the time of measurement and the measured reference voltages. |
| US08222901B2 |
System and method for intracorporeal elastography
A system and method for intracorporeal elastography include an intra-luminal vibratory member configured to be positioned within a lumen of an imaging subject and configured to impart mechanical energy into tissue of the lumen. In a preferred embodiment, an external piezoelectric energy source is included and coupled to the vibratory member and configured to cause the vibratory member to longitudinally vibrate, thereby generating shear waves for use with magnetic resonance elastography. |
| US08222893B2 |
Stringline and cross-level gauge
A tool and method for inspecting a track having a first rail and a second rail. The tool has a first mounting device which is attached to a first rail of the track. A cord attached to the mounting device is tensioned and positioning the cord in a proper position, allowing an inspector to measure a first distance between a defined point on the cord and the first rail or the second rail to determine if anomalies are present in the track. |
| US08222892B2 |
Sensor for simultaneous position and gap measurement
An apparatus including a controller, a transport in communication with the controller having a movable portion and a transport path and a multi-dimensional position measurement device in communication with the controller, the multi-dimensional position measurement device including a plurality of transformers and at least one element attached to the movable portion, wherein the multi-dimensional position measurement device is configured so that a circuit is completed in at least one plurality of transformers as the at least one element passes proximate to the at least one of the plurality of transformers and the controller is configured to calculate a multi-dimensional position of the movable object based on an output of the at least one of the plurality of transformers, wherein the multi-dimensional position includes at least a gap between the movable portion and the plurality of transformers. |
| US08222890B2 |
Inductive displacement transducer, coding device, and method for detecting a position of a first object in relation to a second object
The invention relates to an inductive displacement sensor for determining a position of a first object relative to a second object having a coding device to be attached to the first object, having a sensor unit to be attached to the second object, said sensor unit comprising a plurality of inductive sensors for scanning the coding device. The inductive displacement sensor according to the invention is characterized in that the coding device comprises a plurality of marking sections separated from one another by measurement sections, at least the measurement sections having variable widths, in that the marking sections and the measurement sections have different physical properties to aid differentiation by the sensor unit, in that identification regions are formed by the measurement sections or by the measurement sections along with adjacent marking sections, in that the sensor unit is at least long enough in the extension direction of the coding device and the number of inductive sensors is at least great enough that at least one identification region may be detected in every measurement situation, and in that, in order to distinctly associate an identification region with an absolute position of the sensor unit relative to the coding device, each identification region occurs precisely once on the coding device. The invention further relates to a coding bar and a method for determining a position of a first object relative to a second object. |
| US08222885B2 |
Isolating a control signal source in a high frequency power supply
A high frequency power supply, in particular a plasma supply device, for generating an output power greater than 1 kW at a basic frequency of at least 3 MHz with at least one switch bridge, which has two series connected switching elements, wherein one of the switching elements is connected to a reference potential varying in operation, and is activated by a driver, and wherein the driver has a differential input with two signal inputs and is connected to the reference potential varying in operation. |
| US08222883B2 |
Method of forming PWM controller
In one embodiment, a PWM controller is configured to inhibit a drive signal responsively to a bulk input voltage remaining at a low value for a time interval. |
| US08222880B2 |
DC-DC conversion device with digitally controlled comparator
A DC-DC conversion device is provided. The DC-DC conversion device includes a control signal generator, a conversion module and a comparison module. The control signal generator generates a control signal according to a delay signal. The conversion module is coupled to the control signal generator to convert an input voltage to an output voltage according to the control signal. The comparison module is coupled to the control signal generator and conversion module to compare the output voltage with a reference voltage and output the delay signal according to the comparison result, an enable signal and a clock signal. |
| US08222878B2 |
Current mode DC-DC converter having a pulse width modulation signal of reduced delay
A voltage regulator uses a comparing apparatus having hysteresis characteristics. The voltage regulator includes a comparator for comparing a comparison voltage with a reference voltage, and outputs a result of the comparison; a switching controller for generating a plurality of switching signals in response to the comparison result; resistors connected in the form of a string, to divide the comparison voltage into a plurality of voltages; and a switching box for selecting one of the plural voltages, as the comparison voltage, in response to the switching signals. |
| US08222877B2 |
Voltage regulator and method for voltage regulation
A voltage regulator, comprising: an input terminal; an output terminal at which an output voltage is provided; an output transistor which couples the input terminal of the voltage regulator to the output terminal of the voltage regulator; and a transimpedance amplifier including an input terminal which is coupled to the output terminal of the voltage regulator and an output terminal which is coupled to a control terminal of the output transistor, optionally via a coupling, the coupling having an impedance value between the output terminal of the transimpedance amplifier and the control terminal of the output transistor which at a given frequency is smaller than or equal to an impedance value of an output impedance of the transimpedance amplifier. |
| US08222873B2 |
Current mode bang-bang regulator amplifier
A circuit for regulating voltage in a power driver, the circuit comprising a current amplifier adapted to measure current flowing through an input resistor, separate AC and DC components of the current flowing through an input resistor, and apply an AC gain factor to the AC component and a DC gain factor to the DC component. |
| US08222870B2 |
Battery management systems with adjustable charging current
A battery management system includes a monitoring circuit and a charger. The monitoring circuit is operable for monitoring a battery pack that includes a plurality of cells, and for checking an unbalanced condition of the battery pack in each cycle of a plurality of cycles. The charger is operable for controlling a charging current to the battery pack and for receiving monitoring information from the monitoring circuit, and for adjusting the charging current from a first level in a previous cycle to a second level that is lower than the first level in response to a detection of the unbalanced condition in a current cycle. |
| US08222867B2 |
Battery charging and discharging apparatus and method
The invention provides a battery charging and discharging apparatus and method. The battery charging and discharging apparatus comprises a power source and a plurality of charging and discharging module. The charging and discharging module comprises a current-limiting transistor, a current-limiting resistor, a charging controlling unit, and a discharging controlling unit, wherein both the charging controlling unit and the discharging controlling unit are of battery voltage tracking types. When the charging and discharging module charges a battery, the voltage across two ends of the current-limiting transistor and the current-limiting resistor connected in series is limited to a fixed value by the charging controlling unit. When the battery discharges, the voltage across two ends of the current-limiting transistor and the current-limiting resistor connected in series is limited to a fixed value by the discharging controlling unit. Besides, the discharging controlling unit feedbacks the discharging energy from the battery to the power source. |
| US08222866B2 |
Electrically-powered vehicle
A control device turns on a system relay and relays. A first boost converter rectifies an AC voltage supplied through a connector and a first power supply line. Further, the boost converter responds to a signal from the control device to boost the rectified voltage, and outputs the boosted voltage to a second power supply line. A second boost converter receives a voltage from the second power supply line to convert the voltage in accordance with a signal from the control device for output to a third power supply line. Since the system relay and one relay are both turned on, first and second batteries are connected in parallel to the third power supply line and a ground line. The first and second batteries are thereby charged. |
| US08222865B2 |
Hybrid battery pack and methods of charging and discharging the same
A hybrid battery pack and methods of charging and discharging the same make it possible to manage at least two power sources by one circuit. The hybrid battery pack includes a first power source having a first switching circuit, a second power source connected to the first power source in parallel and having a second switching circuit, a current sensor serially connected to the first and second power sources to sense the currents of the first and second power sources, and a controller to obtain the voltages of the first and second power sources so that the first and second power sources are not over-charged or over-discharged and to calculate the entire capacity of the first and second power sources using the amount of currents obtained by the current sensor. |
| US08222864B2 |
Battery system including two or more unit cells electrically connected in series
A battery system capable of inhibiting a reverse voltage applied to a unit cell that has lost the electromotive force without active control is provided. The battery system include two or more unit cells electrically connected in series, and a rectification section that is composed of at least one of an electronic device having a rectification function and an interface having a rectification action, and is electrically connected to the respective two or more unit cells in parallel. |
| US08222863B2 |
Battery pack
A battery pack for an electric device is disclosed which includes: a group of battery cells interconnected in series; discharge control circuitry for converting DC voltage of the group into AC voltage; an AC-output terminal through which an output of the discharge control circuitry is supplied to the device; charge control circuitry for converting AC voltage of a commercial power source into DC voltage, to thereby charge the group; and a charging terminal through which electric power of the source is supplied into the group, wherein the AC-output terminal is connectable with a power-input connector of the device, and the charging terminal is connectable with a charging connector of the source, the pack further comprising a detector for detecting insertion of the power-input connector into the AC-output terminal, wherein the discharge control circuitry initiates a discharge control sequence for the group, if the insertion is detected, and does not initiate the discharge control sequence, in response to non-detection of the insertion. |
| US08222861B1 |
Elimination of power consumption when charger/adaptor is not in use
