| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08266050B2 |
System and method for processing loans
Loan requests may be automatically processed for approval and fulfillment by a distributed processing system. The processing system receives loan requests and determines whether the loan should be approved and, if needed, request supplemental loan information from vendor systems. The processing system may further perform due diligence, generate closing documents and board loans. Exceptions may be detected and handled manually if necessary; once work on exceptions are complete, the remainder of loan processing may be completed automatically. In some configurations, a loan request or tasks thereof may be transferred from a processing system at a first processing center to a second processing center to continue processing in response to a predefined event. The first and second processing centers may be located in different time zones. Additionally, the processing system may provide a simulation environment for evaluating process models prior to implementation in a live processing environment. |
| US08266049B2 |
System and method for smart hedging in an electronic trading environment
A system and associated methods are provided for smart hedging in an electronic trading environment. According to one example method, a first order for a first tradeable object and a second order for a second tradeable object are placed based on a spread strategy. Upon receiving an indication that a quantity of the first order is filled, the method involves determining if the second order can be used to offset the quantity filled of the first order by determining if a price of the second order would result in achieving a desired spread price defined for the spread strategy. If the price results in the desired price, the second order is used to offset the quantity filled for the first order in an attempt to achieve the desired spread price. Other tools are provided as well. |
| US08266048B2 |
System and method for anonymously matching products or services with a consumer
A system and method for anonymously matching products or services with a consumer, based on the consumer's true consumption behavior. Each consumer is represented by a unique true behavior derived consumption profile, and a private repository of such true consumption profiles is provided where each profile is anonymous. A repository of consumption objects such as vendors' products and services is also provided. The system correlates parameters of the consumer's true consumption profile with parameters of the consumption object's profiles to find the best matches and presents the consumer's with a list of best to worst matches for a desired products. At all time the consumer's true identity remains confidential, alleviating the privacy concerns of a lot a consumers. |
| US08266047B2 |
System, method, and program product for foreign currency travel account
Systems, program product, and methods for securing or procuring destination currency funds for a traveler to be used for travel in a destination country commencing at a scheduled future travel date, are provided. A system can include a domestic financial institution server including foreign destination currency transaction account program product. The system provides for establishing an interest-bearing foreign destination currency transaction account having a user-selected maturity date coinciding with a preselected travel date, and near, but prior to the preselected travel date, providing to the traveler a travel debit card having access to the balance of foreign destination currency funds including both principal and accrued interest. |
| US08266043B1 |
Ticker-symbol lookup system and method
System and method for populating a list with at least one investment vehicle ticker descriptor. A system and method are presented for robustly looking up a ticker symbol for investment vehicle and efficiently adding the ticker symbol to a linked investment list. |
| US08266042B2 |
Financial activity based on natural peril events
A computer implemented method and system for automatically setting prices of financial products in a financial activity having a plurality of possible outcomes, includes receiving a first request from a participant terminal to purchase a financial product for one of the possible outcomes, i; and electronically computing a price for the requested financial product, in response to the first request, based at least in part on a first formula. Also included is a method for automatically updating the prices for all other outcomes, other than the outcome, i, based at least in part on a second formula. In one example, the financial products include contracts in a one-sided market of buyer participants where the outcomes are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive. |
| US08266032B1 |
System and method for an automated sales system with remote negotiation and post-sale verification
The present invention provides a system and method to process items for sale or bid, to transmit electronic negotiations between prospective buyer and seller, and to verify the condition of the item before delivery to the buyer. The invention facilitates autonomous and remote negotiation between sellers and prospective buyers while protecting buyers from fraud and item misrepresentation. With the present invention, items can be sold individually and are not treated as standardized items that are interchangeable with similar commodity goods. The present invention also provides a waitlisting function. In addition, the functionality of traditional auction systems may be integrated with the novel features of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention provides a system and method for conducting a reverse auction by allowing prospective buyers to list desired items. |
| US08266031B2 |
Systems and methods to provide benefits of account features to account holders
Systems and methods are provided to facilitate the sharing of account features. In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions and a data warehouse to record the transactions and store account data identifying account features of separate accounts, such as a second account having a feature and a first account without this feature. Account holders of the first and second accounts are in a same household and thus, in accordance with a set of rules, eligible to share the account features. A portal is configured to receive a request identifying the first account and to determine whether a transaction initiated in the first account and qualified for a benefit of the account feature is entitled to the benefit; and if so, a notification engine is to transmit a notification message to an account holder of the first account. |
| US08266029B2 |
System and method for managing data relating to investments from a variety of sources
A computer system for furnishing data relating to investments has a processor and one or more memory storage devices in communication with the processor. Data relating to investments is stored in the one or more memory storage devices. A catalog includes at least data stored in at least one of the one or more memory storage devices, the data including at least logical locations for the data relating to investments. The processor is adapted to execute services for calling to the catalog for locations of the data, and, employing at least logical locations of the selected data obtained from the catalog, access the selected data from at least one of the memory storage devices, perform one or more operations on the selected data, and provide the selected data for display to a user. |
| US08266027B2 |
Inferring environmental knowledge through near field communication and data mining
A method, performed by a mobile device, may include receiving transponder information relating to a consumer product, and verifying whether user consent exists to forward the transponder information to a network device for data mining processing. The method may further include transmitting the transponder information to the network device, when user consent exists. |
| US08266017B1 |
Methods and apparatus for providing recommendations and reminders to tote delivery customers
Methods and apparatus for providing recommendations and reminders to customers of a network site that provides a tote delivery service. The tote delivery service directs delivery of tote orders to delivery addresses in reusable totes on assigned tote delivery days. Information including tote delivery data may be analyzed to determine, for example, items to be recommended for purchase by customers, items that customers may want to have scheduled for regular delivery via the tote delivery service, and so on. Based on the analysis, recommendations may be sent to particular customers via one or more communications channels, for example via email or by displaying the recommendation on a web page of the network site. In addition, reminders may be provided to customers of upcoming tote delivery days. The reminders may, for example, indicate what items are scheduled for tote delivery on a given delivery day. |
| US08266016B2 |
Method and system for listing items globally and regionally, and customized listing according to currency or shipping area
A method to facilitate network-based commerce includes determining a site that a user accesses, the site being one of multiple sites operated by a network-based commerce facility. A category list available for the site is retrieved, the category list identifying categories of offerings available via the site. The category list is communicated to the user. The site is a regional site, and the category list is a region-specific category list. |
| US08266012B2 |
Supplying method of interior materials ordered
The present invention relates to a supplying method for interior material ordered to a user who can connect to a server through a network, wherein the server memorizes a program which enables the user to plan a design of the interior material which is operable on the user's web browser, and the supplying method for interior material ordered comprises the steps of: connecting to the server by the web browser of the user, transferring the program which enables the user to plan a design of the interior material from the server to the web browser of the user, receiving execution results of the program which enables the user to plan a design of the interior material from the web browser by the server, digital printing designs on a printing layer of the interior material, based on the execution results of the program which enables the user to plan a design of the interior materials, manufacturing a finished product of interior material including the printing layer digital printed of the interior material, and delivering the manufactured interior material to the user. |
| US08266010B2 |
Methods and systems for supporting asset exchange
In typical two-way trading systems, bidders cannot trade directly with other bidders, and sellers cannot trade directly with other sellers, resulting in possible missed trading opportunities. Methods, systems, devices, and networks for enabling two-way trading systems to perform multi-party exchanges are disclosed. Example embodiments allow multiple bidders (buyers), multiple sellers, or a seller and bidder of separate marketplaces to trade among themselves. Embodiments may discover, for bidders and sellers, opportunities to trade with other sellers or bidders, or both, without a time-consuming and limited process of searching and discovering relevant opportunities. Bidders and sellers may not find such opportunities on their own in typical two-way trading systems. The embodiments may be implemented as stand-alone systems or as add-ons that may be used to augment or enhance existing two-way trading systems. |
| US08266007B2 |
Methods and systems for delivering customized advertisements
Methods and systems for selecting and customizing an advertisement for a known user are disclosed. The advertisement is customized responsive to social distance between the user and members of the user's social network. |
| US08266002B2 |
System of facilitating a sales transaction between a buying group and multiple sellers over and electronic network
A system to facilitate the interaction of a group of buyers and a group of sellers through a transaction network, such as the internet, is disclosed. A buyer may start a buying group or join an existing group for purchasing a product or service. During the life cycle of a buying group, buyers are encouraged to invite other buyers to join the group via email, blog, social networking websites, or other means, thereby increasing the purchasing power of that group. Once a buying group has been established, sellers can compete for the volume sale. Sellers may review the bid price submitted by other sellers and submit competing bids. Once the bid cycle closes this system will automatically match the buyers and sellers based on a variety of factors including the order each buyer entered his or her purchase intent, each buyer's maximum price, each seller's bidding price, the quantity each seller can provide, and the order of each seller's bid. At the end of the matching, one or more sellers may fulfill a single group order. |
| US08266000B1 |
Real time auction with end game
A real time auction system operates in a non real time mode, and an end game mode in which the users are placed in a forum. In both modes the users are capable of placing bids along with times when those bids should be executed. An agent treats the bids as secret until the time, and then at the time executes those bids. |
| US08265999B1 |
Method and system for facilitating the transfer of intellectual property
A method and system for facilitating the transfer of intellectual property are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method of facilitating the transfer of intellectual property includes obtaining at a computer system of a first entity information concerning intellectual property in which an interest is available for transfer (the “available intellectual property”) from a second entity. The method further includes transferring the interest in the available intellectual property by concluding an agreement between the first and second entities. The agreement is representative of an acceptance of an offer concerning the transferring of the interest in the available intellectual property and consideration for the transferring of the interest. At least a portion of the interest in the available intellectual property that is transferred to the first entity is intended to be transferred from the first entity to a third entity. |
| US08265993B2 |
System and method for using loyalty rewards as currency
The present invention involves spending loyalty points over a computerized network to facilitate a transaction. With this system, a loyalty program participant is able to use an existing transaction card to purchase an item over a computerized network, while at the same time offsetting the cost of that transaction by converting loyalty points to a currency value credit and having the credit applied to the participant's financial transaction account. Currency credit from converted loyalty points may also be applied to stored value cards, online digital wallet accounts and the like. Further, currency credit may also be applied to other accounts to effect a gift or donation. |
| US08265988B2 |
Electronic toll management and vehicle identification
Identifying a vehicle in a toll system includes accessing image data for a first vehicle and obtaining license plate data from the accessed image data for the first vehicle. A set of records is accessed. Each record includes license plate data for a vehicle. The license plate data for the first vehicle is compared with the license plate data for vehicles in the set of records. Based on the results of the comparison of the license plate data, a set of vehicles is identified from the vehicles having records in the set of records. Vehicle fingerprint data is accessed for the first vehicle. The vehicle fingerprint data for the first vehicle is based on the image data for the first vehicle. Vehicle fingerprint data for a vehicle in the set of vehicles is accessed. Using a processing device, the vehicle fingerprint data for the first vehicle is compared with the vehicle fingerprint data for the vehicle in the set of vehicles. The vehicle in the set of vehicles is identified as the first vehicle based on results of the comparison of vehicle fingerprint data. |
| US08265986B2 |
System and method for determining carbon emission-conscious order fulfillment alternatives with multiple supply modes
A system and method for optimizing order fulfillment by considering multiple supply modes in one aspect, plans supply of inventory by forecasting demand, estimating accuracy of said forecasted demand, and establishing reorder point policy based at least on said accuracy of said forecasted demand, a plurality of supply transportation modes, cost of carbon emissions and limit on carbon emission credits. Current inventory position is monitored and if the current inventory position is below the reorder point policy, orders are placed according to a selected shipping method. The selected shipping method may be based at least on customer order priority, transportation budget, and carbon emission limit. |
| US08265972B2 |
Software/hardware ranking method and system
A ranking method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, business requirements and associated weighting factors. The computing system receives a list of software/hardware products and associated assessment data. The business requirements are associated with product features of the software/hardware products. The computing system calculates total requirement weighting factors for the product features. The computing system stores the total requirement weighting factors. |
| US08265970B2 |
Systems and methods for managing business processes in an enterprise
A method for managing a business process in an enterprise includes executing a business process model, wherein executing the business process model comprises generating a plurality of business level messages associated with business level tasks, generating one or more system level messages associated with system level tasks to be performed by one or more enterprise subsystems, wherein the one or more system level messages are in a common format that is accessible by the one or more enterprise subsystems, and broadcasting the one or more system level messages over a communication channel communicably coupling the plurality of enterprise subsystems. A system includes a communication channel carrying system level messages in a generic format, a plurality of business subsystems communicably coupled to the communication channel, adapters operable to translate messages from the generic format into associated business subsystem specific formats and vice versa. |
| US08265962B2 |
System and method for administration of costs related to annuities
A system for administration of an insurance annuity account has a processor and a memory. The processor receives a net asset value of the account at a commencement of a first period and a charge applicable to the account based on a fraction of the net asset value of the account; on a basis of a second period, shorter than the first period, throughout the first period: the processor calculates a fractional charge based on the net asset value of the account, and updates the net asset value by decrementing the net asset value in the amount of the fractional charge. At the end of the first period, the processor compares a charge for the first period based on the net asset value of the account on one day during the first period to a sum of the fractional charges for the first period, and increases the net asset value by the difference if the first period charge is less than the sum of the fractional charges. |
| US08265960B2 |
System and method for disease state marketing
A system and method may transmit and display marketing information to a customer based on a diagnosed or a probable disease of the customer. One or more databases may store disease state progression data including one or more disease records each including a disease state and each disease state including a symptom. The database may also store healthcare product data including marketing data and a tag corresponding to the marketing data, the tag including one or more elements describing a relationship between the marketing data and a disease record. Customer data may also be stored including health history data corresponding to one or more symptoms. A tag corresponding to the marketing data may then be matched to each symptom of the customer's health history data and the marketing data corresponding to each matched tag may then be transmitted to the customer's web-enabled computing device. |
| US08265959B2 |
Prescription drug prior authorization system and method
An online application for approving prior authorization requests for prescription drugs. The application is used by pharmacy benefits providers, physicians, and pharmacies to request prior authorizations for drugs and to receive approvals automatically if a requested drug meets authorization criteria. The online application is accessible through a group pharmacy benefits provider portal on a web site. Requests are processed through a pharmacy benefits manager computer that determines whether prior authorization is required and through a pharmacy benefits provider computer when the pharmacy benefits manager computer determines that prior authorization is required. Requests that meet certain authorization criteria are approved automatically. Requests that cannot be approved automatically are submitted for review by a clinical pharmacy review division that access requests through a drug request transaction computer. |
| US08265958B2 |
Integrated access to occupational healthcare information
Aspects of the present invention provide systems and methods relating to aggregated access to healthcare information. One aspect of the invention relates to providing a single point of access to multiple stakeholders with respect to a medical case that may include information from multiple healthcare providers. |
| US08265956B2 |
Pharmacy personal care account
A method for providing insurance coverage to a subscriber comprises offering an insurance policy to the subscriber wherein the insurance policy comprises providing allowances to pay for one or more expenses covered by the insurance policy and providing monetary credits to the subscriber for any unused portion of a given allowance where the monetary credits can be used to cover the cost of a subsequent allowed expense. The insurance policy may be a pharmacy benefits plan. The covered expenses may be pharmacy expenses. The allowed expenses may be medical expenses which qualify under Section 213 of the US Internal Revenue Code for payment by an employer without the subscriber having to declare the payment as taxable income. |
| US08265953B2 |
Medicare pharmacy calculator II
A method and apparatus for providing a Medicare Part D Pharmacy Benefits Calculator. A computer user inputs data for prescriptions to be purchased by a prospective insured for a plan period. The prescription data includes a quantity, a days supply, and a number of fills. The data for each prescription the user enters is used to calculate anticipated out-of-pocket costs for the prescriptions for one or more pharmacy benefits plans available to the prospective insured. The cost data is presented to the user in a way that illustrates how out-of-pocket costs will vary over the course of a plan period. The user may view costs for alternative drugs and alternatives sources of drugs. The user may vary and expand the presentation of the cost data to better understand the available plan benefits. The invention helps prospective insureds decide among alternative Medicare Part D pharmacy benefits plans offered by one or more insurance companies. |
| US08265952B1 |
Method and system for health care coding transition and implementation
Methods and systems for implementing coding changes for a transaction are provided. At least one transaction in an original format is received and normalized into a different format. The normalized transaction may be processed and the processing results may be associated with the original format to transmit the processing results in the original format to a recipient. |
| US08265950B2 |
System for pre-processing drug benefit claims according to processed drug lists
A method of processing drug claims, by: (a) receiving a claim; (b) sorting the claim for processing by determining which processed drug list the claim belongs with; and then (c) processing the claim according to the particular processed drug list to which the claim belongs. A hierarchy of drug lists are used in a preferred order. If the drug is found on the first drug list, the system then moves directly to the processing stage. However, if the drug is not found on the first list, the system checks whether the drug is on the second drug list. If the drug is found on the second drug list, the system then moves directly to the processing stage, etc. Preferably, the drug list hierarchy is as follows: (i) home infusion drug list; (ii) drug only listed as a Medicare Part B drug list; (iii) drug listed as either Medicare Part B or D drug list; (iv) required special class drug list; (v) nebulized drug list; (vi) over the counter drug list; (vii) Medicare statutorily excluded non-Part D drug list; (viii) enhanced benefit system drug list; (ix) Medicare Part D or Medicare Part D covered under an enhanced benefit drug list, and (x) a vaccine drug list. |
| US08265948B2 |
Proactive and interactive clinical decision support
Proactive and interactive clinical decision support events are provided. When a clinical decision support event is initiated for a patient, relevant stored clinical information associated with the patient is accessed. A user interface is generated using the stored clinical information. A clinician may interact with the user interface by providing user-provided clinical information that may add to and/or modify the stored clinical information in the user interface. Clinical advice is provided based on the stored clinical information and the user-provided clinical information. |
| US08265947B2 |
Flexible mail delivery system and method
The principles of the present invention provide the ability to flexibly change the delivery point and time for a mail item, while the item is en route. The recipient, sender, or mailer may flexibly change the delivery point of the item alone or in combination with each other. While an item is en route between the sending point and the delivery point, a notification is sent to indicate that the item is in transit. In response, the delivery of the item may be changed. For example, the destination specified by the sender (e.g., the delivery address written on the item) may be changed or a delivery time may be specified. The item is then delivered to the new delivery point and/or at the specified delivery time. |
| US08265944B2 |
Detecting deviation from compliant execution of a template
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: detecting deviation from a compliant execution of a template by an end user, the template designed to facilitate the end user to achieve one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects included in the template are emulated, the one or more emulatable aspects being based on one or more relevant reported aspects of one or more source users that are relevant to achieving the one or more target outcomes; and executing one or more actions in response to the detecting of the deviation In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08265943B2 |
Personalized plan development
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: receiving a request for a personalized plan designed to facilitate an end user to achieve one or more target outcomes when one or more emulatable aspects indicated by the personalized plan are emulated, the request identifying at least a source user; acquiring source user data indicating a plurality of reported aspects associated with at least the source user in response to receiving the request; and developing the personalized plan by at least determining which of the plurality of reported aspects associated with the source user are relevant to the achievement of the one or more target outcomes. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure. |
| US08265940B2 |
Method and device for the artificial extension of the bandwidth of speech signals
A method for the artificial extension of the bandwidth of speech signals involves: a) Provision of a wideband input speech signal (swbi(k)); b) Determination of the signal components (seb(k)) of the wideband input speech signal (swbi(k)) required for the bandwidth extension from an extension band from the wideband input speech signal (swbi(k)); c) Determination of the temporal envelopes of the signal components (seb(k)) determined for the bandwidth extension; d) Determination of the spectral envelopes of the signal components (seb(k)) determined for bandwidth extension; e) Encoding of the information for the temporal envelopes and the spectral envelopes, and provision of the encoded information by carrying out the extension of the bandwidth; f) Decoding of the encoded information and generation of the temporal envelopes and the spectral envelopes from the encoded information for the production of a bandwidth-extended output speech signal (swbo(k)). |
| US08265936B2 |
Methods and system for creating and editing an XML-based speech synthesis document
A method for creating and editing an XML-based speech synthesis document for input to a text-to-speech engine is provided. The method includes recording voice utterances of a user reading a pre-selected text and parsing the recorded voice utterances into individual words and periods of silence. The method also includes recording a synthesized speech output generated by a text-to-speech engine, the synthesized speech output being an audible rendering of the pre-selected text, and parsing the synthesized speech output into individual words and periods of silence. The method further includes annotating the XML-based speech synthesis document based upon a comparison of the recorded voice utterances and the recorded synthesized speech output. |
| US08265919B1 |
Emulating a peripheral mass storage device with a portable device
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for emulating a mass storage device and a file system of a mass storage device. In a first aspect, a human-portable data processing device that includes one or more data processors that perform operations in accordance with machine-readable instructions, an incoming message classifier configured to classify an incoming read command according to an address of the data requested by the incoming read command, and an emulation data generation component connected to respond to the classification of the incoming read command by the incoming message classifier to generate emulation data emulating that which would have been read by the incoming read command were the human-portable data processing device a mass storage device; and a bus controller configured to respond to the incoming read command with the emulation data generated by the emulation data generation component. |
| US08265918B1 |
Simulation and emulation of a circuit design
Co-simulation platforms generally include a software-based system and a hardware-based system in which different portions of the circuit design are either simulated in a software-based system or emulated on a hardware-based system. Before a model of circuit design can be co-simulated, the circuit design must be transformed and configured into a form that can execute and interface with a specific hardware-based system. The embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system, and article of manufacture for co-simulation of a portion of a circuit design and achieve an advance in the art by improving co-simulation configuration and setup and providing co-simulation adjustment capabilities during runtime. |
| US08265917B1 |
Co-simulation synchronization interface for IC modeling
A high-level integrated circuit (“IC”) modeling system (400) includes a first co-simulator (418) modeling a first portion of an IC system and a second co-simulator (419) modeling a second portion of the IC system, each co-simulator operating according to initial simulation operating conditions (426). A co-simulation synchronization interface (424) is configured to automatically change at least one of the initial simulation operating conditions to a triggered operating condition (428) in response to a user-selected triggering signal. |
| US08265915B2 |
Method for predicting well reliability by computer simulation
Methods of predicting earth stresses in response to pore pressure changes in a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir within a geomechanical system, include establishing physical boundaries for the geomechanical system and acquiring reservoir characteristics. Geomechanical simulations simulate the effects of changes in reservoir characteristics on stress in rock formations within the physical boundaries to determine the rock formation strength at selected nodes in the reservoir. The strength of the rock formations at the nodes is represented by an effective strain (εeff), which includes a compaction strain (εc) and out-of-plane shear strains (Υ1-3, Y2-3) at a nodal point. The methods further include determining an effective strain criteria (εeffcr) from a history of well failures in the physical boundaries. The effective strain (εeffcr) at a selected nodal point is compared with the effective strain criteria (εeffcr) to determine if the effective strain (εeff) exceeds the effective strain criteria (εeffcr). |
| US08265914B2 |
Adding positional information for surfaces in a geological formation after transforming to a gapped representation
A system, method and memory medium for injecting positional information into a geological data set for improved modeling of surfaces in a geological formation. The method involves: (1) displaying a cross section of the formation through a selected subset of wells, where the displayed cross section includes well picks for the selected wells; (2) opening a gap in an unconformity of the displayed cross section, where the gap is opened at one or more wells that intersect the unconformity, where the gap represents non-deposition and/or material that is missing from the formation due to erosion; (3) receiving user input specifying positions of tops within the gap; and (4) closing the gap, where closing the gap includes calculating positions of restored tops based on the positions of the tops specified within the gap, where the positions of the restored tops are usable to model one or more surfaces in the formation. |
| US08265906B2 |
Automatic identification of execution phases in load tests
A method for automatic identification of execution phases in load test data includes receiving load test data. A period of time of the load test data is divided into a plurality of intervals. For each pair of proximate intervals of the plurality of intervals, a first interval is compared with a second interval to determine whether application execution characteristics for each of the pair of proximate intervals are substantially equivalent. The pair of proximate intervals is combined into a single interval when it is determined that the pair is substantially equivalent. Each of the pair of proximate intervals is divided into subintervals when it is determined that the pair of proximate intervals is not substantially equivalent. One or more execution phases are automatically identified as occurring between proximate intervals that are not substantially equivalent. |
| US08265904B2 |
Automated methods for detecting sample collection with erroneous anticoagulant in clinical assays
An automatic method for identifying biological samples that are collected using the wrong blood preservative for subsequent analytical testing. The method also provides for identification and/or suppression of certain analytical test results that are substantially or partly adversely affected. The invention is particularly suited for use in point-of-care medical diagnostic testing. |
| US08265900B2 |
Motion analysis device for sports
There is described a portable wrist worn device for determining information about the movement of a human body when swimming. The device comprises a waterproof housing containing: an accelerometer operable to generate an acceleration signal; a processor operable to process the acceleration signal so as to generate one or more metrics relating to the movement of the human body; and a means for feedback of the one or more metrics to the user. The accelerometer may be operable to generate an acceleration signal along an axis parallel to the proximo-distal axis of the user's arm in use and/or the accelerometer may be operable to generate an acceleration signal along an axis parallel to the dorsal-palmar axis of the user's hand in use. The device may also be used in sports other than swimming. |
| US08265893B2 |
Digital reordering unit, ultrasonic front-end device and operating method thereof
A digital reordering unit, an ultrasonic front-end device and operating method thereof are provided. The ultrasonic front-end device may be connected between a probe and a detector of the ultrasonic system and controlled by a primary controller of the ultrasonic system, the ultrasonic front-end device having an ultrasonic transmission part and an ultrasonic reception part, wherein the ultrasonic transmission part includes a transmission beamformer and M transmission driving units, and has M transmission channels; the ultrasonic reception part includes M high-voltage isolation circuits, RC amplifiers, RC ADCs and a beamformer electrically serially connected and has RC reception channels, where RC=[N, 2N, 3N . . . p*N], N being an integer larger than or equal to 1, being characterized in that, M low-voltage analog switches and a network of resistors are serially connected between the M high-voltage isolation circuits and the RC amplifiers. |
| US08265892B2 |
Manufacturing products management method, system and apparatus
A management apparatus includes: a managing unit that manages production information corresponding to each of a plurality of information processing devices; a specifying unit that specifies, based on a defect notice for at least one component and the production information on the managed information processing devices, at least one of the information processing devices using the component; a state judging unit that judges whether each information processing device is in an operable state where a processing function of each information processing device is operable in an environment in which the processing function of each information processing device is provided; and an operation restricting unit that performs operation restriction for the processing function of each information processing device according to the defect notice if the state judging unit judges that each information processing device is in the operable state. |
| US08265890B2 |
Microcomputer-equipped system and battery pack for electric power tool
A microcomputer-equipped system for electric power tool includes a microcomputer, a reference voltage generator, a reference data storage unit, and a first determiner. The microcomputer includes an analog-to-digital (AD) converter and at least one AD port. The reference voltage generator generates and inputs to the AD port a reference voltage having a predetermined value. The reference data storage unit prestores reference data corresponding to the reference voltage. The first determiner compares diagnostic data obtained by AD conversion by the AD converter of the reference voltage inputted to the AD port with the reference data to determine, in case that difference between the diagnostic data and the reference data is out of a predefined allowable range, that an AD abnormal state has occurred in which a correct result of the AD conversion is unable to be obtained from the AD converter. |
| US08265889B2 |
Integrated circuit system for controlling structural health monitoring processes and applications therefor
A structural health monitoring system using ASICs for signal transmission, reception, and analysis. Incorporating structural health monitoring functionality into one or more ASICs provides a durable yet small, lightweight, low cost, and portable system that can be deployed and operated in field conditions. Such systems provide significant advantages, especially in applications such as armor structures. |
| US08265885B2 |
System and method for determining lifetime of wind turbine blade
A method for monitoring stress on a wind turbine blade during loading is disclosed. The method includes capturing multiple images at respective locations of the blade. The method also includes measuring temperature at the respective locations based upon captured images. The method further includes calculating stress applied on the blade at the respective locations based upon the measured temperature. The method also includes calculating stress applied on the blade at the respective locations based upon the measured temperature. The method further includes comparing the calculated stress with respective theoretical stress in a finite element model to predict lifetime of the blade. The method also includes alerting an operator in event that the calculated stress at one or more of the respective locations is above a pre-determined limit. |
| US08265882B2 |
Method and device for characterisation of multiple samples of one or various dispersions
A method and a device for the automatic determination of selected physical and colloidal chemistry parameters by determining the attenuation of radiated waves through monodisperse or polydisperse dispersion samples subjected to gravitation or centrifugation, wherein during the segregation by means of centrifugation or gravitation, the instantaneous transmission IT(t, r) characterizing the current segregation status of the waves radiated with the intensity Io(t, r) and/or the instantaneous scattering IS(t, r) as a function of the position within the samples is repeatedly determined and recorded at high resolution at any arbitrary time for one or more wavelengths over the entire length of the sample or in selected partial sections of it, simultaneously for multiple and even concentrated samples with known and/or unknown physical and colloidal chemistry properties. |
| US08265881B1 |
Techniques for calculating gas concentrations in a fluid environment
A temperature of a gas sensor may be adjusted to a first temperature value for a first period of time and a second temperature value for a second period of time. A signal of the gas sensor may be measured during the first period of time to determine a first signal value and during the second period of time to determine a second value. Then, concentration information for at least one gas is calculated according to the first signal value and the second signal value. While the gas sensor signal may include information about a presence of a first gas and a second gas, the concentration information for the at least one gas may not substantially include concentration information for the second gas. |
| US08265879B2 |
Determination of single peak melting temperature by PCR analogy and double sigmoid equation
Systems and methods for determining melting temperatures, Tm, for DNA from melt curve data. The systems and methods also allow for quantitative determination of gene amount based on peak height. A PCR analogy is used to perform quantization of an acquired melting curve dataset. The melting curve is transformed using a horizontal flip and a horizontal translation, and a double sigmoid equation is then fit to the data. Inverse translation and inverse horizontal flip transforms are applied to the equation to produce an equation based solution of the melt curve dataset. The equation based solution of the melt curve is then used to determine the first derivative (e.g., Tm value) and peak height. |
| US08265876B1 |
Seismic horizon autopicking using orientation vector field
A method is disclosed for automatically extending interpreter horizon picks over a wider area of traces in such manner that the automatically generated picks are very similar to picks that an interpreter would pick manually. The method applies optical filters to seismic sections to determine the intrinsic orientation of seismic events. Seismic orientation is captured in the Orientation Vector Field, which is then used to guide the picking process. |
| US08265873B2 |
System and method for managing mobile drive units
A method for moving a mobile drive unit within a workspace includes receiving a path. The path includes at least an initial segment and one or more additional segments. The initial segment includes a portion of the path adjacent to the first point; and at least one of the additional segments includes a portion of the path adjacent to the second point. The method further includes storing the path, reserving the initial segment of the path, and moving away from the first point along the initial segment. After initiating movement along the initial segment, the method includes reserving each of the additional segments of the path and moving toward the second point along each of the additional segments while that segment is reserved. |
| US08265872B2 |
Road surface division mark recognition apparatus, and lane departure prevention apparatus
A road surface division mark recognition apparatus includes: a vehicle-mounted camera that takes an image of a road surface ahead of a vehicle; an image processing portion which has a plurality of image processing modes that correspond respectively to a plurality of kinds of road surface division marks, and which recognizes a road surface division mark in a selected image processing mode; a temperature measurement portion that measures the temperature of the vehicle-mounted camera; and a restriction portion that restricts the action of the vehicle-mounted camera if the temperature measured by the temperature measurement portion is higher than or equal to a threshold value. The threshold value differs between the image processing modes. |
| US08265864B1 |
Method of providing geographic information for a navigation system
A method of providing geographic information for a navigation system comprises obtaining a request for a geographic region and accessing geographic data corresponding to the geographic region from a geographic database. The method also comprises providing a plurality of first map images generated from the geographic data. Each of the first map images represents a unique portion of the geographic region. When the first map images are displayed together, they provide a first map depicting the geographic region. |
| US08265863B2 |
Real-time collision avoidance for map labels and symbols
A method of displaying a map on a wireless communications device includes obtaining map data for rendering the map to be displayed on the wireless communications device, the map data including label data for rendering labels on the map. The device generates a collision-avoidance array representative of the map to be rendered for testing potential label positions prior to actually rendering the labels on the map. The collision-avoidance array is populated by provisionally designating, for each successive label to be rendered, a label space in the collision-avoidance array that corresponds to a map space that is to be occupied by the label on the map. The device then determines whether each successive label to be rendered collides in the collision-avoidance array with any previously designated label spaces. If no collision exists for a given label, the label can be rendered on the map. |
| US08265861B2 |
Driving assist system and vehicle-mounted apparatus
There is provided a driving assist system comprising: a road side apparatus which transmits the traffic circumstance information; and a vehicle-mounted apparatus including: an outputting part which outputs driving assist information for assisting a driving operation on the basis of output data on the basis of the at least one kind of the traffic circumstance information; and a controller for: generating the output data for outputting the driving assist information based on the traffic circumstance information; determining whether the output data is valid; and selecting one the output data which is determined as valid, on the basis of a predetermined standard validity, wherein the outputting part outputs the driving assist information using the selected output data. |
| US08265858B2 |
Delay calibration systems and methods
A calibration method comprises: determining a steady-state (SS) delay period from a first mapping of SS delay period indexed by air per cylinder (APC); determining a predicted delay period based on first and second dynamic compensation variables; outputting a theoretical delay period based on a calibration APC; determining the theoretical delay period from a second mapping of theoretical delay period indexed by APC; generating the calibration APC; populating the first mapping based on the theoretical delay and the calibration APC; determining the first and second dynamic compensation variables based on comparisons of the theoretical delay and the SS delay period; and selectively adjusting an amount of fuel provided to the cylinder based on the predicted delay period. |
| US08265853B2 |
Cylinder pressure measurement system and method
An engine control system includes a piston movement modeling module, a cylinder volume determination module, and a cylinder pressure estimation module. The piston movement modeling module models movement of a piston within a corresponding cylinder based on angular change of an engine crankshaft. The cylinder volume determination module determines a volume of the cylinder based on an angular position of the engine crankshaft and the modeled movement of the piston. The cylinder pressure estimation module estimates pressure in the cylinder based on the determined volume, an intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), an intake valve timing, an exhaust valve timing, and an exhaust back pressure (EBP). |
| US08265852B2 |
Temperature control system and method for particulate filter regeneration using a hydrocarbon injector