A plug-and-socket arrangement connects a portable appliance to a mains-powered battery charger/power supply. To avoid unwanted power consumption while the appliance is not connected, the plug-and-socket arrangement, when unplugged so that the appliance can be made portable, disconnects the mains power from the battery charger/power supply. |
| US08222857B2 |
Motor controlling device
In a controlling device for a permanent magnet synchronous motor, an asynchronous pulse mode is switched to a synchronous pulse mode in a situation where a modulation factor has become equal to or larger than a first set value or in a situation where an inverter output frequency has become equal to or higher than a second set value. The synchronous pulse mode is switched to the asynchronous pulse mode in a situation where the modulation factor has become smaller than the first set value, and also, the inverter output frequency has become lower than the second set value. By setting the second set value so that the number of pulses included in a half cycle of an output voltage fundamental wave of the inverter is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, it is possible to inhibit current oscillations and torque ripples from occurring in the motor. |
| US08222856B2 |
Control system without position sensors for a synchronous electric motor
A control system for a motor, including a first detector providing signals indicative of the sign and zero-crossings of a supply voltage, and a second detector providing signals indicative of the sign and the zero-crossings of BEMF developed in the stator winding. A switch is driven to cause a first current pulse through the winding at a first delay relative to the zero-crossing of the supply voltage. The system checks if the BEMF has a first zero-crossing within a predetermined period of time preceding a third zero-crossing of the voltage, and if so, causes an opposite second current pulse through the winding with a second delay relative to the third zero-crossing of the supply. If not, the first current pulse is repeated, reducing or increasing the duration of the first delay if the first zero-crossing of the BEMF took place after or before the predetermined period of time. |
| US08222852B2 |
Motor control device and image forming system
A motor control device of the present invention includes a correction input unit, a measurement unit, a first signal processing unit, and a second signal processing unit. The correction input unit corrects a control input signal outputted from a controller, and inputs a corrected control input signal into a motor. The measurement unit measures a physical quantity resulting from rotation of the motor corresponding to a control output. The first signal processing unit inputs a measurement signal representing the physical quantity inputted from the measurement unit into an inverse model 1/G of a transfer function G of a controlled object, and filters an output of the inverse model 1/G through a first low-pass filter. The second signal processing unit obtains a corrected control input signal to be inputted into the motor by the correction input unit, and filters the control input signal through a second low-pass filter. |
| US08222850B2 |
Overload protection device for motor
An overload protection device includes a motor, a transmitting shaft, a driving wheel, a resilient member, a sensor and a controller. The transmitting shaft including driving arm is meshed with the motor. The driving wheel is rotably engaged with the transmitting shaft at a distal end. The resilient member is connected to the driving arm at one end, and connected to the driving wheel at another end for driving the driving wheel to rotate. The sensor is mounted on the driving wheel and covered by the driving arm, and configured for and outputting a signal when the transmitting shaft is rotated relative to driving wheel. The controller is installed in the transmitting shaft and electrically coupled with the sensor for receiving the signal outputted from the sensor and shutting down the motor correspondingly. |
| US08222839B2 |
Dimming control system for vehicular lamp
A dimming control system 1 includes: light source units each having a respective LED; and a control unit connected to the light source units via power supply lines. The control unit is connected to each of the light source units in series. The control unit includes: switch portions that control dimming of the LEDs by repeating an ON/OFF operation in a predetermined cycle; current detection circuits and voltage detection circuits that detect a current or a voltage supplied via the power supply lines; and a CPU that determines there is an abnormality in the power supply lines or the light source units when a value of the detected current or voltage exceeds a predetermined range while the switch portions are ON. |
| US08222838B2 |
Light-emitting-element driving circuit
There is provided a light-emitting-element driving circuit which comprises a light-emitting circuit unit in which a plurality of current paths in each of which a light-emitting element and a first switching element are connected in series are placed in parallel with each other between a power supply terminal connected to an input power supply and a common terminal, a common circuit unit in which a second switching element and a constant current source which supplies a predetermined current which is defined in advance are connected in series and which is placed between the common terminal and a ground terminal which is grounded, and a plurality of third switching elements each of which is placed between an anode terminal of the respective light-emitting element of the light-emitting circuit unit and ground, wherein a switching control is applied for the first switching elements, the second switching element, and the third switching elements. |
| US08222837B2 |
Ambience lighting system for a display device and a method of operating such ambience lighting system
This invention relates to an ambience lighting system for use in conjunction with a display device including an image display region. A central control receives an incoming audio video stream (AVS) and to determines color information at the periphery of the image to be displayed. Light sources are disposed in a pre-fixed arrangement in relation to the periphery of the image display region, and local control units are coupled to open or more light sources selected from the multiple light sources for locally operating the at least one coupled light source. The central control unit is adapted to transmit the determined color information as a stream to each respective local control unit, which use a portion of the received color information to operate the at least one coupled light source, the portion being determined based on the position of the at least one coupled light source within the pre-fixed arrangement. |
| US08222836B2 |
Balancing transformers for multi-lamp operation
A ring balancer comprising a plurality of balancing transformers facilitates current sharing in a multi-lamp backlight system. The balancing transformers have respective primary windings separately coupled in series with designated lamps and have respective secondary windings coupled together in a closed loop. The secondary windings conduct a common current and the respective primary windings conduct proportional currents to balance currents among the lamps. The ring balancer facilitates automatic lamp striking and the lamps can be advantageously driven by a common voltage source. |
| US08222835B2 |
Electronic ballast with adjustable filament preheating based on output current symmetry
An electronic ballast is provided for adjustable filament preheating of a discharge lamp based on output current symmetry. A power converter receives DC power and outputs AC power. A starting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A control circuit controls the AC power output from the power converting circuit. A symmetry determining circuit determines a positive-negative symmetrical state of the AC power output to the lamp with respect to ground. After lamp startup, the control circuit enters a filament heating operation in which the output frequency of the power converting circuit is controlled to a first frequency. At one or more predetermined current detection points during the filament heating operation, the control circuit checks the symmetry state. If the output current is symmetrical at the current detection point, the control circuit ends the frequency heating operation and enters steady state operation with an output frequency of the power converter controlled to a second frequency for maintaining lamp lighting. If the output current is asymmetrical at the current detection point, the control circuit increases the output current to the lamp and continues the frequency heating operation. |
| US08222829B2 |
Driver circuit and method for driving load circuit
The present invention discloses a driver circuit and a method for driving a load circuit. The driver circuit includes: a primary side circuit receiving rectified AC power; a transformer coupled to the primary side circuit and converting a primary voltage to a secondary voltage which is supplied to a load circuit; and a secondary side circuit coupled to the transformer, the secondary side circuit detecting current flowing through the load circuit and feedback controlling the primary side circuit accordingly. |
| US08222827B2 |
Inductively coupled ballast circuit
A ballast circuit is disclosed for inductively providing power to a load. The ballast circuit includes an oscillator, a driver, a switching circuit, a resonant tank circuit and a current sensing circuit. The current sensing circuit provides a current feedback signal to the oscillator that is representative of the current in the resonant tank circuit. The current feedback signal drives the frequency of the ballast circuit causing the ballast circuit to seek resonance. The ballast circuit preferably includes a current limit circuit that is inductively coupled to the resonant tank circuit. The current limit circuit disables the ballast circuit when the current in the ballast circuit exceeds a predetermined threshold or falls outside a predetermined range. |
| US08222824B2 |
Light emitting diode driving apparatus
A light emitting diode driving apparatus includes: a switching converter having an inductor and a switching device; a plurality of serial light emitting diode lines each having a plurality of light emitting diodes connected in series; a plurality of rectifier diodes respectively connected in series to the plurality of serial light emitting diode lines; a plurality of capacitors respectively connected to nodes between the serial light emitting diode lines and the rectifier diodes for smoothing a voltage; and one or more current distribution coils disposed between the switching converter and the plurality of serial light emitting diode lines to let a current flow in a direction of canceling out a magnetic flux generated by a first winding and a magnetic flux generated by a second winding each other, thereby making currents flowing in the serial light emitting diode lines equal to each other. |
| US08222823B2 |
Wireless-controlled solar brick
A wireless-controlled solar brick includes a circuit board disposed with a microcontroller that connects with a signal receiver and a plurality of light sources. A solar panel is disposed above the circuit board. There is a remote controller corresponding to the solar brick. The remote controller consists of a control module connected with a signal transmitter. The solar brick is placed on flat surface, such as the ground or a wall. Sunlight can be absorbed by the solar panel to generate electric power for further storage of the same. While in the dark or at night, the light source emits light to allow the solar brick to be seen clearly under conditions of low visibility. The colors or lighting patterns of the solar brick can be changed by using the remote controller, thereby providing a dynamic light and shadow show on the flat surface. |
| US08222822B2 |
Inductively-coupled plasma device
A plasma device configured to receive ionizable media is disclosed. The plasma device includes a first pair of dielectric substrates each having an inner surface and an outer surface. The first pair of dielectric substrates is disposed in spaced, parallel relation relative to one another with the inner surfaces thereof facing one another. The device also includes a first pair of spiral coils each disposed on the inner surface of the dielectric substrates. The first pair of spiral coils is configured to couple to a power source and configured to inductively couple to an ionizable media passed therebetween to ignite the ionizable media to form a plasma effluent. |
| US08222819B2 |
Ceramic discharge vessel having an opaque zone and method of making same
An opaque zone in the polycrystalline (PCA) discharge vessel of a high intensity discharge lamp may be made by creating residual pores in predetermined regions of the final-sintered discharge vessel. The control over the placement of the opaque zone is achieved by forming a carbonaceous residue in a specific region of the discharge vessel prior to final sintering. During sintering, the carbonaceous material causes residual porosity in the sintered PCA. The higher emissivity of the opaque PCA provides localized cooling in order to provide more control over the condensate behavior in the discharge vessel. |
| US08222818B2 |
Cold cathode tube lamp, lighting device for display device, display device, and television receiving device
This cold cathode tube lamp comprises a glass tube (11) into which at least a rare gas is filled and a discharge tube composed of a pair of an electrode (21) and an electrode (22) disposed facing each other at both ends inside the glass tube (11). In the respective electrode (21) and electrode (22), lead terminals (31a, 31b, 31c) and lead terminals (32a, 32b, 32c), one end of each of which is connected to the electrode and the other end of each of which is led out to the outside of the glass tube (11) are provided. |
| US08222817B2 |
Arc tube for discharge bulb and discharge bulb including the same
An arc tube for a discharge bulb includes: an electrode assembly that has an electrode bar and a molybdenum foil, wherein an overlapping portion of an end portion of the electrode bar and a molybdenum foil is joined by spot welding; a pinch seal portion that seals a part of the electrode assembly, the part including at least the molybdenum foil; and a closed glass bulb, into which a tip of the electrode bar protrudes, the closed glass bulb forming a discharge light-emitting portion, wherein the size of a recess, which is a weld mark, in the molybdenum foil on the side opposite to a joint portion, at which the molybdenum foil and the electrode bar are joined with each other, is within a range from 0.07 mm2 to 0.25 mm2. |
| US08222816B2 |
Multi plasma display panel
A multi plasma display panel is disclosed. The multi plasma display panel includes a plurality of plasma display panels positioned adjacent to one another, each of the plurality of plasma display panels including, a front substrate on which a first electrode is positioned, a rear substrate on which a second electrode crossing the first electrode is positioned, a barrier rib between the front substrate and the rear substrate, the barrier rib providing a plurality of discharge cells, and an exhaust hole on the rear substrate. The exhaust hole is formed in at least one of the plurality of discharge cells. A size of a discharge cell in which the exhaust hole is formed is greater than a size of at least one discharge cell in which the exhaust hole is not formed. |
| US08222815B2 |
Plasma display panel
A PDP includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, a plurality of first discharge electrodes on the first substrate, a first dielectric layer covering the plurality of first discharge electrodes, and a plurality of second discharge electrodes on the second substrate to cross the plurality of first discharge electrodes, wherein a difference between thermal expansion coefficients of the first substrate and the first dielectric layer is greater than or equal to about 2×10−7/° C. and less than or equal to about 17×10−7/° C. |
| US08222814B2 |
Plasma display panel with exposed crystal particles and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention improves discharge characteristics of a protective layer in order to provide a PDP that exhibits excellent display performance even if the PDP is of a fine-cell structure. The present invention also provides a manufacturing method for the PDP. In particular, a protective layer 8 is composed of an MgO film layer 81 and an MgO particle layer 82 that is made of MgO particles 16. The MgO particles 16 are formed by burning an MgO precursor and satisfy that a/b≧1.2, where a denotes a spectrum integral value in a wavelength region of a CL spectrum from 650 nm to 900 nm, exclusive of 900 nm, and b denotes a spectrum integral value in a wavelength region of the CL spectrum from 300 nm to 550 nm, exclusive of 550 nm. |
| US08222813B2 |
Matrix phosphor cold cathode display employing secondary emission
A vacuum flat panel display including: a plurality of electrically addressable pixels; a plurality of thin-film transistor driver circuits each being electrically coupled to an associated at least one of the pixels, respectively; a passivating layer on the thin-film transistor driver circuits and at least partially around the pixels; a conductive frame on the passivating layer, said frame and pixel area coated with an insulator; and, a plurality of cathode emitters are deposited on the coated frame while phosphor is deposited on the coated pixel; wherein, exciting the cathode emitters and addressing one of the pixels using the associated driver circuit causes the emitted electrons to induce one of the pixels to emit light. By introducing a noble gas or mixture, and a ML layer having a DC, AC or pulsed voltage applied thereto, one creates a plasma to form a sheath boundary at the insulator causing electron multiplication and increased illumination. |
| US08222806B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode device and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The OLED device comprises more than one light emitting layer. The emissive zone is capable to emit red or long wavelength visible light near the cathode, and emit blue or short wavelength visible light near the anode. The device emits visible light with a lower color temperature at low voltages, and emits visible light with a higher color temperature at higher voltages. By adjusting the input voltage, the device is capable to emit white light or other color lights with desired color temperature. |
| US08222805B2 |
Oxynitride luminescent material, preparation method and its applications
The present invention relates to semiconductor field, especially relates to an oxynitride luminescent material, preparation method and its application. The oxynitride has a chemical formula of AxByOzN2/3x+4/3y−2/3z:R, wherein A is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, and Zn; B is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Zr, Ti, B, Al, Ga, In, Li, and Na, and at least contains Si. The oxynitride luminescent material according to the invention is excellent in chemical stability and luminescence property, and act as cyan to red luminescent material applicable to white light LED that excited by ultraviolet or blue light LED. Its excited wavelength is between 300-500 nm, while the emission wavelength at 470-700 nm. With blue or ultraviolet or near-ultraviolet LED, this type of material can be used to produce white light illumination or display light source. |
| US08222803B2 |
Spark plug and manufacturing method thereof
There is provided a spark plug 100 with a ground electrode 30, wherein a protrusion amount A of a protruding portion 36 satisfies a relationship of 0.4 mm≦A≦1.0 mm and wherein a press recessed portion 37 extends to a front end surface 31 of the ground electrode 30. |
| US08222792B2 |
Axial air gap machine having stator and rotor discs formed of multiple detachable segments
A generator or motor apparatus having a stator formed of a plurality of pairs of parallel stator segments is provided The pairs of parallel segments are connected together to form a channel in which an annular rotor moves The annular rotor also comprises a plurality of detachable segments connected together to form an annular tram operable to move through said channel Each stator segment comprises a stator winding set and each rotor segment comprises a magnet dimensioned to fit between the parallel spaced apart stator segments The apparatus may include a support structure, the rotor segments being slidably coupled to the support structure and the stator segments being attached to the support structure The apparatus may be a rim generator, wind turbine generator or other electrical machine The stator winding set includes a stator winding, and may include other electrical or electronic components, including possibly a power factor capacitor, direct current filtering capacitor, supercapacitor, and one or more diodes The stator winding set may be encapsulated within the stator segment. |
| US08222789B2 |
Vehicle disk motor with movable magnet poles
A brushless D.C. disk motor has one or more disk rotor assemblies and pairs of stator assemblies for each rotor assembly. Each disk rotor assembly has a disk and a plurality of permanent magnets distributed along two or more circular paths in the disk inboard of the peripheral edge of the rotor. Each stator assembly has a plurality of pole pieces and coils distributed along a mounting plate in corresponding circular paths. The disk is rotatably mounted to a support member; while the stator sub-assemblies are fixed to the support member. The coils are selectively activated by commutated power control signals generated in response to a vehicle condition parameter, such as vehicle speed or disk motor load, to optimize power drain from the source of electrical power in accordance with the value of the vehicle condition parameter. The stator assembly pole pieces are movably mounted on the stator mounting plate to improve motor efficiency. |
| US08222787B2 |
Electric machine
An interior permanent magnet electric machine is disclosed. The interior permanent magnet electric machine comprises a rotor comprising a plurality of radially placed magnets each having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein each magnet comprises a plurality of magnetic segments and at least one magnetic segment towards the distal end comprises a high resistivity magnetic material. |
| US08222784B2 |
Electric machine with single stator and two mutually independent rotors, and road vehicle provided with said electric machine
An electric machine provided with: a stator, equipped with a single stator winding; at least two shafts, which are independent of one another and are mounted so that they can turn; at least two rotors, which are independent of one another, are magnetically coupled to the stator, and are mounted on the shafts; and a single electronic power converter, which is connected to the stator winding for supplying the stator winding itself with a total electric current. |
| US08222782B2 |
Brushless motor
Disclosed is a brushless motor which allows easy positioning of an air core coil and facilitates quick assembling of the coil because the air core coil is positioned by fitting an air core portion of the air core coil to bosses formed in a coil plate. Moreover, since no jig is required for the positioning of the coil, the positional precision of the coil can be stably attained, thereby enhancing the positional precision of the coil. Furthermore, although the positioning of the coil becomes difficult as the coil is reduced in size, the present invention is capable of easily coping with the thinning and miniaturization of the coils, i.e., thinning and miniaturization of the motor. In addition, the thinning and miniaturization of the motor can also be attained by arranging a circuit board and a coil plate in parallel to each other. |
| US08222781B2 |
Overload protection device for motor