A control system includes a first module, a fuel determination module, a temperature error correction module, and a hydrocarbon injection control module. The first module determines a temperature difference between a desired inlet temperature of a particulate filter (PF) and an outlet temperature of a first catalyst. The fuel determination module determines an uncorrected desired fuel value based on the temperature difference, an ambient temperature, and a mass flow of exhaust gas. The temperature error correction module generates a desired fuel value based on the uncorrected desired fuel value. The hydrocarbon injection control module controls a hydrocarbon injector based on the desired fuel value. |
| US08265848B2 |
Method and apparatus for adapting minimum torque converter slip for neutral idle control
A method adaptively learns torque converter (TC) slip in a transmission having a hydrodynamic torque converter assembly by setting a baseline TC slip profile, determining an actual TC slip value at different temperatures, generating an adapted TC slip profile by adapting the baseline TC slip profile in response to the actual TC slip values, and controlling the amount of TC slip during a neutral idle (NI) state of the transmission using the adapted TC slip profile. A vehicle includes a torque converter and a controller. The controller calibrates the TC slip during a first transmission state, and controls the amount of TC slip during a second transmission state. The controller measures actual TC slip data points, and adapts a TC slip profile to more closely approximate a natural slip curve of the vehicle in response to the actual slip TC slip value data points. |
| US08265838B2 |
System and method for controlling solenoid pressure
A system for calibrating an input electrical signal to an individual pressure control device includes the steps of providing a target pressure-to-current (P/I) threshold, providing a lower estimated P/I threshold, and providing an estimated P/I curve that passes between the target P/I threshold and the lower estimated P/I threshold. Next, the method determines a lower actual P/I threshold at a pressure equal to the pressure at the lower estimated P/I threshold. A maximum offset current is calculated from the difference between the currents at the lower actual P/I threshold and the lower estimated P/I threshold. Finally, the system calculates a calibrated P/I curve. The calibrated P/I curve includes the target P/I threshold and the lower actual P/I threshold. The slope of the calibrated P/I curve is calculated as a proportional value of the maximum offset current. |
| US08265831B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling an actuatable safety device
A method for determining a crash condition including sensing crash acceleration in a vehicle X-direction at a central vehicle location and providing a first acceleration signal indicative thereof, sensing crash acceleration in a vehicle Y-direction, sensing crash acceleration in the X-direction at two locations near opposite sides of the vehicle remote from the central location and providing acceleration signals indicative thereof, determining a transverse crash evaluation value functionally related to the second acceleration signal, and determining remote crash evaluation values functionally related to the acceleration signals at the remote locations. The method further comprises the steps of comparing the determined transverse crash evaluation value as a function of the determined remote evaluation values against an associated threshold and determining a crash condition of the vehicle in response to (a) the comparison and (b) the first acceleration signal. |
| US08265829B2 |
Steering control system
A steering control system is connectable to a motor configured to control a steering and a LAN (Local Area Network) and is allowed to receive a control signal for controlling said motor from the LAN is received. The steering control system includes: a motor configured to control a steering; a main calculation unit connectable to the LAN; a motor drive circuit connected to the main calculation unit and configured to drive the motor; a sub calculation unit connectable to the LAN; and a motor drive limiting unit connected to the sub calculation unit and configured to limit a drive of the motor. |
| US08265827B2 |
Parking assist apparatus
A parking assist apparatus (1) has: an identifying portion (2a) that identifies a target parking position when the vehicle is at a temporary stop position having a predetermined positional relation with the target parking position; a parking-assisting portion (2b) that assists steering operation of a driver of the vehicle based on the target parking position when parking the vehicle. For facilitating the driver to visually confirm a positional relation between a specific portion of the target parking position and the vehicle, the parking assist apparatus includes at least one of a polarizing film (8), auxiliary mirror (12), member (22,32) provided on a vehicle mirror and extending in the vehicle lateral direction, transparent portion (42) provided in a passenger-side door, adjusting device (53) that adjusts the direction of the lower edge of the vehicle mirror, irradiating device (74) that radiates a laser, optical-axis adjusting portion (83) that adjusts an optical axis of a headlight of the vehicle. |
| US08265824B2 |
Autowiper controller
First and second temperature check portions 7 and 8 determine whether an ambient temperature T1 is lower than 20° C. or not, whether an external surface temperature T2 of a windshield S is lower than 25° C. or not and whether a temperature difference (T2−T1) is lower than 20° C. or not, and a weather condition check portion 9 determines whether a condition that condensation occurs over the windshield S is met or not based on results of the checks. A wiper control portion 10 controls a driving operation of a wiper W based on a rainfall state checked by a low sensitivity rainfall check portion 5 when the condition that the condensation occurs is met, and controls the driving operation of the wiper W based on a rainfall state checked by a high sensitivity rainfall check portion 4 when a condition that the condensation does not occur is met. |
| US08265821B2 |
Method for determining a voltage level across an electric circuit of a powertrain
A method for determining a voltage level across an electrical circuit of a powertrain includes measuring a plurality of voltage levels and utilizing a comparison test between at least two voltage levels of the plurality of voltage levels to determine the circuit voltage level. |
| US08265819B2 |
Method and system for operator interface with a diesel particulate filter regeneration system
A vehicle operator interface system and method for a diesel particulate filter regeneration system, includes a control unit for receiving information on regeneration status of a vehicle diesel particulate filter and receiving information on operational status of selected vehicle systems and components, a visual display for displaying messages to an operator indicative of said regeneration status and said operational status, an input device for highlighting a portion of the displayed messages and for providing an input selection of a highlighted portion, an input selection being communicated to a control device to carry out the input selection. |
| US08265815B2 |
Method for controlling output torque in powertrains
A method of controlling output torque in a hybrid or electric vehicle transmissions includes calculating a first long-term output torque constraint and a first short-term output torque constraint. A first effective output torque constraint is determined from at least one of the first long-term and short-term output torque constraints. The first effective output torque constraint is bounded by both of the first long-term and short-term output torque constraints. The method may further include calculating a rate limit, such that determining the first effective output torque constraint includes restricting the magnitude of changes in the first long-term output torque constraint to the calculated rate limit. A spread between the first short-term output torque constraint and the first effective output torque constraint may be measured, and the rate limit calculated as a function of that spread. The rate limit may also be calculated with an inversely-proportional relationship to the spread. |
| US08265812B2 |
System and method for a marine vessel autopilot
An autopilot system includes a navigation application for computing angular position and angular turn rate of a pilot line and an autopilot steering application for calculating steering commands for a ship steering device. The pilot line provides directional guidance to a ship and is a vector having one end attached to a point on the ship and a second end pointing to a desired direction. The autopilot steering application receives the computed pilot line angular position and angular turn rate and calculates angular position steering commands for the steering device. The steering commands are calculated by taking into account the difference between the pilot line angular position and the ship's angular position and the difference between the pilot line angular turn rate and the ship's angular turn rate. |
| US08265810B2 |
Method for automatically controlling the speed of a ship
A method for automatically controlling the speed of a ship, in which the engine speed (nMOT) is automatically controlled by a closed-loop engine speed control system as an inner closed-loop control system, the ship's speed (vS) is automatically controlled by a closed-loop ship's speed control system as an outer closed-loop control system, and the ship's set speed (vSL) is influenced as a reference input of the closed-loop ship's speed control system as a function of an external signal source. The ship's set speed (vSL) is corrected as a function of the underwater topography (TOPO). |
| US08265809B2 |
Autonomous underwater vehicle with current monitoring
The present invention relates to an autonomous underwater vehicle (“AUV”) for monitoring underwater fluid currents by detecting electrical currents induced by the flow of a conductive liquid through the Earth's magnetic field. More particularly, the present invention relates to the gathering of data related to underwater fluid currents and the control of AUV motion during data gathering. |
| US08265801B2 |
Visual display system for an aircraft
A visual display system includes a monitor for displaying a visual display; a memory having a user application definition file containing information related to the visual display; and a processor coupled to the monitor and the memory, the processor configured to receive runtime parameters from a flight management system and provide the visual display to the monitor based on the runtime parameters and the user application definition file. The visual display includes at least one hotkey. |
| US08265800B2 |
Unmanned vehicle message conversion system
According to one embodiment of the disclosure, an unmanned vehicle message conversion system generally includes a message interpreter that is coupled between a first unmanned vehicle control interface and a second unmanned vehicle control interface. The second unmanned vehicle control interface is configured to transmit and receive messages with a messaging protocol that is different than the first unmanned vehicle control interface. The message interpreter is operable to receive a first message from the unmanned vehicle control system, convert the first message to a second message having the second protocol, and transmit the second message to the unmanned vehicle. |
| US08265799B2 |
Circuit for controlling dynamic rotation speed of fan, method of controlling dynamic rotation speed of fan, and program for controlling dynamic rotation speed of fan
A first reception unit receives “ambient temperature” which is a temperature of surroundings where the computer is installed. A second reception unit receives “first device temperature” which is a temperature of a first device provided in the computer. A third reception unit receives “second device temperature” which is a temperature of a second device provided in the computer. A fan rotation speed indicating unit determines the rotation speed of the fan based on a comparison between the ambient temperature, first device temperature, and second device temperature which are received by the first to third reception units and a fan rotation speed description table describing a relationship between the respective temperature and fan rotation speed and instructs the fan to rotate at the determined rotation speed. |
| US08265798B2 |
System and method of curtailing energy production within congestive grid operating environments
A system and method of curtailing energy production within congestive grid operating environments including a method of managing power generation of a power generation site operable to be coupled to a transmission line is disclosed. The method can also include detecting curtailment action data and energy pricing data of the power generation site. Additionally, the method can include analyzing the curtailment action data and the energy pricing data to detect a curtailment probability level and initiate a reduction of the electricity being transmitted from the power generating site to the transmission line in response to the detected curtailment probability level being above a curtailment set level. According to a further aspect of the invention, the electricity being transmitted from the power generating site to the transmission line may be reduced by diverting at least a portion of the electricity being transmitted from the power generating site to a storage system. |
| US08265796B2 |
Virtual dispensing system
A network of fluid dispenser systems is disclosed where a Host/Server is a virtual controller for a number of fluid dispensers systems. The virtual controller may exchange information with local dispenser systems, that incorporate virtual controlling functions. The information may be dispensing processes, information regarding quality and reliability, problems and/or helpful information, and applications. An application may include synchronizing multiple dispensing syringe assemblies. The information may be exchanged in real time during fluid dispensing where any issues may be shared and resolved quickly even in remote locales. Information may be distributed among the disparate locations. |
| US08265791B2 |
System and method for motion control of humanoid robot
A system and method for motion control of a humanoid robot are provided. The system includes a remote controller for recognizing three-dimensional image information including two-dimensional information and distance information of a user, determining first and second reference points on the basis of the three-dimensional image information, calculating variation in angle of a joint on the basis of three-dimensional coordinates of the first and second reference points, and transmitting a joint control signal through a wired/wireless network. The system also includes a robot for checking joint control data from the joint control signal received from the remote controller and varying an angle of the joint to move according to the user's motion. |
| US08265789B2 |
Network-based robot system and method for action execution of robot
A network-based robot system includes an activity creating device creating activities in hierarchical structure, and a robot downloading the activity tree over a communication network and executing an activity selected in the activity tree. The activities describe action execution procedures to be run by the robot and are arranged in an activity tree. |
| US08265787B2 |
Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method
Based on the positions of a first marker and a second marker of a first substrate placed on a placing surface of a substrate placing table (1), a substrate processing apparatus makes the direction of a line connecting the first marker and the second marker accord with the moving direction of a gantry (2). The positions of the first marker and a third marker, in the state that the direction of the line connecting the first marker and the second marker accord with the moving direction, are stored in a storage section. After a second substrate is placed on the placing surface of the substrate placing table (1), the direction of a line connecting the first marker and the third marker on the second substrate is made to accord with the direction of a line connecting the first marker and the third marker calculated from the position of the third marker and the fourth marker on the first substrate stored in the storage section. |
| US08265783B2 |
Method for creating profile data used to process non-circular workpiece
Lift data in which a lift amount is set based on a lift data rotation angle is read to identify the shape of a non-circular workpiece, and a profile point group that is formed of a plurality of profile points, each of which indicates a tool reciprocation position that corresponds to a spindle rotation angle, is calculated based on the read lift data. Then, the calculated profile point group is divided into a plurality of groups each of which is formed of the profile points that satisfy a group division condition, the two groups that satisfy a group comparison condition are selected, and the profile point that satisfies a specific point deletion condition that is set in advance for the combination of the selected two groups is deleted. |
| US08265772B2 |
3D microwave system and methods
A therapeutic microwave system comprises a support unit having two or more separable segments; a microwave power assembly positioned between two separated segments of the support unit and including two or more microwave power supply devices; position adjustment componentry; and a central processing unit. The system may further include a temperature sensor for monitoring a treated subject's exhaled air temperature in real time and adjusting microwave irradiation accordingly, and a cooling device for controlling the patient's brain temperature during treatment. |
| US08265769B2 |
Chopper-stabilized instrumentation amplifier for wireless telemetry
This disclosure describes a chopper stabilized instrumentation amplifier. The amplifier is configured to achieve stable measurements at low frequency with very low power consumption. The instrumentation amplifier uses a differential architecture and a mixer amplifier to substantially eliminate noise and offset from an output signal produced by the amplifier. Dynamic limitations, i.e., glitching, that result from chopper stabilization at low power are substantially eliminated through a combination of chopping at low impedance nodes within the mixer amplifier and feedback. The signal path of the amplifier operates as a continuous time system, providing minimal aliasing of noise or external signals entering the signal pathway at the chop frequency or its harmonics. The amplifier can be used in a low power system, such as an implantable medical device. The amplifier may be used for physiological signal sensing, impedance sensing, telemetry or other test and measurement applications. |
| US08265762B2 |
Implantable pulse generator having current steering means
An implantable pulse generator includes a current steering capability that allows a clinician or patient to quickly determine a desired electrode stimulation pattern, including which electrodes of a group of electrodes within an electrode array should receive a stimulation current, including the amplitude, width and pulse repetition rate of such current. Movement of the selected group of electrodes is facilitated through the use of remotely generated directional signals, generated by a pointing device, such as a joystick. As movement of the selected group of electrodes occurs, current redistribution amongst the various electrode contacts takes place. The redistribution of stimulus amplitudes utilizes re-normalization of amplitudes so that the perceptual level remains fairly constant. This prevents the resulting paresthesia from falling below the perceptual threshold or above the comfort threshold. |
| US08265758B2 |
Wireless leads for gastrointestinal tract applications
Apparatus is provided, including a control unit (310), adapted to be implanted within a patient (324), and a corkscrew-shaped electrode mount (400), adapted to be implanted in a wall of a stomach of the patient. The corkscrew-shaped electrode mount includes first (404) and second (424) electrodes, at respective sites of the electrode mount, and a controller (420), wirelessly coupled to the control unit. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US08265756B1 |
System and method for adjusting automatic sensitivity control parameters based on intracardiac electrogram signals
Systems and methods are provided for use by an implantable medical device capable of automatically adjusting the sensitivity with which electrical cardiac signals are sensed within a patient, i.e. a device equipped with Automatic Sensitivity Control (ASC.) In a first example, ASC parameters are automatically adjusted by the device itself based on parameters derived from both R-waves and T-waves and further based on a detected noise floor. In a second example, a profile representative of the shape of cardiac signals is generated by the device. ASC parameters are then adjusted based on the profile. In various embodiments, histograms are used to determine sizes and shapes of the R-waves and T-waves via statistical prevalence techniques. The histograms are also employed to derive the aforementioned profile. |
| US08265755B2 |
Systems and methods for optimizing ventricular pacing delays for use with multi-pole leads
Techniques are provided for use by implantable medical devices for controlling ventricular pacing using a multi-pole left ventricular (LV) lead. In one example, a single “V sense” test is performed to determine intrinsic interventricular conduction time delays (Δn) between the RV electrode and each of the LV electrodes of the multi-pole lead. Likewise, a single “RV pace” test is performed to determine paced interventricular conduction time delays (IVCD_RLn) between the RV electrode and each of the LV electrodes. A set of “LV pace” tests is then performed to determine paced interventricular conduction time delays (IVCD_LRn) between individual LV electrodes and the RV electrode. Optimal or preferred interventricular pacing delays are determined using the intrinsic interventricular conduction delay (Δn) values and a set of interventricular correction terms (εn) determined from the results of the RV pace test and the set of LV pace tests. With these techniques, overall test time can be reduced. |
| US08265751B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting non-sustaining ventricular tachyarrhythmia
An implantable medical device controls an anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy by detecting a tachyarrhythmia episode from a cardiac signal and analyzing the detected tachyarrhythmia episode in a tachyarrhythmia detection and analysis process to determine whether the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy needs to be delivered. The tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process includes detection of inhibitory events each indicating that the tachyarrhythmia episode is of a type not to be treated by the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy or that the tachyarrhythmia episode is not sustaining. The detection of each of the inhibitory events causes the tachyarrhythmia detection and classification process to be restarted or extended, or the delivery of the anti-tachyarrhythmia therapy to be withheld. |
| US08265743B2 |
Fixation-locked measurement of brain responses to stimuli
Fixation-locked measurement of brain activity generates time-coded cues indicative of whether an operator exhibited a significant cognitive response to task-relevant stimuli. The free-viewing environment is one in which the presentation of stimuli is natural to the task encompassing both pre- and post-fixation stimuli and the operator is allowed to move his or her eyes naturally to perform the task. |
| US08265741B2 |
Technique for determining signal quality in a physiologic sensing system using high frequency sampling
A medical device for processing physiological signals such as electrocardiograms. The processing includes: sampling a physiologic signal in a first channel with a first sampling rate, simultaneously sampling the physiologic signal in a second channel with a higher sampling rate to thus generate pairs of sampling values, forming the difference between two sampling values of each pair, comparing said difference with a threshold, and generating a noise detection indicator whenever said threshold is exceeded. |
| US08265740B2 |
Means and method for the detection of cardiac events
Disclosed is a system for the detection of cardiac events that includes an implanted device called a cardiosaver, a physician's programmer and an external alarm system. The system is designed to provide early detection of cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction or exercise induced myocardial ischemia caused by an increased heart rate or exertion. The system can also alert the patient with a less urgent alarm if a heart arrhythmia is detected. Using different algorithms, the cardiosaver can detect a change in the patient's electrogram that is indicative of a cardiac event within five minutes after it occurs and then automatically warn the patient that the event is occurring. To provide this warning, the system includes an internal alarm sub-system (internal alarm means) within the cardiosaver and/or an external alarm system (external alarm means) which are activated after the ST segment of the electrogram exceeds a preset threshold. |
| US08265739B1 |
Systems and methods for distinguishing cardiac ischemia from systemic influences on IEGM morphology using an implantable medical device
Techniques are provided for use in a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) for distinguishing cardiac ischemia from other conditions affecting the morphology of electrical cardiac signals sensed within a patient, such as hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia or other systemic conditions. In one example, the device detects changes in morphological features of cardiac signals indicative of possible cardiac ischemia within the patient, such as changes in ST segment elevation within an intracardiac electrogram (IEGM). The device determines whether the changes in the morphological features are the result of spatially localized changes within a portion of the heart and then distinguishes cardiac ischemia from other conditions affecting the morphology of electrical cardiac signals based on that determination. In another example, the device exploits the interval between the peak of a T-wave (Tmax) and the end of the T-wave (Tend). A significant increase in the Tend−Tmax interval is indicative of ischemia rather than a systemic condition. |
| US08265738B1 |
CRT responder model using EGM information
An exemplary method includes detecting a QRS complex using cutaneous electrodes, during the QRS complex, detecting an R-wave of a ventricle using an intracardiac electrode, determining if the R-wave occurred during a first, predetermined percentage of the QRS complex width and, based at least in part on the determining, deciding whether a patient is likely to respond to cardiac resynchronization therapy. Such a method may set the predetermined percentage to approximately 50%. An exemplary model includes a parameter for a percentage for the timing of an EGM R-wave with respect to the total width of an ECG QRS complex. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc. are also disclosed. |
| US08265736B2 |
Method and apparatus to perform electrode combination selection
Approaches for selecting an electrode combination of multi-electrode pacing devices are described. Electrode combination parameters that support cardiac function consistent with a prescribed therapy are evaluated for each of a plurality of electrode combinations. Electrode combination parameters that do not support cardiac function are evaluated for each of the plurality of electrode combinations. An order is determined for the electrode combinations based on the parameter evaluations. An electrode combination is selected based on the order, and therapy is delivered using the selected electrode combination. |
| US08265732B2 |
Catheter locator apparatus and method of use
This invention relates to a method of catheter and radiating coil location in a human body and in particular to the determination over time of the location of the tip of a catheter as it is inserted and during its use in the body. In particular when a radiating coil is used in conjunction with a catheter, a coil locating device can be used to determine the distance the coil is from the device and hence its depth in the body of a patient. To assist a clinician using the coil-locating device, a display is provided that shows both a reference image of a part or portion of a body (non-subject body) and an image of the coil located on the display with reference to the reference image. This is achieved by locating the coil-locating device on or over a predetermined landmark on the patient's body. The coil and its associated signal wires can be incorporated into a stylet, guide wire or a catheter. The coil locating device has a preferable triangular shape in plan view that allows it uppermost apex to be orientated towards the head of the patient and for an axis of the device to be aligned with the mid sagittal plane of the patient. Preferable landmarks on a human body include the xiphoid sternal junction and the caudal/mid sagittal aspect of the jugular sternal notch. |
| US08265728B2 |
Automated method and system for the evaluation of disease and registration accuracy in the subtraction of temporally sequential medical images
An apparatus, method and computer program product for performing computer aided diagnosis on temporal subtraction images of objects. A mode of a gray-level histogram is identified, and a gray-level threshold is established at a predefined fraction of this modal value. All pixels with gray levels below this threshold that lie within the lung regions of the temporal subtraction image remain “on,” while all other pixels are set to zero. Area and circularity requirements are imposed to eliminate false-positive regions. Areas of pathologic change identified in this manner may be presented as outlines in the subtraction image or as highlighted regions in the original radiographic image so that, in effect, temporal subtraction becomes a “background” process for computer-aided diagnosis. The present invention is also directed to method, apparatus, and computer program product for performing temporal subtraction on energy subtraction images, with or without subsequent computer aided diagnosis, of objects. |
| US08265723B1 |
Oximeter probe off indicator defining probe off space
An embodiment of the present disclosure seeks to select characteristics of incoming intensity data that cause comparisons of selected characteristics to produce defined probe off space having reduced crossover with defined probe on space. Once defined, the present disclosure compares characteristics of incoming intensity data with the now defined probe off space, and in some embodiments, defined probe on space, to determine whether a probe off condition exists. When a processor determines a probe off condition exists, the processor may output or trigger an output signal that audibly and/or visually indicates to a user that the optical sensor should be adjusted for a proper application to a measurement site. |
| US08265722B2 |
Superconducting wire and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed is a superconducting wire and a method for manufacturing the same, in which spacer are inserted into each space formed between modules, the spacers being different kinds according to a shape of each space when a restacking billet is manufactured in an internal diffusion method for manufacturing a Nb3Sn superconducting wire. One of a copper spacer and a low tin/copper spacer having a sectional area rate of copper/tin more than 6.0 is arranged between three modules as well as between two modules and a diffusion preventing tube, and a high tin/copper spacer having a sectional area rate of copper/tin less than 0.01˜1.5 or a middle tin/copper spacer having a sectional area rate of copper/tin less than 1.5˜6.0 is arranged between four modules. |
| US08265717B2 |
Implementation of touchpad on rear surface of single-axis hinged device
An improved mobile electronic device 100 with a unique thin and cost-effective form and design can have a large display 170 and a large full qwerty keypad 138 on the outward surface and can have a capacitive touchpad 186 on the inward surface of the flip 102 or slide that facilitates navigation on the display and can detect and recognize the flip or slide position within the mobile electronic device. A pattern of capacitive traces or wires 202 can be laid out within the layers of a printed circuit board to detect a user's finger gestures without enlarging or adversely impacting the size of the mobile electronic device. The attractive mobile electronic device can also provide for the use of a speaker port 196 underneath a removable battery door 194 and a way to seal a port under a battery door for audio enhancement. |
| US08265713B2 |
System and method for adaptively handling software processing during power save mode operation in mobile terminals
A controller (101) of a mobile telephone (100) executes an application program, checks a program stop permission flag of the application program being executed when shifting to a power-saving mode, and determines whether to continue or temporarily stop the execution of the application program being executed. If the temporary stop condition of the application program being executed is met, the controller (101) rewrites the program stop permission flag of the application program to a value permitting stop of program execution. |
| US08265711B2 |
Data processing system and method for in-vehicle short range wireless communication network
A data processing system and method for an in-vehicle short range wireless communication network are provided. The data processing system and method enable providing audio data of at least one source through different output means, while displaying video data corresponding to the audio data on a single display. The data processing system of the present invention includes a speaker installed within a vehicle; a master terminal mounted onto the vehicle for outputting an audio through the speaker; and a first slave terminal for outputting an audio received from the master terminal through a wireless channel established between the master and first slave terminals. |
| US08265710B2 |
Hearing assistive system with low power interface
A communications interface provides for communication between a wireless communication device (WCD) and a hearing assistive device (HAD). In an exemplary embodiment the communications interface includes a communications module to receive an audio signal from the WCD. The communications interface transmits the audio signal to the HAD using a Low Power Radio Frequency (RF) transmitter. The HAD receives the Low Power RF signal and provides a voice signal to the HAD user via a speaker. In some embodiments, the HAD includes a microphone and a transmitter. The HAD transmits a voice signal generated by the microphone to the communications interface. Exemplary methods for using the WCD and the HAD are also disclosed. |
| US08265708B2 |
Outgoing telephone call indication
A mobile phone has a mobile phone housing in which are integrated an actuator and a telephone module. The actuator can vibrate the housing to give a haptic or tactile alert to the user. The actuator is to vibrate in accordance with an input signal. The telephone module activates the input signal during the making of an outgoing call to a destination phone, so that the housing vibrates to alert the user while the destination phone is ringing. In another embodiment, the telephone module signals a display screen integrated in the housing, to show a graphic indicative of the outgoing call. In addition, the telephone module activates the input signal for the backlight of the display screen during the making of the outgoing call, so that the backlight flashes the display screen while the destination phone is ringing. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08265707B2 |
Cellular multiscreen system
A cellular multiscreen system forms an image which can be a frame of a video or still image, divides that image into a number of parts, and sends each part to a different cellular telephone. The cellular telephones which receives the images collectively can display the images so that one can see the original image by looking at the multiple different cellular telephones. A game can also be played by determining which of the cellular phones receive which portion of the image. |
| US08265706B2 |
Mobile terminal and display controlling method thereof
A mobile terminal and display controlling method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes detecting whether the position of the keypad is shifted to cover a partial display region of the display unit, if it is detected that the position of the keypad is shifted, changing a normal display mode into a control display mode, and if the control display mode is entered, performing a display operation corresponding to the control display mode in a different display region except the partial display region. Accordingly, in case that a keypad is located to cover a display region of a display unit in part, the present invention enables a display function to be effectively performed in the rest of the display region except the partially covered display region. |
| US08265705B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of executing call function using the same
A mobile terminal and a method of executing a call function using the mobile terminal are provided such that the call function is executed in the mobile terminal including a plurality of touch screens, and various graphic user interfaces with respect to the call function are displayed to a user such that the user can conveniently use the call function. |
| US08265702B2 |
Method, system and components for facilitating wireless communication in a sectored service area
A access point (AP) during wireless communication with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), transmits a beacon signal periodically among a plurality of sectors, each sector having its own sector identity, the beacon signal being periodically received at least once in a beacon period and the beacon period comprising a plurality of beacon service periods for all sectors. The AP determines a scheduling value to indicate a number of inactive beacon periods for a first sector to at least one WTRU located in the first sector. The scheduling value is transmitted with the sector identity for the first sector, such that a variable beacon period is established for the first sector, enabling the at least one WTRU located in the first sector to enter a sleep mode for an adjustable period of time. |
| US08265701B2 |
Picocell base station for wireless telecommunications providing radio coverage lobes, and a method of identifying which subset of the lobes covers a user terminal
A method is provided in a base station having multiple directional antenna elements each providing a corresponding radio coverage lobe to identify which subset of the lobes covers a user terminal. The base station is a picocell base station. A user terminal is positioned within the coverage area of the base station. A subset of the lobes is selected. The base station applies for a period an adjusted signal power in respect of the selected subset of the lobes. The signal power is detected and information dependent upon the detected pilot signal power is provided. The base station uses said information to determine whether or not the user terminal is located in the selected subset of lobes. A sub-group of the subset of lobes is then selected and a corresponding determination is made whether or not the user terminal is located in the selected sub-group. |
| US08265698B2 |
Quantized and successive precoding codebook
A quantized multi-rank beamforming scheme for multiple-antenna systems such as a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless downlink. User equipment (UE) estimates downlink channel and transmit power and determines rank and power allocations. A quantized beamforming matrix is then determined by the UE using successive beamforming. The UE also determines channel quality indices (CQI) which it feeds-back to the wireless downlink base station along with the index of the quantized beamforming matrix. The base station uses the CQI information to select a UE for scheduling of downlink transmission and the quantized beamforming matrix index received from the selected UE to beamform the downlink transmission to the UE. Base station overhead and is minimized while providing near-optimal performance given the constraints of a limited feed-back channel and computational complexity of the UE. |
| US08265695B2 |
Method for the management of a peripheral unit by a sim card in wireless communication terminals, and peripheral unit for implementing the method
A wireless communication terminal includes a SIM card and a memory card equipped with respective radio transceivers for allowing a terminal-independent and network-independent radio communication between both cards. Server and client applications on the controllers of the transceivers allow the SIM to manage the memory card. The memory card tries to become connected to the SIM. If connection is successful, the SIM authenticates the memory card and then configures it, in secure mode, to set the access policy to the memory card itself. |
| US08265692B2 |
Bracelet for communicating with a mobile device
A wristband wirelessly connects to a mobile phone allowing a user to talk on the mobile phone by using the wristband. The wristband includes a transmitter/receiver, a speaker and a microphone. The transmitter/receiver wirelessly pairs with the mobile phone. When the mobile phone receives an incoming call, a signal is sent to a vibrator housed within the transmitter/receiver and causes the wristband to vibrate. To connect to the call, a user can push a button located on the wristband or stretch the speaker piece and place the speaker in between his/her fingers. To disconnect from the call, the user can push the button or alternatively, release the speaker piece from in between his/her fingers which automatically triggers the transmitter/receiver to disconnect from the call. |
| US08265690B2 |
Multiservice communication device with logical control channel
A multiservice communication device includes a plurality of transceivers that wirelessly transceive network data with a corresponding plurality of networks in accordance with a corresponding plurality of network protocols, wherein at least one of the plurality of transceivers further transceives control channel data with a remote management unit contemporaneously with the network data via a logical control channel carried using the corresponding one of the plurality of network protocols, wherein the control channel data includes local control data sent to the management unit and remote control data received from the management unit. A processing module processes the remote control data and generates a least one control signal in response thereto, the at least one control signal for adapting at least one of the plurality of transceivers based on the remote control data. |
| US08265680B2 |
Apparatus and method for power allocation in mobile communication system
An apparatus and method for power allocation in a mobile communication system are provided. A transmitting method includes allocating a certain fraction of total power to a common control channel; allocating available power corresponding to the remaining fraction of the total power to remaining control channels except for the common control channel among control channels transmitted in a current time slot by considering the remaining control channels; calculating a gain value of each control channel according to power allocated to each control channel; and regulating a gain of each control channel, which is to be transmitted to one or more Access Terminals (ATs), according to the calculated gain value. Therefore, reception throughput of each control channel can be improved. |
| US08265679B2 |
Bundling of communication signals for efficiency
Systems and methods for bundling signals in a wireless communication system are disclosed. A connection request and a reservation for QoS resources can be bundled into an access message at an access terminal. The access message with the bundled communication signals can then be transmitted to an access network. An application layer (e.g., a DataOverSignaling (DOS)) message can also be bundled with the connection request and the reservation into the access message. |
| US08265675B2 |
MIMO wireless communication system and method by a plurality of base stations and mobile station
A MIMO wireless communication system capable of relaxing a reduction in a transmission rate on a cell end far from a base station and ensuring a high transmission rate for a mobile station, irrespectively of a distance from the base station is provided.In a state 1, the mobile station 21 checks a propagation line quality and instructs only the first base station 11 to transmit data to the mobile station 21. In a state 2, the mobile station 21 issues a request to divide the data to the first base station 11 and the second base station 12 and to transmit the divided data to the mobile station 21, and holds MIMO communication with the two base stations.In a state 3, the mobile station 21 requests only the second base station 12 to transmit the data and communicates with the second base station 12. |
| US08265674B2 |
Wireless system commissioning
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for commissioning a wireless network. In one aspect, a method includes instructing the switch devices of the controlled circuits to provide power to the controlled circuit wiring of the controlled circuits to enable joining of wireless adapters to the wireless network; monitoring the joining of wireless adapters to the wireless network; monitoring for the occurrence of a joining expiration event; and in response to the occurrence of the joining expiration event, determining whether each wireless adapter that joined the wireless network during a joining time period ending at the occurrence of the joining expiration event belongs to the controlled circuits. |
| US08265669B2 |
Method and system for providing bearer tag identification-based messaging
An approach is provided for bearer tag identification-based messaging. A request is received specifying a bearer tag identifier corresponding to a mobile terminal. Addressing information is determined for the mobile terminal based on the bearer tag identifier, wherein the addressing information is used for transmitting a message according to a messaging service to the mobile terminal over a wireless network. |
| US08265668B2 |
Universal short code administration facility
Systems and methods for assigning a short codes to provide uniformity among wireless carriers. In the systems and methods, a Universal Short Code (USC) Administrator maintains a list of short codes and their lease status so that SMS messages sent to a particular short code may be routed to the proper holder of the short code. A network facilitator is in communication with both the USC Administrator and at least one wireless carrier to route the SMS message to the proper holder of the short code. The short code may be leased for a specified period of time so that the short code can be reassigned after expiration of the lease. |
| US08265667B2 |
Multimedia messaging method and apparatus for mobile terminal
A multimedia messaging method and apparatus for a mobile terminal supporting Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) is provided for the mobile terminal to relay a multimedia message, edit multimedia object attached to the multimedia message, and feed back the multimedia message attaching the edit multimedia object. A multimedia message transmission method of the present invention includes composing a multimedia message in a multimedia message composition mode, inserting sender information and a recipient information into the multimedia message; creating a relay message by defining a type of the multimedia message as the relay message; and sending the relay message with reference to the recipient information. |
| US08265659B2 |
Mobile terminal, method of managing schedule using the mobile terminal, and method of managing position information using the mobile terminal
A mobile terminal, a method of managing a schedule using the mobile terminal, and a method of managing position information using the mobile terminal are provided. The method of managing a schedule using the mobile terminal can interoperate schedule information with a navigation function, the method of managing position information using the mobile terminal can manage position information included in audio data received in various forms, and the mobile terminal implements the methods. |
| US08265654B2 |
System and method for proximity area networking for selection of messaging
Embodiments of the present invention include improved communication system and methods. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a wireless communication method comprising, on a first wireless device, receiving one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices, and transmitting at least one of the one or more wireless device identifications from the first wireless device to a remote computer system, and on the remote computer system, receiving the at least one wireless device identification, and accessing information associated with the at least one wireless device identification. Embodiments of the present invention may be used for electronic dating, social networking and other communication applications. |
| US08265652B2 |
Geographic tagging of network access points
A system for geographic tagging of network access points comprises a plurality of access points that have been configured to provide location information as part of their beacon. Each access point provides a service set identifier (SSID) that includes an encoded value that represents the location of the access point. The use of an encoded location value in the SSID of the access point is particularly advantageous because it does not require any additional hardware be added to the access point or the portable computing device. Moreover, location can be determined by any portable device without establishing a connection to the access point. The portable computing devices are adapted to receive the beacon, extract the location information from the beacon and decode the beacon. The present invention also includes a variety of methods including: a method for geographic tagging of network access points, a method for encoding a location into a geographic code, a method for decoding a geographic code into a location, a method for encoding height into a geographic code, a method for decoding height from a geographic code and a method for determining the location using a plurality of geographic codes. |
| US08265650B2 |
GPS data management module for use in location-based service systems
A system and method are presented to provide radio and GPS coverage versatility in a location-based service (LBS) system, such as an automatic vehicle location (AVL) system. A mobile client in communication with one or more servers of an LBS system includes one or more mobile communication devices and one or more GPS devices for establishing a position of the client. The client is configured to determine whether none of the one or more GPS devices provide the server access to the position through a wireless protocol implemented therewith, or whether the position should be communicated to the server using the one or more communication devices. |
| US08265648B2 |
Resource allocation in a radio communication system
A method of using resource blocks in a communication system with a plurality of Base Stations (BSs), including assigning resource blocks to a first BS, the first BS communicating to a second BS a message comprising information about at least one resource block assigned to the first BS and not planned to be used by the first BS, and the second BS receiving the message. Optionally, the second BS using the at least one resource block. Related apparatus and methods are also described. |
| US08265646B2 |
Dynamic frequency assignment in a multi-beam system
Novel satellite communications systems, methods, and related devices are described. In one set of embodiments, available frequency channels may be dynamically assigned to particular beams of a multi-beam satellite system. The frequency assignment may be based on the amount of frequency allocated to particular beams of the multi-beam satellite system, utilizing a novel frequency selection method employing frequency reuse constraints. There may be a number of distinct frequency channels that are each assigned to one or more different beams. Such a system may be made up of a satellite in communication with terminals (e.g., user terminals or gateways). The satellite may receive and compile bandwidth request data from the terminals, and use this information in frequency assignment. |
| US08265638B2 |
Channel frequency reuse for narrow beam video streaming based upon mobile terminal location information
Transmitting streamed video to at least one wireless terminal by a wireless network having a channel frequency reuse pattern. The wireless network receives a request for the streamed video from the at least one wireless terminal and receives position information from the at least one wireless terminal requesting the streamed video. The wireless network selects a transceiving device to service transmission of the streamed video to the at least one wireless terminal. The transceiving device is allocated a first channel frequency set of the channel frequency reuse pattern. The wireless network or a component thereof selects a channel from a second channel frequency set that is different from the first channel frequency set. The transceiving device then, using a directional antenna, transmits the streamed video to the at least one wireless terminal in a direction based upon the position information using the selected channel. |
| US08265636B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing cells of multi-mode portable terminal
An apparatus and method are disclosed, which adjusts the number of neighbor cells managed by a multi-mode portable terminal according to the system environment. The method includes measuring the network environment periodically and adaptively changing the number of neighbor cells of a licensed wireless system according to the measured network environment. |
| US08265627B2 |
Method and apparatus for handover in wireless communication network
A method and apparatus for handover of a MS of a plurality of MSs to a BS of a plurality of BSs in a wireless communication network. The method includes identifying a target BS from the plurality of BSs for handover of the MS served by a serving BS. A difference between a quality of a signal received by the MS from the target BS and the quality of the signal received by the MS from the serving BS is greater than or equal to a first predefined threshold. The method further includes performing a handover for the MS from the serving BS to the target BS when the quality of the signal received by the MS from the serving BS is greater than or equal to a second predefined threshold. |
| US08265624B2 |
Method and system for broadcast message transmission in mobile systems
A method and device for dynamically changing transmission parameters of broadcast messages transmitted and received by a mobile unit. The method and device include monitoring transmission channel characteristics; dynamically adjusting the transmission parameters of a message based on the monitored transmission channel characteristics; and broadcasting the message using the adjusted transmission parameters. The transmission parameters may include one or more of transmission power, error code rate, and modulation rate. The transmission channel characteristics include one or more of the group consisting of received message density, channel congestion, detected number of message collisions, and signal to interference ratio. |
| US08265617B2 |
Media transfer and control system
A media transfer and control system that includes a handheld electronic device and an audio/visual system. The media transfer and control system provides for: (i) the transfer of media files between the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system, (ii) the transmission of control commands from the handheld electronic device to the audio/visual system for controlling the function and operation of the audio/visual system through a user interface provided on the handheld electronic device, and (iii) the unsolicited transfer of media descriptive data between the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system to create a synchronized global view on the handheld electronic device and/or the audio/visual system of all of the media content currently stored on and/or available through both the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system. |
| US08265614B2 |
System and method for integrating an outgoing cellular call as an enterprise call
In one embodiment, a network node is operable, responsive to receiving a request from an enterprise user to initiate origination of an outgoing cellular call to a called party, for establishing a first call leg to the enterprise user by sending a circuit-switched call that identifies an enterprise address of the enterprise user as a calling line identity. The network node includes functionality for establishing a second call leg to the called party upon receiving an indication from the enterprise user that the first call leg has been established. The first and second call legs are then patched to establish an end-to-end communications path between the enterprise user and the called party, wherein the enterprise address instead of the non-enterprise address is presented to the called party as a calling line identity with respect to the outgoing cellular call from the enterprise user. |
| US08265610B1 |
Sponsored keyword usage in voice communication
A server computer is provided comprising a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory that, when executed by the processor, identifies at least one keyword based on one of a first communication device and a second communication device and transmits the at least one keyword to the first communication device. The server computer also analyzes a voice traffic between the first communication device and the second communication device to determine whether the at least one keyword occurs in the voice traffic. When the at least one keyword is determined to occur in the voice traffic, the server computer sends a confirmation message to the first communication device. |
| US08265605B2 |
Service escrowed transportable wireless event reporting system
A portable service escrowed event reporting system that may be sold through mass-market sales channels. Communications between a consumer and the provider of the event reporting system are not required in advance of the system being purchased by the consumer. After purchase of the system by the consumer, the system may be initialized. The service may have a finite amount of service associated with it when it is purchased. The consumer may choose to have the system report the occurrence of reportable events directly to them over a wireless network. |
| US08265600B2 |
System and method for authenticating remote server access
A system and method for providing secure authentication for website access or other secure transaction. In one embodiment, when a user accesses a website, the web server identifies the user, and sends an authentication request to the user's mobile device. The mobile device receives the authentication requests and sends back authentication key to the web server. Upon verifying the authentication key, the web server grants access to the user. |
| US08265596B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for protecting personal information thereof
A mobile terminal and personal information protection method thereof using a protection function shortcut key are provided. The personal information protection method determines, when at least one key is input, whether the key is substantially identical with one of a plurality of protection function shortcut keys, displays, when the input key is substantially identical with a protection function shortcut key, a protection function setting menu having at least one item of personal information, sets, when at least one item of personal information is selected, the protection function in association with the selected personal information, and enables the protection function on the selected personal information. Therefore, the personal information protected by the protection function is not displayed on a display unit of the mobile terminal. |
| US08265593B2 |
Method and system of communication using extended sequence number
Described is a method by mobile equipment to communicate with a network. The method includes receiving a network authentication token having a first message authentication code, an authentication message field and a first extended sequence number that includes a first hardware identifier and first sequence number, and authenticating the network based on the first message authentication code, the first hardware identifier, and the first sequence number. |
| US08265592B2 |
Telephone apparatus having calling card support function and in-vehicle handsfree apparatus
A telephone apparatus is disclosed. The telephone apparatus acquires card information on multiple calling cards from a communication terminal and stores the acquired card information. The telephone apparatus performs, via the communication terminal, telephone communication with a communication counterpart by using a first one of the calling cards stored in the telephone apparatus. When the balance on the first one of the calling cards is changed into zero balance and when the telephone communication link is forcibly disconnected, the telephone apparatus causes the communication terminal to redial by using a second one of the calling cards in order to restart the telephone communication with the same communication counterpart. |
| US08265591B1 |
Blocking subscribers defaulting payment from network access
Computer media, systems, and methods for blocking subscriber network access and managing subscriber network access are provided. A subscriber account, having an associated wireless device with a network identifier, is determined to be in payment default. An updated network identifier that reflects the default status is assigned and transmitted to the wireless device. Subsequent requests for network access from the wireless device will be redirected to a bill payment website, at least in part because the updated network identifier indicates that the subscriber account associated with the wireless device is in payment default. |
| US08265588B2 |
Device and method for temperature monitoring and warning
A wireless communication device and method adapted for temperature monitoring and warning is disclosed. In its simplest form, it can include: providing (510) a multi-mode communication device including an unrestricted mode having an unrestricted operation temperature range and a restricted mode having a restricted operation temperature range; determining (520) if a temperature in proximity to an energy storage device is in at least one of the restricted operation temperature range and the unrestricted operation temperature range; periodically entering (530) the restricted mode when in the restricted operation temperature range and entering the unrestricted mode when in the unrestricted operation temperature range; and entering (540) the unrestricted mode when a user attempts to make an emergency call. Advantageously, this method allows safe battery operation, while allowing a user to make emergency calls. |
| US08265583B1 |
Blind compensation for arbitrary receiver nonlinearities via a digital signal processing approach
A method of compensating for arbitrary nonlinearities associated with a received signal includes receiving a plurality of samples of the signal having at least one in-band region and at least one out-of-band region, generating a plurality of compensated signal values based on the plurality of samples and a plurality of respective compensation values, applying a transform function to the plurality of compensated signal values to generate a frequency-domain representation of the plurality of compensated signal values, and updating at least one of the plurality of compensation values using the generated frequency-domain representation of the signal to reduce energy associated with the at least one out-of-band region of the signal. |
| US08265582B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer that are joined by sandwiching a depletion layer with a thickness that allows transmission of a plurality of electrons and holes by direct-tunneling. |
| US08265580B2 |
System and method for handling strong signals and blockers in the RF front end
An incoming RF signal can be amplified in a RF front end of a RF receiver by conveying the signal through one of a multiple amplification paths. On each path, the gain can be controlled by RF automatic gain control (AGC) circuits. Each amplification path can be designed to handle incoming signals in a designated power range and to optimize receiver performance characteristics such as the noise figure (NF) and odd harmonic linearity in that power range. Signal power can be measured at different locations of the receiver and bypass switches can be used to convey the RF signals down one of the multiple paths based on the power measurements, according to executable logical code. An incoming signal power hysteresis can be applied to stabilize the system. Further, signal power averaging and switch delaying mechanisms can be employed to stabilize the system for rapidly fluctuating signals. |
| US08265577B2 |
Method and system for dynamically tuning and calibrating an antenna using antenna hopping
Methods and systems for dynamically tuning and calibrating an antenna using antenna hopping are disclosed. In this regard, in a wireless device comprising an antenna that is configurable into a plurality of configurations, determining a subset of the configurations, where each configuration of the subset enables received signal strength above a threshold for a wireless channel, may be determined. During a time interval in which the wireless device is receiving signals on the wireless channel, the antenna may be configured to sequentially utilize each configuration of the subset. During the time interval, a plurality of samples of the wireless channel may be generated, where each of the samples corresponds to a different one of the configurations of the subset. The plurality of samples may be aggregated. The aggregated samples may be processed to recover information communicated on the wireless channel. |
| US08265575B2 |
Methods for handling a transmitting process and communication apparatuses utilizing the same
A communication apparatus is provided. A power amplifier is coupled to an antenna and switched on or off according to a control signal. A baseband processing module is coupled to the power amplifier and a radio transceiver module, receives a bit stream comprising information indicating corresponding transmitting time and sub-carrier frequencies of up-link messages via the radio transceiver module, processes the bit stream to obtain a map profiling allocations of the up-link messages, prepares the up-link messages to be transmitted according to the map, and generates the control signal according to the map. Within a data frame period, when there is no up-link message to be transmitted during a up-link time interval, the power amplifier is switched off in response to the control signal during the up-link time interval. |
| US08265573B2 |
Wireless subscriber communication unit and method of power control with back-off therefore
A wireless subscriber communication unit comprises a transmitter having a power amplifier and a feedback power control loop having a power control function arranged to set an output power level of the power amplifier. The power control function is arranged to perform a back-off of the output power prior to completion of a transmission burst. |
| US08265572B2 |
Multiple envelope tracking system for an active antenna array
An active antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission paths, a plurality of variable power supply units, and an envelope detection system. The transmission paths are adapted to carry a plurality of similar transmission path signals, and the plurality of transmission paths comprises an amplifier having a power input and a signal input for one of the plurality of similar transmission path signals. The plurality of variable power supply units is connected to the power input of the amplifier for supplying power to the amplifiers. Each of the plurality of variable power supply units comprises an envelope signal input. The envelope detection system is connected to the envelope inputs of the plurality of variable power supply units and adapted to provide a common envelope signal for the plurality of similar transmission path signals to the plurality of variable power supply units. A method for envelope tracking and computer program products for manufacture and method execution are also claimed. |
| US08265567B2 |
Single input/output port radio frequency transceiver front end circuit
A front end circuit for coupling an antenna to a radio frequency (RF) transceiver for time domain duplex systems is disclosed. The front end circuit includes an antenna port, a power amplifier, a low noise amplifier, and a matching network. The output of the power amplifier and the input of the low noise amplifier are coupled to the matching network and connected in common to the antenna. The power amplifier and the low noise amplifier are activated and deactivated in sequence corresponding to the transmit and receive modes of the transceiver, and the matching network minimizes the effect that one has on the other at the designated operating frequency. |
| US08265563B2 |
Techniques for enhanced co-existence of co-located radios
Techniques for enhanced co-existence for co-located radios are described. A mobile computing device may comprise a first radio module operative to communicate wirelessly across a first link using a first set of communications channels, a second radio module operative to communicate wirelessly across a second link using a second set of communications channels, and a coordination module operative to receive information regarding operation of the first and second radio modules, and modify a communications parameter for the first or second radio module based on the received information. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US08265561B2 |
Radio communication apparatus and interference removing method
A radio communication apparatus having a first antenna and a second antenna, includes an interference estimation unit configured to estimate, using a signal of a second frequency band received by the second antenna, an interference component in the second frequency band contained in a signal of a first frequency band, and an interference removing unit configured to remove, based on information on the interference component estimated by the interference estimation unit, the interference component in the second frequency band contained in the signal of the first frequency band received by the first antenna. |
| US08265560B2 |
Wireless user equipment for use in reducing cross cell interference
A method for reducing cross cell interference in a wireless time division duplex communication system using code division multiple access, the system having at least one user equipment (UE) and a base station (BS) is disclosed. The method begins by measuring an interference level of each timeslot at the BS. A timeslot is eliminated for additional uplink communication if the measured interference level exceeds a first threshold. UEs in nearby cells that are large interferers are identified and their downlink timeslot usage is gathered. A timeslot is eliminated for uplink communication for a large interferer UE that uses the timeslot for downlink communication. |
| US08265559B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining modulation levels that are supported on a channel
A logical channel is configured to match a modulation profile of an active channel. A network element is assigned to the logical channel and a ping request is sent to the network element. A response from the network element is measured, such as measuring the MER. The modulation profile is increased in the logical channel and another ping request is sent to the network element. The response is measured again, and the process is repeated until a non-linearity is detected in the response. The acceptable modulation profiles are indicated before the non-linearity is detected in the response. |
| US08265558B2 |
Intra-device RF bus and control thereof
A device includes a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit and an RF bus controller. Each of the first and second ICs includes a radio frequency (RF) bus transceiver. The RF bus controller is coupled to control intra-device RF communications between the RF bus transceivers of the first and second ICs. |
| US08265551B2 |
Relay station, mobile station, and relay transmission method in mobile communication system
Provided is a mobile communication system which includes a plurality of RAT (Radio Access Technology) and can eliminate the need of a control channel for reporting RAT information so as to prevent congestion or shortage of the control channel capacity. In the mobile communication system, an LTE relay station (30) has a cover area (31) identical to a cover area (21) owned by a WLAN host station (20) and relays/transmits the signal received from an LTE base station (10) to a mobile station (40) in the cover area (31). The LTE relay station (30) adds to the signal received from the LTE base station (10), one of the offsets: a frequency offset, a time offset, and a power offset as information indicating that the mobile station (40) which receives a relay signal from the local station is located in the cover area (21) of WLAN and transmits the signal after offset addition to the mobile station (40) located in the cover area (31) (i.e., the cover area (21)). |
| US08265545B2 |
Wireless environment method and apparatus
A method and apparatus are provided for a first controlled device, such as a wireless local transmitter that accepts a plurality of digital audio signals and corresponding program information signals converted from a controlled source, such as the encoded digital data provided by a digital data signal source, typically a community antenna television (CATV) cable or direct broadcast satellite, then modulates said digital audio and corresponding program information signals on different carrier frequencies and transmits the modulated signals to a plurality of second controlled devices, such as remote digital receiver/tuners that demodulate said signals to output music in stereophonic sound and display the corresponding program information by means of an alphanumeric display. The first and second controlled devices contain microprocessor systems for communicating, controlling, storing, processing, and display of digital data within the operation of the respective system. A high speed, error free digital signal protocol is utilized for transmitting digital audio and corresponding program information signals to and from the digital receiver/tuner. The digital data transmitter and digital receiver/tuners utilize the 44.1 kilohertz (kHz) Compact Disc (CD) clock signal embedded in digital audio signals provided by an established delivery system to derive clocking signals for reception and processing of digital audio signals and for implementing the display information communications protocol. |
| US08265537B2 |
Fixing device slide member and fixing device
A fixing device slide member has a surface 40a of a sheet body 40, which surface is made of heat-resistant resin. A specific wear rate on the surface 40a of the sheet body 40 in the ring-on-disc test is 10×10−8 mm3/(N×m) or less on condition that a counterpart material is aluminum, roughness Ra is equal to 0.2 micrometer, PV is equal to 51.2 MPa×m/min, and measuring time is 50 hours. Thus, the surface 40a of the sheet body 40 is enhanced in wear resistance so as to be free from generation of worn powder, which suppresses torque increase in a pressurizing belt caused by the worn powder. |
| US08265534B2 |
Apparatus and method for an asymmetrical printer fuser nip
An asymmetrical printer includes a housing (101) and a first fuser member (121) rotationally supported in the housing. The first fuser member has a first fuser member end (210) and a second fuser member end (220). The first fuser member fuses an image on a media sheet traveling in a media sheet 112 travel direction (115). A fuser nip (126) has a fuser nip width dimension (128) parallel to the media sheet travel direction and having a fuser nip length (116) from the first fuser member end to the second fuser member end. The fuser nip length is perpendicular to the media sheet travel direction. The fuser nip width dimension is asymmetrical along the fuser nip length. A second fuser member (122) is rotationally supported in the housing and coupled to the first fuser member at the fuser nip. The second fuser member fuses the image on the media sheet. |
| US08265531B2 |
Image forming apparatus that detects image shift in the main scanning direction without wasting toner
An image forming apparatus which is capable of detecting the direction and amount of an image shift in the main scanning direction without wasting toner, to thereby provide a higher-quality image with reduced running costs. A conductor is disposed such that the conductor partially overlaps an electrostatic latent image line formed on a photosensitive drum in a manner extending in a main scanning direction of the photosensitive drum, while moving relative to the electrostatic latent image line. The conductor generates induced current by the relative motion. An image shift in the main scanning direction is detected based on a result of measurement of the induced current generated by the conductor. |
| US08265528B2 |
Developer electric field conveyer and developer feeder configuration for an image forming apparatus
A developing apparatus is accommodated within a laser printer. The developing apparatus includes a developing casing and a toner electric field transport body. The toner electric field transport body includes a transport wiring substrate and a transport-substrate support member. A plurality of transport electrodes are provided on the transport wiring substrate. The transport wiring substrate is supported by the transport-substrate support member in a state in which the transport wiring substrate is deformed in a tubular shape. In some examples, a tensile fixing means may fix the transport wiring substrate to the transport-substrate support member. Further, the transport wiring substrate is supported by the transport-substrate support member such that margin areas of the transport wiring substrate, which are opposite end portions of the transport wiring substrate with respect to a sub-scanning direction and in which the transport electrodes are not formed, are separated from a toner transport path. |
| US08265527B2 |
Developing unit, image forming apparatus incorporating same, and method of controlling amounts of toner
A developing unit, which is incorporated in an image forming apparatus, includes a developer case to accommodate a two-component developer including toner and carrier, a developer bearing member bearing the two-component developer to supply the developer to an image, a developer supply path formed inside the developer case to supply the developer along the developer bearing member, an agitation and conveyance member disposed in the developer supply path, a toner collecting mechanism to collect toner after development, and a collected toner conveyance path formed inside the developer case and including a collected toner conveying member. The collected toner conveyance path and the developer supply path are arranged in communication with each other in the vicinity of one end portion of the collected toner conveyance path in a direction of conveyance of collected toner so as to circulate toner unused for development. |
| US08265526B2 |
Developer container, developing apparatus, and image forming apparatus
The invention provides a developer container that comprises a container main unit having a partition arranged at a position dividing a first transport space and a second transport space that are spaces in which developer is transported respectively, and an opening, and a lid that blocks the opening, and contacts the partition in a state in which the partition is bent when the opening is blocked, and the lid dividing the first transport space and the second transport space using a portion of the lid, which contacts the partition. |
| US08265522B2 |
Image forming device having guide mechanism guiding developing unit
An image-forming device includes a main body; a developing unit; a belt; and a guide mechanism. The developing unit includes a photosensitive member, a developer-carrying member, and a developer-accommodating section. The guide mechanism is configured to move the developing unit between a contact position and a separate position. |
| US08265521B2 |
Tandem photosensitive-member unit having grip part
An image-forming device includes a main body and a tandem photosensitive-member unit. The tandem photosensitive-member unit includes a unit frame, a plurality of photosensitive members, a front-side grip part, and a rear-side grip. The unit frame is configured to be slidably installed to and removed from the main body in a predetermined direction. The unit frame has a leading side and a trailing side with respect to the predetermined direction. The plurality of photosensitive members is provided corresponding to a plurality of colors and is supported by the unit frame. The front-side grip part is provided at the leading side of the unit frame. The rear-side grip part is provided at the trailing side of the unit frame. |
| US08265517B2 |
Image forming apparatus having photosensitive member providing a belt with developer and cleaning member for cleaning the belt
An image-forming apparatus includes an endless belt, a photosensitive member, a driving member, a recovering member, and a cleaning member. The endless belt has a surface extending in a first direction. The photosensitive member opposes the surface to provide the surface with toner. The driving member drives the belt so that the surface moves in the first direction during an image-forming period and moves in the opposite direction during a recovering period after the image-forming period. The recovering member recovers, during the image-formation period, residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member after the toner has been provided on the surface, and provides, during the recovering period, the recovered residual toner on the photosensitive member to be provided on the surface. The cleaning member opposes the surface upstream of the photosensitive member in the first direction to clean, during the recovering period, the recovered residual toner provided on the surface. |
| US08265512B2 |
Power supply unit for image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus
A first power system supplies electric power to a first control circuit. A second power system supplies electric power to a load further on a downstream side than the second power system. A second control circuit receives the supplied electric power from a commercial power supply. In a power saving mode, a path switching section switches an electric power supply path to interrupt the electric power from the second power system to a cooling fan and supply electric power from an electricity storing section to the cooling fan. |
| US08265510B2 |
Multi-function apparatus
A multi-function apparatus having a plurality of functions relating to an image processing and configured to selectively realize one of the plurality of functions, including: a plurality of operation keys which are operated by a user so as to control the multi-function apparatus; a display device configured to display an operation view for assisting the user in operating the plurality of operation keys; and a display control section configured to control the display device to display the operation view in which a plurality of images respectively representing the plurality of operation keys are displayed, such that an image of each of at least one active key each as an active one of the plurality of operation keys is displayed in the view in a first manner, while an image of each of at least one inactive key each as an inactive one of the plurality of operation keys is displayed in the view in a second manner which is different from the first manner. |
| US08265508B2 |
Image forming apparatus with standby and power saving modes
An image forming apparatus, for which a heated roller fixing device is employed but for which a savings in power can still be obtained, is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a fixing device, which is a heated roller fixing device that requires pre-heating in a stand-by state; an operation panel, with which a power-saving mode transition time period can be changed; and a control part, which selects pre-heating or does not select pre-heating of the heated roller fixing device. The control part employs the power-saving mode transition time period, entered at the operation panel, to change the pre-heating or to not change the pre-heating of the heated roller fixing device. |
| US08265506B2 |
Fusing device for instantly controlling power
A device for fusing and fixing a transferred toner of a predetermined image onto a print paper is provided. In particular, a fusing device which can instantly control induced current provided to a fusing unit in an image printing apparatus which heats the fusing unit using the induced current is provided. The fusing device includes a fusing unit which is resistance heated or induction heated by an induced current, and fuses the toner onto the print paper using the generated heat. A sensing unit senses the temperature of the fusing unit. A reference current generating unit generates a predetermined reference current to heat the fusing unit to reach a predetermined temperature based on the temperature of the sensed fusing unit and the reference temperature. A pulse width modulation signal generating unit generates a pulse width modulation signal for generating the induced current so that the induced current corresponding to the reference current is supplied to the fusing unit. |
| US08265503B2 |
Apparatus and method for adjusting concentration of liquid developer
Provided is a liquid developer concentration adjusting apparatus and a method so that the concentration can be adjusted easily and efficiently without using time and effort in liquid volume control. Further, the apparatus and method enable the concentration adjustment to be efficiently accomplished in a short period of time with reduced volume of required supply developer to be added for the adjustment independently of the initial concentration of the developer by concurrently measuring the concentration of developer, even if the concentration thereof is high. In the control of the concentration adjustment, the developer is allowed to overflow through an opening of the concentration adjusting container, and the concentration adjustment by using supply developer or the supply speed of the supply developer is started before the start of the overflow. |
| US08265496B2 |
Image forming apparatus featurting a toner container including a plurality of toner conveying members and a toner sensor
There is provided an image forming apparatus including a casing in which toner is accommodated, a toner inflow portion that is provided on a side of one of ends in a longitudinal direction of the casing, a first screw that conveys the toner accommodated in the casing from one end toward the other end, a second screw that conveys the toner accommodated in the casing from the other end toward one end, and a sensor in which a detection portion is disposed at a position facing a side face of the casing provided in the longitudinal direction in order to detect an amount of toner accommodated in the casing. The longitudinal direction of the detection portion is located closer to one end than the other end, and a position in a vertical direction of the detection portion partially overlaps at least a toner conveying region of the second screw. |
| US08265495B2 |
Heating device and image forming apparatus with abnormality detection
A heating device includes: a driving member configured to rotate; a driven member configured to rotate with the rotation of the driving member; a heater configured to heat a surface of one of the driving member and the driven member; a temperature detector configured to measure the temperature of the heated surface; and a controller operable to control heating of the heater based on the measurement result of the temperature detector. The controller includes: a calculator operable to calculate a change ratio of a slope of a temperature change of the heated surface with time, based on a first temperature detected by the temperature detector at a first time point and a second temperature detected by the temperature detector at a second time point a predetermined time interval after the first time point; and a determiner operable to determine that an abnormality occurs when the change ratio exceeds a threshold. |
| US08265488B2 |
Electromagnetic transmission/reception system
An electromagnetic transmission and reception system comprises a transmitter section and a receiver section. The transmitter section has a first signal source, a second signal source at a lower frequency than the first signal source, and means for generating from the first and second signal sources a plurality of signals with fixed frequency spacing derived from the second signal source frequency. One or more pairs of the plurality of signals are selected, and for the or each pair, the signals of the pair are combined to derive an output signal having a frequency derived from the difference between the frequencies of the signals of the pair. The receiver section combines a received signal, which comprises a received version of the output signal, with a local oscillator signal for frequency down-conversion of the received signal. This local oscillator signal is generated by the transmitter section. This provides a system in which the generation of signals of the desired frequency is achieved by mixing signals of specific frequencies. The reception uses frequency down-conversion using the same signal sources as used for the transmission. This enables a low noise system to be implemented. |
| US08265484B2 |
RF signal transport over passive optical networks
One embodiment provides an EPON for transporting RF signals. The system includes a reference clock, an ONU, and an OLT. The ONU includes a mechanism for receiving a frequency and phase-reference signal from the OLT, a mechanism for receiving an RF signal, an ADC for converting the RF signal into a digital signal using a sampling signal associated with the frequency and phase-reference signal, a mechanism for assembling at least a portion of the digital signal into a packet, a mechanism configured to timestamp the packet, and an optical transceiver. The OLT includes a mechanism for receiving the packet, a buffer, a delay mechanism configured to delay reading the received packet from the buffer for a predetermined amount of time, and a DAC for converting the digital signal included in the packet back to RF domain using a clock signal associated with the frequency and phase-reference signal. |
| US08265474B2 |
Autofocus system
Pattern data for specifying a face image of a person is registered in a pattern data storage unit 32 of a tracking device 16. When a face recognition auto-tracking mode is selected, a face image coinciding with the registered pattern data is detected, and an AF area is set to track the face image. |
| US08265469B2 |
Highly tactile shutter release
An operating mechanism for an underwater camera housing includes a shaft adapted to allow in use the shaft to pass through the wall of the underwater camera housing. A sealing element on the shaft allow in use the shaft to be sealed to the underwater camera housing in a substantially waterproof manner. A first pressure device is mounted on the shaft and positioned in use outside the underwater camera housing, and a second pressure device is associated with the shaft and positioned in use within the underwater camera housing. A torque adjustment element is provided between the first pressure device and the second pressure device such that in normal use any feel of resistance to movement of the second pressure device is increased when felt on the first pressure device. |
| US08265466B2 |
Combination aroma diffuser
A combination aroma diffuser includes a lower housing, a control unit, a display screen, an upper housing, a light-emitting heating unit, a cover member and a speaker. The upper housing and the lower housing admits light so that the displayed digits of the display screen that is kept inside the lower housing are visible when the display screen emits light. The control unit has stored therein music and sounds for output through the speaker. The light-emitting heating unit emits light through the upper housing to heat an aromatic fluid in the cover member into vapor that goes out of air vents of the cover member to the outside open air. |
| US08265461B2 |
Method of scaling subpicture data and related apparatus
A method for scaling subpicture data comprises receiving a video data stream and a subpicture data stream; pre-parsing the subpicture data stream to obtain line information of subpicture data, the subpicture data containing both top field pixel data and bottom field pixel data; calculating the number of lines contained in the top field pixel data and the bottom field pixel data from the pre-parsed line information; interlacing the top field pixel data and the bottom field pixel data; and scaling the top and bottom field pixel data together in interlaced form for adjusting the number of lines contained in the top field pixel data and the bottom field pixel data. |
| US08265458B2 |
System and method for generating video taping reminders
Electronic Guide products give the user the ability to videotape selected programs. Once a program has successfully been taped a message is displayed, reminding the viewer that they have taped it. (E.g. “You taped Xxxxx; have you watched it yet?”) Information comprising information that shows are taped, the particular shows taped and viewer profiles allow advertisements targeted to the viewer who typically records a given type of programming to be presented. In an embodiment the display of the reminders is made conditional upon acceptance of advertising (for example, based on a piece of data transmitted along with other data related to that show), and can be sold to the broadcasters who transmitted the show. This information is marketed as a peculiarly well-targeted ad for the show, causing it to continue to produce value for the broadcaster after the broadcast is complete. Broadcasters, in turn, may offer the reminders to major advertisers as they sell commercial air time during the show, as a premium feature of the air time. The advertisement may be sent over channels comprising the video blanking interval, the Internet or on another channel. |
| US08265457B2 |
Proxy editing and rendering for various delivery outlets
A method, apparatus and computer program product provides for a proxy media editor to combine editing, rendering, and a plurality of output specifications via a unified platform. The proxy media editor accesses at least one output specification and an edit decision list stored on a server system. The proxy media editor receives a request for media output at the server system, the media output associated with an edit decision list stored on the server system. The proxy media editor renders, at the server system, the media output according to the output specification and the edit decision list. The proxy media editor delivers, from the server system, the media output via a media delivery channel compatible with the output specification. Thus, a user can create a single edited video composition in a hosted web-based environment which can dynamically meet the exact requirements of various delivery channels. |
| US08265456B2 |
Universal multimedia optic disc player and its application for revocable copy protection
The media player employs an operating system that supports a virtual machine into which auto-run playback programs may be loaded and run. The auto run playback program is stored on the media containing the program content, such as on an optical disc medium. When the medium is inserted in the player, the auto run playback program automatically launches and is thereafter used to access playback the media content. Support for legacy media is provided to allow the player to playback compact discs and DVD discs that were manufactured without the auto run playback program. |
| US08265445B2 |
Printed circuit board for optical waveguide and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed herein is a printed circuit board for an optical waveguide, including a base board, and an optical waveguide formed on the base board. The optical waveguide includes a lower clad layer formed on the base board, an insulation layer formed on the lower clad layer and having a core-forming through-hole, a core part formed on a region of the lower clad layer, which is exposed through the through-hole, and an upper clad layer formed in the through-hole and on the insulation layer. |
| US08265444B2 |
Implementation of one or more optical waveguides in reduced optical material
One or more first portions of a reduced optical material wafer are covered with a masking layer that leaves uncovered one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer. The reduced optical material wafer is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere to reverse a reduction of the one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer that makes the one or more second portions receptive for implementation of one or more optical waveguides. |
| US08265440B2 |
Method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform
A method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform includes the steps of depositing an inner cladding and a central core inside a fluorine doped silica tube and thereafter collapsing the silica tube to form a primary preform. The fluorine doped silica tube has a cross section area that is no more than about 15 percent smaller than the cross section area of the resulting primary preform. The present method facilitates reduced-cost manufacturing of a high-capacity optical fiber preform, which may be drawn to produce an optical fiber having reduced transmission losses. |
| US08265439B2 |
Optical fiber preform
An optical fiber preform comprises a primary preform that includes at least one inner cladding and a central core deposited inside a fluorine doped silica tube. The fluorine doped silica tube has a cross section area that is no more than about 15 percent smaller than the cross section area of the primary preform. The optical fiber preform has a large capacity, may be manufactured at reduced cost, and may be drawn to produce an optical fiber having reduced transmission losses. |
| US08265437B2 |
Telecommunication cable equipped with microstructured optical fibres
Telecommunication cable comprising at least one microstructured optical fiber comprising a core region and a cladding region surrounding the core region, the cladding region comprising an annular void-containing region comprised of randomly arranged voids, the core region including doped silica to provide a positive refractive index relative to pure silica; and at least one protecting layer provided around said optical fiber, the protecting layer being made of a polymeric material having a low ultimate elongation. |