An overload protection device includes a motor, a rotatable shaft, a driven wheel, and a transmission mechanism. The rotatable shaft is meshed with the motor. The rotatable shaft includes a rod and a driving arm. A connection pole is formed on the driving arm. An inner surface of the driven wheel forms a protrusion. A sidewall of the protrusion defines a cutout therein. The transmission mechanism includes a resilient member and two arms rotatably connected on the connecting pole. The transmission mechanism is wedged in the cutout. when the motor is overloaded, the torque applied on the arms by the drive force of the motor becomes greater than the torque applied on the arms by the resilient force of the resilient member, the resilient member can no longer hold the transmission mechanism in a wedge shape, the arms become parallel each other to slide out of the cutout. |
| US08222778B2 |
High-voltage bushing of a rotating electric machine
According to one embodiment, in a high-voltage bushing of a rotating electric machine, the communicating holes are inclined at least toward a circumferential direction of the hollow conductor or toward a machine external side from a direction vertical to a wall surface of the hollow conductor. |
| US08222776B2 |
Rotation detector and direct-current motor
A power supply unit superimposes alternating-current voltage on direct-current voltage and applies it to a motor. As a result, when the motor is rotated, a current containing an alternating-current component flows. Further, the motor includes a capacitor connected in parallel with one phase coil. Owing to this capacitor, the impedance of the motor circuit between brushes is varied according to the rotation of the motor. Variation in impedance appears as variation in the amplitude of the alternating-current component in motor current. A signal processing unit extracts an alternating-current component from the motor current detected by the current detection unit and generates a rotation pulse corresponding to variation in the amplitude. A rotation angle detection unit detects the rotation angle of the motor based on this rotation pulse. |
| US08222775B2 |
Electromechanical energy harvesting system
A method of electromechanical energy harvesting includes sensing electrical current generated by relative movement of a coil and a magnetic flux source produced by movement of a cantilevered beam in response to ambient vibration energy, determining a vibration characteristic of the ambient vibration energy, and adjusting an effective flexible length of the cantilevered beam as a function of the vibration characteristic and the sensed electrical current. |
| US08222772B1 |
Power supply system with power factor correction and efficient low power operation
A method and apparatus for efficiently converting power from an AC line is disclosed. The power converter supplies power to the load, performing power factor correction at nominal and high loads, i.e. above a predetermined output power threshold, and operating in an on-demand burst mode at low loads, i.e. below a predetermined output power threshold, e.g. to supply power in a green mode to supervisory circuitry during a powered off state. The duration of an operating interval during which power conversion takes place may be reduced and varied at low loads as a function of the output power demands to increase overall conversion efficiency. The operating interval may be centered about a peak in the input voltage waveshape for operating intervals that are less than a full rectification period. For operating intervals that are less than a full rectification period a modified power factor correction may be used, in which the input current waveshape approximates the input voltage waveshape during the operating interval. |
| US08222770B2 |
Device, system and method for directly generating alternating current electricity from photovoltaic cells
A device, system and method for generating alternating current (a/c) electricity directly from photovoltaic cells utilize an array of photovoltaic cell pairs that are each connected in anti-parallel to form an a/c junction. The system, device and method mechanically gradually exposes and shades photovoltaic cell pairs to sunlight to generate alternating current electricity at an a/c junction of the solar cell pairs. Gradually and alternately exposing and shading the two anti-parallel connected solar cells of each solar cell pair causes the amplitude and polarity of the electricity at the a/c junction to gradually rise and fall to produce alternating current electricity. The gradual, alternating exposure and shading of the two anti-parallel solar cells is accomplished by mechanically covering and exposing the solar cell pairs. This is efficiently accomplished by a rotating segmented disc positioned over an array of solar cell pairs. |
| US08222769B2 |
Magnetic coupling type isolator
A magnetic coupling type isolator includes: a magnetic field generator for generating an external magnetic field by an input signal; a magnetoresistive element for detecting the external magnetic field and converting the detected magnetic field into an electric signal, the magnetoresistive element being electrically insulated from the magnetic field generator and positioned in a location capable of being magnetically coupled so as to be overlapped with the magnetic field generator as seen in a top plan view; first and second shield films overlapped with the magnetic field generator and the magnetoresistive element as seen in a top plan view; and a third shield film disposed to surround the magnetoresistive element. |
| US08222765B2 |
Photovoltaic power plant output
A method and system for reducing power output rate change variability. A photovoltaic power output is received from a photovoltaic array. The rate of change of the photovoltaic power output is measured. An auxiliary power source output is adjusted to limit a plant power output rate of change to within a power output rate change band when combined with the photovoltaic power. |
| US08222764B2 |
Method and device for regulating a resonant inverter equipped with such a device
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and device for regulating a series resonant inverter with controlled rectification. It also relates to a resonant inverter equipped with such a device. The synchronous series resonant inverter includes a primary winding having across its terminals a periodic voltage V(t) of period T, this primary winding being coupled to at least one secondary winding providing the output voltage Vs. The establishment of the current IT(t) in the secondary winding is controlled within the period T. The output voltage Vs is regulated as a function of the phase shift angle δ between the zero crossing of the voltage V(t) across the terminals of the primary winding and the instant of establishment of the current IT(t) in the secondary winding. Embodiments include the production of isolated switched power supplies having a high level of integration, operating at a switching frequency of several megahertz. |
| US08222763B2 |
Method of controlling DC/DC converter apparatus
If a lower arm device connection period is non-zero in a previous switching cycle, a first dead time is prohibited from decreasing, and if the lower arm device connection period is zero, the first dead time is allowed to decrease, wherein the first dead time is the dead time provided after the lower arm device connection period in the previous switching cycle but before an upper arm device connection period in the current switching cycle. |
| US08222761B2 |
Power generation system using helical turbine
Disclosed is a helical turbine power generation system for generating electricity by using a helical turbine and a synchronous generator, the system including: a helical turbine rotatably provided in a frame so as to continuously generate rotation force under unidirectional or multidirectional fluid flow; a step-up gear for increasing a rotational velocity of the helical turbine up to a level required for generating electricity; a fluid coupling for preventing the rotational velocity increased by the step-up gear from increasing above a required velocity at a temporarily high rate of fluid flow; and a synchronous generator for generating electricity by using the rotational velocity transferred from the fluid coupling. Therefore, it is possible to reduce equipment costs and to prevent environmental pollution. |
| US08222760B2 |
Method for controlling a proximity sensor of a wind turbine
The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling at least one proximity sensor of a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor shaft, the at least one proximity sensor being adapted to measure a radial displacement of the rotor shaft; the method includes: providing at least one reference value, detecting an output of the at least one proximity sensor, the output depending on a measured distance by the respective proximity sensor; comparing the detected output of the proximity sensor with at least one reference value. Further, the present relates to a control arrangement for a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a wind rotor shaft; wherein the control arrangement comprises at least one proximity sensor being adapted to measure a radial displacement of the rotor shaft, wherein the at least one proximity sensor is adapted to generate an output signal depending on a measured distance by the respective proximity sensor; wherein the control arrangement further comprises a control device, the control device being adapted to receive the output signal of the at least one proximity sensor, wherein the control device is adapted to compare the output signal with at least one reference value. Finally, the present disclosure relates to a wind turbine comprising a control arrangement. |
| US08222758B2 |
Wind turbine generator
An object is to improve the operating rate. A first switch is provided in a power line connecting a power generator to a power system, and a second switch that can be opened and closed by remote control is provided in the power line between the power generator and the first switch. In the second switch, a withstand current capability is set that allows current flowing in a low-voltage event and that withstands current having a value equal to or less than a current value specified by the thermal setting of the power generator. In the first switch, a withstand current capability is set that is superior to the withstand current capability of the second switch and that withstands current having a value equal to or less than the current value specified by the thermal setting of the power generator. |
| US08222754B1 |
Vibration-based power generator
A vibration-based power generator has a variable stiffness oscillator connected to a base. The oscillator comprises an inertial mass moving relative to the base in response to vibrations. The oscillator has a neutral position corresponding to a position of the oscillator when no vibrations are transmitted to the base. The oscillator has a first position where the mass is at a first distance and a second position where the inertial mass is at a second distance from a position of the mass when the oscillator is in neutral position. The second distance is greater than the first distance. A stiffness of the oscillator at the second position is greater than a stiffness of the oscillator at the first position. A transducer generating electric power in response to movement of the inertial mass is associated with the oscillator. A method of optimizing a vibration-based power generator is also presented. |
| US08222752B2 |
Organopolysiloxane composition and semiconductor apparatus
Provided is an organopolysiloxane composition that provides a cured product which has excellent heat resistance and does not peel or crack even under high temperatures. The organopolysiloxane composition comprises (A) an organopolysiloxane having difunctional siloxane units (D units) and trifunctional siloxane units (T units), and a weight-average molecular weight of 37,000 to 140,000 in which the molar ratio (T/D) of the T units to the D units is 0.3 to 0.8; and (B) an organopolysiloxane having the difunctional siloxane units (D units) and the trifunctional siloxane units (T units), and a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 60,000 in which the molar ratio (T/D) of the T units to the D units is 0.15 or less, the organopolysiloxane composition being characterized by having a molar ratio (B/A) of the organopolysiloxane (B) to the organopolysiloxane (A) of 1.5 to 6.5. |