| US08265436B2 |
Bonding system for optical alignment
A bonding system and a bonding method for alignment are provided. An optical semiconductor includes a light source and a plurality of protruded elements on a surface thereof. A semiconductor bench includes a light receiving element and a plurality of recess elements on a surface thereof. A sidewall of the protruded elements or a sidewall of the recess elements is slanted. A first metallized layer is disposed on a bonding surface of each protruded element and a second metallized layer is disposed on a bottom surface of each recess element, wherein the first metallized layer is used for bonding with the second metallized layer. |
| US08265434B2 |
Lens system with position adjustment
In a lens system, such as for use in optical rotary joints, obliquely tilted cavities are inserted in a light path between light-waveguides and lenses to be coupled thereto in order to compensate lateral displacements between the light waveguides and the lenses. The cavities are filled with an optical medium having a predetermined refractive index in order to achieve a parallel displacement of a light-ray path, so that the ray path passes centrally through the lenses. |
| US08265433B2 |
Low-power, broadband optical switch
An optical switch is described that includes two optical waveguides, which are defined in a semiconductor layer, positioned proximate to an intermediate component, such as a micro-resonator or a directional coupler. Material underneath a portion of either or both optical waveguides is removed so that the portion of either or both optical waveguides is free standing, and a group of electrodes is proximate to the free-standing portion of either or both optical waveguides. During operation of the optical switch, a spacing-control circuit applies an electrical signal to the group of electrodes. An electrostatic force associated with the electrical signal modifies a spacing between the free-standing portion of either or both optical waveguides and the intermediate component, thereby substantially increasing optical coupling between either or both optical waveguides and the intermediate component to convey a broadband optical signal between the optical waveguides. |
| US08265432B2 |
Optical transceiver module with optical windows
An optical module. The optical module includes an opto-chip. The opto-chip includes an integrated circuit with optical windows and a plurality of optoelectronic devices positioned in alignment with the optical windows. The plurality of optoelectronic devices are flip chip attached to the integrated circuit. |
| US08265430B2 |
Image processing system, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing system includes a plurality of clients, a plurality of servers, and a computer. The computer includes a user application and a multi-target controller. The user application interactively operates with a user. The multi-target controller causes the plurality of clients to synchronously access the plurality of servers in response to a request from the user application, acquire from the plurality of servers a plurality of pieces of target data corresponding to a plurality of sub-regions in a draw region of the user application, and expand the plurality of pieces of target data into a plurality of pieces of draw data. The multi-target controller further combines the plurality of pieces of draw data returned from the plurality of clients into single draw data and passes the single draw data to the user application. |
| US08265425B2 |
Rectangular table detection using hybrid RGB and depth camera sensors
Objects having a flat surface such as a table are detected by processing a depth image and a color image. A mask indicating an area likely to include an object having the flat surface is generated by processing a depth image including the depth information. A color image corresponding to the depth image is then cropped using the mask to detect a portion of the color image that likely include the object having the flat surface. Geometric features of the cropped color image such as lines are then detected to determine the location and orientation of the object having the flat surface. A subset of the detected geometric features is selected as outlines of the flat surface. |
| US08265422B1 |
Method and apparatus for removing general lens distortion from images
Method and apparatus for removing general geometric lens distortion from images. A geometric distortion removal algorithm is implemented according to a general 5-parameter distortion model that includes both radial and tangential lens distortion components. The algorithm may be implemented in a two-stage process in which one-dimensional elements in one planar dimension (rows or columns) of an input image with geometric distortion are rendered to generate an intermediate buffer, and then one-dimensional elements in the other planar dimension (columns or rows) of the intermediate buffer are rendered to generate an output image with geometric distortion reduced or removed. Thus, one-dimensional sampling is performed, and interpolation is performed in one planar dimension, rather than 2-D interpolation. An input row or column may be decimated, if necessary, before row or column interpolation is performed to generate an output row or column. Since decimation is performed in one dimension, aliasing artifacts may be prevented. |
| US08265421B2 |
Video system with blocking artifact two-dimensional cross filtering
A video system includes: analyzing video data, having a block; performing a transition change detection for determining a spatial intensity transition within the block; performing a block-wise similarity measurement on the block in the video data for identifying a blocking artifact; and filtering with a two dimensional cross filter every pixel in the block for removing the blocking artifact. |
| US08265418B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer-readable storage medium for calculating a depth value of a subject in an image
An image processing apparatus includes: means for extracting, for each pixel of an image, a high-frequency component as focus information from a brightness signal for a neighboring pixel; means for integrating, for each pixel, the focus information on the neighboring pixel; means for replacing the focus information on each pixel with a value obtained using the focus information on the neighboring pixel greater than the focus information on that pixel to generate dark area focus information; means for integrating the brightness signals of each pixel and the neighboring pixel to extract an illumination component; means for calculating a depth value of each pixel using a coefficient based on the illumination component; means for normalizing the depth value of each pixel; means for controlling the normalized depth value using a tone curve; means for detecting a saturation of each pixel; and means for controlling the controlled depth value using the saturation. |
| US08265416B2 |
Method, apparatus and integrated circuit for improving image sharpness
In a method, apparatus and integrated circuit for improving image sharpness, the method includes the following steps: (a) labeling each of pixels in an image as one of an edge/texture type and a non-edge/texture type; (b) classifying each of the pixels that are labeled as the edge/texture type into one of a border point type, a transition point type, and a peak point type; and (c) using a shrinking/expanding filter to filter the pixels of the border point type, and subsequently using a high boost filter to first filter the pixels of the peak point type and then filter the pixels of the transition point type to sharpen the image. |
| US08265415B2 |
Apparatus and method for transforming image in mobile device
An apparatus for transforming an image in a mobile device is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a pen style transformation unit for transforming an original image to a pen style image using a separated Gaussian filter and outputting pen style image, a cartoon style transformation unit for transforming the original image to a cartoon style image and outputting the cartoon style image, a mosaic creation unit for creating a photomosaic to which the original image is applied based on an optimum photo image set and outputting the created photo mosaic by applying the created photo mosaic to the original image, and an image output unit for outputting the images output from the pen style transformation unit, the cartoon style transformation unit, and the mosaic creation unit to an output unit. |
| US08265414B2 |
Image processing device and method and program
An image processing device to process a moving image, which is shot by a video shooting device, in increments of access units, includes: a correcting unit to correct the access unit to be processed by changing the properties of a low-pass filter which indicates imaging blur according to parameter values showing the properties of imaging blur which occurs at the time that the moving image is shot with the video shooting device, generating an inverse filter having inverse properties as to the low-pass filter, and performing processing to apply the inverse filters as to the access unit to be processed; wherein, with a frequency of which the frequency property of the low-pass filter indicating the imaging blur is zero being zero points, performing processing to apply the inverse filter is forbidden for predetermined frequency components of the frequency components of the access unit to be processed including the zero points. |
| US08265408B2 |
Method, system and computer program product for entropy constrained color splitting for palette images with pixel-wise splitting
A method, system and computer program product are provided for progressively encoding a digitized color image using a data processing system, the digitized color image being provided by assigning each of the M distinct colors to at least one pixel in the set of pixels. This involves initializing and growing the tree structure by selecting a leaf node n to become a non-leaf node n linked to two new leaf nodes based on an associated achievable cost, wherein the associated achievable cost is based on 1) a determined associated change in distortion resulting from turning the leaf node into the non-leaf node linked to the two new leaf nodes; and 2) a determined associated increase in entropy rate resulting from turning the leaf node into the non-leaf node linked to the two new leaf nodes. |
| US08265402B2 |
2 dimensional signal encoding/decoding method and device
An image is divided into subbands by wavelet transform using the Haar function as the base, and the lowest-frequency LL subband is entirely encoded. LH, HL, and HH subband coefficients which belong to the wavelet decomposition level of each hierarchy are encoded such that coefficients at the same spatial position are encoded based on a resolution or quantization accuracy mapping at each spatial coordinate. Additionally, an updated region detecting means detects an updated region from a plurality of sequential frames forming the two-dimensional signal, and obtains a changing period during which a signal value changes in each region. A resolution or quantization accuracy is set for each spatial coordinate based on the changing period, and a coefficient map is generated in which the resolution or quantization accuracy of the updated region differs from that of a region other than the updated region. |
| US08265399B2 |
Detecting orientation of digital images using face detection information
A method of automatically establishing the correct orientation of an image using facial information. This method is based on the exploitation of the inherent property of image recognition algorithms in general and face detection in particular, where the recognition is based on criteria that is highly orientation sensitive. By applying a detection algorithm to images in various orientations, or alternatively by rotating the classifiers, and comparing the number of successful faces that are detected in each orientation, one may conclude as to the most likely correct orientation. Such method can be implemented as an automated method or a semi automatic method to guide users in viewing, capturing or printing of images. |
| US08265397B2 |
Image retrieval apparatus and method thereof
An image retrieval method and apparatus for extracting a desired frame as still image data from moving image data is provided, in which when a character search string is input, frames having the character search string are retrieved from moving image data including a plurality of frames, and if retrieved frames having the character search string in an equivalent position are consecutive for a predetermined amount, one of the consecutive frames is extracted as still image data. |
| US08265396B2 |
Data entry retrieval
The present invention provides for the recovery of characters entered into at least one data entry zone of a data entry window. A method in accordance with an embodiment includes: storing a first image of the data entry window during data entry; subtracting a reference image from the first image to obtain a delta image, wherein the reference image is an image of the data entry window without data entered; identifying at least one non empty zone of the delta image and the location of the at least one data entry zone on the data entry window from the location of the at least one non empty zone on the delta image; extracting at least one character by applying optical character recognition to the least one non empty zone; and inputting the at least one character into the location of the at least one data entry zone. |
| US08265395B1 |
Method for fast, robust, multi-dimensional pattern recognition
Disclosed is a method for determining the absence or presence of one or more instances of a predetermined pattern in an image, and for determining the location of each found instance within a multidimensional space. A model represents the pattern to be found, the model including a plurality of probes. Each probe represents a relative position at which a test is performed in an image at a given pose, each such test contributing evidence that the pattern exists at the pose. The method further includes a comparison of the model with a run-time image at each of a plurality of poses. A match score is computed at each pose to provide a match score surface. Then, the match score is compared with an accept threshold, and used to provide the location any instances of the pattern in the image. |
| US08265387B2 |
Adaptive spatial gamut mapping via dynamic thresholding
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for performing spatial gamut mapping on a received input color image having a plurality of pixels. A standard gamut-mapping algorithm is applied to the input color image to produce a gamut-mapped color image. A difference is computed between a selected channel of the input color image and the gamut-mapped image to produce a difference image. A local measure of complexity is derived for a given pixel in the difference image. One or more parameter values of a spatial bilateral filter are obtained from a lookup table based on the computed local measure of complexity. The spatial bilateral filter is applied, using the obtained parameter values, to the current pixel of the difference image to produce a modified pixel in a modified difference image. Thereafter, a modified gamut-mapped color image is obtained from the modified difference image and the gamut-mapped color image. |
| US08265386B2 |
Imaging apparatus
A disclosed imaging apparatus includes a wide-angle optical system having at least chromatic aberration of magnification; an imaging device including color filters and configured to receive an optical image from the optical system via the color filters and to convert the optical image into image data; and a chromatic aberration of magnification correcting unit configured to convert coordinates of the image data and thereby correct chromatic aberration of magnification of the image data. The chromatic aberration of magnification correcting unit is configured to convert the image data into different-wavelength image data having wavelength bands different from original wavelength bands of the color filters before correcting the chromatic aberration of magnification. |
| US08265381B2 |
Sign authentication system and sign authentication method
To provide a sign authentication system and method for authenticating the originality of an object having a sign such as a seal or a signature or a pattern which can be deemed as a sign, making counterfeit very difficult even if the mechanism of authentication is revealed, obviating the need for being additionally provided with a special device such as an IC chip used for authenticating the originality. A sign authentication system provides reading a sign such as a personal seal impression as color information for each mesh division, extracting feature points from the color information and storing them, and creating a code for authentication from the feature points. The sign is made with an ink containing color material particles smaller than the mesh division. The feature points on the basis of variation of color information caused are extracted when the mesh division is shifted. |
| US08265380B1 |
Reuse of image processing information
A content editor application receives a reference map that indicates which portions of a first image are foreground, and which portions of the first image are background. The content editor compares a coloration of regions in the first image to a coloration of regions in the second image. For regions in the second image that match a coloration of corresponding regions in the first image, or that are within a threshold range of coloration, the content editor uses the reference map to mark regions of the second image that are foreground and to mark which regions of the second image are background. Accordingly, the reference map of the first image can be used to identify whether regions of a second image or subsequent images in a sequence are foreground and which are background. |
| US08265379B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, image data compression apparatus, and computer program readable storage medium
In image processing that expresses a small region with a predetermined number of representative colors, the image processing being carried out for each of small regions, with respect to the content of one small region, based on the extent of variation in that small region of each of the values of a plurality of color variables that express the color of each pixel, a target color variable is selected (#104), among values from the maximum value to the minimum value of the target color variable in that small region, a value of the target color variable for which the number of pixels is “0” is obtained as a reference value, and the pixels in that small region are grouped based on the reference value (#106), and a representative color of each group is obtained (#109). |
| US08265376B2 |
Method and system for providing a digital model of an object
Methods and systems are provided for generating a digital model of at least a part of an object referenced to a global coordinate system. An initial digital model, referenced to a local coordinate system associated with the optical device and representative of the respective part, is provided using an optical device at a relative location with respect to the object. The optical device has a plurality of visually exposed optical markers, at known locations with respect to the optical device and referenced to a marker coordinate system. The location of the optical device with respect to an external camera arrangement is determined, based on relating the relative locations of the markers with respect to one another, as they appear from a viewpoint of the external camera arrangement, to their relative locations as referenced to the marker coordinate system. The camera viewpoint is at a known location referenced to the global coordinate system. A transformed digital model is generated, representative of the respective part and referenced to the global coordinate system, based on modifying the initial digital model according to the location of the optical device. |
| US08265372B2 |
Test procedure for measuring the geometric features of a test specimen
The test procedure for measuring a geometric feature of a test specimen employs a replicating compound to obtain a casting with a negative image of the geometric feature followed by forming a protective covering over the casting from a replicating compound having a contrasting color. The casting and protective covering unit is cut to obtain a test piece and a flat bed scanner is used to scan the profile of the test piece and obtain an electronic two-dimensional image of the profile for analysis. |
| US08265367B2 |
Identifying blood vessels in lung x-ray radiographs
A method of detecting blood vessel shadows in an anterior posterior x-ray radiograph comprising the steps of: generating candidate sub areas of the radiograph showing changes in contrast above a threshold level; supressing rib shadow edges; eliminating lung tissue shadow edges, and categorizing and eliminating nodule shadows. |
| US08265361B2 |
Automatic transfer of outlined objects from one data set into another data set
A method for automatically localizing at least one object or structure in a second data set is provided. A reference data set is provided, and at least one object or structure is outlined or marked in the reference data set, the outline or marking information being a first or reference label data set. A mapping function is determined, using which said reference data set is approximately mapped onto said second data set, and the reference label data set assigned to said reference data set is transformed into a second label data set using said mapping function. |
| US08265353B2 |
Method of reconstructing an image acquired using several imagery modes
Measurements of a mobile object and particularly a living being are made using two techniques, normally radiation attenuation and radiation emission, in synchronization to provide images of the object state. Movement displacement fields from one phase to the next are estimated for both techniques, but the final images obtained by the emission technique are improved by the knowledge of the displacement field obtained by the other technique that is more precise. |
| US08265352B1 |
Photographic fingerprint collection and imaging system
The present invention regards a system comprised of a camera lens, a sensor, a light source and a structure for directly collecting (imaging) latent fingerprints from surfaces, either naturally or with a reagent to fluoresce, and suitable for use in military tactical environments. The present invention is intended to be used with a portable computer, having software capable of receiving, storing and processing images collected by the device of the present invention. |
| US08265350B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting and processing specific pattern from image
In an image within which a face pattern is detected, when a ratio of a skin color pixel is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value in a first region and a ratio of a skin color pixel is equal to or greater than a second threshold value in a second r region, the vicinity of the first region is determined to be a face candidate position at which the face pattern can exist. Face detection is carried out on the face candidate position. The second region is arranged in a predetermined position relative to the first region. |
| US08265349B2 |
Intra-mode region-of-interest video object segmentation
The disclosure is directed to techniques for automatic segmentation of a region-of-interest (ROI) video object from a video sequence. ROI object segmentation enables selected ROI or “foreground” objects of a video sequence that may be of interest to a viewer to be extracted from non-ROI or “background” areas of the video sequence. Examples of a ROI object are a human face or a head and shoulder area of a human body. The disclosed techniques include a hybrid technique that combines ROI feature detection, region segmentation, and background subtraction. In this way, the disclosed techniques may provide accurate foreground object generation and low-complexity extraction of the foreground object from the video sequence. A ROI object segmentation system may implement the techniques described herein. In addition, ROI object segmentation may be useful in a wide range of multimedia applications that utilize video sequences, such as video telephony applications and video surveillance applications. |
| US08265348B2 |
Digital image acquisition control and correction method and apparatus
An unsatisfactory scene is disqualified as an image acquisition control for a camera. An image is acquired. One or more mouth regions are determined. The mouth regions are analyzed to determined whether they are frowning, and if so, then the scene is disqualified as a candidate for a processed, permanent image while the mouth is completing the frowning. |
| US08265346B2 |
Determining document fitness using sequenced illumination
The present invention provides a method for determining the physical fitness of documents such as bank notes. The method comprises passing a document past an image sensor while sequentially illuminating the document using multi-mode illumination, wherein a predetermined mode of illumination is used for each line scanned by the image sensor, producing an interleaved image of the document. A multi-dimensional transformation function is applied to this interleaved image to produce a composite measurement, which is then projected onto an empirically determined fitness vector to yield a scalar fitness value for the document. This value is compared against empirically prescribed fitness values to determine if the document is fit enough to remain in circulation or should be taken out of circulation and retired (destroyed). |
| US08265344B2 |
Electronic manifest of underground facility locate operation
Methods and apparatus for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, in which a presence or an absence of at least one underground facility within a dig area is identified. An image of a geographic area comprising the dig area is electronically received, and combined with image-related information so as to generate the searchable electronic record. The image-related information comprises at least a geographic location associated with the dig area, and a timestamp indicative of when the locate operation occurred. The searchable electronic record of the locate operation is electronically transmitted and/or electronically stored so that performance of the location operation is verifiable. |
| US08265343B2 |
Apparatus, method and program for distance measurement
A depth distance of a target point for measurement can be found by exploiting the equality of a cross ratio of phases of reference data points and a target point for measurement to a cross ratio of depth distances of these points. The depth distance of the target point for measurement can also be determined by exploiting the equality of a cross ratio of the distances among a set of projection points corresponding to projection of reference data points and a target point on a reference plane; of a cross ratio of distances among a set of image projection points corresponding to projection of a set of projection points on an image; and of a cross ratio of distances of a set of points which are equiphase to a set of image projection points on an arbitrary straight line on an image, respectively, relative to the cross ratio of the depth distances. |
| US08265338B2 |
System and method for analysis of image data
A method and apparatus for optical damage assessment using an existing imaging focal plane array and a fixed or moving set of optics and filters. Advantages include cost reductions and improved reliability due to fewer components and therefore fewer points of failure. |
| US08265333B2 |
Systems and methods for generating bookmark video fingerprints
Systems and methods for replacing original media bookmarks of at least a portion of a digital media file with replacement bookmarks is described. A media fingerprint engine detects the location of the original fingerprints associated with the portion of the digital media file and a region analysis algorithm characterizes regions of media file spanning the location of the original bookmarks by data class types. The replacement bookmarks are associated with the data class types and are overwritten or otherwise are substituted for the original bookmarks. The replacement bookmarks then are subjected to a fingerprint matching algorithm that incorporates media timeline and media related metadata. |
| US08265331B2 |
Earpiece for communications
An earpiece for communications comprises a frame, a vibration system disposed in the frame and a magnetic field system disposed in the frame. The vibration system includes a vibrating armature, a diaphragm and a connecting rod. The magnetic field system includes a magnet to generate a first magnetic field on a first axis and a coil to generate a second magnetic field on a second axis. One of the magnet and the coil is connected to the frame. The first and the second magnetic fields produce a net magnetic force to cause the vibration system to move. The first axis is parallel to the second axis. |
| US08265326B2 |
Hand-held, portable electronic device with retainer port for receiving one or more attachable wireless audiophones for in situ charging
A hand-held, portable electronic device is provided with a retainer port for removably receiving one or more attachable wireless audiophones for in situ charging of at least one of a first or second attachable wireless audiophone on the hand-held, portable electronic device. In one embodiment of the present invention, a retainer port configured to mate with a first connector of a first attachable wireless audiophone including at least one of a speaker or a microphone at a hand-held, portable electronic device having a device housing with a surface is provided. The retainer port may comprise at least one of a first or a second port socket configured for removably retaining the first attachable wireless audiophone on the hand-held, portable electronic device. The first port socket to communicatively receive the first connector of the first attachable wireless audiophone for in situ charging thereof when the hand-held, portable electronic device is connected to an electrical power source for recharging. The hand-held, portable electronic device includes a first transceiver adapted to communicate with the first attachable wireless audiophone over a short-range wireless communication link. The first attachable wireless audiophone may include a second transceiver adapted to communicate with the hand-held, portable electronic device using the short-range wireless communication link. A single charger may charge a device battery of the hand-held, portable electronic device and a battery of one or more attachable wireless audiophones in situ. |
| US08265319B2 |
Expandable speaker assemblies for portable media devices
Speaker assemblies for portable media players are disclosed herein. Speaker assemblies can include means for contracting and expanding the speakers to facilitate viewing and listening to a PMP in multiple orientations. Preferred means for contracting and expanding the speaker casings are operably coupled with means for rotating the PMP, such that when the PMP is in a wide viewable configuration, the speakers are expanded. |
| US08265317B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a first body, a second body, a speaker cabinet and a link mechanism. The second body rotates relative to the first body by a hinge. The speaker cabinet, disposed in the first body, is selectively lengthened or shortened. The link mechanism connects the hinge with the speaker cabinet. When the second body is closed relative to the first body, the speaker cabinet is concealed in the first body, and when the second body is opened relative to the first body, the hinge drives the link mechanism to press the speaker cabinet, enabling the speaker to be lengthened or to be shortened. |
| US08265313B2 |
Method for feedback cancelling in a hearing device and a hearing device
A method and a hearing device for cancelling or preventing feedback are disclosed. The hearing device comprises a microphone (1), a transfer function (2) and a receiver (3), wherein the transfer function (2) defines relation between an input signal (12) of the hearing device and an output signal (13, 13′) of the hearing device. The method according to the present invention comprises the steps of estimating an external transfer function (21) of an external feedback path (11) defined by sound traveling from the receiver (3) to the microphone (1), estimating the input signal (12′) having no feedback components of the external feedback path (11) using an auxiliary signal (15), which does not comprise feedback components of the external feedback path (11), and using the estimated input signal (14) for estimating the external transfer function (21) of the external feedback path (11). |
| US08265309B2 |
Condenser microphone
A condenser microphone is disclosed. The condenser microphone includes a substrate having a cavity, a supporting member connected to the substrate, and a diaphragm isolated to the supporting member. The supporting member has a periphery portion and a plurality of stationary electrodes extending from the periphery portion to a center of the supporting member. The diaphragm has a vibrating member and a sustaining member connected to the vibrating member and the vibrating member defines a plurality of movable electrodes protruding from a periphery of the vibrating member. Each of the movable electrodes is located between two adjacent stationary electrodes and each of the stationary electrodes is located between two adjacent two movable electrodes. |
| US08265298B2 |
Loudspeaker system
A hands-free loudspeaker system which is capable of achieving high-quality voice amplification without requiring a human speaker to move to a microphone or a microphone to be moved to a human speaker. A microphone whose input level has continued to be above a threshold value for not shorter than a predetermined time period is detected, based on input signals from dispersedly arranged microphones. An input signal from the microphone is selected and outputted to a loudspeaker at an output level or with a delay time, according to a location of the loudspeaker. A preset lowest threshold level is initially set to the threshold value, and an input level of the microphone higher than the threshold value is newly set to the same, while when the input level is lower than the threshold value, a lower value is set to the same in a step-by-step manner. |
| US08265295B2 |
Method and apparatus for identifying feedback in a circuit
A system and method for analyzing a signal to monitor the dynamics of its magnitude and frequency characteristics over time. An electronic circuit for identifying feedback in an audio signal, formed in accordance with embodiments of the invention may comprise a feedback control block operable to determine a candidate frequency having potential feedback such that the feedback control block is further operable to perform an iterative analysis of the magnitude of the audio signal at the candidate frequency to determine the growth characteristics of the signal. The electronic circuit may further include a test filter block operable to deploy a test filter at a candidate frequency and a permanent filter block operable to deploy a permanent filter at the candidate frequency if the feedback control block determines that the growth characteristics of the signal at the candidate frequency comprises feedback characteristics after the test filter has been deployed. |
| US08265291B2 |
High sensitivity noise immune stethoscope
A physiological sensing stethoscope suitable for use in high-noise environments is disclosed. The stethoscope is designed to be substantially matched to the mechanical impedance of monitored physiological activity and substantially mismatched to the mechanical impedance of air-coupled acoustic activity. One embodiment of the stethoscope utilizes a passive acoustic system. Another embodiment utilizes an active Doppler system. The passive and active systems can be combined in one stethoscope enabling switching from a passive mode to an active mode suitable for use in very high-noise environments. The stethoscope is suitable for use in environments having an ambient background noise of 100 dBA and higher. The passive includes a head having a housing, a flexural disc mounted with the housing, and an electromechanical stack positioned between the housing and the flexural disc in contact with the skin of a patient. The active system detects Doppler shifts using a high-frequency transmitter and receiver. |
| US08265288B2 |
Method for adapting a hearing aid by a perceptive model
The provision of an individually adapted hearing aid for a patient is intended to be effected more quickly. A method is therefore provided by which, firstly, hearing loss data, in particular an audiogram, are generated by a person skilled in the art for example an ENT specialist, and the hearing loss data are transmitted to a manufacturer. Using a perceptive model based on the hearing loss data, the manufacturer selects a hearing aid and matches the hearing aid to the patient by means of the perceptive model. Finally, the manufacturer delivers the adapted hearing aid directly or indirectly to the patient. Due to the simplified workflow during the adaptation, the waiting times for the provision of the hearing aid are reduced for the patient. |
| US08265287B2 |
Electro-mechanical transducer and manufacturing method of the same
A microphone-capsule includes a vibrator implemented by a conductor having a flat vibration surface, a dielectric-polarization plate that is defined by a flat first principal surface facing the vibration surface of the vibrating plate and a second principal surface facing parallel to the first principal surface and in which polarization directions are aligned, a back electrode joined to the second principal surface of the dielectric-polarization plate, and an induced-charge measuring unit configured to measure the charges induced between the vibrating plate and the back electrode, in association with the displacement of the vibration surface. The induced-charge measuring unit includes an amplifier connected to the back electrode and an output circuit connected to the amplifier. |
| US08265280B2 |
System and method of entangled photons generation
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for producing entangled photon pairs via four-wave mixing in optical fiber. The source of entangled photons is designed to be stable with no manual alignment. This is accomplished with proper system design using polarization maintaining fibers or polarization controllers with feedback control. The source may contain a method of switching the output from an unpolarized entangled state to a polarized state, where the polarized state can be used to more easily align subsequent photon measurement systems to the proper configuration for measuring the unpolarized entangled state. The invention further provides a means to engineer the apparatus, including the use of a periodic filter common to both entangled pairs, such that the wavelength spacing between the pairs can be optimized such that multiple pairs can be generated with reduced adverse influence from Raman scattering. |
| US08265277B2 |
Content scrambling with minimal impact on legacy devices
A method of encrypting a digital television signal involves examining unencrypted packets of data in the digital television signal to identify a selected packet type; duplicating packets identified as being of a selected packet type to produce pairs of duplicated packets; encrypting one of each pair of the duplicated packets; inserting the encrypted packets along with the unencrypted packets of the selected packet type to the digital television signal along with the unencrypted packets of data that are not of the selected packet type into produce a selectively encrypted digital television signal that contains duplicate packets of the selected packet type with one of the duplicate packets being encrypted while the other of the duplicated packets remains unencrypted; and broadcasting the selectively encrypted television signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract. |
| US08265272B2 |
Method and an apparatus to generate pseudo random bits for a cryptographic key
Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus to generate pseudo random bits for a cryptographic key have been presented. In one embodiment, a set of Blum-Blum-Shub (BBS) pseudo random number generators is executed substantially in parallel. Each of the BBS pseudo random number generators may generate a series of pseudo random bits. A subset of pseudo random bits is extracted from each of the series of pseudo random bits from each of the plurality of BBS pseudo random number generators. Subsets of the series of pseudo random bits from the BBS pseudo random number generators are combined to generate a cryptographic key. |
| US08265261B1 |
Telephone channel personalization
The present invention is directed to systems and methods of personalizing a self-service option for customers. Customers are identified at call inception and the self-service channel is personalized to tailor the caller experience based upon information specific to each customer. The systems and methods of telephone channel personalization is company/provider driven, which allows the provider to control and personalize the caller experience based on criteria set by the provider. The telephone channel personalization systems and methods determine what choices to present to the caller (i.e., in a speech self-service application—what to say and how to say it). A personalized self-service channel reduces call time and enhances the caller experience and therefore is an attractive option for businesses utilizing a call-center model. The personalized self-service application caters to the needs of a particular customer and appears to the customer that the provider knows why they are calling. This level of personalization optimizes and greatly enhances the caller experience, shorten call duration, and lessen the number of “opt out to operators” selections—leading to improved operational capacity for the self-service channel. |
| US08265258B2 |
Functionalities for local number portability in a telecommunications network
According to various embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods for local number portability in a telecommunication network are disclosed. An embodiment of a method includes submitting a local number portability (LNP) order for the TN directly to a first telecommunications carrier that the TN is to be transferred from, triggering a port of the TN in accordance with the LNP order, and porting the TN from the first telecommunications carrier to the second telecommunications carrier, wherein the second telecommunications carrier is bypassed by the customer during the submitting and the triggering of the LNP order. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08265252B2 |
System and method for facilitating cognitive processing of simultaneous remote voice conversations
A system and method for facilitating cognitive processing of simultaneous remote voice conversations is provided. A plurality of remote voice conversations participated in by distributed participants are provided over a shared communication channel. A main conversation between at least two of the distributed participants and one or more subconversations between at least two other of the distributed participants are identified from within the remote voice conversations. Segments of interest to one of the distributed participants are defined including a conversation excerpt having a lower attention activation threshold for the one distributed participant. Each of the subconversations is parsed into conversation excerpts. The conversation excerpts are compared to the segments of interest. One or more gaps between conversation flow in the main conversation are predicted. Segments of interest are selectively injected into the gaps of the main conversation as provided to the one distributed participant over the shared communications channel. |
| US08265250B2 |
Registration of multiple VoIP devices
A calling network capable of accepting voice and data information includes a voice distribution server, wherein the voice distribution server is communicably coupled to an integrated access device, wherein the voice distribution server is associated with a computer readable medium, and wherein the computer readable medium includes a customer profile; and wherein the customer profile includes at least one registered access number associated with the integrated access device, and at least two quasi-registered access numbers associated with the integrated access device. A method for registering multiple voice communication devices in relation to a Voice Over IP network includes providing a voice distribution server communicably coupled to an integrated access device and is associated with a computer readable medium that includes a customer profile having at least one registered access number associated with the integrated access device, and at least two quasi-registered access numbers associated with the integrated access device. The method further includes registering the customer profile associated with the integrated access device, receiving a call directed to one of the quasi-registered access numbers, identifying a customer profile associated with the quasi-registered access number, accessing the identified customer profile, accessing an integrated access device identification from the customer profile, updating a destination field with the integrated access device identification, and routing the call, according to a routing preference indicated in the customer profile, to the integrated access device identified by the integrated access device identification. |
| US08265248B2 |
Techniques for transfer error recovery
Techniques for transfer error recovery are described. A system may comprise a context generator module operative to record context information for a first call session between a first call terminal and a call system resource, and store the context information with a context identifier in a context table. The system may include a transfer error context module to couple to the context generator module, the transfer error context module operative to generate transfer error context information having the context identifier. The system may include a call transfer module to couple to the transfer error context module, the call transfer module operative to send the transfer error context information to the first call terminal for use in case of a transfer failure event. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08265247B2 |
Method of providing message information, including call subject information, to a recipient of a telephone call
A methodology wherein a voice service client application on one or more phones and a voice service server perform a call set-up process through a mix of an external data channel and a normal voice channel that enables call subject information to be effectively provided by a calling party to a called party so that it can be displayed along with other caller ID information. |
| US08265245B2 |
Call-processing rate quote system and method
A system and method for processing telephone calls and providing enhanced services is presented. The call processing system includes a network control processor for controlling the processing and routing of the calls and for providing enhanced features, and a matrix switch for routing calls from an originating location to a terminating location. Operator consoles can be included to provide operator assistance to the caller. The network control processor comprises a central message processor that receives call data, determines the type of call, determines the processing required, and determines whether operator assistance is required. A call route distributor allocates an operator console to the call if required. A billing server is used to track billing information for the call while it is in progress. A database server is provided for database look-ups and storage. The call processing system also includes a validation system, a billing system, a distribution system, and a fraud detection and prevention system. The validation system is used to validate call information to determine whether the call can be placed. The billing system determines rates for calls and calculates the cost of completed calls. The distribution system distributes changes that are made to a master database to the appropriate slave database. The fraud detection and prevention system monitors originating and in-process calls to detect and possibly prevent possible fraudulent uses of phone services and systems. A client interface is provided to facilitate communications among applications and DEF records are used to define specific call processing actions. |
| US08265244B2 |
Charging split negotiation in IMS sessions
A method and apparatus for implementation of split charging in an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem, allowing subsystem users to negotiate at setup and at a modification of a session initiation protocol session which user will be charged for each multimedia component of the subsystem. A method includes transmitting a first message to a user equipment for initiating one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification, the first message including a split charging offer request and a first split charging ratio, and receiving a second message from the user equipment, the second message comprising a second split charging ratio. The method also includes processing the second message for determining whether a user of the user equipment accepted one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging off ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem. |
| US08265240B2 |
Selectively-expandable speakerphone system and method