| US08222750B2 |
Aligned nanotube bearing composite material
A composite material including an arrangement of approximately aligned nanofilaments overlying at least another arrangement of approximately aligned nanofilaments, the longitudinal axis of the nanotubes of the first arrangement being approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nanotubes of the other arrangement, and the arrangements forming at least one array. A resin material having nanoparticles dispersed throughout is disposed among the array(s) of nanofilaments, and cured, and openings may be formed into or through the composite material corresponding to spaces provided in the array of nanofilaments. A composite material according to embodiments forms a microelectronic substrate or some portion thereof, such as a substrate core. |
| US08222749B2 |
Wiring substrate and semiconductor device
A wiring substrate of the present invention includes such a structure that a plurality of connection pads and leading wiring portions connected to the plurality of connection pads respectively are arranged to an insulating layer of a surface layer side, and the leading wiring portions are arranged to be bended from the connection pads, and a solder layer to protrude upward is provided on the connection pads respectively. A solder on the leading wiring portions moves to the bend portion side, and thus the solder layer to protrude upward is formed on the connection pads. |
| US08222742B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a lower semiconductor layer with first conductive regions and including at least one dummy first conductive region, an upper semiconductor layer with second conductive regions on the lower semiconductor layer and including at least one dummy second conductive region, a penetration hole in the upper semiconductor layer and penetrating the dummy second conductive region and the upper semiconductor layer under the dummy second conductive region, a lower conductive line on the lower semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the first conductive regions, an upper conductive line on the upper semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the second conductive regions, and a first conductive plug in the penetration hole between the lower conductive line and the upper conductive line, the first conductive plug electrically connecting the lower and upper conductive lines and being spaced apart from sidewalls of the penetration hole. |
| US08222738B2 |
Semiconductor device, and manufacturing method therefor
To provide a semiconductor device with improved reliability. The semiconductor device includes a wiring board, a microcomputer chip flip-chip bonded over the wiring board via gold bumps, a first memory chip laminated over the microcomputer chip, wires for coupling the first memory chip to the wiring board, an underfill material with which a flip-chip coupling portion of the microcomputer chip is filled, and a sealing member for sealing the microcomputer chip and the first memory chip with resin. Further, the corner of a second opening portion of a solder resist film of the wiring board corresponding to the corner of the chip on the air vent side in charging the underfill material is made close to the microcomputer chip, which can improve the wettability and spread of the underfill material at the second opening portion, thus reducing the exposure of leads to the second opening portion, thereby improving the reliability of the semiconductor device. |
| US08222737B2 |
BGA semiconductor device having a dummy bump
A BGA semiconductor device includes a semiconductor package and a mounting board mounting thereon the semiconductor package, wherein an array of signal electrodes of the semiconductor package and an array of signal electrodes of the mounting board are coupled together via signal bumps. The BGA semiconductor device also includes a dummy bump, which reinforces the bending strength of the BGA semiconductor device and is broken by a shearing force caused by thermal expansion to alleviate the stress for the signal bumps. |
| US08222735B2 |
Semiconductor device and communication system using the semiconductor device
With respect to a semiconductor device which communicates data by wireless communication, an object of the present invention is to improve sensitivity of an antenna and to protect a chip from noise without increasing the size of the device. A coiled antenna and a semiconductor integrated circuit which is electrically connected to the coiled antenna are included. The semiconductor integrated circuit is arranged so as to overlap with the coiled antenna. In this manner, arrangement of the coiled antenna and the semiconductor integrated circuit in the semiconductor device is devised, so that sensitivity of the antenna can be improved and power enough to operate the semiconductor integrated circuit can be obtained without increasing the size of the device. |
| US08222734B2 |
Hybrid integrated circuit device and electronic device
A hybrid integrated circuit device having high mount reliability includes a module substrate which is a ceramic wiring substrate, a plurality of electronic component parts laid out on the main surface of the module substrate, a plurality of electrode terminals laid out on the rear surface of the module substrate, and a cap which is fixed to the module substrate to cover the main surface of the module substrate. The electrode terminals include ones which are aligned along the edges of the module substrate and power voltage supply terminals which are located inner than these electrode terminals. The electrode terminals aligned along the substrate edges are coated, at least in their portions close to the substrate edge, with a protection film having a thickness of several tens micrometers or less. Connection reinforcing terminals consist of a plurality of divided terminals which are independent of each other, and are ground terminals. |
| US08222732B2 |
Heat spreader having single layer of diamond particles and associated methods
A heat spreader is presented which can provide effective thermal management in a cost effective manner. The heat spreader includes a plurality of diamond particles arranged in a single layer surrounded by a metallic mass. The metallic mass cements the diamond particles together. The layer of diamond particles is a single particle thick. Besides the single layer of diamond particles, the metallic mass has substantially no other diamond particles therein. A thermal management system including a heat source and a heat spreader is also presented, along with methods for making and methods for use of such heat spreaders. |
| US08222731B2 |
Cut-out heat slug for integrated circuit device packaging
In a package, a heat slug, encapsulated by molding compound, encases an integrated circuit device (IC). In an example embodiment, a semiconductor package structure comprises a substrate having conductive traces and pad landings. The conductive traces have pad landings. An IC is mounted on the substrate. The IC has bonding pads. With conductive wires, the IC bonding pads are connected to the pad landings, which in turn, are connected to the conductive traces. A heat slug, having predetermined height, is disposed on the substrate surface. The heat slug includes a plurality of mounting feet providing mechanical attachment to the substrate. A cavity in the heat slug accommodates the IC. A plurality of first-size openings surrounds the IC. A second-size opening constructed from one of the first size-openings, is larger than the first-size opening. The second size-opening facilitates the introduction of molding compounds into the cavity of the heat slug. |
| US08222729B2 |
Electric power converter
An electric power converter includes: a heat sink having a heat receiving surface; a semiconductor module including a metal plate having a heat radiation surface, a switching element on the metal plate opposite to the heat radiation surface, and a resin member covering a part of the metal plate and the switching element; a heat radiation member between the heat receiving surface and the semiconductor module for transmitting heat of the switching element to the heat receiving surface via the metal plate. The heat receiving surface includes a concavity, and the heat radiation surface includes a convexity. The heat radiation member has a predetermined area sandwiched between the concavity and the convexity. |
| US08222723B2 |
Electric module having a conductive pattern layer
An electronic module including a conductive-pattern layer; an insulating-material layer supporting the conductive-pattern layer; and at least one component inside the insulating-material layer is disclosed. The component includes a first surface and contact zones on the first surface. The electronic module further includes a first hardened adhesive layer on the first surface of the component; a second hardened adhesive layer in contact with the conductive-pattern layer and the first hardened adhesive layer; holes in the first and second hardened adhesive layer at the locations of the contact zones; and conductive material in the holes and in electrical connection with the contact zones of the component and the conductive-pattern layer. |
| US08222719B2 |
Quad flat no lead (QFN) integrated circuit (IC) package having a modified paddle and method for designing the package
A QFN IC package is provided that has all of the advantages of the typical QFN IC package, but in addition, has a paddle that is configured to facilitate trace routing and/or via placement on the PWB or PCB on which the IC package is mounted. By configuring the paddle as necessary or desired in order to facilitate routing and/or via placement, the overall size of the PWB or PCB can be reduced without sacrificing the thermal or electrical performance advantages that the paddle provides. In addition, the reduction in the overall size of the PWB or PCB results in reduced cost. |
| US08222718B2 |
Semiconductor die package and method for making the same
A semiconductor die package. The semiconductor die package includes a premolded clip structure assembly having a clip structure, a semiconductor die attached to the clip structure, and a first molding material covering at least a portion of the clip structure and the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die package also includes a leadframe structure having a die attach pad, where the leadframe structure is attached to premolded clip structure assembly. |
| US08222716B2 |
Multiple leadframe package
Apparatuses and methods directed to a semiconductor chip package having multiple leadframes are disclosed. Packages can include a first leadframe having a die attach pad and a first plurality of electrical leads, a second leadframe that is generally parallel to the first leadframe and having a second plurality of electrical leads, and a plurality of direct electrical connectors between the first and second leadframes, where such direct electrical connectors control the distance between the leadframes. Additional device components can include a primary die, an encapsulant, a secondary die, an inductor and/or a capacitor. The plurality of direct electrical connectors can comprise polymer balls having solder disposed thereabout. Alternatively, the direct electrical connectors can comprise metal tabs that extend from one leadframe to the other. The first and second leadframes can be substantially stacked atop one another, and one or both leadframes can be leadless leadframes. |
| US08222715B2 |
Semiconductor device capable of reducing a contact resistance of a lower electrode and a contact pad and providing an align margin between the lower electrode and the contact pad