According to one embodiment, a selectively-expandable speakerphone system allows one or more portable computers to automatically, wirelessly interface with a speakerphone console via an audio access point. A scheduling module initiates the conference call at a scheduled time, whereupon the wireless network interface of each portable computer is automatically switched to an SSID uniquely associated with the audio access point, for connecting to the speakerphone console. The audio signals generated by the laptop microphones are mixed with any audio signal generated by an optional microphone on the speakerphone console, and the mixed audio signals are transmitted over the telephone line. Incoming audio signals are passed to the speakerphone console and wirelessly transmitted to the portable computers for substantially simultaneous playback on the respective loudspeakers. |
| US08265238B2 |
Triggering call-handling events
In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a call from a first endpoint to a second endpoint as originating while the second endpoint is connected to a voice mailbox associated with the first endpoint. The method also includes triggering one or more call-handling events in response to the identification of the call as originating while the second communication device is connected to the voice mailbox associated with the first communication device. |
| US08265236B2 |
Defining third-party voice mail access numbers in view of LATA boundaries
A method may include selecting a voice mail out-dial access number corresponding to a local access transport area (LATA) boundary, storing the voice mail out-dial access number on a voice mail system, and providing, by the voice mail system, voice mail out-dial service based on the LATA boundary associated with the voice mail out-dial access number. A method for providing toll-free access to the voice mail system that may be used by customers from both on-network and off-network end points. |
| US08265235B2 |
Wireless and wireline messaging services
Automatic access to a secondary or alternate voicemail box while operating or using a first or primary voicemail box is provided. One touch access to an alternate voicemail box from a wireless telephone device is further provided, and access to a given voicemail box from a number of trusted telephone devices is provided without requiring users of the trusted devices to authenticate into the voicemail box (e.g., provide a password). |
| US08265230B1 |
Trunk level echo canceller test system
Integrated echo cancellers in a telecommunications system are tested using a test apparatus connected to the main communications trunk where a large number of individual signals are multiplexed together. The signals are de-multiplexed in the test apparatus and specific amounts of echo delay, echo magnitude, and line delay can be introduced for any selected signals within the group on the trunk. The signals are then re-multiplexed and returned to the trunk in a direction back toward the echo canceller. |
| US08265228B2 |
Anti-scatter X-ray grid device and method of making same
A method of making an anti-scatter X-ray grid device, and the X-ray grid device made therefrom, includes providing a substrate made of a material substantially non-absorbent of X-rays that includes channels therein; applying a layer, also of a substantially non-absorbent of X-rays material, onto a sidewall(s) of the channels, wherein the layer comprises a second material; and then applying a material substantially absorbent of X-rays into a portion of the channels, so as to define a plurality of X-ray absorbing elements. The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment(s), and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims. |
| US08265227B2 |
Apparatus and method for calibrating an X-ray tube
An apparatus and method for calibrating an x-ray tube include a computer programmed to acquire a starter voltage/current value corresponding to a width, a length, or a position of a target focal spot capable of being generated by the x-ray tube. The computer is programmed to generate an electron beam and to steer the electron beam based on the starter voltage/current value. The computer is also programmed to steer the electron beam based on a value adjusted from the starter voltage/current value. The computer is programmed to calculate a final voltage/current value that is configured to generate the width, length, or position of the target focal spot based on the starter voltage/current value and the adjusted starter voltage/current value. |
| US08265222B2 |
Shift register
A shift register is disclosed, which can prevent malfunctioning of device by decreasing the load on a discharging voltage source line, and can decrease a size of stage. The shift register comprises a plurality of stages to sequentially output scan pulses through respective output terminals, wherein each of the stages comprises a pull-up switching unit controlled based on a signal state of node, and connected between the output terminal and any one among a plurality of clock transmission lines to transmit the clock pulses provided with sequential phase differences; and a node controller to control the signal state of node, and to discharge the node by using the clock pulse from any one among the plurality of clock transmission line. |
| US08265218B2 |
Phase detection circuit
A phase detection circuit includes a phase frequency detector for comparing a first input signal and a second input signal and outputting a first phase comparison signal and a second phase comparison signal, and a sensing circuit for sensing a pulse width difference between the first phase comparison signal and the second phase comparison signal and outputting phase detection signals which have different logic values. |
| US08265212B2 |
Antenna selection for MIMO decoding
A MIMO decoder is configured to obtain a channel matrix and generate a Hermitian transpose of the channel matrix. A product of the Hermitian transpose of the channel matrix and the channel matrix is generated to provide a first product having multiple diagonal elements. A partial matrix inversion of the diagonal elements of the first product is generated to provide a diagonal vector. From the diagonal vector, an antenna layer is selected from the multiple antenna layers and represents the antenna layer selected for a given processing iteration. The selected antenna layer will preferably correspond to that having the lowest inverse channel gain. A partial matrix inversion of the first product along the row corresponding to the selected antenna layer is generated to provide a row vector. A product of the row vector and the Hermitian transpose of the channel matrix is generated to provide an inverse channel gain vector. |
| US08265210B2 |
Iterative receiver and method for detecting transmitted signal thereof
In an iterative receiver, a signal detector estimates interference from an estimated transmitted signal, and cancels the estimated interference from a signal received through an antenna. A decoder performs channel decoding by using the interference cancelled received signal. A soft decision unit performs a soft decision process on the transmitted signal by using the channel decoded signal. A channel estimator estimates a channel by using the soft decision applied transmitted signal and the received signal. A covariance estimator estimates covariance on the sum signal of the interference and noise by using the soft decision applied transmitted signal, the received signal, and the estimated channel. A hard decision unit determines the transmitted signal by using the channel decoded signal after interference cancellation, channel decoding, estimated transmitted signal updating, channel estimation, and covariance estimation are iterated a number of times. |
| US08265208B2 |
Receiver for wireless communication network with extended range
Techniques for detecting and demodulating a signal/transmission are described. Signal detection is performed in multiple stages using different types of signal processing, e.g., using time-domain correlation for a first stage, frequency-domain processing for a second stage, and time-domain processing for a third stage. For the first stage, products of symbols are generated for at least two different delays, correlation between the products for each delay and known values is performed, and correlation results for all delays are combined and used to declare the presence of a signal. For demodulation, the timing of input samples is adjusted to obtain timing-adjusted samples. A frequency offset is estimated and removed from the timing-adjusted samples to obtain frequency-corrected samples, which are processed with a channel estimate to obtain detected symbols. The phases of the detected symbols are corrected to obtain phase-corrected symbols, which are demodulated, deinterleaved, and decoded. |
| US08265203B2 |
Method and system of differential complex and real multi-carrier demodulation
A method and a receiver are provided for demodulating a received multi-carrier modulated signal. The demodulation procedure includes (a) multiplying the received multi-carrier modulated signal with its complex conjugate to obtain a squared signal; (b) multiplying the squared signal with a carrier demodulating signal to obtain a product signal, and integrating the product signal over the duration T. A bit decision may then be performed on the integration result using analog components without the need for high-speed analog-to-digital conversion. |
| US08265201B1 |
Adaptive timing using clock recovery
Circuits and methods are provided for adjusting a frequency of a local clock signal in approximating a frequency of a host clock signal. A phase locked loop generates a local clock signal having a first phase and a first frequency. An offset adjustment circuit receives timing information relating the local clock signal to an incoming data signal and calculates a phase offset and a frequency offset indicative of adjustments to be made to the local clock signal. A first phase interpolator generates a receive clock signal from the local clock signal, the receive clock signal having a second phase and a second frequency responsive to the phase and frequency offsets. A second phase interpolator generates a transmit clock signal from the local clock signal having a third frequency responsive to the frequency offset. |
| US08265199B2 |
Receiving circuit
A receiving circuit includes a positive-side level judgment circuit, a negative-side level judgment circuit, and a gate circuit, and is configured to receive input of an AMI-coded signal, convert the signal to a binary output signal, and output the same. The positive-side level judgment circuit judges whether the voltage of an input signal is greater or less than a threshold on the positive side. The threshold on the positive side is provided with a hysteresis characteristic by a positive feedback. The negative-side level judgment circuit judges whether the voltage of an input signal is greater or less than a threshold on the negative side. The threshold on the negative side is provided with a hysteresis characteristic by a positive feedback loop. The gate circuit logically combines the outputs of the positive-side and negative-side level judgment circuits so as to generate the output signal. |
| US08265198B2 |
Adaptive edge equalization of ask-modulated signals
A signal processing circuit including a demodulator having an input for receiving a received signal which includes falling and rising signal edges, and an output for outputting a demodulated received signal which, with signal edges of the received signal, includes transitions from a first level to a second level or vice versa, wherein times of the transitions depend on steepnesses of the signal edges. Additionally, the circuit includes a signal generator having an input for receiving the demodulated received signal and coupled to the output of the demodulator, and an output for outputting a corrected demodulated received signal which includes transitions, the times of which relative to the times of the transitions of the demodulated received signal are set based on a reference signal to reduce influences of the steepnesses of the falling and rising signal edges in the corrected demodulated received signal relative to the demodulated received signal. |
| US08265194B2 |
Virtual side channels for digital wireless communication systems
The present invention provides a method for enabling side channel communication between wireless devices. In one embodiment of the invention the guard tones in wireless OFDM signals are used for side channel communication. In another embodiment of the invention, unused bits in OFDM symbols are used as side channels instead of being padded with zeros or random bits. |
| US08265193B2 |
Method and system for communicating data over a wireless communication system voice channel utilizing frame gaps
The present invention provides a method for communicating data over a voice channel of a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving a first periodic data signal and modulating the first periodic data signal to produce a second periodic data signal. Modulating the first periodic data signal includes inserting a predetermined silence period into the first periodic data signal at timed intervals to produce the second periodic data signal. The method further includes communicating the second periodic data signal over the voice channel of the wireless communication system. The method of modulating the first periodic data signal may include receiving a control signal that includes parameters for a length of the predetermined silence period and timing of the intervals, modulating the first periodic data signal responsive to the received control signal, and producing the second periodic data signal. |
| US08265192B2 |
Multilevel QAM demodulator, multilevel QAM demodulation method, and wireless communication system
A multilevel QAM demodulator includes a phase difference calculation unit calculating a phase difference signal based on the common phase signal and orthogonal signal after the phase rotation compensation, a phase shift amount calculation unit calculating a phase shift amount indicating a degree of a phase shift based on the common phase signal and orthogonal signal after the phase rotation compensation and phase noise compensation, and a correction unit correcting the phase difference signal based on the phase shift amount. A phase rotation is performed for the phase noise compensation based on the phase difference signal corrected by the correction unit. |
| US08265190B2 |
Multiple antennas transmit diversity scheme
A method from transmitting data via multiple antennas. The method contemplates modulating data to be transmitted into a plurality of modulated symbols, encoding each pair of modulated symbols from among said plurality of symbols in accordance with a transmission diversity scheme to result in a plurality of 2 by 2 matrices, with each 2 by 2 matrix corresponding to each pair of modulated symbols, orthogonally spreading the plurality of 2 by 2 matrices to generate an output matrix, and transmitting the symbols in the output matrix via a plurality of antennas by using either a space time transmission diversity scheme, a space frequency transmission diversity scheme, or a combination of a space time transmission diversity scheme and a space frequency transmission diversity scheme. |
| US08265187B2 |
Method and device for transmitting data in a communication system
A method for transmitting data in a telecommunication system including at least one transmitter comprising at least two transmitting antennas and at least one receiver comprising at least one receiving antenna, the method including: transforming a plurality of bits of the data to be transmitted into a plurality of symbols by modulating the plurality of bits of the data at the transmitter; generating a first vector formed by the plurality of symbols at the transmitter; preparing a modified matrix by modifying an original matrix based on the number of rows of the first vector, the original matrix being predefined at the transmitter; generating a second vector by multiplying the first vector with the modified matrix at the transmitter; and transmitting symbols forming the second vector over communication channels established between the at least two transmitting antennas of the transmitter and the at least one receiving antenna of the receiver. |
| US08265185B2 |
Method and system for encoding a signal for wireless communications
Method and system encodes a signal according to a code rate that includes a ratio of uncoded bits to coded bits. An outer Reed-Solomon encoder encodes the signal into codewords. An interleaver converts the codewords into bits of frames for wireless transmission. An inner encoder executes a convolutional code to generate an encoded signal. The encoded signal is transmitted over a plurality of subcarriers associated with a wide bandwidth channel. The convolutional code is punctured and code states are added by the inner encoder to improve the code rate. |
| US08265184B2 |
Digital communications receiver and method of estimating residual carrier frequency offset in a received signal
A carrier frequency offset can be present in a signal received by a communications receiver when the receiver has a local frequency oscillator that generates a carrier frequency different from a carrier frequency generated by a local frequency oscillator at a transmitter that transmitted the signal. A residual carrier frequency offset can remain after most of the carrier frequency offset has been removed from the received signal using conventional techniques. The residual carrier frequency offset is estimated using first and second channel impulse responses derived from first and second portions of the received signal. An estimated phase difference between the first and second channel impulse responses is computed. An estimate of the residual carrier frequency offset is computed using the estimated phase difference. |
| US08265183B2 |
Radio communication apparatus and communication method
In a radio communication apparatus for forming a frame with a plurality of slots, and inserting a guard interval into each slot along with data for a mobile station to perform communication, a receive state acquisition section acquires a receive state of each mobile station, a frame format decision section decides a frame format of which guard interval length is different for each slot based on the receive state of each mobile station, a slot assignment section assigns each slot of the frame format to data for each mobile station, and a frame format reporting section reports the decided frame format to the mobile stations via a reporting channel. The mobile station identifies the GI length based on the reported frame format and the slot number, removes the guard interval, and performs processing. |
| US08265179B2 |
Wireless communication system and communication apparatus
A data-transmission-side communication apparatus includes a mapping unit that executes a mapping for a data sub-carrier based on a multipath delay time in a transmission path and a guard-band adding unit that changes an amount of a guard band to be added to a signal on the data sub-carrier depending on information on the guard band obtained based on the multipath delay time. A data-reception-side communication apparatus includes an equalizing unit that suppresses a multipath exceeding a guard interval based on the information on the guard band and a demapping unit that executes a demapping for an equalized signal based on the multipath delay time. |
| US08265173B2 |
Method for compression and expansion of analogue signals
In an analog signal compression method with digital compression and digital expansion of linear based or sine-based linear signals, a signal coordination point is determined in a bi-adaptive scaleable mV/step and a time/step structured plane. To accomplish this, the linear or sine-based input signal is digitized, the breaks of the digitized linear or sine-based signal are detected, and the time difference and the amplitude difference of two successive breaks of the linear or sine-based signal are determined. This permits time differences and amplitude differences of successive breaks to be value coded as a data word on the basis of adaptive scaleable time-per-step tables and voltage-per-step tables so that the time-per-step tables and the voltage-per-step tables are selected depending on the absolute value of the determined time difference and amplitude difference, thus producing compressed data. An associated expansion method for reconstructing the original analog signal is also disclosed. |
| US08265171B2 |
Error resilient video transmission using instantaneous receiver feedback and channel quality adaptive packet retransmission
Systems and methods for delivering real-time video imagery to a receiver over a channel. A current video frame is captured and digitized. The digitized frame is divided into a plurality of macroblocks. For each macroblock an intra, inter or skip mode coding mode is determined. Based on instantaneous feedback received from a receiver regarding successfully received video packets for a prior video frame, a quantization parameter is set and the macroblocks are encoded in accordance with their respective selected coding mode. Synchronized error concealment is performed at both the encoder and decoder sides of the system and retransmission of lost video packets, using an adaptive retransmission scheme, are performed in accordance with the instantaneous feedback from the receiver. |
| US08265170B2 |
Data transmission system, and its transmission side apparatus and reception side apparatus
A transmission side apparatus selectively inserts video stream data and MPEG data into a video storage area to store video stream data in a frame structure of an SDI system and generates SDI data of which the identification ID indicating a type of data included therein by an SDI data insertion processing device and transmits the SDI data to a coaxial cable from a transmission interface device. A reception side apparatus receives the SDI data transmitted via the coaxial cable by a reception interface device, extracts data to be transmitted from a video storage area of received SDI data and determines whether the data to be transmitted is the video stream data or the MPEG data by an SDI data extraction processing device to output it. Therefore, a high-speed MPEG data transmission assuring frame/field accuracy becomes possible by using an existing technology and device. |
| US08265166B2 |
Dual decoder portable media device
A portable media device 100 including two onboard hardware media decoders (124, 128) operative to decode a given digital content item 148 is provided. In some embodiments, one of the onboard hardware media decoders 128 has a relatively high power consumption and produces a relatively ‘high quality’ media signal, and the other of the onboard hardware media decoder 124 has a relatively low power consumption and produces a relatively ‘low quality’ media signal. In one non-limiting use case: (i) when no external power is available, the relatively ‘low power’ hardware media decoder 124 may generate a relatively ‘low quality’ media signal which is presented on an onboard display screen 140a and/or onboard speaker 140b; and (ii) when external power is available, the relatively ‘high power’ hardware media decoder 128 may generate a relatively ‘high quality’ media signal which is exported out of the portable media device 100 via one or more media ports, and presented on an external host presentation device 160 (for example, a large-screen television). |
| US08265164B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining whether adjacent macroblocks are located in the same slice
The present invention is directed to a method for determining whether a current macroblock and an adjacent macroblock thereof are located in the same slice. The method is used in a predetermined process for a block-based digitally encoded image. The block-based digitally encoded image is represented as an encoded bit-stream and each macroblock therein is assigned a sequence characteristic number. The method includes: providing a memory space for storing and tracing a slice changing point; initializing the slice changing point to a predetermined number; checking the encoded bit-stream, and when the current slice is determined to change, setting the slice changing point to a derived sequence characteristic number derived from the sequence characteristic number of the current macroblock; and determining whether the current macroblock and the adjacent block thereof are in the same slice according to a comparison result between the sequence characteristic number of the adjacent block and the slice changing point. The invention also discloses an apparatus for performing the method. |
| US08265162B2 |
Context adaptive position and amplitude coding of coefficients for video compression
A coding method, apparatus, and medium with software encoded thereon to implement a coding method. The coding method includes encoding the position of non-zero-valued coefficients in an ordered series of quantized transform coefficients of a block of image data, including encoding events using variable length coding using a plurality of variable length code mappings that each maps events to codewords, the position encoding including switching between the code mappings based on the context. The coding method further includes encoding amplitudes of the non-zero-valued coefficients using variable dimensional amplitude coding in the reverse order of the original ordering of the series. |
| US08265161B2 |
Processing or compressing n-dimensional signals with warped wavelet packets and bandelets
A method and apparatus for processing or compressing an n-dimensional digital signal by constructing a sparse representation which takes advantage of the signal geometrical regularity. The invention comprises a warped wavelet packet transform which performs a cascade of warped subband filtering along warping grids of sampling points adapted to the signal geometry. It also comprises a bandeletisation which decorrelates the warped wavelet packet coefficients to produce a sparse representation. An inverse warped wavelet packet transform and an inverse bandeletisation reconstruct a signal from its bandelet representation. The invention comprises a compression system which quantizes and codes the bandelet representation, a decompression system, a restoration system which enhances a signal by filtering its bandelet representation, and a feature vector extraction system for pattern recognition applications of a bandelet representation. |
| US08265158B2 |
Motion estimation with an adaptive search range
A method and apparatus for estimating motion of a pixel block in a first frame, the method including searching a first area in a second frame to identify a first matching block that corresponds to the pixel block, the first matching block including a first error value that is a minimum of at least one error criteria between the pixel block and the first matching block, calculating a first motion vector associated with the first matching block. The method further including searching a second area in the second frame to identify a second matching block that corresponds to the pixel block, the second matching block including a second error value that is a minimum of the at least one error criteria between the pixel block and the second matching block, calculating a second motion vector associated with the second matching block and selecting a final motion vector between the first and second motion vectors based on the first and second error value. |
| US08265153B2 |
Moving picture coding method, and moving picture decoding method
A moving picture coding apparatus for performing inter-picture predictive coding on pictures constituting a moving picture is provided with a coding unit for performing predictive error coding on image data; a decoding unit for performing predictive error decoding on an output from the coding unit; a reference picture memory for holding output data from the decoding unit; and a motion vector detection unit for detecting forward and backward motion vectors on the basis of decoded image data stored in the memory. When coding a B picture, a picture that is timewise closest to the target picture is used as a candidate picture for forward reference, and an I or P picture that is timewise closest to the target picture is used as a candidate picture for backward reference. The moving picture coding apparatus so constructed can improve coding efficiency of a B picture to be subjected to bidirectional predictive coding. |
| US08265147B2 |
Method for generating reduced image of original image comprising adaptively encoded macroblocks, and image apparatus thereof
A method for generating a reduced image of an original image in which macroblocks are adaptively encoded, and an image apparatus thereof are provided. The method including extracting an average of compression blocks of current super macroblocks contained in a compression image, the compression image being encoded by intra prediction; computing an average of prediction blocks, using a portion of components of previous super macroblocks and a portion of components of blocks neighboring the prediction blocks corresponding to the compression blocks, if an encoding technique of the current super macroblocks is different from an encoding technique of the previous super macroblocks at a left edge of the current super macroblocks; and generating a reduced image using the average of the compression blocks and the average of the prediction blocks. The apparatus includes an extractor; a computation part; and an adder. |
| US08265144B2 |
Innovations in video decoder implementations
Video decoding innovations for multithreading implementations and graphics processor unit (“GPU”) implementations are described. For example, for multithreaded decoding, a decoder uses innovations in the areas of layered data structures, picture extent discovery, a picture command queue, and/or task scheduling for multithreading. Or, for a GPU implementation, a decoder uses innovations in the areas of inverse transforms, inverse quantization, fractional interpolation, intra prediction using waves, loop filtering using waves, memory usage and/or performance-adaptive loop filtering. Innovations are also described in the areas of error handling and recovery, determination of neighbor availability for operations such as context modeling and intra prediction, CABAC decoding, computation of collocated information for direct mode macroblocks in B slices, reduction of memory consumption, implementation of trick play modes, and picture dropping for quality adjustment. |
| US08265142B2 |
Encoding bit-rate control method and apparatus, program therefor, and storage medium which stores the program
An encoding bit-rate control method used in video encoding in which intraframe prediction and interframe prediction are switchably used. The method includes measuring an amount of code generated for quantized information and an amount of code generated for non-quantized information for the picture which has been encoded; computing a ratio of the amount of code generated for the non-quantized information to the total amount of generated code, based on the above measured amounts of code; and determining a target amount of code of an encoding target picture by using the computed ratio of the amount of code generated for the non-quantized information. The target amount of code may be determined by computing a complex index for the quantized information of the picture which has been encoded, and estimating an amount of code generated when the encoding target picture is encoded using a predetermined assumed quantization step size, based on the above index and the ratio of the amount of code generated for the non-quantized information. |
| US08265141B2 |
System and method for open loop spatial prediction in a video encoder
Presented herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for real-time high definition television encoding. In one embodiment, there is a method for encoding video data. The method comprises downscaling at least one original reference picture; classifying the content of the macroblocks of the picture; and selecting a spatial prediction mode for each of the macroblocks of the picture based on the content classification. If it is determined that a macroblock is to be coded using spatial encoding, the macroblock is coded using the associated prediction mode. |
| US08265137B2 |
Adaptive language descriptors
A disclosed methodology for processing language descriptors includes receiving streaming multimedia content that includes initial language descriptors. Portions of the multimedia content stream are encapsulated into packets that include an indication of the initial language descriptors. Later in time, further language descriptors are received with the streaming multimedia content. As a series of packets created from the multimedia content stream are processed, the indication of received language descriptor is adapted to account for any change in the language of audio tracks received with the streaming multimedia content. |
| US08265134B2 |
Multi-channel equalization to compensate for impairments introduced by interleaved devices
A system includes a time-interleaved device. An equalizer effectively can apply different equalization to different interleaved channels. For convenience, these equalizers will be referred to as multi-channel equalizers. In one aspect, an apparatus includes an interleaved device having M interleaved channels, and a multi-channel equalizer coupled to the interleaved device. The multi-channel equalizer is capable of applying a different equalization to different interleaved channels, thus compensating for channel-dependent impairments. |
| US08265131B2 |
Control apparatus for and control method of equalizer, and wireless terminal having that control apparatus
A channel estimation value of each path timing is determined, a path timing, the channel estimation value of which is to be set to zero, is determined based on a reception power of each path timing and a predetermined power threshold (P0), and a channel estimation value of the detected path timing to zero. |
| US08265130B2 |
Adaptive equalizer with a dual-mode active taps mask generator and a pilot reference signal amplitude control unit
An adaptive equalizer including an equalizer filter and a tap coefficients generator used to process a sample data stream derived from a plurality of received signals is disclosed. The tap coefficients generator includes an equalizer tap update unit, a vector norm square estimator, an active taps mask generator, a switch and a pilot amplitude reference unit used to minimize the dynamic range of the equalizer filter. A dynamic mask vector is used to mask active taps generated by the equalizer tap update unit when an unmasked signal output by the equalizer filter is selected by the switch to generate an error signal fed to the equalizer tap update unit. A fixed mask vector is used to mask active taps generated by the equalizer tap update unit when a masked signal output by the equalizer filter is used to generate the error signal. |
| US08265122B2 |
Receiver
With the objective of enhancing receiving performance of a receiver with respect to pulse signals spread by spread codes, the receiver comprises an RF front-end section which performs amplification, an AD converter section which AD-converts signals outputted from the RF front-end section, a baseband section which inversely spreads the output of the AD converter section and performs signal detection and demodulation thereon, a reception environment measuring section which measures reception environment using the input signals of the baseband section, and a parameter setting section which sets parameters for respective parts on the basis of signals outputted from the reception environment measuring section. The parameter setting section sets the parameters for the respective parts to the optimum according to the environmental condition measured by the reception environment measuring section. |
| US08265118B2 |
Code-modulated path-sharing multi-signal systems
Described herein are code-modulated multi-signal systems. In one embodiment, a multi-signal system receives multiple input signals and code-modulates each input signal with a unique code to distinguish the input signal from the other input signals. The input signals may come from multiple antennas, multiple sensors, multiple channels, etc. The code-modulated signals are then combined into a combined signal that is sent through shared blocks and/or transmitted across a shared medium in a shared path. After shared processing and/or shared transmission, the individual signals are recovered using matched filters. Each matched filter contains a code corresponding to one of the unique codes for recovering the corresponding signal from the combined signal. The recovered signals may then be inputted to additional processors for further processing. |
| US08265115B2 |
Surface emitting laser, method for manufacturing surface emitting laser, and image forming apparatus
A surface emitting laser includes a lower multilayer mirror and an upper multilayer mirror which are provided on a substrate. A first oxidizable layer is partially oxidized to form a first current confinement layer including a first conductive region and a first insulating region. A second oxidizable layer is partially oxidized to form a second current confinement layer including a second conductive region and a second insulating region, a boundary between the first conductive region and the first insulating region being disposed inside the second current confinement layer in an in-plane direction of the substrate. The first oxidizable layer and the second oxidizable layer or layers adjacent to the respective oxidizable layers are adjusted so that when both layers are oxidized under the same oxidizing conditions, the oxidation rate of the first oxidizable layer is lower than that of the second oxidizable layer. |
| US08265114B2 |
Surface emitting laser
A surface emitting laser having a laminated structure has a first region and a second region. The first region is a region having at least one guided mode, a propagation mode in which light is propagated in the in-plane direction of a substrate at a laser oscillation wavelength. The second region is a region having a substrate radiation mode in which light is emitted to the side of the substrate at the laser oscillation wavelength. |
| US08265112B2 |
Semiconductor laser device and circuit for and method of driving same
A directly driven laser includes multiple contacts, with at least one of the contacts for injecting current into the laser such that the laser reaches at least a lasing threshold and at least one of the contacts for providing a data signal to the laser. In some embodiments a differential data signal is effectively provided to a front and a rear section of the laser, while lasing threshold current is provided to a central portion of the laser. |
| US08265111B2 |
Laser light source module
When a laser light source module includes a heat sink in which a solid laser element, an excitation light source, and a wavelength conversion element are arranged and a stem that supports the heat sink, wherein the heat sink is separated into three blocks, namely a first block including a laser oscillating unit for the solid laser element is arranged, a second block including a semiconductor laser element that emits excitation light for the laser oscillating unit and a first temperature sensor are arranged and on a specific surface of which the first heater is arranged, and a third block including the wavelength conversion element that converts the wavelength of the fundamental laser beam and a second temperature sensor are arranged and on a specific surface of which a second heater is arranged, enabling thus downsizing of the module and improvement of the positioning accuracy of the elements. |
| US08265110B2 |
Laser and environmental monitoring method
A laser and monitoring system is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, the system includes a laser, pulse shaper and detection device. A further aspect of the present invention employs a femtosecond laser and binary pulse shaping (BPS). Still another aspect of the present invention uses a laser beam pulse, a pulse shaper and a SHG crystal. In yet another aspect of the present invention, a multiphoton intrapulse interference phase scan (hereinafter “MIIPS”) method is used to characterize the spectral phase of femtosecond laser pulses and to correct them. A further aspect of the system of the present invention is employed to monitor environmental chemicals and biological agents, including toxins, explosives, and diseases. |
| US08265099B2 |
Error correction scheme in a hearing system wireless network
A method of wireless data communication between a hearing instrument and another device, includes receiving N data packages A1, A2, . . . , AN, wherein the N data packages are obtained by dividing a data package D, receiving data package C, wherein the data package C is formed as a function of A1, A2, . . . , AN in accordance with a relationship C=F (A1, A2, . . . , AN), performing error detection, and recovering AE, one of the data packages A1, A2, . . . , AN that contains an error, in accordance with a relationship AE=R(A1, A2, . . . , C, . . . , AN), in which A1, A2, . . . , C, . . . , AN indicates that the data package C is used in place of AE in a list of arguments for the function R. |
| US08265095B2 |
Resource management finite state machine for handling resource management tasks separate from a protocol finite state machine
A method and logic circuit for a resource management finite state machine (RM FSM) managing resource(s) required by a protocol FSM. After receiving a resource request vector, the RM FSM determines not all of the required resource(s) are available. The protocol FSM transitions to a new state, generates an output vector, and loads the output vector into an output register. The RM FSM transitions to a state indicating that not all the resources are available and freezes an input register. In a subsequent cycle, the RM FSM freezes the output register and a current state register, and forces the output vector to be seen by the FSM environment as a null token. After determining that the required resource(s) are available, the RM FSM transitions to another state indicating that the resources are available, enables the output vector to be seen by the FSM environment, and unfreezes the protocol FSM. |
| US08265090B2 |
Storing access network information for an IMS user in a subscriber profile
IMS networks and methods are disclosed for storing information on the access network of a user in a subscriber profile for the user. When a communication device of a user attempts to register with an IMS network, a P-CSCF receives a register request message from the communication device, and identifies access network information for the user. The P-CSCF then transmits another register request message to an S-CSCF that includes the access network information, and the S-CSCF in turn forwards the access network information to an HSS. The HSS then stores the access network information in the subscriber profile for the user. Nodes in the IMS network that retrieve the subscriber profile may acquire the access network information to provide services based on the access network information. |
| US08265089B2 |
Network gateway with enhanced requesting
A gateway and/or software for running on a gateway that communicates data units from a connection based network to a connectionless network, where the gateway uses at least some network protocol data from the connection based network in checking against a set of rules to determine whether some responsive reaction is appropriate. Preferably, the network protocol data from the connection based network is low level network protocol data (that is, physical layer and/or data link layer) that would otherwise be discarded by the gateway as the data was de-encapsulated and sent along to the receiving, connectionless network. Some possible responsive reactions include: selectively blocking data communication; slowing down selected data communications; sending responsive communications back to selected data sending machines; and/or alerting of network administrator(s). |
| US08265088B2 |
Method and apparatus for a fast installation of an IP user connection over a 3GPP NB interface under application of the bICC “delayed backward bearer establishment” and avoidance of failure
An IP user data transport connection is established between a Media Gateway O and a Media Gateway T according to the BICC “Delayed Backward Bearer Establishment”. The Media Gateway O sends an IPBCP Accepted message towards the Media Gateway T upon receipt of an IPBCP Request message from Media Gateway T. The Media Gateway O sends data within the user data transport connection towards the Media Gateway T. The user data may arrive at the Media Gateway T before the IPBCP accepted message. The Media Gateway T retrieves the source IP address and Port number from a user data transport connection IP packet received the Media Gateway O, and sends the first user data transport connection IP packet(s) towards the Media Gateway O upon receipt of a user data transport connection IP packet from the Media Gateway O, using the retrieved IP Address and Port number as destination. |
| US08265087B2 |
Gateway apparatus and data transfer control method
A gateway apparatus for performing transfer control of frame data between communication channels includes a routing map that stores ID information about the frame data and information about a communication channel that uses the ID information, and a search engine unit that routes the frame data to a transfer destination on the basis of the ID information of the frame data received and the routing map. The search engine unit does not transfer the frame data to the transfer destination when the ID information about the frame data received is ID information that is not used in the communication channel through which the frame data is received. |
| US08265086B2 |
Multi-path transport
A method including operating in an apparatus a multi-point multi-path transport protocol providing a multi-point multi-path transport connection, and using said apparatus in said multi-point multi-path transport connection as a part of an end system formed by said apparatus and other apparatuses that are physically distinct from said apparatus. |
| US08265084B2 |
Local network connecting system local network connecting method and mobile terminal
A local network connecting system includes a first local network, a second local network, a mobile terminal. The first local network is connected with a gateway and a first server assigned with a first local address. The second local network is connected with a second server. The mobile terminal VPN “Virtual Private Network”-connect to the second server through the first local network. The gateway provide mapping of local address for a terminal connected to the first local network. When a packet is sent to the first server from mobile terminal, the mobile terminal assigns a second local address unused over the VPN-connection to a destination address of the packet instead of the first local address, and transmits the packet to the gateway. The gateway translate the second local address into the first local address as destination address of the packet, and transmits the packet to the first server based on the translated destination. |
| US08265082B2 |
Relay including a mass memory for temporarily storing differed-time information streams
A relay for use in telecommunications equipment, said relay comprising: a receiver (R) adapted to receive an information stream consisting of information cells, some of which can be empty, a mixer (M) adapted to detect the empty cells and replace them with waiting cells, and a transmitter (E) adapted to transmit the cells to a receiver, which relay is characterized in that it further comprises a stream analyzer (A) for determining if an information stream is a real-time information stream or a differed-time information stream and for storing differed-time stream cells in a mass memory (MM), and in that said mixer is adapted to choose said waiting cells from among the cells stored in said mass memory. |
| US08265078B2 |
Routing table build algorithm for a routing table that uses a search key constructed from packet destination address and outbound interface
A method is described that involves, in view of a first default entry for a first subnet that is reachable through a first network service, where the first default entry has a numeric destination value, and in view of a second default entry for a second subnet that is reachable through a second network service, wherein the second default entry has the numeric destination value, sorting the first and second default entries by deciding that the first network service is ranked higher than the second network service. The method further involves configuring the first default entry within a routing table to have the numeric destination and not an interface component within the first default entry's search term, and, configuring the second default entry within the routing table to have the numeric destination and the second network service's interface component within the second default entry's search term. |
| US08265062B2 |
System and method for accomplishing special call treatment in a voice over internet protocol telephone system
A system and method for treating a VoIP call in a special fashion when the call is to be routed from an originating gateway to a destination gateway over the Internet. The system and method make use of a special decline destination gateway which may be configured to return a special cost code to the originating gateway when the originating gateway attempts to establish a telephone call with the decline destination gateway. A routing controller of the system would provide the originating gateway with a list of potential destination gateways, and the decline destination gateway would always be the last entry on the list. This would cause the originating gateway to first attempt to place the call through the other potential destination gateways. However, if none of the other destination gateways can be used, the originating gateway will ultimately attempt to place the call through the decline destination gateway. When the originating gateway receives back the special cost code from the decline destination gateway, the originating gateway would know to treat the call in a special fashion. In some embodiments, the decline destination gateway itself might treat the call in the special fashion. |
| US08265060B2 |
Packet data filtering
In a packet data communication system in which communicating nodes assume different modes of communications, and packet data are sent through a monitoring intermediary for data traffic control, the different modes of communications are directly sent to the monitoring intermediary so as to allow the monitoring intermediary to straightforwardly set up data filters for carrying out the data control and monitoring functions. |
| US08265059B1 |
Address scope checking for internet protocol version 6
An apparatus includes a plurality of ports to receive a packet. A scope circuit determines a source scope level for a source Internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) address of the received packet. A command circuit determines whether to forward the received packet based on the source scope level. The source scope level is indicative of whether a source address is a global address or a local address. |
| US08265057B2 |
Enhanced voice pre-emption of active packet data service
A method in wireless communication devices, for example, a cellular handset, including receiving a network control message, forcing an active packet session into a dormancy state in response to receiving the network control message, suspending a dormancy timer after receiving the network control message, and starting the dormancy timer upon completion of an event, for example, a voice pre-emption, that precipitated suspension of the active packet session. |
| US08265054B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communicating method
A wireless communication apparatus of a base station uses antennas for multiple systems, forms a multi-beam, transmits data to a mobile station, and includes a code book configured to store therein beamforming information; a pre-coder that reads the code book and executes a process of forming a given beam for the data; a control unit that, based on feedback information to correct variations in phase occurring at transmitting circuits respectively corresponding to each of the systems, performs control such that the beamforming information to correct the variations in phase is read from the code book; and a phase correcting unit that corrects a phase of the multi-beam formed by the pre-coder, based on the feedback information and such that relations among the phases of the multi-beam become substantially linear. |
| US08265052B2 |
Direct wireless client to client communication
A wireless station is connected to a wireless network through an access point and can establish a direct client-to-client connection to a second wireless station. The wireless station can communicate directly with the second wireless station without involving the access point. The wireless station communicates with the wired network and with other wireless stations through the access point. The second wireless station may have an infrastructure connection to the access point or may be independent. |
| US08265047B2 |
System and method for device discovery in a wireless network of devices having directional antennas
A system and method for wireless communication are disclosed. One aspect of the system includes a plurality of wireless devices forming a wireless network. The plurality of wireless devices are configured to wirelessly communicate with one another. Each of the wireless devices includes a device table including a list of one or more of the wireless devices and the directions of the one or more of the wireless devices with respect to the wireless device including the device table. In the wireless system, any one of the plurality of wireless devices is configured to perform device discovery directly with a new wireless device entering the wireless network. The one wireless device is further configured to update the device table therein and to transmit the updated device table to other wireless devices in the wireless network. Other devices in the wireless system can update their device tables, based at least partly on the updated device table without performing device discovery directly with the new wireless device. |
| US08265042B1 |
Ethernet backhaul architecture
A communication system for providing an accurate timing signal and synchronization information is described herein. The communication system comprises a Precision Time Protocol (PTP) server, a Global Positioning System (GPS), a pseudowire device, and a PTP client. The PTP client receives a time of day data and frequency information from the PTP server, receives a timing signal from the GPS, synchronizes the time of day data and timing signal to create synchronized a time of day signal, and provides the synchronized time of day signal to the pseudowire device. The pseudowire device processes the synchronized time of day signal and the frequency information to perform a time-division multiplexing signal to Ethernet signal synchronized conversion. |
| US08265041B2 |
Wireless communications systems and channel-switching method
A wireless communications system and channel-switching method are disclosed herein. A source device and multiple sink devices independently maintain respective counters which track data packet errors. Each device independently switches channels only after its counter reaches a channel-switching threshold. The new channel switched-to is either determined by an indexed ordering of the available channels or by reference to a global clock maintained by each of the devices. Accordingly, all devices quickly arrive at a common channel. The system switches channels only when necessary and resolves quickly to a mutually acceptable channel. Therefore, unnecessary channel switching is minimized and data throughput is optimized. |
| US08265039B2 |
Apparatus and method for improved idle state handoff
A method and apparatus for facilitating handoff operations in a wireless communication device is provided. The method may comprise receiving, by a wireless communication device, a plurality of pilot signals, wherein the plurality of pilot signals includes an active pilot signal and one or more candidate pilot signals, selecting at least one nominal active pilot signal strength value for comparison with the active pilot signal, classifying the one or more candidate pilot signals into a respective one of a plurality of tiers based on a handoff factor corresponding to the at least one candidate pilot signal, wherein the plurality of tiers are divided according to one or more handoff factors, and selecting at least one threshold handoff value for each of the plurality of tiers, wherein the at least one threshold handoff value partly depends on one of the at least one nominal active pilot signal strength values. |
| US08265038B2 |
Conferencing PSTN gateway methods and apparatus to facilitate heterogeneous wireless network handovers for mobile communication devices
Techniques for use in a network processing component is for initially establishing, via a gateway, a voice call between a mobile device which operates in a wireless network and a destination device. A first connection leg of the voice call is to be established between the mobile device and a conference room of the gateway. The technique involves sending to the gateway a request message for establishing a second connection leg between the network processing component and the destination device, and then subsequently sending to the gateway a re-routing message for re-routing the second connection leg from the network processing component to the conference room. This causes a voice call having the first and the second connection legs to be initially established between the mobile device and the destination device via the gateway. |
| US08265037B2 |
Local mobility management apparatus for total mobility management, and total management method and system
A local mobility management apparatus for total mobility management, and a total mobility management method and system are provided. A local domain mobility registration request message on a terminal is received from a mobile access gateway that receives a network attach message including information on a home agent from the terminal moving from a first local domain to a second local domain, a location of the terminal in an area managed by the mobile access gateway is registered, and a global domain mobility registration request message for reporting registration of the location to the home agent is transmitted. Accordingly, it is possible to remove a side effect generated in a case where a transmission order of a local domain mobility registration request message and a global domain mobility registration request message is disordered and provide an efficient mobility management. |
| US08265032B2 |
Method and system for multicast broadcasting towards a roaming terminal according to the location thereof
Method and system for multicast broadcasting towards a roaming terminal according to the location thereof in relation to its site and/or original organization. Upon connection of the roaming terminal and transmission towards the site of a signalling message, it is possible to discriminate at the site an item of locating information of the roaming terminal whereby the latter receives a signalling acknowledgement message containing the locating information. When a request is made by the roaming terminal for access to group multicast broadcasting, involving a request for an address, the request is substituted or not by an extended multicast broadcast request according to the location of the connection of the roaming terminal, whereby the new address makes it possible to receive all local broadcasting at the site and/or at the original. |
| US08265030B2 |
Base station apparatus, user equipment terminal, and method in mobile communication system
A base station apparatus is disclosed to be used in a mobile communication system where Persistent Scheduling is performed. The base station apparatus includes a radio communication unit configured to perform radio communications with a specific user equipment terminal using radio resources provided every predetermined period based on the Persistent Scheduling and an allocation unit configured to allocate radio resources to a user equipment terminal other than the specific user equipment by selecting the radio resources that are not used for uplink or downlink packet data for the specific user equipment from among radio resources provided the every predetermined period. |
| US08265026B2 |
Wireless communication method and apparatus for managing radio resources
During a contention-free period, or silent measurement period, of a first wireless communications channel, signals received on a second wireless communications channel are analyzed. The results of the analysis are used to perform advanced radio resource management functions, such as frequency selection, load balancing, or power management. Each of a plurality of wireless channels may be measured in order to perform the advanced radio resource management functions. During the analysis, an energy detect threshold may be lowered to a minimal value. |
| US08265024B2 |
Frequency reusing method in wireless communication system and radio access station system for the same
A frequency reusing method in a wireless communication system including a coverage region, which has first, second and third regions, and a radio access station (RAS) transmitting a traffic to a portable subscriber station (PSS) in the coverage region, comprises (a) transmitting the traffics by assigning an identical frequency band to the first, second and third regions during a first interval; (b) transmitting the traffics by assigning the identical frequency band to the first region during a second interval; (c) transmitting the traffics by assigning the identical frequency band to the second region during a third interval; and (d) transmitting the traffics by assigning the identical frequency band to the third region during a fourth interval. |
| US08265021B2 |
Downlink phich mapping and channelization
Methods and apparatus for downlink Physical Hybrid Automatic Repeat-reQuest (HARQ) Indicator Channel (PHICH) mapping and channelization in a communication system. First, a base station assigns uplink (UL) physical resource block (PRB) indices to a set of units of user equipment in a cell. Then, for each user equipment, the base station calculates an index triple (KPHICH,0,KPHICH,1,KPHICH,2) for three repetitions of a PHICH signal to be transmitted to the user equipment, with KPHICH, i being a PHICH index indicating a PHICH resource for transmitting the i-th repetition of the PHICH signal to the user equipment, and i=1, 2, 3. When a data packet is received from a unit of user equipment transmitted via at least one physical resource block (PRB) indicated by the at least one PRB index that is assigned to the user equipment, the base station transmits PHICH signals to the user equipment by using the PHICH resources indicated by the PHICH indices assigned to the user equipment. |
| US08265019B2 |
Scheduling a mix of best effort (BE) and delay QoS flows
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate dynamically adjusting scheduling priorities in relation to a combination of delay sensitive flows with delay requirements and best effort flows. The systems and methodologies provide optimal and efficient techniques to enable real time adjustment and assignment of bandwidth for a combination of best effort flows and delay sensitive flows. In particular, the bandwidth allocation is adjusted for each data packet such that delay requirements are met and the remaining bandwidth can be assigned to best effort flows. |
| US08265012B2 |
Adaptive subchannel and bit allocation method using partial channel information feedback in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access communication system
An adaptive subchannel and bit allocation method in a wireless communication system. A mobile station analyzes channel quality information of a subchannel at a predetermined period and determines a feedback band index with a maximum decision criterion. The mobile station feeds back the determined feedback band index with the maximum decision criterion to a base station. The base station generates band allocation information using the feedback information from the mobile station, and transmits the band allocation information to the mobile station. The mobile station transmits AMC information using the band allocation information received from the base station. The base station estimates a channel using the AMC information transmitted from the mobile station and allocates bits to the allocated band according to the channel estimation result. |
| US08265011B2 |
High resolution wireless indoor positioning system for legacy standards-based narrowband mobile radios
Two or more data packets transmitted through a wireless channel are received using a receiver device. The two or more data packets are a result of two or more transmissions that are made sequentially in time at different center frequencies in order to span a desired bandwidth. Each data packet of the two or more data packets is transmitted at a single center frequency. Time differences and/or carrier phase differences among the two or more transmissions are estimated. A time-of-arrival of one or more data packets of the two or more data packets is calculated using each data packet of the two or more data packets and one or more of the estimated time differences, the different center frequencies, and the estimated carrier phase differences. |
| US08265007B2 |
Method for receiving system information in multimedia broadcast/multicast service
The present invention allows the terminal not to receive the same system information from corresponding cell when the terminal is moved to another cell within the global MBMS area, thereby preventing unnecessary reception and preventing network resources from being wasted. |
| US08264999B2 |
Method and device for realizing paging in mobile switching center pool
A method for realizing paging in a mobile switching center (MSC) pool includes the following steps. An MSC server selects a media gateway (MGW) from more than one MGW connected to a base station controller (BSC)/radio network controller (RNC), delivers a paging message of an international mobile station identity (IMSI) paging type to the selected MGW, and stores a corresponding relation between an IMSI carried in the paging message and the MSC server in the MGW which is connected to the BSC/RNC and does not receive the paging message. The MGW that does not receive the paging message receives a paging response message sent by the BSC/RNC, determines an MSC server corresponding to an IMSI carried in the paging response message by looking up the corresponding relation between the IMSI and the MSC server stored therein, and routes the received paging response message to the corresponding MSC server. Several other methods and devices for realizing paging are also provided. |
| US08264998B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for controlling multicast bearer resources
A method, apparatus, and system for controlling multicast bearer resources are disclosed, which employ a resource and admission control subsystem (RACS) to control the multicast bearer resources. The method includes: a network entity in a RACS receives a request for controlling multicast bearer resources from a bearer-layer network entity and controls the multicast bearer resources. The network entity in the RACS includes: a receiving unit adapted to receive a request for controlling multicast bearer resources from a bearer-layer network entity and a control unit adapted to control the multicast bearer resources. |
| US08264996B2 |
Signalling channel and radio system for power saving in wireless devices
Wireless devices, transmitters, systems and methods are provided that have a narrow band signalling channel and a wide band channel, for example an OFDM channel. In order to save power, the wireless device is nominally powered down with the exception of a receiver specific to the narrow band signalling channel. Once instructed to do so over the narrow band signalling channel, the wireless device wakes up the rest of its wide band receive circuitry. |
| US08264995B2 |
Apparatus and method for adjusting a duty cycle to save power in a computing system
A method and system for adjusting a duty cycle to save power in a computing system is described. The system includes a network interface card (NIC) that has an active mode and a sleep mode. The NIC is coupled to an adjusting element that adjusts a duty cycle of the active time to the sleep time based at least in part on minimizing power consumption. |
| US08264994B2 |
Method for supporting paging and deep sleep with multiple radio interfaces
A method of paging for a wireless device with multiple radio interfaces corresponding to multiple access networks. The method provides a first interface from the multiple radio interfaces to listen to paging for the multiple radio interfaces; turns the rest of the multiple radio interfaces into deep-sleep mode; and maintains attachment for each of the deep-sleep interfaces to a corresponding serving base station or access point. |
| US08264986B2 |
Wireless communication network, method of generating neighbor list in the wireless communication network, and control device therefor
In a wireless communication system, a base station control device has following two steps on the basis of latitude/longitude information obtained from a GPS, that is, a first step of recognizing, from the positional information obtained from the GPS, the fact that base stations in new and old systems are installed at the same location, and a second step of linking a neighbor list of the old system to a neighbor list of the new system with use of the result of the first step. |
| US08264985B2 |
Locally unique node port identifiers
In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a locally unique node port identifier at a Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) node in communication with at least one other FCoE node through an Ethernet network, discovering a virtual node port at the other FCoE node, and establishing a virtual link between the FCoE nodes for use in local communication over the Ethernet network. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed. |
| US08264982B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for forming time division duplex multi-input multi-output downlink beams
In a method for forming TDD MIMO downlink beams, a BS receives an index of a codebook element from a mobile terminal. The codebook element refers to a codebook element whose correlation value has a greatest modulus value among correlation values that are calculated by the mobile terminal and are about correlation between the codebook element and a channel corresponding to a non-transmitting antenna of the mobile terminal. The BS calculates a channel vector corresponding to the non-transmitting antenna of the mobile terminal. The BS calculates channel vectors of the transmitting antennas of the mobile terminal, and performs SVD to determine a best transmitting precoding matrix. |
| US08264980B2 |
Quality assessment of a communication connection in a radio-operated multi-hop hazard reporting system
A method determines a quality of a communication connection between a selected secondary station and a main station of a radio-operated multi-hop hazard reporting system. The method includes the determination of a value of a first parameter for the selected secondary station, the value of the first parameter is indicative of the connection security only between the selected secondary station and the main station. The method further includes a determination of a value of a second parameter for the selected secondary station, wherein the value of the second parameter is indicative of the connection security only between any directly adjacent secondary stations of the selected secondary stations and the main station, and a determination of the quality of the communication connection based only on the value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter. |
| US08264979B2 |
Method of transmitting radio access capability in a wireless communications system and related communication device
A method of transmitting radio access capability for a mobile device in a first wireless communication system includes including capability information of the mobile device, corresponding to a second wireless communication system, in a radio resource message, and sending the radio resource message to a network of the second wireless communication system. |
| US08264972B2 |
Method and apparatus for emulating network devices
Methods, apparatuses, data structures, and computer readable media are disclosed that represent network devices with encapsulated protocol stacks communicating via a common physical port. The encapsulated protocol stacks include variable combinations of a multiple encapsulation protocols. |
| US08264969B2 |
Communications link health monitoring
A reference signal of reference pulses occurring at a uniform reference pulse rate is received. An error event signal of error event pulses occurring at a variable error event pulse rate corresponding to a rate of detected error event occurrences is received. An integrator output signal is produced from the reference signal and the error event signal. The integrator output signal has a value that approaches a first boundary threshold when the reference pulse rate exceeds the error event pulse rate and approaches a second boundary threshold when the error event pulse rate exceeds the reference pulse rate. A decision signal is set to a first value in response to a determination that the value of the received integrator output signal meets a first decision threshold and set to a second value in response to a determination that the value of the received integrator output signal meets a second decision threshold. |
| US08264968B2 |
Inter-layer prediction method for video signal
The present invention relates to a method for conducting interlayer motion prediction in encoding or decoding of video signal. The present method identifies types of pictures on a base layer and a current layer or types of macro blocks included in the pictures, forms a block on a virtual layer by copying motion information of a macro block on the base layer if type of a picture on the current layer or a macro block included therein is identified to field and type of a picture on the base layer or a macro block included therein is identified to progressive, and uses the copied motion information of the block on the virtual layer in interlayer motion prediction for a macro block of the picture on the current layer. |
| US08264967B2 |
Bit-field-encoded resource record for determining a transmission path in a communications network
Method and apparatus for tracking, recording and distributing link state characteristics over communications networks. The invention allows network operators to efficiently define, track, store and disseminate link state characteristics using a bit-field-encoded resource record that is capable of representing many more link state characteristics than the bit-mask-encoded records used in existing systems. As a result, the present invention, when used in conjunction with standard routing and network maintenance algorithms, provides a much more efficient method than existing systems provide, for performing sophisticated networking tasks, such as handling complicated information transmission requests, setting up and tearing down network paths, and making dynamic routing decisions. |
| US08264964B1 |
Enhanced reverse-link auxiliary pilot trigger
A method and system is disclosed for enhanced reverse-link auxiliary pilot triggering in an access terminal. An access terminal operating in a first state in which it transmits a primary beacon signal on an air interface link to a base station and concurrently transmits a secondary beacon signal to the base station upon a condition that the access terminal transmits packets with payloads exceeding a threshold size, may receive a command from the base station to unconditionally transmit the secondary beacon signal. In response to receiving the command, the access terminal will transition to operating in a second state in which it transmits a primary beacon signal on the air interface link to a base station and concurrently and unconditionally transmits the secondary beacon signal to the base station. |
| US08264963B2 |
Data transfer path evaluation using filtering and change detection
If a condition in a data transfer path is modeled appropriately, then a filter-based approach can be used to provide an estimate of the condition. This permits accurate, real-time estimates of the condition with modest requirements for data processing and memory resources. Change detection can be implemented to control a parameter of the filter. |
| US08264962B2 |
System and method for dynamically responding to event-based traffic redirection
A technique dynamically resizes Traffic Engineering (TE) Label Switched Paths (LSPs) at a head-end node of the TE-LSPs in preparation to receive redirected traffic in response to an event in a computer network. The novel dynamic TE-LSP resizing technique is based on the detection of an event in the network that could cause traffic destined for one or more other (“remote”) head-end nodes of one or more TE-LSPs to be redirected to an event-detecting (“local”) head-end node of one or more TE-LSPs. An example of such a traffic redirection event is failure of a remote head-end node or failure of any of its TE-LSPs. Specifically, the local head-end node maintains TE-LSP steady state sampling and resizing frequencies to adapt the bandwidth of its TE-LSP(s) to gradual changes in the network over time. Upon detection of an event identifying possible traffic redirection, the local head-end node enters a Fast Resize (FR) state, in which the sampling and resizing frequencies are increased to quickly adapt the TE-LSP bandwidth(s) to any received redirected traffic. |
| US08264961B2 |
Synchronization and macro diversity for MCBCS
A method and system for multicast and broadcast system (MCBCS) synchronization and macro diversity is provided. In an embodiment, an MBS Proxy creates the necessary messages with synchronization rules embedded therein. The messages are provided to an MBS Distributed DPF and a base station, which performs a final PHY frame construction for transmission. In another embodiment, the MBS Proxy provides the necessary information to the base station and the base station creates the messages, including the synchronization rules. In yet another embodiment, the base station receives raw IP packet information and synchronization information. In this last embodiment, the base station creates the packets and frames based on the information provided to it. |
| US08264960B2 |
Method and system for sharing AV/record resources in a programmable transport demultiplexer and PVR engine
A method and system are provided for sharing AV/record resources in a programmable transport/demultiplexer and personal video recorder (PVR) engine. The method may involve utilizing hardware assist architecture to partially process incoming packets, retrieve information about the packets, and write the retrieved information to a memory. A processor programmed with firmware may then utilize the information in memory to perform further processing on the packet data. The processor programmed with firmware may then set up configuration parameters that may be used by the hardware assist architecture to further process the packet. The parameters may be configured such that they may be independent of the format of the packet, where the hardware assist architecture functions may be utilized for processing packets regardless of their format. The system may comprise the hardware assist architecture, the processor programmed with firmware, and a memory. |
| US08264956B2 |
Service redundancy in wireless networks
This disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for providing service redundancy among devices in a communication network. The devices can be, for example, a mobility management entity (MME), a serving gateway (SGW), a PDN gateway (P-GW), a call session control function (CSCF), a SGSN, a GGSN, or any other device implemented on a chassis. The redundancy includes a geographic redundancy where the devices are remotely located from one another to prevent a service outage. The devices can provide redundancy to multiple other devices, such that one device serves as a backup to multiple other devices. The information used to provide service to a mobile node such as user equipment can be backed up on the redundancy device and the device can advertise the same routing information to the network so the network is unaware of any change. |
| US08264954B2 |
Method and device for operating a network and communication system comprising such device
A method and a device are provided for operating a network, wherein the network comprises several network elements that are connected via a ring, wherein a first segment is of a first type of connection and wherein a second segment is of a second type of connection, wherein the ring comprises at least one first segment and at least one second segment and wherein one network element of the network elements is a ring master comprising a primary port and a secondary port, comprising the steps (i) a failure of at least one of the at least one first segment is detected by the ring master; (ii) the ring master unblocks its secondary port; and (iii) the ring master sends a first message via its primary port and via its secondary port. |
| US08264946B2 |
Methods and systems for PAPR reduction in SC-FDMA systems
Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction of a transmission signal in a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) system. The proposed methods and systems are based on manipulations of an SC-FDMA transmission signal in a time- and/or a frequency-domain. |
| US08264945B2 |
Method for signal mapping and signal transmission with subcarrier shift schemes
A signal mapping method and a signal transmission method applying a subcarrier shift method are described. A signal mapping method using shifted subcarriers includes shifting positions of data subcarriers by as much as a frequency band corresponding to half of spacing between data subcarriers on a frequency axis, and shifting positions of random access preamble subcarriers by as much as a frequency band corresponding to half of spacing between the data subcarriers and to a specific ratio of spacing between the random access preamble subcarriers, and mapping data and a random access preamble to the data subcarriers and the random access preamble subcarrier, respectively. Even when the spacing between the data subcarriers is a multiple of the spacing between the random access preamble subcarriers, DC distortion can be minimized. |
| US08264942B2 |
Optical disc embossed features
A method for forming an optical disc includes forming a first disc portion, forming a second disc portion, coupling the first disc portion to the second disc portion, wherein forming the first disc portion includes forming a data recording layer, and wherein forming the second disc portion includes forming a material layer including a plurality of embossed features having a depth of approximately ¼λ for optimized encoder compatibility, where λ is the wavelength of a light source being used to sense the embossed features. |
| US08264940B2 |
Recording/reproduction device, recording/reproduction method, and information recording medium
The present invention contributes to getting a reproduction/recording operation done with stability on an information recording medium by utilizing an absorption edge shifting phenomenon. An apparatus 100 according to the present invention includes: a light source 20 for emitting a laser beam; a lens 6 for condensing the beam onto an information recording medium 21; and a photodetector 19 for detecting light reflected from the medium 21, of which a recording layer includes a material that absorbs the beam at an increasing absorptance as the absorption edge of a light absorption spectrum shifts, with a rise in temperature, toward a longer wavelength range as a result of a band-to-band transition of electrons. The apparatus 100 of this invention further includes: a wavelength detecting section 26 for detecting at least one of the wavelength of the beam and its variation; a temperature sensing section 27 for sensing at least one of the temperature of the medium 21 or its ambience and its variation; and a control section 28 for controlling the power of the light source 20 based on the respective outputs of the wavelength detecting section 26 and the temperature sensing section 27. |
| US08264935B2 |
Method and apparatus for reading optical discs having different configurations
A player is provided that is capable of playing discs of either a first or a second configuration. Both types of discs can be double-sided optical discs formed with data tracks. In one configuration, the tracks on one side follow one spiral while the tracks on the other side follow a second spiral, the two spirals being oriented in opposite directions as viewed from the respective sides, and therefore being mirror images of each other. This allows data to be read by a player seamlessly from both sides of the disc without changing the direction of rotation of the disc. In the other configuration, the tracks follow identical spirals. The disc is then rotated in one direction for one side and the other direction for the other side. |
| US08264934B2 |
Multitrack recording using multiple digital electronic devices
The present invention is a method and apparatus for multitrack recording of audio information using handheld digital electronic devices such as suitably equipped portable digital music players. Recording of video tracks by digital electronic devices to complement the audio is also contemplated. One device serves as a master; the remainder are slaves. A key aspect of the invention is the transmission of start and stop recording signals by the master, which facilitates synchronization of the various tracks. In certain embodiments of the invention, some slaves may begin preliminary sampling of audio information prior to the start recording signal. This prepares these slaves to begin the actual track recording without delay. Upon receiving the command to start recording, each slave chooses as the first frame of its, say, audio track that sample closest to the time the signal to record was received. The task of stopping recording is typically handled similarly. A recording device may store an indicator whereby the time offset of its first frame from the start recording signal can be determined, thus facilitating time interpolation of the samples in its track. In this way, all audio tracks, for example, might be transformed to a common set of time points. In a typical configuration, the master might also record a sound track or a video track. |
| US08264933B1 |
Timing loop with large pull-in range
A sync mark detector for detecting a sync mark having alternative polarities includes an input terminal receiving data bits, wherein the data bits include constant bit groups and each constant bit group includes consecutive bits of the same logic value, the first unit outputting constant bit length values that are representative of bit lengths of constant bit groups, respectively, the second unit outputting combined bit length values, wherein each combined bit length value is representative of a sum of two consecutive constant bit length values, the third unit comparing each combined bit length value to a largest previous combined bit length value to determine a largest combined bit length value, the fourth unit determining a threshold value based on the largest combined bit length value, and the fifth unit outputting a sync mark detection signal when an individual combined bit length value is larger than the threshold value. |
| US08264925B2 |
Optical disc with protection code, method for obtaining the protection code and respective apparatus for reading of data
The optical disc comprises a substrate layer, a read-only data layer having a pit/land data structure including user data and control data arranged in tracks on the substrate layer, and a nonlinear layer with a super-resolution structure disposed on the data layer, wherein the control data are correctly readable only by including a reverse rotation of the disc. The control data include in particular a protection code for the disc, for example a copy protection code, so that the user data of the disc are only readable after reading of the control data. |
| US08264923B2 |
Optical disc device
An optical disc device including: a light source; an object lens to focus light emitted from the light source on an information recording surface of an optical disc; a movable lens that is arranged on an optical path between the light source and the objective lens and arranged such that position thereof is adjustable along a direction of a light axis; a lens moving portion to move the movable lens along the direction of the light axis; a tracking servo system which makes a beam spot that is formed of the light from the light source through focusing by the objective lens keep on track of the optical disc; and a control part which controls gain of a servo loop of the tracking servo system is made temporarily larger when the movable lens is moved by the lens moving portion in comparison with a case where moving of the movable lens by the lens moving portion is not performed. |
| US08264922B2 |
Optical disc drive having a mechanism to reduce the noise level of a focus error signal
There is provided an optical disc drive, which includes a light source emitting a light beam, a beam dividing element that divides the light beam into main and sub-beams, an objective lens, an astigmatism producing unit that gives astigmatism to the main and sub-beams, a signal generation unit that has sensors for the beams and generates a focus error signal based on output signals of the sensors; and an optical element that has a function of adjusting intensity distribution of the main beam such that the main beam incident on the optical disc has a predetermined intensity distribution where a maximum intensity level is positioned at a predetermined height within a range of 70% of a pupil diameter, the predetermined height is not equal to an optical axis, and an intensity of the main beam decreases gradually from the predetermined height to a peripheral portion of the pupil. |
| US08264921B2 |
Optical disc recording device
A technique for investigating differences of composition and structural state of a recording layer of an optical disc along with other defects, such as scratches, contamination, warp and distortion, prior to video recording and for setting up appropriate recording conditions in compliance with this result to thereby perform recording is disclosed. In an optical disc recording device capable of recording information on an optical disc, a region to be investigated is defined based on the video recording reservation contents. Then, investigate and evaluate the disc state which can affect the recording quality in a target disc region to be recorded. Next, based on investigation/evaluation results, perform recording setup, recording speed setup, servo control setup and recording position setup to thereby perform the recording. By appropriately modifying the recording setup on a case-by-case basis, it is possible to achieve high-quality recording. |
| US08264913B2 |
Time information obtaining apparatus and radio wave timepiece
A time information obtaining apparatus, comprises: an input waveform data generating section for sampling a received signal including a time code at a predetermined sampling period to obtain sampling points every one unit time length, and generating input waveform data having one or more unit time lengths based on data having at least one unit time length including the obtained sampling points; a predicted waveform data generating section for generating a plurality of pieces of predicted waveform data with respect to each class of a standard time radio wave; a correlation value calculating section for calculating correlation values between the input waveform data and the plurality of pieces of predicted waveform data of each of the classes; a correlation value comparing section for comparing the correlation values to calculate optimum values; and a judging section for judging the class of the standard time wave based on the optimum values. |
| US08264907B2 |
Method of increasing a timing margin for writing data to a memory array
A method is provided for writing data to a memory array operating in synchronization with a clock signal having a transition edge. A data strobe signal having a transition edge corresponding to the transition edge of the clock signal is provided. The transition edge of the clock signal is used to relay the data corresponding to the transition edge of the data strobe signal if the transition edge of the data strobe signal is coming in earlier than the transition edge of the clock signal, wherein the clock signal has a rising edge and a falling edge, the data strobe signal has a rising edge and a falling edge respectively corresponding to the rising and the falling edges of the clock signal, and the transition edge of the clock signal is one of the rising and the falling edges of the clock signal. |
| US08264905B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device using variable resistive element
A nonvolatile memory device using variable resistive element with reduced layout size and improved performance is provided. The nonvolatile memory device comprising: a main word line; multiple sub-word lines, wherein each of the sub-word line is connected to multiple nonvolatile memory cells; and a section word line driver which controls voltage level of the multiple sub-word lines, wherein the section word line driver includes multiple pull-down elements which are connected to each of the multiple sub-word lines and a common node and a selection element which is connected to the common node and the main word line. |
| US08264902B2 |
Memory control method and memory control device
A memory control method that carries out first-in first-out access control for a memory having a plurality of storage areas, including: selecting, as write positions, an address of a storage area in a storage block having at least one or more storage areas and an address of a storage area in any one of a plurality of redundant blocks that are made redundant with respect to the storage block and have at least one or more storage areas when the write positions are selected to write data to the memory; and selecting, as read positions, an address of a storage area of the storage block and an address selected by the selecting of the write position from among the addresses of a plurality of the redundant blocks when the read positions are selected to read data written by the writing of the data to the memory. |
| US08264900B2 |
Data sensing arrangement using first and second bit lines
Over-erasure induced noise on a data line in a nonvolatile memory that couples into an adjacent data line is mitigated by using twisted data lines and differential sensing amplifiers. Noise coupled into data lines is compensated by similar noise coupled into reference data lines and cancelled in the differential sensing amplifiers. |
| US08264893B2 |
Semiconductor device
A data input buffer is changed from an inactive to an active state after the reception of instruction for a write operation effected on a memory unit. The input buffer is a differential input buffer having interface specs based on SSTL, for example, which is brought to an active state by turning on a power switch to cause a through current to flow and receives a signal therein while immediately following a small change in small-amplitude signal. Since the input buffer is brought to the active state only when the write operation's instruction for the memory unit is provided, it is rendered inactive in advance before the instruction is provided, whereby wasteful power consumption is reduced. In another aspect, power consumption is reduced by changing from the active to the inactive state in a time period from a write command issuing to a next command issuing. |
| US08264892B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of controlling the same
A semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to: a first insulating film; first and second impurity layers on the first insulating film; a semiconductor layer on the first insulating film; a second insulating film covering the semiconductor layer; a first electrode on the second insulating film over the semiconductor layer; and a second electrode on the second insulating film over the semiconductor layer. The first and second impurity layers have a first conductive type. The first impurity layer is separated from the second impurity layer. The semiconductor layer is positioned between the first and second impurity layers. The semiconductor layer has a second conductive type which is different from the first conductive type. The first electrode is electrically insulated from the second electrode. The second electrode at least partially overlaps the first electrode in plan view. |
| US08264891B2 |
Erase method and non-volatile semiconductor memory
An erase method for a non-volatile memory device having a defined erase unit divided into first and second inner erase units includes; applying an erase voltage to at least one of the first and second inner erase units in accordance with respective states of corresponding first and second fail flags, after applying the erase voltage to the at least one of the first and second inner erase units, performing an erase verification on the at least one of the first and second inner erase units, and updating the at least one of the first and second fail flags in accordance with erase verification results. |
| US08264890B2 |
Two pass erase for non-volatile storage
Techniques are disclosed herein for erasing non-volatile memory cells. A subset of the memory cells are pre-conditioned prior to erase. The pre-conditioning alters the threshold voltage of the memory cells in a way that may help make later calculations more accurate. As an example, memory cells along a single word line might be pre-conditioned. After the pre-conditioning, the memory cells are erased using a trial erase pulse. A suitable magnitude for a second pulse is determined based on the magnitude of the trial erase pulse and data collected about the threshold voltage distribution after the trial erase. The second erase pulse is used to erase the memory cells. Determining an appropriate magnitude for the second erase pulse minimizes or eliminates over-erasing. |
| US08264888B2 |
Flash memory device configured to reduce common source line noise, methods of operating same, and memory system incorporating same
A flash memory device comprises memory cells connected between a bit line and a common source line, word lines connected to the memory cells, a common source line feedback circuit connected to a common source line (CSL) to detect the voltage level of the common source line, and a CSL feedback control logic configured to control a voltage level of a selected word line or a selected bit line to be compensated to a substantially constant value during a sensing operation of the memory cells based on the detected voltage level of the CSL. |
| US08264885B2 |
Method for memory cell erasure with a programming monitor of reference cells
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices, modules, and systems for operating memory cells. One method includes: performing an erase operation on a selected group of memory cells, the selected group including a number of reference cells and a number of data cells; performing a programming monitor operation on the number of reference cells as part of the erase operation; and determining a number of particular operating parameters associated with operating the number of data cells at least partially based on the programming monitor operation performed on the number of reference cells. |
| US08264884B2 |
Methods, circuits and systems for reading non-volatile memory cells