A semiconductor device includes an insulation interlayer and an etch stop layer sequentially stacked on a substrate wherein a lower structure including a first contact pad is formed. A second contact pad penetrates the insulation interlayer and the etch stop layer and is connected to the first contact pad. The second contact pad protrudes from the etch stop layer. A pad spacer is provided between the second contact pad and the insulation interlayer. A lower electrode is provided on the etch stop layer and is connected to the second contact pad. A dielectric layer and an upper electrode are sequentially provided on the lower electrode. |
| US08222713B2 |
Storage element and storage apparatus
A storage element and storage apparatus are provided. A storage element includes a storage layer disposed between two electrodes, and an ion source layer provided in contact with the storage layer and containing any element selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag, and Zn, wherein the material of the electrode on the storage layer side, of the two electrodes, is composed of an amorphous tungsten alloy containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Nb, Mo, and Ta, or an amorphous tantalum nitride. The storage element is capable of stably performing an information recording operation. |
| US08222709B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, method of driving solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array area in which an unit pixel including a photoelectric conversion element converting optical signals to signal charges and a transfer gate transferring the signal charges which have been photoelectrically converted in the photoelectric conversion element is two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix form, a supply voltage control means for supplying plural first control voltages sequentially to a control electrode of the transfer gate, and a driving means for performing driving of reading out signal charges transferred by the transfer gate when the plural first control voltages are sequentially applied twice and more. |
| US08222707B2 |
Semiconductor package structure and package method thereof
A semiconductor package structure and a package method thereof are provided. The semiconductor package structure includes a substrate, a sensing chip, a first patterned conductive layer and a electrical connection portion. The substrate has an accommodating portion, a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The accommodating portion are extended to the second surface from the first surface. |
| US08222706B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, a source/drain region, and a Si mixed crystal layer in the source/drain region. The Si mixed crystal layer includes a first Si mixed crystal layer that includes impurities with a first concentration, a second Si mixed crystal layer formed over the first Si mixed crystal layer and that includes the impurities with a second concentration higher than the first concentration, and a third Si mixed crystal layer formed over the second Si mixed crystal layer and that includes the impurities with a third concentration lower than the second concentration. |
| US08222701B2 |
P-channel MOS transistor and semiconductor integrated circuit device
A p-channel MOS transistor includes a gate electrode formed on a silicon substrate via a gate insulating film, a channel region formed below the gate electrode within the silicon substrate, and a p-type source region and a p-type drain region formed at opposite sides of the channel region within the silicon substrate. In the p-channel MOS transistor, first and second sidewall insulating films are arranged on opposing sidewall faces of the gate electrode. First and second p-type epitaxial regions are respectively formed at outer sides of the first and second sidewall insulating films on the silicon substrate, and the first and second p-type epitaxial regions are arranged to be higher than the gate electrode. A stress film that stores tensile stress and covers the gate electrode via the first and second sidewall insulating films is continuously arranged over the first and second p-type epitaxial regions. |
| US08222700B2 |
Protection circuit and operating method thereof
A semiconductor component including a semiconductor substrate, a doped well formed in the semiconductor substrate, transistor structures arranged in the doped well, and an integrated circuit connected to the doped well, wherein the integrated circuit intermittently charges the doped well to a provided electrical potential, ascertains a deviation of the potential present at the doped well from the provided potential, and triggers an alarm signal in the event of a specific deviation. |
| US08222699B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a semiconductor layer, a power device formed in the semiconductor substrate, a plurality of concentric guard rings formed in the semiconductor substrate and surrounding the power device, and voltage applying means for applying successively higher voltages respectively to the plurality of concentric guard rings, with the outermost concentric guard ring having the highest voltage applied thereto. |
| US08222698B2 |
Bond pad with integrated transient over-voltage protection
In various embodiments, the invention relates to bond pad structures including planar transistor structures operable as over-voltage clamps. |
| US08222693B2 |
Trench-gate transistors and their manufacture
A trench-gate transistor has an integral first layer of silicon dioxide extending from the upper surface of the semiconductor body over top corners of each cell array trench. The integral first layer also provides a thin gate dielectric insulating layer for a thick gate electrode and the integral first layer also provides a first part of a stack of materials which constitute a thick trench sidewall insulating layer for a thin field plate. Consistent with an example embodiment, there is a method of manufacture. A hardmask used to etch the trenches is removed before providing the silicon dioxide layer. The layer is then protected by successive selective etching of the oxide layer and the nitride layer in the upper parts of the trenches. After the gate electrodes are provided, layers for the channel accommodating regions and source regions may be formed through the oxide layer on the upper surface. |
| US08222691B2 |
Gate pullback at ends of high-voltage vertical transistor structure
In one embodiment, a transistor includes a pillar of semiconductor material arranged in a racetrack-shaped layout having a substantially linear section that extends in a first lateral direction and rounded sections at each end of the substantially linear section. First and second dielectric regions are disposed on opposite sides of the pillar. First and second field plates are respectively disposed in the first and second dielectric regions. First and second gate members respectively disposed in the first and second dielectric regions are separated from the pillar by a gate oxide having a first thickness in the substantially linear section. The gate oxide being substantially thicker at the rounded sections. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. |
| US08222688B1 |
SONOS stack with split nitride memory layer
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first oxide layer formed on the substrate, an oxygen-rich nitride layer formed on the first oxide layer, a second oxide layer formed on the oxygen-rich nitride layer, and an oxygen-poor nitride layer formed on the second oxide layer. |
| US08222687B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device and method of manufacture thereof
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device including a number of memory cells formed on a semiconductor substrate, each of the memory cells has a tunnel insulating film, a charge storage layer, a block insulating film, and a gate electrode which are formed in sequence on the substrate. The gate electrode is structured such that at least first and second gate electrode layers are stacked. The dimension in the direction of gate length of the second gate electrode layer, which is formed on the first gate electrode layer, is smaller than the dimension in the direction of gate length of the first gate electrode layer. |
| US08222677B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a cell array block formed on the semiconductor substrate and including plural stacked cell array layers each comprising a plurality of first lines, a plurality of second lines crossing the plurality of first lines, and memory cells connected at intersections of the first and second lines between both lines; and a plurality of contact plugs extending in the stack direction of the cell array layers to connect between the first lines, between the second lines, between the first or second line and the semiconductor substrate, or between the first or second line and another metal line, in the cell array layers. The first or second line in a certain one of the cell array layers has a contact connector making contact with both sides of the contact plug. |
| US08222674B2 |
Semiconductor device having a group-III nitride superlattice layer on a silicon substrate
Provided is a semiconductor device containing a silicon single crystal substrate 101, a silicon carbide layer 102 provided on a surface of the substrate, a Group III nitride semiconductor junction layer 103 provided in contact with the silicon carbide layer, and a superlattice-structured layer 104 constituted by Group III nitride semiconductors on the Group III nitride semiconductor junction layer. In this semiconductor device, the silicon carbide layer is a layer of a cubic system whose lattice constant exceeds 0.436 nm and is not more than 0.460 nm and which has a nonstoichiometric composition containing silicon abundantly in terms of composition, and the Group III nitride semiconductor junction layer has a composition of AlxGaYInzN1-αMα (0≦X, Y, Z≦1, X+Y+Z=1, 0≦α<1, M is a Group V element except nitrogen). |
| US08222673B2 |
Self-aligned embedded SiGe structure and method of manufacturing the same
A low energy surface is formed by a high temperature anneal of the surfaces of trenches on each side of a gate stack. The material of the semiconductor layer reflows during the high temperature anneal such that the low energy surface is a crystallographic surface that is at a non-orthogonal angle with the surface normal of the semiconductor layer. A lattice mismatched semiconductor material is selectively grown on the semiconductor layer to fill the trenches, thereby forming embedded lattice mismatched semiconductor material portions in source and drain regions of a transistor. The embedded lattice mismatched semiconductor material portions can be in-situ doped without increasing punch-through. Alternately, a combination of intrinsic selective epitaxy and ion implantation can be employed to form deep source and drain regions. |
| US08222671B2 |
Power semiconductor devices
This invention generally relates to power semiconductor devices, and in particular to improved thyristor devices and circuits. The techniques we describe are particularly useful for so-called MOS-gated thyristors. We describe a thyristor comprising a plurality of power thyristor devices connected in parallel, each said thyristor device being operable at a device current which the device has an on-resistance with a positive temperature coefficient. |
| US08222670B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting element and method for manufacturing same
A semiconductor light-emitting device according to the present invention includes: a GaN substrate 1 containing an n-type impurity and being made of silicon carbide or a nitride semiconductor; a multilayer structure 10 provided on a main surface of the GaN substrate 1; a p-electrode 17 formed on the multilayer structure 10; a first n-electrode 18 substantially covering the entire rear surface of the GaN substrate 1; and a second n-electrode 20 provided on the first n-electrode 18 so as to expose at least a portion of the periphery of the first n-electrode 18. |
| US08222664B2 |
Backlight module and light emitting diode module thereof
A light emitting diode contains a package structure and a light emitting diode die embedded in the package structure. The package structure has an elliptic bottom surface having a semi-major axes and a semi-minor axis and a semi-ellipsoidal surface connecting and surrounding the edge of the elliptic bottom surface, wherein the maximum height of the ellipsoidal surface from the elliptic bottom surface is between the semi-major axes and the semi-minor axis. |