The present invention includes methods, circuits and systems for reading non-volatile memory (“NVM”) cells, including multi-level NVM cells. According to some embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a NVM cell threshold voltage detection circuit adapted to detect an approximate threshold voltage associated with a charge storage region of a NVM cell, where the NVM cell may be a single or a multi-charge storage region cell. A decoder circuit may be adapted to decode and/or indicate the logical state of a NVM cell charge storage region by mapping or converting a detected approximate threshold voltage of the charge storage region into a logical state value. |
| US08264881B2 |
Semiconductor memory including pads coupled to each other
A semiconductor memory is provided which includes: a first pad; a second pad disposed adjacent to the first pad; a first output buffer coupled to the first pad; and a second output buffer coupled to the second pad. The first pad is coupled to the second pad by metal. |
| US08264879B2 |
Sensing memory cells
Methods, devices, modules, and systems for operating memory cells are taught. A method for operating memory cells includes programming at least one of the memory cells to one of a number of states. Operating memory cells also includes programming at least another one of the memory cells, which is adjacent to the programmed at least one of the memory cells, to one of a different number of states. Operating memory cells also includes sensing non-erased states of the memory cells using at least one common voltage level. |
| US08264876B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having an electrically floating body transistor
A semiconductor memory cell is formed in a semiconductor. The semiconductor memory cell includes: a floating body region defining at least a portion of a surface of the semiconductor memory cell, the floating body region having a first conductivity type; and a buried region located within the semiconductor memory cell and located adjacent to the floating body region, wherein the buried region has a second conductivity type. |
| US08264873B2 |
Non-volatile semiconductor memory circuit and method of controlling the same
A non-volatile semiconductor memory circuit for use in compensating for time dependent resistive changes in phase change memory cells is presented. The non-volatile semiconductor memory circuit includes a control signal generation unit and a sensing block. The control signal generation unit is configured to provide a control signal having a voltage level corresponding to a read command or a write command. The sensing block is configured to selectively provide a first sensing reference voltage substantially equal to a reference voltage. The sensing block is also configured to selectively provide a second sensing reference voltage which is lower than the reference voltage. The first and second sensing reference voltages are selectively provided as a function of the voltage level of the control signal in which the first and second sensing reference voltages are used to read data of the memory cell array. |
| US08264870B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
When threshold voltages of constituent transistors are reduced in order to operate an SRAM circuit at a low voltage, there is a problem in that a leakage current of the transistors is increased and, as a result, electric power consumption when the SRAM circuit is not operated while storing data is increased. Therefore, there is provided a technique for reducing the leakage current of MOS transistors in SRAM memory cells MC by controlling a potential of a source line ssl of the driver MOS transistors in the memory cells. |
| US08264868B2 |
Memory array with metal-insulator transition switching devices
A memory array with Metal-Insulator Transition (MIT) switching devices includes a set of row lines intersecting a set of column lines and a memory element disposed at an intersection between one of the row lines and one of the column lines. The memory element includes a switching layer in series with an MIT material. A method of accessing a target memory element within a memory array includes applying half of an access voltage to a row line connected to the target memory element, the target memory element comprising a switching layer in series with an MIT material, and applying an inverted half of the access voltage to a column line connected to the target memory element. |
| US08264866B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method for manufacturing same
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell. The memory cell is connected to a first interconnection and a second interconnection and includes a plurality of layers. The plurality of layers includes a memory layer and a carbon nanotube-containing layer which is in contact with the memory layer and contains a plurality of carbon nanotubes. |
| US08264863B2 |
Green transistor for nano-Si ferro-electric RAM and method of operating the same
The present disclosure provides a green transistor for nano-Si Ferro-electric random access memory (FeRAM) and method of operating the same. The nano-Si FeRAM includes a plurality of memory cells arranged in an array with bit-lines and word-lines, and each memory cell includes a MOSFET including a gate, a source, a drain, a substrate, and a data storage element formed on the drain spacer of the gate and made of nano-Si in porous SiO2; a word-line connected to the gate; a first bit-line connected to the drain; a second bit-line connected to the source; and an substrate bias supply connected to the substrate, and the gate induced drain leakage current of the MOSFET serves as the read current of the memory cell. |
| US08264854B2 |
Consumer electronic device with elastomeric mat
A method includes providing a molded elastomeric mat having an input protrusion, an output device receiving surface including an output device contact, and a battery receiving indentation including a power supply contact. The method further includes insert molding an output conductive path into the elastomeric mat, the output conductive path electrically coupling a circuit carrier output contact to an output device contact, and insert molding a power supply conductive path into the elastomeric mat, the power supply conductive path electrically coupling a circuit carrier power contact to the power supply contact. The method includes interfacing the elastomeric mat with a circuit carrier, aligning the input protrusion with a circuit carrier input contact, interfacing a display device with the output device receiving surface, electrically connecting the display device with the output device contact, and positioning the elastomeric mat into a housing. |
| US08264851B2 |
Multi-configuration processor-memory substrate device
A Multi-configuration Processor-Memory device for coupling to a PCB (printed circuit board) interface. The device comprises a substrate that supports multiple configurations of memory components and a processor while having a single, common interface with a PCB interface of a printed circuit board. In a first configuration, the substrate supports a processor and a first number of memory components. In a second configuration, the substrate supports a processor and an additional number of memory components. The memory components can be pre-tested, packaged memory components mounted on the substrate. The processor can be a surface mounted processor die. Additionally, the processor can be mounted in a flip chip configuration, side-opposite the memory components. In the first configuration, a heat spreader can be mounted on the memory components and the processor to dissipate heat. In the second, flip chip, configuration, the processor face can be soldered onto a non-functional area of the PCB interface of the printed circuit board to dissipate heat. |
| US08264844B2 |
Electronic apparatus
A conductive chassis plate faces a printed circuit board at a distance. One end of the conductive chassis plate is aligned with one end of the printed circuit board. One end of the conductive chassis plate is electrically connected to a ground wiring pattern provided on one end of the printed circuit board. One end of the conductive chassis plate is electrically connected to a conductive member that extends from one end of the conductive chassis plate toward the other end. As a result, in transmitting or receiving a signal with respect to external equipment attached to a connector, an influence of electrostatic discharge is reduced with a simple configuration. |
| US08264841B2 |
Heat sink and laser diode
The present invention is directed to improve reliability by preventing deterioration in the structure of an inner wall of a water channel caused by galvanic corrosion. A heat sink in which a water channel of a cooling fluid is formed by stacking and bonding a plurality of thin plates, in which a surface in the water channel is made of the same metal material except for at least an end of a bonded part of the thin plates. |
| US08264838B2 |
Supporting structure and display device
A display device includes: a display-device main unit having a display screen on the front; a standing pole; a first support member having mounting holes arranged vertically with a predetermined pitch and fixed to the pole; and a second support member having threaded holes arranged vertically with the same pitch as the predetermined pitch and fewer than the mounting holes. The second support member is fixed to the back of the display-device main unit. One of the first support member and the second support member has an engaging hole, and the other has projections arranged vertically with the same pitch as the predetermined pitch and each capable of being inserted into the engaging hole. According to a projection that is one of the projections and inserted into the engaging hole, mounting holes among the mounting holes and as many as the threaded holes are connected to the threaded holes, respectively. |
| US08264837B2 |
Systems and methods for cover assembly retention of a portable electronic device
This is directed to systems and methods for cover assembly retention of a portable electronic device. In some embodiments, a cover assembly and/or housing of an electronic device can include one or more retention features such as detents, hooks, tabs, extensions, screw plates, screw holes, shuttles, latches, or any combination of the above, for retaining the cover assembly to the housing. In some embodiments, one or more retention features can be included on an internal platform of the electronic device to retain the cover assembly. In some embodiments, a hidden screw feature can be included in a SIM tray slot of the electronic device. Once a SIM tray has been inserted into the SIM tray slot, the screw feature can be hidden from sight and may become unapparent to an end user of the electronic device. |
| US08264836B2 |
Battery cover latching mechanism and electronic device using the same
An exemplary battery cover latching mechanism for latching a battery cover to a rear cover, includes a rod, a suction cup, an elastic element and a sliding key. The rod has a first end and a second end, is hinged to the rear cover, and includes a first positioning slot and a second positioning slot. The suction cup is mounted at the first end of the rod. The elastic element is mounted on the second end of the rod and resisting the rear cover. The sliding key is slidably mounted to the rear cover. When the sliding key latches with the first positioning slot, the suction cup sucks the battery cover to the rear cover; when the sliding key slides out of the first positioning slot to the second positioning slot, the rod rotates relative to the rear cover to release the battery cover. |
| US08264835B2 |
Base and electronic device using the same
A base includes an engaging module, a release button and a code lock module. The release button presses the engaging module to release the host. The code lock module includes a cam assembly, a plurality of dials and a retaining assembly. The cam assembly includes cams arranged along an axis. Each of the dials has a recess for containing one of the cams. The retaining assembly includes a lock head and an elastic element. When one of the dials is rotated to separate one of the cams from the recess, the cam assembly pushes the lock head to be fastened to the release button and make the elastic element deform. When the dials are rotated to allow each recess to contain one cam, the cam assembly moves away from the lock head, and the elastic element restores to drive the lock head to be separated from the release button. |
| US08264831B2 |
Mounting apparatus for PCI card
A mounting apparatus includes a mounting bracket, a mounting piece adapted to mount a PCI card to the mounting bracket, and a securing member. The mounting bracket includes a base and a blocking plate. The mounting piece includes an elongated body and a mounting end. The securing member includes a first pivoting portion pivotably attached to the mounting bracket, a pressing portion, and a mounting portion. The mounting portion includes a securing portion. The securing portion includes a handling portion and a second engaging portion extending from the handling portion. The second engaging portion engages the first engaging portion. The handling portion is configured to drive the second engaging portion to disengage the first engaging portion by pressing the handling portion. |
| US08264830B2 |
Expansion card retention apparatus, systems and methods
An apparatus for retaining an expansion card within an information handling system provides a first bracket including a first elongated body defining a first groove for receiving a first edge of an expansion card and wherein the first groove extends in a direction substantially parallel to a motherboard of the information handling system. The apparatus also includes a first base member extending from the first elongated body, wherein the first base member is attachable to the motherboard and a first pivot portion extending from the first elongated body, wherein the first pivot portion is angled upward toward an interior side of the first bracket. |
| US08264829B2 |
Reconfigurable computer
A portable computer system is provided having a base unit and a detachable display unit. The display unit can be oriented in landscape and portrait orientations, or can be replaced by display units having different physical characteristics. A support structure can be deployed to provide increased physical stability when desired. |
| US08264828B2 |
Electronic device with adjustable operation modes
An electronic device comprises a base, a system module, and at least one axle pivot structure. The axle pivot structure connects the base and the system module, and the axle pivot structure comprises an axle shaft, a first pivotal connection portion, and a second pivotal connection portion. The axle shaft comprises a first end portion and a second end portion. The first pivotal connection portion is pivotally disposed to the first end portion of the axle shaft and the center of the lateral side of the base. The second pivotal connection portion is pivotally disposed on the second end portion of the axle shaft and one lateral side of the system module. Besides, the axle shaft is rotated with respect to the base, and the system module is rotated with respect to the axle shaft, so the different disposed location and disposed angle of the system module can be formed. |
| US08264826B2 |
Electronic apparatus and battery pack
An electronic apparatus includes: a main body including a battery pack mounting portion at an end in a direction; a display portion to be openable to the main body via a hinge portion provided at an end in the direction; a battery pack detachable from the battery pack mounting portion along the direction; a first connector portion provided at a position of the battery pack mounting portion on the end side in the direction; a second connector portion provided to the battery pack and connectable to the first connector portion; a first engagement portion provided at another end of the battery pack mounting portion in the direction; a second engagement portion provided to the battery pack and capable of being engaged with the first engagement portion relatively in the direction; and a notch portion provided at an end of the battery pack in the direction, for avoiding the hinge portion. |
| US08264822B2 |
Image display apparatus and housing assembly configuration
An image display apparatus includes an image display apparatus main body and a pedestal part supporting the image display apparatus main body. The image display main body has a display module, a center frame, a left R cover, a right R cover, and an upper pedestal fixing member connecting part. The display module displays an image on a front face. The center frame is connected to the back face of the display module, and a part thereof is exposed to the outside. The left R cover and the right R cover are connected to the center frame, and cover the back face of the display module. The upper pedestal fixing member connecting part is provided protruding backward from the center frame. The pedestal part has a bottom plate part, a pedestal fixing member, and an upper center frame connecting part. The pedestal fixing member is provided in the bottom plate part. The upper center frame connecting part is provided in the pedestal fixing member, and supports the image display apparatus main body via the upper pedestal fixing member connecting part. |
| US08264821B2 |
Redundant power system transformation structure
A transformation structure for a redundant power system which includes at least two power supplies and a first circuit board to cluster the power supplies and deliver output thereof and a second circuit board electrically connected to the first circuit board. The second circuit board is coupled with at least one transformation module according to output potentials defined by users. The transformation module receives power from the second circuit board and regulates at least one output power. Hence, the present invention could be formed in an independent module with a function of power transformation. Thereby, the transformation module can be selected and mounted onto the second circuit board according to customer's requirements. The second circuit board has a sufficient area serving heat radiation and insulation. The present invention can obtains merits of decreasing the product size, enhancing heat radiation and providing changeable output specifications to meet customizing requirements. |
| US08264818B2 |
Electrochemical cell and method of manufacturing electrochemical cell
Provided is an electric double layer capacitor capable of simply connecting a current collector to an external electrode at a low cost and ensuring a sealing property of a container. The electric double layer capacitor includes: a container in which an opening of a concave portion is sealed; an electrolytic solution and a pair of electrode active materials which are accommodated inside the container; and a pair of conductive films which is respectively and electrically connected to the pair of electrode active materials and is formed from a bottom surface of the concave portion to a surface of the container through an opening edge. |
| US08264816B2 |
Externally fused and resistively loaded safety capacitor
A capacitor with a combined with a resistor and/or fuse is described. This safe capacitor can rapidly discharge through the resistor when shorted. The presence of a fuse in series with the capacitor and results in a resistive failure when this opens during and overcurrent condition. Furthermore, the presence of a resistor in parallel to the capacitor allows the energy to be rapidly dissipated when a failure occurs. |
| US08264811B1 |
Apparatus for the dispersal and discharge of static electricity
An apparatus for the collection and discharge of static electrical charges without the need for an earth ground or atmosphere. This apparatus has three major parts: a collector stage, a conversion stage, and an emissive stage. The collection stage, an apparatus that can carry a static charge from the environment external to the apparatus, is connected electrically to the conversion stage, comprising one or more layers of a material that can carry an electrical charge, disposed among two or more layers of a material that can carry an electrical charge, which layers are in turn connected electrically to components so as to trap the electrical charges in an electromagnetic field and convert them into electrical energy. Finally, the electrical output of the conversion stage is electrically connected to an emissive stage: comprising a transducing device or circuit capable of utilizing the energy or emitting it. |
| US08264809B2 |
System and apparatus for circuit protection within an equipment enclosure
An arc transfer device for use in a switchgear includes at least one first electrical connector configured to connect the arc transfer device to a voltage supply within the switchgear, and a racking cassette. The racking cassette includes at least one second electrical connector that is configured to be electrically coupled to the at least one first electrical connector based on the racking position of the arc transfer device. |
| US08264804B2 |
Device for preventing the explosion of an element of an electrical transformer
A device for preventing the explosion of an element of an electrical transformer provided with a tank containing a combustible cooling fluid, comprising a pressure release element for decompressing the tank, and a bag placed downstream of the pressure release element and configured to pass from a flat state to an inflated state upon the rupture of the pressure release element and for confining fluid. |
| US08264802B2 |
Current limiting device
A modular design of a fault current limiter includes one ore more current limiting units 1 with one or more superconducting elements 2 and where standardized current limiting units 1 and standardized modular insulation housings 10 can be used for modular design of a fault current limiter. |
| US08264801B2 |
Arrangement and approach for coupling power supplies using controlled switching techniques
Power supplies are switched in a manner that mitigates parasitic shorts. According to an example, a control circuit (e.g., 310) operates primary and backup power supplies using the higher of the primary and backup supply voltages, for switching between the power supplies. |
| US08264799B2 |
Magnetic recording head
A magnetic device includes a first magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, a second magnetic layer having at least one magnetic material layer, a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material with a fixed magnetization direction, and a pair of electrodes. The pair of electrodes are operable to pass a current through a laminated body including the first and second magnetic layers, the nonmagnetic layer, and the third magnetic layer. |
| US08264798B1 |
Systems and methods for providing magnetic recording heads adapted for writing shingled tracks
A magnetic recording head including a write pole and a shield. The write pole has a pole tip face that is parallel to the air bearing surface of the magnetic recording head, a leading surface having a leading edge at the pole face, a first side surface having a first side edge at the pole face, a second side surface having a second side edge at the pole face, and a trailing surface having a trailing edge at the pole face. The shield surrounds the first side surface, the trailing surface, and the second side surface of the write pole tip, and is separated from the first side surface of the write pole tip by a first side gap, from the trailing surface of the write pole tip by a trailing gap, and from the second side surface of the write pole tip by a second side gap. There is a notch formed in the inner wall of the shield adjacent to the corner of the write pole tip formed by one side surface and the trailing surface of the write pole tip. |
| US08264796B2 |
Suspension for releasing thermal deformation thereof and suppressing thermal crown change of a slider mounted thereon, head gimbal assembly and disk drive unit with same
A suspension for a HGA includes a flexure having a suspension tongue with electrical pads adapted for mounting a slider thereon. The suspension tongue has some portions etched with left portions therebetween forming into at least one hinge or spring mechanism for releasing thermal deformation of the suspension tongue and suppressing thermal crown change of the slider. The etched portions have an H-shaped, an M-shaped, an X-shaped, or a stairway configuration, or the like. The invention also discloses a HGA with the suspension and a disk drive unit having such suspension. |
| US08264794B2 |
Head and disk drive with same
According to one embodiment, a facing surface of a slider of a head includes a leading step on an inflow side of the slider, a leading pad on the leading step, a pair of side steps extending in a first direction from the leading step toward an outflow end of the slider and opposed to each other across a space in a second direction, side pads provided on the side steps to be continuous with the side pads, individually, a trailing step located on an outflow side of the airflow and provided with a head section, and induction grooves continuously extending from the leading pad to the side pads, individually, and configured to guide introduced airflow. |
| US08264793B2 |
Tape head with facing beams each having a head chip positioned in a recess thereof
A tape head has first and second beams each having a recess in a tape bearing surface thereof, a face where the faces of the beams either face each other or face away from each other. A first chip is positioned in the recess of the first beam, and a second chip is positioned in the recess of the second beam. Each chip has circuitry selected from a group consisting of read elements, write elements, and combinations thereof. A tape bearing surface of each chip is generally aligned with the tape bearing surface of the associated beam. Also, an end of each chip is generally aligned with the face of the associated beam. Where closures are used, this eliminates the need to aligning the closure to skiving edges of the beam. |
| US08264790B2 |
Housing apparatus for housing housed object, housing method therefor, and library apparatus for housing recording medium
A housing apparatus includes a plurality of housing units to have housed objects housed therein, a carrying unit to include the plurality of the housing units arranged in a ring shape, the carrying unit carrying the housing units to a carriage position, and a transferring unit to be disposed facing a carriage destination of the housed objects with the carrying unit existing therebetween to transfer the housed object in the housing unit carried and positioned at the carriage position from the housing unit to the carriage destination or to transfer the housed object in the carriage destination from the carriage destination to the housing unit. |
| US08264788B2 |
Discrete track media (DTM) design and fabrication for heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR)
An apparatus includes a recording media including a substrate, a plurality of tracks of magnetic material on the substrate, and a non-magnetic material between the tracks; a recording head having an air bearing surface positioned adjacent to the recording media, and including a magnetic pole, an optical transducer, and a near-field transducer, wherein the near-field transducer directs electromagnetic radiation onto tracks to heat portions of the tracks and a magnetic field from the magnetic pole is used to create magnetic transitions in the heated portions of the tracks; and a plasmonic material positioned adjacent to the magnetic material to increase coupling between the electromagnetic radiation and the magnetic material. |
| US08264784B2 |
Optical system
There is provided an optical system configured of 4-sheet lenses to have a wide angle of view. The optical system includes: a first lens having a positive refractive power, with both surfaces being convex; a second lens having a negative refractive power, with both surfaces thereof being concave; a third lens having a positive refractive power and a meniscus shape; and a fourth lens having a negative refractive power, with both surfaces thereof being concave, all of which are disposed in order from an object to a front upper surface. In the optical system, the refractive powers of the first lens to the fourth lens satisfy the following Conditional Expression 1. f 1 f 4 < - 1.1 Conditional Expression 1 In Conditional Expression, f1: a focal distance of the first lens and f4: a focal distance of the fourth lens. |
| US08264783B2 |
Wide-angle lens system having short overall length
A lens system includes, in order from the subject side to the image side of thereof, a first lens group of negative refractive power, a second lends group of positive refractive power, and an image plane. The first lens group includes a first spherical lens, a second spherical lens, and a third spherical lens arranged in this order from the subject side to the image side of the lens system. The first spherical lens includes a first subject surface and a first image surface. The lens system satisfies the following formula: 8.9 |
| US08264780B2 |
High zoom-ratio zoom lens system
A high zoom-ratio zoom lens system includes a positive first lens group, a negative second lens group, a positive third lens group, and a positive fourth lens group, in that order from the object side. Upon zooming from the short to long focal length extremities, at least the first through third lens groups are moved along the optical axis direction, wherein an amount of movement of the first lens group is greater than that of the third lens group. The following conditions (1), (2) and (3) are satisfied: 0.9 |
| US08264775B2 |
Optical system for displaying an image on the surface of a solar panel
An optical system that allows an image to be displayed on the surface of a solar panel without this image forming an obstacle to direct solar rays. The system includes a solar panel, a lenticular surface formed from linear lenses, and a transparent film on which an image, the straight bands of which, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lenses, have been removed, is printed. At certain viewing angles, an observer can see only the image bands, whereas at other angles of incidence the sun's rays will pass through the transparent bands and reach the active surface of the solar sensor. The system is particularly suitable for, for example, aesthetic and architectural integration of solar panels, and for disseminating visual information on the surface thereof. |
| US08264773B2 |
Grating structure for splitting light
A grating structure for splitting light. The grating structure including alternating ridges and grooves. The ridges and grooves are configured such that the grating directs p-polarization components of incident light to the −1st order diffraction mode and s-polarization components of incident light to the 0th order diffraction mode. |
| US08264772B2 |
Depth and lateral size control of three-dimensional images in projection integral imaging
A method disclosed herein relates to displaying three-dimensional images. The method comprising, projecting integral images to a display device, and displaying three-dimensional images with the display device. Further disclosed herein is an apparatus for displaying orthoscopic 3-D images. The apparatus comprising, a projector for projecting integral images, and a micro-convex-mirror array for displaying the projected images. |
| US08264768B2 |
Microscope system
A microscope system that is capable of changing a status of observation of a sample comprises an instruction unit for giving instruction for driving one or more optical members including an objective lens or for changing a relative position of the sample and the objective lens; and an image capturing unit for capturing an observed image of the sample as a still image or a live image. The microscope system changes an order for performing operations in accordance with the instruction from the instruction unit, the operations including an operation of driving the one or more optical members or changing the relative position; an operation of switching the illumination light for the sample from being cut-off or reduced to being applied; and an operation of switching the image displayed in a display unit from the still image to the live image. |
| US08264767B2 |
Surgical observation system
A surgical observation system provided with a supporting arm movable in the three-dimensional direction includes an endoscope objective unit having a tubular insertion section and provided with objective optical systems, a microscope objective unit provided with objective optical systems having a focusing optical system and variable magnification optical systems, and a mounting and dismounting section provided in the supporting arm, mountable and dismountable with respect to the objective units by having interchangeability. The objective optical systems provided in each of the objective units are constructed so that light beams emerging therefrom toward the mounting and dismounting section are changed to afocal light beams, and the mounting and dismounting section is provided with a pair of imaging lenses and a pair of image sensors and is constructed so that, in a state where the objective unit is mounted to the mounting and dismounting section, the objective unit is optically connected with the mounting and dismounting section. |
| US08264766B2 |
Wavelength conversion element, wavelength conversion method, phase matching method, and light source device
A wavelength conversion element is provided as one including a monocrystalline nonlinear optical crystal. The nonlinear optical crystal has: a plurality of first regions having a polarity direction along a predetermined direction; a plurality of second regions having a polarity direction opposite to the predetermined direction; an entrance face into which a fundamental incident wave having a wavelength λ and a frequency ω is incident in a direction substantially perpendicular to the predetermined direction; and an exit face from which a second harmonic with a frequency 2ω generated in the crystal emerges. The plurality of first and second regions are formed as alternately arranged in a period substantially equal to d expressed by a predetermined expression, between the entrance face and the exit face. |
| US08264761B2 |
Vehicle rearview mirror with spotter mirror
A mirror element comprising a front element, a rear element, electrochromic material therebetween, and a spotter optic located at the rear surface of the front element. At least a portion of the spotter optic has a first radius of curvature and at least a portion of the front surface of the front element has a greater second radius of curvature. A line perpendicular to the front surface extends through both the electrochromic material and the spotter optic. A first electrode coating and a second electrode coating are activated to activate the electrochromic material in order to dim a reflection off of the mirror element. A reflective coating of the spotter optic can form a portion of the first electrode coating. The first electrode coating and the reflective coating can overlap. |
| US08264755B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus including: a black image forming section for forming a black image and a first black pattern for a coarse correction of black and optionally a second black pattern for a precise correction of black; a color image forming section for forming a color image optionally a third pattern for a coarse correction of color and optionally a fourth pattern for a precise correction of color; and a control section for allowing at least the first black pattern to be formed and optionally a second black pattern and third and fourth color patterns, and controlling to perform the coarse correction of black for correcting a forming condition of a black image to be formed and to perform optionally a precise correction of black, the coarse and precise correction of color based on the measurement of the formed pattern(s), wherein the control section controls to perform the coarse correction of black but not to perform the precise correction of black and the coarse and precise corrections of color in case a print job is acquired after a predetermined period elapses since the black image forming section has formed the first black pattern previously and the acquired print job includes a black-and-white page only. |
| US08264749B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes a light emitting unit which emits light to a document, a photoelectric conversion unit which converts a quantity of light reflected from the document into an analog signal, an A/D converter which converts the analog signal to a digital signal, a clock unit which clocks elapsed time from start-up of the light emitting unit, a light-quantity calculating unit which calculates the quantity of light emitted to the document from the light emitting unit on the basis of the clocked elapsed time, a correction value calculating unit which calculates a correction value of the digital signal on the basis of the quantity of light calculated by the light-quantity calculating unit and the digital signal, and a γ correction unit which corrects the digital signal by referring to the correction value calculated by the correction value calculating unit. |
| US08264748B2 |
Image reading apparatus and method
An image reading apparatus executes stop processing to stop scanning of the carriage during the scan operation, acquires information on the stop processing executed by the control unit, corrects a restart position of the carriage for a document image reading after the stop processing based on the information acquired. |
| US08264743B2 |
Information processor, information processing method, and recording medium
An information processor includes a display part displaying a configuration pattern combining values set for corresponding two or more of printing conditions; a management part managing default values for the printing conditions for an image forming apparatus; a recording part recording the configuration pattern and optionally setting an identifier as a value for the individual printing conditions, the identifier being indicative of the individual default values; and a setting part, in response to the identifier being set for at least one of the two or more of the printing conditions in the recorded configuration pattern, obtaining one of the default values corresponding to the at least one of the two or more of the printing conditions from the management part and setting the obtained one of the default values for the at least one of the two or more of the printing conditions in the configuration pattern. |
| US08264740B2 |
Image printing apparatus and method of controlling the same
This invention relates an image printing apparatus capable of copying by executing enlargement/reduction (E/R) processing optimum to an instructed mode. According to the apparatus, a copy mode and an enlargement rate are input. The use priority order of each enlargement/reduction (E/R) unit of the apparatus is decided. The enlargement rate is distributed to each E/R unit in accordance with the copy mode, decided use priority order, and the E/R rate upper limit value of each E/R unit. An image is copied by causing each E/R unit to sequentially execute E/R processing in accordance with the distributed enlargement rate and the decided use priority order and causing a printing unit to print based on the image data that has undergone the E/R processing. |
| US08264739B2 |
Print controlling system extracting image data inside print region when page size and record medium size agree
A print controlling apparatus is supplied capable of adjusting image of electronic document to an optimum size. In the print controlling apparatus which includes an inputting section for inputting image data of electronic document and an expanding section for expanding the inputted image data into print data, and is used for printing the electronic document onto record medium, a first obtaining section obtains page size information representing page size of the electronic document; a second obtaining section obtains medium size information representing medium size of the record medium; a comparing and judging section compares the page size information with the medium size information, and judges whether the two size information are coincident; and when the two size information are coincident, an extracting section extracts image data inside of region corresponding to print region of the record medium from the image data, wherein the expanding section expands the extracted image data inside of region and generates print data inside of region corresponding to the print region. |
| US08264737B2 |
Image forming apparatus and control method therefor
An image forming apparatus image which is capable of accurately correcting the magnification of an image without degrading the quality of the formed image or reducing productivity, to thereby make it possible to cope with an increase in the operating speed of the apparatus. The image forming apparatus is comprised of an image processing section having an image area-separating section, and an image forming section having an exposure control section. The image area-separating section separates image data into at least two kinds of areas. The exposure control section performs magnification correction on at least one area of the image data separated by the image area-separating unit. |
| US08264733B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method for detecting light intensities
An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out processes such as an image forming process in an efficient manner while reducing downtime. Laser beam is emitted onto an intermediate transfer belt. The light intensities of light scattered from the laser beam reflected by at least a part of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt are detected, and light intensity distribution information on the distribution of the detected light intensities are acquired. Phase information on phases on the intermediate transfer belt is acquired based on the light intensity distribution information. An image forming process in which an image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt is carried out in synchronization with a predetermined phase included in the acquired phase information. |
| US08264732B2 |
Continuously printing images on a web material and continuously transferring the images to identity documents
A system and method for continuously printing images on a web material and continuously transferring the images to identity documents. A print component prints images on the web material. A registration component registers select images to identity documents. An applicator component applies the select images to the identity documents. A controller maintains throughput of the web material through the print component, registration component, and applicator component. The controller allows the system to continuously print images on the web material and continuously transfer the images to identity documents, in that it synchronizes cycles of the components, so that the components have simultaneous processing cycles and have simultaneous intervals between processing cycles. |
| US08264728B2 |
Log collecting system, computer apparatus and log collecting program
A log collecting system includes a computer apparatus and at least one peripheral apparatus connected to the computer apparatus. The peripheral apparatus stores a first log relating to all operation of the at least one peripheral apparatus in a first log memory region, and stores, in a second log memory region, a second log indicative of any influence on the operation of the at least one peripheral apparatus among the first logs. The computer apparatus stores a third log relating to the operation of the computer apparatus concerning the at least one peripheral apparatus, acquires and stores the second logs, acquires the first log stored in the first log memory region, and creates one log information with the acquired first log, the third log stored in the third log memory region, and the second log stored in the fourth log memory region when the first log acquiring section acquires the first log. |
| US08264726B2 |
Parallel printing system having flow control in a virtual disk transfer system
A printing system comprised of a printer, a plurality of processing nodes, each processing node being disposed for processing a portion of a print job into a printer dependent format, and a processing manager for spooling the print job into selectively sized chunks and assigning the chunks to selected ones of the nodes for parallel processing of the chunks by the processing nodes into the printer dependent format. The chunks are selectively sized from at least one page to an entire size of the print job in accordance with predetermined splitting factors for enhancing printer printing efficiency. The operating of the printing system includes a method for parallel processing of a print job with a plurality of processing nodes into a printer-ready format for printing the print job, wherein the processing nodes communicate with a virtual disk transfer system and control usage thereof by monitoring available space in the virtual disk transfer system. |
| US08264725B1 |
Providing printable content
In one embodiment, a registry of network-connected printers that are members of a social print group is maintained at a computer system. Content is obtained. A first request is received from a first printer that is a member of the group. The first request is a request to share the content with a second printer that is a member of the group. A communication that the content is accessible at the second printer is sent. A second request is received from the second printer. The second request is a request to provide the content to the second printer. Content is provided to the second printer. |
| US08264724B2 |
Job history information auditing system, image forming apparatus, control method, and computer-readable medium
A job history information auditing system includes an image forming apparatus which generates job history information including a log and image data or a link log upon execution of a job, and a data server which saves the job history information in a searchable state. |
| US08264723B2 |
Printing apparatus, printing system, and computer program product
A printing apparatus performs a printing process for a printing job including at least one print data and a series of process commands from a host apparatus. A session setup unit sets up a session with the host apparatus and other printing apparatus. A status obtaining unit obtains a status of the other printing apparatus that is in session with the printing apparatus. Upon performing the print process, a job synchronizing unit maintains a synchronization of the print job with the other printing apparatus that is in session with the printing apparatus. |
| US08264721B2 |
Server apparatus, management system, and method
A server apparatus configured to manage log information corresponding to job information transmitted from a host computer to a printer includes a storage unit storing the log information received in a temporary storage area, an issue unit configured to issue identification information identifying the log information, a generation unit configured to generate authentication information based on the identification information and authenticate the identification information, a transmission unit configured to transmit the identification to the host computer, a reception unit configured to receive, from the image processing apparatus, identification information and authentication information extracted by the image processing apparatus from job information received by the image processing apparatus from the host computer, a determination unit configured to determine whether log information corresponding to the identification information is stored in the temporary storage area, and a notification unit configured to notify the image processing apparatus of the determination result. |
| US08264720B2 |
Printing control apparatus and printing control method that can prompt a user to set additional information which is effective later as a part of a print log
A printing control apparatus to store print data in a storage area from a print application and to send the print data to a print apparatus. The printing control apparatus includes a control unit to send, when a billing code is set in a first received print data, the print data to the print apparatus and to control, when no billing code is set in the first received print data, an order of the print data so that subsequent data is sent before (or instead of) the first received print data, a display control unit to display a list of the print data received from the print application, and a setting unit to select one or more print data from the list of the print data displayed by the display control unit to set a billing code according to input by a user. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US08264718B2 |
Image-processing apparatus, image-processing system, and method for transmitting and receiving data suited for transmitting and receiving data among a plurality of image-processing apparatuses
In order to promote reception of transmitted data, an image-processing apparatus is connected to a plurality of image-processing apparatuses through a network and has a designation unit to receive a designation of an arbitrary destination user as a receiver of data; a storing unit to store the data in a storing device so as to enable reading of the data by an operation by the destination user designated by the designation unit; and a control unit to execute a predetermined action with respect to the destination user designated by the designation unit when no reading operation for the data is executed by the destination user after a predetermined elapse of time from storing the data in the storing device. |
| US08264713B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method, and information processing apparatus