| US08222660B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting device package, and lighting system including the same
Provided are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system including the light emitting device and the light emitting device package. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure, a dielectric, a second electrode layer, a semiconductor region, and a first electrode. The light emitting device includes a plurality of semiconductor layers that form a heterojunction that produces light and a homojunction that protects the device from a reverse current. |
| US08222652B2 |
Method for controlling color accuracy in a light-emitting semiconductor-based device and process for producing a light-emitting semiconductor-based device with controlled color accuracy
A method for controlling color accuracy of a light-emitting semiconductor-based device, and a process for producing a light-emitting semiconductor-based device with desired color accuracy is disclosed. The color accuracy is controlled by defining a desired color accuracy of a light produced by mixing colors emitted by at least two light sources over a first range of operating conditions; determining characteristics of the light as a function of operating conditions; and establishing desired light characteristics of the at least two light sources over a second range of operating condition in accordance with the step of defining and the step of determining. |
| US08222651B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device in which the wiring resistance and parasitic inductance of a semiconductor package configuring a power semiconductor module is reduced. In the semiconductor device, a semiconductor chip with an IGBT formed therein and a diode chip are mounted over the upper surface of a die pad. An emitter pad of the semiconductor chip and an anode pad of the diode chip are coupled with a lead by an Al wire. One end of the lead is located in a higher position than the upper surface of the die pad in order to shorten the length of the Al wire for coupling the emitter pad and the lead. |
| US08222650B2 |
Nitride semiconductor heterostructures and related methods
Semiconductor structures and devices based thereon include an aluminum nitride single-crystal substrate and at least one layer epitaxially grown thereover. The epitaxial layer may comprise at least one of AlN, GaN, InN, or any binary or tertiary alloy combination thereof, and have an average dislocation density within the semiconductor heterostructure is less than about 106 cm−2. |
| US08222645B2 |
Display device
A display device having a photosensor which exhibits excellent photoelectric conversion efficiency is provided. In a display device which forms photosensors on a substrate thereof, the photosensor is formed by sequentially stacking a gate electrode, a gate insulation film and a semiconductor layer in such an order or in an opposite order from a substrate side, and electrodes are connected to both sides of the semiconductor layer respectively, the semiconductor layer is formed of a stacked body consisting of a crystalline semiconductor layer and an amorphous semiconductor layer, and the crystalline semiconductor layer is arranged on the gate insulation film side. |
| US08222642B2 |
Field-effect type transistor having two gate electrodes and display element using the same
A field-effect type transistor has: a source electrode; a drain electrode being a metal electrode; a semiconductor layer provided to be in contact with both of the source electrode and the drain electrode; and a gate electrode provided to face at least a part of the semiconductor layer. The gate electrode has: a first gate electrode; and a second gate electrode provided closer to the drain electrode than the first gate electrode is. The second gate electrode is so connected as to have a same potential as the drain electrode and is electrically isolated from the first gate electrode. Consequently, in a display device, the off-leakage current is suppressed, and reduction in a pixel area and a bus interconnection width is suppressed. |
| US08222639B2 |
Nitride based semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
An interfacial reaction suppressing layer 12 formed between an oxide layer including a ZnO single crystal substrate 11 and a nitride layer including an InGaN semiconductor layer 13 restrains the interfacial reaction between the oxide layer and the nitride layer and formation of a reaction layer (Al2ZnO4) at the interface, which makes it possible to grow and thermally treat the InGaN semiconductor layer 13 at a high temperature. Thus, a crystal quality of the InGaN semiconductor layer 13 is improved. |
| US08222638B2 |
Array substrate for organic electroluminescent device
An array substrate for an organic electroluminescent device includes a substrate; first and second gate electrodes; first and second gate insulating layers; first and second active layers; an interlayer insulating layer; first to fourth ohmic contact layers; first and second source electrodes; first and second drain electrodes; a data line connected to the first source electrode; a first power line connected to the second source electrode; a first passivation layer on the first and second source electrodes; a gate line contacting the first gate electrode; a second passivation layer on the gate line; a pixel electrode on the second passivation layer and contacting the second drain electrode; an organic luminescent layer on the pixel electrode; and a reference electrode on the organic luminescent layer, wherein portions of the pixel electrodes respectively contacting the organic luminescent layers in one pixel region and in another one pixel region have different heights from the substrate. |
| US08222636B2 |
Method for forming pattern, thin film transistor, display device, method for manufacturing thereof, and television apparatus
To provide a display device which can be manufactured with higher efficiency in the use of material through a simplified manufacturing process, and a method for manufacturing the display device. Another object is to provide a technique by which patterns of a wiring the like which constitutes the display device can be formed to a desired shape with good control. In a method for forming a pattern according to the present invention, a mask is formed over a light-transmitting substrate; a first region including a photocatalyst is formed over the substrate and the mask; the photocatalyst is irradiated with light through the substrate to modify a part of the first region; a second region is formed; and a composition containing a pattern forming material is discharged to the second region, thus, a pattern is formed. The mask does not transmit light. |
| US08222632B2 |
Polymeric material and polymeric luminescent element
A luminescent or charge-transporting polymer which has in the backbone optionally substituted fluorenediyl groups as repeating units and further has a functional side chain comprising at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a hole-injection/transporting group containing one or more heteroatoms other than nitrogen or two or more nitrogen atoms, an electron-injection/transporting group containing one or more heteroatoms other than nitrogen or two or more nitrogen atoms, and a luminescent group comprising a fused aromatic hydrocarbon or heterocycle, characterized in that the functional group is directly bonded to the saturated carbon atom of any of the fluorenediyl groups or is bonded to any of the fluorenediyl groups through —Rk—X—(Rk represents alkylene and X represents a direct bond or connecting group) at the X. |
| US08222620B2 |
Light irradiation apparatus and light irradiation method
A light irradiation apparatus 10 is configured to comprise: a supporting means 11 for supporting a semiconductor wafer W as an irradiated object, the semiconductor wafer W being stuck with an adhesive sheet S having an ultraviolet curable adhesive on a circuit formation surface; and a light irradiating means 13 having a focus axis P at a location spaced by a predetermined distance, and being provided so as to enable head-swinging motion thereof. The supporting means 11 is supported by a multi-joint robot 12, and relatively displaces the wafer W so as to prevent an adhesive layer surface SA of the adhesive sheet S from deviating from a position of the focus axis P, when the ultraviolet ray irradiating means 13 performs the head-swinging motion. |
| US08222616B2 |
Method for adapting fractionation of a radiation therapy dose
A system and method of adapting a radiation therapy treatment plan for a patient by varying the fraction size delivered to the patient on any individual day, based at least partially on the use of daily patient registration (i.e., taking images of the patient before each fraction is delivered to see the position and size of the tumor on that day). The fraction size can be dynamically altered based upon the biology of the tumor. |
| US08222615B2 |
Data acquisition method using a laser scanner
Method has laser scanner for pixel-precise imaging of fluorescent samples having fluorescent dyes. The scanner has sample table, laser and first optical system providing laser beam for exciting the samples, scanner head with deflecting element for scanning sample, first lens, second optical system for forwarding emission beams triggered by the laser beam and deflected by first lens and deflecting element to a detector, position encoder emitting position signals indicating location of the scanner head, electronic element for filtering the detector signals with a time constant and an A/D converter for digitizing the filtered detector signals. The filtered detector signals and the position encoder signals are acquired independently, in parallel and continuously by a computer and are related to a common time base, the A/D conversion being carried out often so that each pixel of an image is always assigned more than one data point. |
| US08222607B2 |
Apparatus for time to digital conversion
A time-to-digital converter device includes a first delay chain circuit that generates a first value corresponding to a time delay between a start signal and a stop signal. The time-to-digital converter device also includes at least one second delay chain circuits that generates a second value corresponding to a time delay between a delayed start signal and the stop signal. At least one delay element generates the delayed start signal by applying a predetermined delay to the start signal, and a combining circuit generates an output value based on the first and second values. In the time-to-digital converter according to the exemplary embodiments of the present advancements, the output value corresponds to the time delay between the start signal and the stop signal. |
| US08222606B1 |
Air sampler for recalibration of absorption biased designed NDIR gas sensors
The construct of a specially designed air sampler and its function in order to carry out the Effortless Recalibration (ERB) procedure to an Absorption Biased (AB) designed NDIR gas sensor with the use of a Calibration Master is described. |
| US08222602B2 |
System for producing enhanced thermal images
An imaging device has a thermal sensor to remotely measure respective temperatures of regions within an imaging field and to generate temperature information signals. A motion tracking system tracks motion of the thermal sensor and generates position information signals representing positions of the thermal sensor during the temperature measurements. An image construction processor uses the position and temperature information signals to generate a two-dimensional image representative of the imaging field including respective temperature indications at different locations within the two-dimensional image, and stores the two-dimensional image within a memory. The two-dimensional image may be used as an output image for display to a user. |
| US08222592B2 |
Dye loaded zeolite material
The present invention provides a dye loaded zeolite material comprising: a) at least one zeolite crystal having straight through uniform channels each having a channel axis parallel to, and a channel width transverse to, a c-axis of crystal unit cells; b) closure molecules having an elongated shape and consisting of a head moiety and a tail moiety, the tail moiety having a longitudinal extension of more than a dimension of the crystal unit cells along the c-axis and the head moiety having a lateral extension that is larger than said channel width and will prevent said head moiety from penetrating into a channel; c) a channel being terminated, in generally plug-like manner, at least at one end thereof located at a surface of the zeolite crystal by a closure molecule hose tail moiety penetrates into said channel and whose head moiety substantially occludes said channel end while projecting over said surface; and d) an essentially linear arrangement of luminescent dye molecules enclosed within a terminated channel adjacent to at least one closure molecule and exhibiting properties related to supramolecular organization. |
| US08222591B2 |
Proximity sensors with improved ambient light rejection
In accordance with an embodiment, a proximity sensor includes a driver, a photodiode (PD), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with analog-to-digital-to-analog (ADA) feedback, and a controller. The driver is adapted to selectively drive a light source. The photodiode (PD) is adapted to produce a photodiode current signal (Idiode) indicative of an intensity of light detected by the PD, where the light detected by the PD can include ambient light and/or light transmitted by the light source that was reflected off an object proximate the PD. The controller is adapted to control the driver and the ADC with ADA feedback. A digital output of the ADC with ADA feedback is indicative of a proximity of an object to the PD with at least a majority of the ambient light detected by the PD rejected. |
| US08222590B2 |
Signal amplifier for optical receiver circuit
A signal amplifier connected to a photodetector that converts a received optical signal to a current signal includes: a preamplifier converting the current signal to voltage and supplying the resultant voltage signal; a main amplifier amplifying the voltage signal supplied from the preamplifier and in which at least the input stage is made up from a differential circuit; two or more follower circuits provided between the preamplifier and the main amplifier and supplied with the voltage signal; resistors of equal resistance provided for each follower circuit on the paths between the output of the preamplifier and each input of the main amplifier; and a capacitor having one end connected to one of the resistors and the other end connected to ground. A low-pass filter for detecting the average potential of the voltage signal is configured by the capacitor and the resistor that is connected to the capacitor. |
| US08222589B2 |
Solid-state photomultiplier module with improved signal-to-noise ratio
A scanning imaging system is provided. The scanning imaging system comprises an illumination source for illuminating a sample with an excitation light, a filter to block emission light wavelengths from the illumination source. Further, the scanning imaging system comprises a SSPM module comprising a solid state photo multiplier to detect a photon flux and generate electrical signals based on impinging photons; a conditioning circuit to accumulate charge from the SSPM and a micro-controller to change a bias voltage applied to the SSPM to achieve a higher signal-to-noise ratio. |
| US08222584B2 |
Intelligent solid state lighting
A light fixture, using one or more solid state light emitting elements utilizes a diffusely reflect chamber to provide a virtual source of uniform output light, at an aperture or at a downstream optical processing element of the system. Systems disclosed herein also include a detector, which detects electromagnetic energy from the area intended to be illuminated by the system, of a wavelength absent from a spectrum of the combined light system output. A system controller is responsive to the signal from the detector. The controller typically may control one or more aspects of operation of the solid state light emitter(s), such as system ON-OFF state or system output intensity or color. Examples are also discussed that use the detection signal for other purposes, e.g. to capture data that may be carried on electromagnetic energy of the wavelength sensed by the detector. |
| US08222583B2 |
Drag-stabilized water-entry projectile and cartridge assembly
A drag-stabilized water-entry projectile having a projectile body, one or more drag-stabilizing elements, such as fins, flares or canards, and one or more attachment members adapted to hold the one or more drag-stabilizing elements to the projectile body. The one or more attachment members are coated with a thermally reactive material. A projectile and cartridge assembly has a shear pin, a projectile having a first cutout portion, the cutout portion sized to receive the shear pin. The assembly also includes a sabot configured to house the projectile and having a second cutout portion, the second cutout portion sized to receive the shear pin. The cutout portion is positioned to provide an offset region between an aft end of the projectile and a base of the sabot. |
| US08222580B2 |
Cooking apparatus using microwaves
A cooking apparatus which uses microwaves is provided having a microwave supplier which supplies microwaves into the cooking chamber. More particularly, the microwave supplier may be provided proximate an upper side of the cooking chamber; and a microwave radiator may be provided inside of the cooking chamber to re-radiate the microwaves. |
| US08222574B2 |
Temperature measurement and control of wafer support in thermal processing chamber
Apparatus and methods for achieving uniform heating or cooling of a substrate during a rapid thermal process are disclosed. More particularly, apparatus and methods for controlling the temperature of an edge ring supporting a substrate and/or a reflector plate during a rapid thermal process to improve temperature uniformity across the substrate are disclosed, which include a thermal mass or plate adjacent the edge ring to heat or cool the edge ring. |
| US08222568B2 |
Electronically heated tool for use in installation of anchoring devices employing hot melt adhesives
An electrically heated tool adapted for an anchoring device includes a housing having an opening, a heating head extending forwardly out of the opening, and a movable member disposed movably on the heating head and extending forwardly out of the opening. The movable member has an engagement hole permitting extension of the heating head therethrough, a front annular surface, a loading portion disposed on the front annular surface, and a loading space defined between the loading portion and the front annular surface. The movable member is movable relative to the heating head between an extended position whereat a front pressing surface of the heating head is spaced apart from a forwardly protruding nose of the device, and a retracted position whereat the front pressing surface contacts the nose. A spring is disposed for biasing the movable member toward the extended position. |
| US08222567B2 |
System and method for laser shock peening
A system for laser shock peening includes a laser positioned to direct a laser pulse at a first side of a work piece and a coupler on a second side of the work piece. The system further includes a Doppler shift detector positioned to measure a velocity of the coupler. A method for laser shock peening includes depositing an amount of energy from a laser pulse into a first side of a work piece and transmitting a pulse having a first frequency at a second side of the work piece. The method further includes receiving a reflected pulse having a second frequency from the second side of the work piece and determining the velocity of the work piece based on the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency. |
| US08222565B2 |
Method for laser fusion cutting without cutting gas
A method for laser fusion cutting of a metal workpiece including applying a laser beam to the workpiece, where a kerf is melted in the workpiece by the laser beam and a laser beam diameter in a working point is configured to expel molten material from the kerf without cutting gas. |
| US08222563B2 |
Beam capturing devices for processing machines
A beam capturing device for a processing machine includes a housing and at least one rotating body. The housing includes a substantially linear opening for receiving a cutting beam from the processing machine during processing of a workpiece. The at least one rotating body is arranged beneath the opening in the housing. The at least one rotating body is arranged to be rotationally driven about its axis of rotation and is arranged to absorb energy from the cutting beam entering the housing through the opening. |
| US08222560B2 |
Weld electrode for attractive weld appearance
Weld faces of electrodes for resistance spot welding are formed with a suitable area of protrusions and/or intrusions. The size, shape, and elevation or depths of the protrusions or intrusions are determined for the formation of suitable spot welds in and between metal workpieces such as aluminum or steel panels for vehicle bodies. The protrusions or intrusions are also conceived and used to form an image on at least a visible surface of the welded article to produce an attractive appearance on the surface of the welded sheet. |
| US08222558B2 |
Shield
Provisions of shields for protecting welds as well as providing heat treatments are advantageous. Previously such shields were bespoke constructions produced iteratively and empirically for particular applications and uses. By utilization of accurately cut sheets of material within which labyrinths are created it is possible to produce an output flow which is even and incorporates no vortexes. In such circumstances problems with regard to edge entrainment of oxygen causing possible oxidation problems in output flows as well as variations in heat treatments can be avoided. The shield also avoids use of welds which may become distorted during welding or heat treating processes. For reproducibility the shield is formed from accurately produced reproducibility components such that shields can be made at a number of sites to provide the same shield function. |
| US08222557B2 |
Electric discharge detection method and electric discharge machining apparatus
An electric discharge machining apparatus having a gate signal generator for generating a gate signal, a power source for applying a voltage across a work gap formed between a tool electrode and a workpiece, a gap voltage detector for detecting a gap voltage of the work gap, an electric discharge detector for supplying an electric discharge detection signal representing electric discharge to the gate signal generator. The electric discharge detector includes a counter for generating a sample clock having a frequency greater than the frequency of the gate signal, and a comparator for receiving the gap voltage and determining that a fall in the gap voltage is larger than a specified voltage difference in each sample clock. The electric discharge detection signal is generated in response to an output signal of the comparator. |
| US08222555B2 |
Circuit breaker and arc chute with shield apparatus
An improved circuit breaker and arc chute has a shield apparatus that includes a number of plate-like shield members that have elongated openings formed therein to receive portions of arc plates therethrough. The portions of the arc plates that pass through the shield member are received in receptacles of a support apparatus that supports the arc plates. The arc plates are themselves configured to retain the shield members against the support apparatus to protect the support apparatus from damage in the event of an electrical arc. Advantageously, the retention of the shield members between portions of the arc plates and portions of the support apparatus enables the shield members to be held in place without the use of adhesives or separate fastening systems. |