In an image forming apparatus, a delivery instruction receiving part receives a delivery instruction for instructing a delivery form a request originator, and a delivering part delivers data indicated by a delivery instruction description in accordance with the delivery instruction indicated by the delivery instruction by a deliver type indicated by the deliver instruction description, so that delivery processes corresponding to a plurality of different delivery types can be conducted. The delivery instruction description is written in a form which can be shared and used for the plurality of different delivery types. |
| US08264696B2 |
Measuring instrument and method for determining geometric properties of profile sections
Disclosed is a measuring instrument for determining geometric properties of a profiled element. Said measuring instrument comprises:—a device that generates at least one first light beam (7) and a second light beam (8), the direction of radiation of the first light beam being different from the direction of radiation of the second light beam;—a retro-reflecting surface (3) which is arranged in such a way relative to the light source that at least some of both light beams is incident on the retro-reflecting surface; and—a recording device (14) which can determine, across the transversal extension thereof, the light intensity distribution of at least some of the reflected light beam of the first light beam and at least some of the reflected light beam of the second light beam, the first light beam being reflected by the retro-reflecting surface and the second light beam being reflected by the/a retro-reflecting surface. |
| US08264695B2 |
Method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape
A method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, a method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape and a measuring apparatus for interferometrically measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape. The method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, each of which wave shaping elements has a diffractive measurement structure for adapting part of a wave front of incoming light to a respective portion of the target shape, includes: providing a first one of the wave shaping elements with a diffractive alignment structure, arranging the wave shaping elements relative to each other such that each of the diffractive measurement structures is traversed by a separate subset of rays of the incoming light during operation of the measuring apparatus, and aligning the first wave shaping element and a second one of the wave shaping elements relative to each other by evaluating alignment light having consecutively interacted with the diffractive alignment structure and with the second wave shaping element. |
| US08264694B2 |
Quantitative phase-contrast and excitation-emission systems
An optical system includes an optical interferometer that generates interference phenomena between optical waves to measure multiple distances, thicknesses, and indices of refraction of a sample. An excitation-emission device allows an electromagnetic excitation and emission to pass through an objective in optical communication with the sample. An electromagnetic detector receives the output of the optical interferometer and the excitation-emission device to render a magnified image of the sample. A digital delay generator synchronizes the optical interferometer and excitation-emission device to operate in substantially unison to generate a noninvasive depth of field of the portion of the sample that corrects a plurality of optical aberrations in real-time. |
| US08264693B2 |
Method and system for measuring at least one property including a magnetic property of a material using pulsed laser sources
A method of measuring at least one property including a magnetic property of target material is provided. A pump pulse train having one or more pump pulses is generated. The target material is irradiated with at least a portion of the one or more pump pulses so as to cause transient perturbation in the target material. At least one probe pulse train is generated having one or more probe pulses. The target material is irradiated with at least a portion of the one or more probe pulses to obtain one or more reflected probe pulses which are modulated based on the transient perturbation. A time interval between a time at which the target material is irradiated by each of the pump pulses and a time at which the target material is irradiated by each of its corresponding probe pulses is controlled. Each modulated probe pulse is detected. |
| US08264692B2 |
Push-pull two wavelength fabry perot sensor for fiber optic acoustic sensor arrays
Two optical wavelengths are used to interrogate a fiber optic Fabry-Perot sensor having a moveable diaphragm that changes the width of a gap between two reflective surfaces. By picking the right operating point for the gap, the power output for one wavelength increases as the gap width changes and the power for the other wavelength decreases. A ratio of the difference of the two powers over the sum of the two powers is formed to generate a detected signal independent of power and phase fluctuations in a fiber between signal sources and sensor and between sensor and detector. This ratio, which is called the visibility, has a response proportional to the pressure of acoustic disturbances that move the diaphragm. The push-pull sensor can be used with both TDM and CW fan-out array architectures. |
| US08264690B2 |
Method and apparatus for the detection of trace gas species using multiple line integrated absorption spectroscopy
An apparatus and method are used to enhance the sensitivity of a spectrometer (sensor) for trace gas species detection by employing an external cavity continuously tunable CW quantum cascade laser and integrating the absorption spectra across multiple lines of the species. With this method the absorption spectra of NO2 is continuously recorded across the R-branch from 1628.8 cm−1 to 1634.5 cm−1. By integrating the resulting spectra, the detection sensitivity for NO2 is improved by a factor of 15 compared to the sensitivity achieved using single line laser absorption spectroscopy with the same apparatus. This procedure offers much shorter data acquisition times for the real-time monitoring of trace gas species compared with adding repeated scans of the spectra to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. |
| US08264686B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method using overlay measurement
A lithographic apparatus arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate includes a reference set of gratings provided in the substrate, the reference set including two reference gratings having line elements in a first direction and one reference grating having line elements in a second, perpendicular, direction. A measurement set of gratings is provided on top of the reference set of gratings, the measurement set comprising three measurement gratings similar to the reference gratings. Two of the measurement gratings are oppositely biased in the second direction relative to the respective reference gratings. An overlay measurement device is provided to measure asymmetry of the three gratings in the reference set and the measurement set, and to derive from the measured asymmetry the overlay in both the first and second direction. |
| US08264685B2 |
Electrooptic probe for vector measurement of an electromagnetic field
A device for measuring two components of an electromagnetic field in an analysis zone includes a light source for sending a polarized light beam into a polarization-maintaining optical fiber. The beam is directed along one axis of the fiber. An isotropic electrooptic material is placed in the zone for receiving the beam from the optical fiber via a substantially quarter-wave plate, which has its axes oriented at an angle of substantially 45° to the axes of the optical fiber and for sending a beam into the fiber. The plate is slightly detuned in regard to its characteristics or its orientation. The device further includes a phase-shifter for phase-shifting the beam sent into the fiber, wherein the phase-shifter is set so as to impose a phase shift equal and opposite to that imposed by the fiber and mechanism for analyzing the orientation and ellipticity of the wave exiting the phase-shifter. |
| US08264684B2 |
Scanning analyzer for single molecule detection and methods of use
The invention encompasses analyzers and analyzer systems that include a single molecule analyzer, methods of using the analyzer and analyzer systems to analyze samples, either for single molecules or for molecular complexes. The single molecule uses electromagnetic radiation that is translated through the sample to detect the presence or absence of a single molecule. The single molecule analyzer provided herein is useful for diagnostics because the analyzer detects single molecules with zero carryover between samples. |
| US08264683B2 |
Dynamic characterization of particles with flow cytometry
Flow cytometry concepts are modified to enable dynamic characterizations of particles to be obtained using optical scattering data. Particles in flow will be introduced into a sample volume. Light scattered by a particle in the sample volume is collected and analyzed. What differentiates the concepts disclosed herein from conventional flow cytometry is the use of an acoustic source that is disposed to direct acoustic energy into the sample volume. As the particle passes through the sample volume, it responds to the acoustic energy, causing changes in the light scattered by the particle. Those changes, which are not measured during conventional flow cytometry, can be analyzed to determine additional physical properties of the particle. |
| US08264682B2 |
Optical spectrum analyzer
An optical spectrum analyzer includes a diffraction-grating control unit configured to change an angle of a diffraction grating to change a wavelength of a dispersed light beam extracted from incident light, a calculator unit configured to calculate an angle of the diffraction grating such that the wavelength of the dispersed light beam has a sampling wavelength, and to store the data indicating the angle, a FIFO memory configured such that part of the data is inputted to it, for outputting the data at each reception of a trigger signal indicating timing of sampling, and an FIFO memory control unit configured to output the subsequent data to the FIFO memory, when a remaining data amount of the FIFO memory reaches a predetermined value or lower. |
| US08264681B2 |
Methods and apparatus for remote Raman and laser-induced breakdown spectrometry
An spectrometer including Raman and LIBS spectroscopy capabilities is disclosed. The spectrometer includes a laser source configurable to produce a lased light directable towards a target substance, the laser source having a single wavelength and having sufficient power to cause a portion of the target to emit Raman scattering and sufficient to ablate a portion of the target substance to produce a plasma plume. A separate remote light collector is optically configurable to collect light emitted from the portion of the target emitting Raman scattering and from the portion of the target producing the plasma plume. A filter is optically coupled to the remote light collector to remove reflected light and Rayleigh-scattered light, and a spectroscope is optically coupled to the filter and configured to separate the collected and filtered light into a frequency spectrum comprising a Raman spectrum and a laser-induced breakdown spectrum. Finally, an electronic light sensor is used to record the frequency spectrum. |
| US08264674B2 |
Methods of separating, identifying and dispensing specimen and device therefor, and analyzing device method
[PROBLEMS] A separation unit can confirms a separation state, a detection unit enhances a lighting efficiency and a light reception sensitivity, and a dispensing unit ensures the normal state of a specimen. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A specimen separation device characterized by comprising a container for storing a specimen, a nozzle for sucking and ejecting the specimen from the container, a nozzle operating means for moving the nozzle vertically and laterally, and a nozzle controlling means for controlling the suction force and ejection force of the nozzle. A specimen identification device comprising a nozzle for sucking a specimen from a container storing the specimen, a flow path for allowing the specimen to flow therethrough, and a measuring unit having a monitoring light lighting unit and a light receiving unit for observing (monitoring) the specimen that are installed in a flow path, characterized in that the above nozzle, the flow path and the measuring unit are formed in an integrated structure. |
| US08264673B2 |
Back-illuminated distance measuring sensor and distance measuring device
Two charge quantities (Q1,Q2) are output from respective pixels P (m,n) of the back-illuminated distance measuring sensor 1 as signals d′(m,n) having the distance information. Since the respective pixels P (m,n) output signals d′(m,n) responsive to the distance to an object H as micro distance measuring sensors, a distance image of the object can be obtained as an aggregate of distance information to respective points on the object H if reflection light from the object H is imaged on the pickup area 1B. If carriers generated at a deep portion in the semiconductor in response to incidence of near-infrared light for projection are led in a potential well provided in the vicinity of the carrier-generated position opposed to the light incident surface side, high-speed and accurate distance measurement is enabled. |
| US08264672B1 |
Visually determining Fresnel zone boundaries in a device
A rangefinder calculates Fresnel zones for a location between the rangefinder and a far-end target. Fresnel zone boundaries are calculated at the location. The boundaries are shown in the viewing interface of the rangefinder. Whenever, the Fresnel zone boundary changes, the radius of the Fresnel zone boundary changes accordingly in the viewing interface. The viewing interface enables a user to view obstacles that appear between the rangefinder and the far-end target and are located within the Fresnel zone boundary. |
| US08264671B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A detection method for detecting a property of an extended pattern formed by at least one line generally extending in a first direction. The extended pattern is formed on a substrate or on a substrate table and preferably extends over a length of at least 50× the width of the line. The extended pattern is focus sensitive. The detection method includes moving the substrate table in a first direction and measuring along that first direction a property of the extended pattern. The property can be a result of a physical property of the extended pattern in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In a next step a calibration of the substrate table position can be derived from the measured position of the extended pattern. |
| US08264670B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method for clamping a patterning device
The invention provides a lithographic apparatus including an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a patterning device support constructed to support a transmissive patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the patterning device support is configured to hold a patterning device and wherein the lithographic apparatus includes a clamping device, the clamping device being configured to clamp the patterning device at the top side. |
| US08264667B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method using interferometric and other exposure
A lithographic apparatus including an exposure unit that exposes parallel lines on a target area of a substrate by projecting two beams of radiation onto the substrate. The two beams of radiation are projected such that they interfere with each other to form the parallel lines. An actuator continuously moves the substrate relative to the exposure unit, while the exposure unit exposes the parallel lines on the target areas on the substrate. |
| US08264664B2 |
Method for producing a marker on a substrate, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A method of producing a marker on a substrate includes projecting a patterned beam on a layer of resist disposed on a substrate in a lithographic apparatus to create a latent marker; and locally heating the substrate at the marker location in the lithographic apparatus to transform the latent marker into a detectable marker. |
| US08264662B2 |
In-line particle detection for immersion lithography
An immersion lithography system, comprising a lens unit configured to project a pattern from an end thereof and onto a wafer, a hood unit configured to confine an immersion fluid to a region of the wafer surrounding the end of the lens unit, a wafer stage configured to position the wafer proximate the end of the lens unit, and at least one of an image capturing apparatus and a scattering light detection apparatus, wherein the image capturing apparatus is coupled to the wafer stage and is configured to capture an image of a surface of the hood unit proximate the wafer stage, and wherein the scattering light detection apparatus is proximate the end of the lens unit and the hood unit and is configured to detect particles on a surface of the wafer stage. |
| US08264661B2 |
Liquid crystal display device with data switching thin film transistor for inspection and inspection method thereof
A liquid crystal display device includes a pixel matrix where a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines cross each other and a plurality of liquid crystal cells are arranged, first data switching thin film transistors respectively connected to data lines of a first group of the data lines, and second data switching thin film transistors respectively connected to data lines of a second group of the data lines. |
| US08264657B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and method of manufacturing the same
A spherical spacer is used as a spacer member defining a gap, and is fixed to a color filter substrate. A concave portion coming in contact with a part of the spherical spacer is formed in a position in a TFT substrate, the position being opposite to the spherical spacer. The substrates are bonded with each other by engaging the spherical spacer and the concave portion with each other. |
| US08264655B2 |
Electro-optic device and electronic apparatus
The electro-optic device of the present invention includes an arrangement of an electro-optic panel and a lenticular lens sheet on one side of the electro-optic panel, wherein the lenticular lens sheet includes multiple cylindrical lenses arrayed parallel to one another and an alignment line extending in such a direction as to intersect with the cylindrical lenses at a predetermined angle. The lenticular lens sheet has cylindrical lenses arrayed so that the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical lenses intersects with the pixel array direction of the electro-optic panel at a predetermined angle, and has an alignment line formed in the lenticular lens sheet that is in alignment with the positioning reference portions of the electro-optic panel. |
| US08264653B2 |
In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device and method for fabricating the same
An in-plane switching mode LCD having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix includes a gate line formed on a lower substrate, a data line formed such that the data line intersect the gate line to define a pixel region, a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) formed at the intersection of the gate line and the data line, a pixel electrode connected to the TFT, a common electrode to generate a horizontal electric field with the pixel electrode, and a common line supplying common voltage to the common electrode, wherein the common line comprises a first common line formed parallel to the gate line, a second common line formed parallel to the date line in a side portion of the pixel region adjacent to the data line, and a third common line formed parallel to the gate line and disposed between a first row and a second row of the matrix. |
| US08264651B2 |
Thin film transistor array substrate and liquid crystal display panel having the same
A TFT array is disclosed that includes a substrate, a gate line formed on the substrate, the gate line extending in a first direction; a data line insulated from the gate line, the data line extending in a second direction different from the first direction and crossing the gate line; and a pixel, positioned adjacent an intersection of the gate line and the data line, wherein the pixel comprises a first pixel electrode portion comprising a plurality of spaced apart first electrode lines, the first pixel electrode portion having an associated TFT coupled to the first electrode portion, a second pixel electrode portion comprising a plurality of spaced apart second electrode lines, the second pixel electrode portion capacitively coupled with the first pixel electrode portion, wherein a width of each of the first electrode lines of the first pixel electrode portion is narrower than a width of each of the second electrode lines of the second pixel electrode portion, and an interval between adjacent first electrode lines of the first pixel electrode portion is smaller than an interval between adjacent second electrode lines of the second pixel electrode portion. |
| US08264648B2 |
Impact resistant electro-optical module and electronic device
An electro-optical module includes: an electro-optical panel; and a transparent protector disposed on a viewer-side surface of the electro-optical panel, wherein transparent protector has a stack structure including a first transparent protection layer that faces the electro-optical panel and is formed of an elastic material and a second transparent protection layer that has a higher dynamic elasticity value than that of the first transparent protection layer within a frequency range of 1 to 10 Hz. |
| US08264647B2 |
Image display apparatus and optical compensation device
An image display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal layer disposed between a pair of substrates, and an optical compensation plate pair including a first optical compensation plate and a second optical compensation plate, the first optical compensation plate being formed of a negative uniaxial crystal and the second optical compensation plate being formed of a positive uniaxial crystal. The optical compensation plate pair is configured such that an optical phase difference caused by a difference in thickness between the first optical compensation plate and the second optical compensation plate cancels an optical phase difference generated by the liquid crystal panel. |
| US08264645B2 |
Transflective display
A multi-mode Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) capable of functioning in a multi-mode, a monochrome reflective mode and a color transmissive mode. One embodiment provides an LCD with color filters only over most or all of the transmissive part of a pixel but only part of the reflective portion of a pixel, enabling readability in the ambient light. Embodiments eliminate the black matrix mask used typically in color filter creation. Additionally, an embodiment provides diagonal pixels to improve the resolution of the LCD in the color transmissive mode. Further, an embodiment enables the light to switch between two colors, while a third color (typically green) is always on, thereby decreasing the required frame rate of the LCD, when used in the hybrid field sequential approach. Yet another embodiment creates colors from the backlight, eliminating the need for color filters. Another embodiment involves use of color filters over only the green pixels, eliminating the need for using additional masks for making the color filter array. |
| US08264642B2 |
Color cholesteric liquid crystal display devices and fabrication methods thereof
Single-layered color cholesteric liquid crystal display devices and fabrication methods thereof are provided. The color cholesteric liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate structure having a base and periodic protrusion banks. A second substrate structure is disposed opposite the first substrate structure to enclose the periodic protrusion banks, and divide a plurality of color sub-pixel channels. A plurality of color cholesteric liquid crystals are respectfully filled in each of the color sub-pixel channel, wherein the base and the periodic protrusion banks are made of continuously integral material. |
| US08264641B2 |
Optical compensated bend mode liquid crystal display
An optical compensated bend (OCB) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a pixel electrode, a color filter, a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer. The pixel electrode is formed on the first substrate of the OCB mode LCD. The color filter is formed on the second substrate of the OCB mode LCD. The common electrode is formed on the color filter. The liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. A step structure is formed on the second structure, so that the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are twisted into the bend state from the splay state uniformly and quickly. |
| US08264638B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display which includes a first display panel including a plurality of pixel electrodes, a second display panel facing the first display panel, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first display panel and the second display panel, and a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel. The second display panel includes a light emitting element displaying a color, an insulating layer disposed on the light emitting element and including a rubbed surface, a polarization layer disposed on the insulating layer and opposite to the light emitting element with respect to the insulating layer, and a common electrode disposed on the polarization layer and facing the pixel electrode. |
| US08264637B2 |
Photonic crystal optical filter, reflective color filter, display apparatus using the reflective color filter, and method of manufacturing the reflective color filter
Example embodiments relate to a photonic crystal optical filter, a reflective color filter using the photonic crystal optical filter, a display apparatus using the reflective color filter, and a method of manufacturing the reflective color filter. The photonic crystal optical filter may include a transparent substrate; a barrier layer formed on the transparent substrate; and a photonic crystal layer formed on the barrier layer. The photonic crystal layer may have a structure in which a first material having a relatively high refractive index and a second material having a relatively low refractive index are periodically arranged so as to reflect light having a wavelength band corresponding to a photonic band gap. |
| US08264636B2 |
Laser backside irradiation device and liquid crystal display device
Provided are a laser backside irradiation device and a liquid crystal display device reducing a thickness of the respective device and improving a contrast while making a luminance distribution substantially uniform. The laser backside irradiation device includes a laser light source, a splitting optical system splitting laser light emitted from the laser light source into a plurality of laser beams, and a plurality of illumination optical systems illuminating a liquid crystal panel for two-dimensionally modulating a light intensity from a backside thereof, wherein the illumination optical systems expand the laser beams split by the splitting optical system to illuminate divided regions on the liquid crystal panel, respectively. |
| US08264629B2 |
Liquid crystal display
The present invention provides a method for forming a pixel element. The method comprises: forming a first patterned metal layer within the pixel area; forming an insulation layer on the first patterned metal layer; forming a semiconductor layer on the insulation layer; patterning the semiconductor layer to form bend seed generation portion; and forming a second metal layer to connect the semiconductor layer. |
| US08264620B2 |
Image processor and image processing method
According to one embodiment of the invention, an electronic apparatus comprises a receiving module, a configuration module, a selection module and a control module. The receiving module is configured to receive video information containing a plurality of pieces of audio information in different languages. The audio information is compressed in arbitrary audio compression formats. The configuration module is configured to control the display of a configuration screen for enabling an adjustment of an audio volume for each of the audio compression formats by a user. The selection module is configured to control the display of a selection menu for enabling a selection of languages, namely select a language for audio output among the languages being displayed while the received video information is displayed. The control module is configured to adjust the audio volume according to the selected language referring to a configuration set by the configuration module. |
| US08264615B2 |
Split edge enhancement architecture
A system and method for enhancing the detail edges and transitions in an input video signal. This enhancement may be accomplished by enhancing small detail edges before up-scaling and enhancing large amplitude transitions after up-scaling. For example, detail edge enhancement (detail EE) may be used to enhance the fine details of an input video signal. An edge map may be used to prevent enhancing the large edges and accompanying mosquito noise with the detail enhancement. Noise may additionally be removed from the signal. After the fine details are enhanced, the signal may be up-scaled. Luminance transition improvement (LTI) or chrominance transition improvement (CTI) may be used to enhance the large transitions of the input video signal post scaler. |
| US08264609B2 |
Caption presentation method and apparatus using same
A caption presentation method and an apparatus using the method, by which caption and information related to the caption can be provided together in a broadcast receiver or in an image reproducer that displays the caption in a closed caption method. The method includes detecting subject information from a caption signal; obtaining visual information with respect to the caption, based on the detected caption subject information; and displaying the visual information and the caption signal together. |
| US08264607B2 |
Method of sampling phase calibration and device thereof
A method of sampling phase calibration and a device thereof is suitable for an analog-to-digital converter and phase lock loop (ADC-PLL). The ADC-PLL conducts sampling on a periodic analog signal according to a sampling phase so as to produce a plurality of digital signals. The sampling phase calibration device includes a storage unit, a motion-detecting unit and a control unit. The motion-detecting unit is to calculate the number of motion data corresponding to a sampling phase. The control unit is coupled to the motion-detecting unit for changing the sampling phase so as to obtain the number of motion data corresponding to each sampling phase and selecting the sampling phase corresponding to the minimum number of motion data as an optimal sampling phase. The ADC-PLL can correctly sample an analog signal by using the optimal sampling phase and reduce the influence of clock jitter to the minimum. |
| US08264606B2 |
Direct digital encoding and radio frequency modulation for broadcast television applications
A digital audio encoder, digital video conditioner, and a digital modulator are described for producing a television broadcast signal at a desired channel frequency range. Left and right audio channel signals are digitized and encoded according to a stereo standard and then combined to form a stereo audio signal. A second audio programming channel signal may be included. A video input can be digitized and conditioned to form a digital video channel. The stereo audio signal can be placed directly at a desired channel frequency by frequency modulation without the need for using an intermediate frequency. The digital video channel can be placed at a desired frequency by amplitude modulation. The digital and audio channels can be digitally combined to create a television transmission signal at a desired frequency and according to a desired standard. |
| US08264604B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
A image processing apparatus includes an interlace/progressive converter that converts interlaced input image data into progressive image data; an up-convert material detector that detects low quality up-convert material likelihood of the interlaced input image data; and an image processor that obtains output image data by processing progressive image data on the basis of the detected signal of the up-convert material detector, wherein the up-convert material detector detects the low quality up-convert material likelihood on the basis of ratio of the sum of an inter-field pixel value difference and the sum of in-field pixel value difference, the pixels in a predetermined area being obtained as sequential notable pixels using image data of a first field and a second field that are continuous in each field. |
| US08264596B2 |
Digital camera with live view mode
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 130 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, and the microcomputer 110 controls so that movable mirrors 121a and 121b to enter an optical path of an image pickup optical system after the amount of light from a subject is obtained based on the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130, a strobe 137 emits light, and measurement results of an AE sensor 133 are obtained. 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. |
| US08264595B2 |
Imaging device with extended dynamic range
An imaging device comprises: an imaging element (1) capable of reading accumulated charges of different exposure times in a predetermined frame period, the imaging element being divided into groups for long-time exposure and short-time exposure; and a timing pulse generator (2) for adjusting read timings of the imaging element (1). A first read timing at which an accumulated charge of long-time exposure is read from the group for long-time exposure and a second read timing at which an accumulated charge of short-time exposure is read from the group for short-time exposure are adjusted separately from each other. This provides an imaging device that can extend the dynamic range according to the degree of contrast between light and shade of a subject. |
| US08264594B2 |
Exposure control for an imaging system
A device that analyzes an image. The device includes a circuit that receives an image that includes a plurality of pixels. The circuit creates a histogram of the image and analyzes the histogram to determine an acceptable exposure of the image. The histogram may include a plurality of bins versus a population of pixels associated with each bin. By way of example, the bins may be associated with an intensity of light. The images and histograms may include data defined by low dynamic range number of bits and/or an extended dynamic range number of bits. Certain features and criteria of the image may be determined and analyzed to determine whether the image has an acceptable exposure. If the image is unacceptable, an exposure characteristic can be changed and the process can be repeated until an acceptable image is obtained. |
| US08264593B2 |
Camera device, and method and program for supporting focus adjustment
A camera device (1) includes an AF value calculating unit (14), a focus position determining unit (15), and an LED control unit (16). The AF value calculating unit (14) calculates an AF value from a camera image captured by an image imaging element (2). The focus position determining unit (15) determines a correct focus position based on the AF value. The LED control unit (16) controls light emission of an LED (13) provided in a main body (4) and indicates the correct focus position to a user. This allows to assist the user in focus adjustment by means of a light emitter provided in the main body. Thus, the camera device which allows the user by himself to adjust focus with ease without the help of others is provided. |
| US08264592B2 |
Image pickup apparatus having improved contrast autofocus accuracy
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup device that includes a plurality of focus detection pixels, a phase difference detection type of a first focus detector, a contrast detection type of a second focus detector, and a controller. The controller is configured to allow the second focus detector to continue the focus detection when the shift amount detected by the first focus detector is larger than a threshold even when the second focus detector detects the lens position corresponding to the peak of the contrast value, and to move the image pickup lens to a lens position that provides a peak of a contrast value detected by the second focus detector when the shift amount is the threshold or smaller. |
| US08264588B2 |
Digital camera
A digital camera has a display, a magnification input device, and a magnification control device. The display simultaneously displays images. The magnification input device is used to input the magnification factor for the images displayed in said display. The magnification control device which simultaneously changes the magnification of the images displayed in said display by substantially the same multiplier according to the magnification factor input by said magnification input device. |
| US08264584B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, additional information providing server, and additional information filtering system
Only landmark information desired by a user out of a plurality of landmark information transmitted from a map server is displayed. An image capturing apparatus (102) includes: an imaging unit (114) that captures a digital image; a communication unit (112) that obtains a plurality of additional information from a predetermined map server (120) that holds the plurality of additional information each corresponding to an object included in the digital image captured by the imaging unit (114); a display-information extracting unit (113) that selects additional information to be displayed from among the plurality of additional information obtained by the communication unit (112); and an overlaying display processing unit (116) and a display unit (117) that display only the additional information selected by the display-information extracting unit (113) from among the plurality of additional information, to be overlaid on the digital image captured by the imaging unit (114). |
| US08264583B2 |
Information processing apparatus, method and computer program product
This invention enables an intention of a photographer to be reflected with greater accuracy in image processing based on actions performed by the photographer when taking an image. Based on user information acquired by a user information acquisition section, supplementary information such as whether a composition flag is on or off and assignment of an image classification is recorded with an image. Based on the supplementary information, various types of image processing such as setting an image trimming range, imparting an effect, and arranging an image on a mount are performed. |
| US08264582B2 |
Solid-state image capturing apparatus and electronic information device
In a three-TR configuration pixel, the solid-state image capturing apparatus according to the present invention is capable of securing an electric potential difference sufficiently between a signal voltage and a reset voltage at the transferring of a signal charge and performing complete transferring of the signal charge from a photoelectric conversion element to an FD section easily and stably. Each pixel section, constituting a pixel array, has a 3TR configuration including reset transistors, transfer transistors and amplifying transistors. In each row of the pixel array, provided are a level shifter for driving reset drain wiring connected to a drain of the reset transistor, with an electric potential higher than a power supply voltage, and another level shifter for driving a reset signal line connected to a gate of the reset transistor, with an electric potential higher than the power supply voltage. |
| US08264572B2 |
Image processing apparatus and electronic camera that reduce the length of time required to complete reproduction of recorded image data
An electronic camera includes: an image capturing device that performs photoelectric conversion on a subject image formed by a photographic optical system and outputs image data; an image display device that displays an image based upon the image data; a first storage device achieving a first access speed; a second storage device achieving a second access speed lower than the first access speed; and a control device that, if image data for display are present in the first storage device when an image reproduction mode for displaying the image based upon the image data at the image display device is set, displays an image based upon the image data in the first storage device at the image display device, and if the image data for display are not present in the first storage device, displays an image based upon image data in the second storage device at the image display device. |
| US08264567B2 |
Electronic apparatus, imaging device, method for time correction, and program
An electronic apparatus includes a time measuring unit that measures time, a time information acquiring unit that acquires time information, a determining unit that determines whether a specific process using time measured by the time measuring unit is being performed, and a time correcting unit that corrects time measured by the time measuring unit on the basis of the time information when the determining unit determines that the specific process is not being performed. |
| US08264563B2 |
Image pick-up apparatus and synchronization-signal-generating apparatus
An image signal generation portion 11 generates an image signal of a variable frame-rate picked-up image. A signal generation control portion 24 drives the image signal generation portion 11 and generates image pick-up setting information IF to generate an image signal that is frame-synchronized with a generated image signal DVd. The generated image signal DVd is output in condition where the image pick-up setting information IF is inserted in it. When supplied with image pick-up setting information IFex, the signal generation control portion 24 controls the driving operations of the image signal generation portion 11 based on the image pick-up setting information IFex, to frame-synchronize the generated image signal with an image signal of a reference variable frame-rate picked-up image of a source that has supplied the image pick-up setting information IFex. If a plurality of image pick-up devices capable of varying a frame rate is used, the image signals can be frame-synchronized with each other. |
| US08264555B2 |
Reducing video shaking
Included are embodiments for reducing undesirable motion in a video. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving a plurality of video frames that comprise at least one segment of a video, the plurality of video frames being captured by a capture device and determining a maximum undesired movement of the capture device for the plurality of video frames during the at least one segment. Some embodiments include trimming at least a portion of the video frames according to the determined maximum undesired movement such that the undesirable movement in the video is reduced. |
| US08264554B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method of obtaining a roll angle of the imaging apparatus, and correcting detected roll angle
An imaging apparatus includes an image pickup device, a device that obtains an image from the image pickup device, a sensor that detects a roll angle of the sensor, wherein the sensor detects a reference roll angle of the sensor when the imaging apparatus is disposed at a predetermined roll angle, a device that calculates a reference roll angle of the image pickup device by using a reference image from the image pickup device when the imaging apparatus is disposed at the predetermined roll angle and a device that corrects a roll angle of the sensor by calculating a relative roll angle from the reference roll angle of the image pickup device and the reference roll angle of the sensor. |
| US08264553B2 |
Hardware assisted image deblurring
The described implementations relate to deblurring images. One system includes an imaging device configured to capture an image, a linear motion detector and a rotational motion detector. This system also includes a controller configured to receive a signal from the imaging device relating to capture of the image and to responsively cause the linear motion detector and the rotational motion detector to detect motion-related information. Finally, this particular system includes a motion calculator configured to recover camera motion associated with the image based upon the detected motion-related information and to infer imaging device motion induced blur of the image and an image deblurring component configured to reduce imaging device induced blur from the image utilizing the inferred camera motion induced blur. |
| US08264551B2 |
Methods for correcting distortions of image-taking video signals and apparatus for correcting distortions of image-taking video signals
A method and an apparatus for correcting distortions of image-taking video signals are provided. The method and an apparatus adopting the method are capable of reducing distortion generated in a taken image by correction of inter-frame and intra-frame hand movements in an image-taking apparatus employing an image-taking device of an X-Y address type. To be more specific, this method is capable of correcting distortion observed in a taken image as distortion caused by a positional change, which occurs in the horizontal and/or vertical directions of the taken image at a photographing time as a positional change of the image-taking device. In accordance with the method, in a frame period of a taken image, an inter-frame correction quantity for a positional change of the device is detected and, on the basis of the detected inter-frame correction quantity, the positional change is corrected to eliminate a displacement observed when the frame changes to the next one as a displacement of the taken image. An intra-frame correction quantity for a positional change of the image-taking device is computed for each of many locations on the screen of the taken image and, on the basis of the computed intra-frame correction quantity, distortions caused by positional changes on the screen of the taken image as distortions of the taken image are corrected. |
| US08264550B2 |
Shake correction apparatus, image pickup apparatus, and method for controlling shake correction apparatus
There is provided a shake correction apparatus having an image pickup optical system that includes a correction lens capable of moving in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis. The shake correction apparatus comprises: a detection unit that detects shake applied to the shake correction apparatus; a determination unit that determines a reference position of the correction lens; and a drive unit that drives the correction lens with the reference position serving as a center position, so as to correct the shake detected by the detection unit. The determination unit determines the reference position, in a range where a condition that a Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) of the image pickup optical system when the correction lens is positioned at the determined reference position is equal to or larger than a threshold is satisfied. |
| US08264548B2 |
Steering mirror for TV receiving high frequency wireless video
In a home system in which a TV receives video from various sources over directional wireless links such as 60 GHz links, a mirror apparatus is provided that can be configured to physically steer a signal toward a receiver on the TV to optimize received signal strength. In this way, RF energy that otherwise would be radiated in non-productive directions away from the receiver is reflected toward the receiver. |
| US08264538B2 |
Optically monitoring comb-line of escalators and moving walks
Method for monitoring at least part of a comb-line (18) of a comb plate (14) having a plurality of teeth (16), of a people conveyor (2) having a movable transportation band (4) and the comb plate (14) located at the transition (20) between the movable transportation band (4) and the stationary comb plate (14), wherein the method includes (a) taking a picture of the comb-line (18) with a camera (12); (b) comparing the picture with a reference picture; (c) determining the safety state of the comb-line (18) based on such comparison. |
| US08264535B2 |
Method and apparatus for analyzing a group of photolithographic masks
The invention relates to a method for analyzing a group of at least two masks for photolithography, wherein each of the masks comprises a substructure of a total structure, which is to be introduced in a layer of the wafer in the lithographic process, and the total structure is introduced in the layer of the wafer by introducing the substructures in sequence. In this method, a first aerial image of a first one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. Then, a second aerial image of a second one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. A combination image is generated from the data of the first and second aerial images, which combination image is represented and/or evaluated. |
| US08264531B2 |
Driver's state monitoring system using a camera mounted on steering wheel
The status of a driver is monitored by facial images captured by a camera mounted on the steering wheel of a vehicle. The captured image is tilt corrected by a steering angle. The status of the driver can be monitored efficiently. |
| US08264530B2 |
Method for processing an imprint image
A method for processing at least an imprint image of an individual using a processing device that comprises an exhibition glass sheet having a surface for receiving said imprint. The method includes acquiring without contact at least one image of the imprint present in the space upstream from the said surface and which has not yet been in contact with it and detecting the contact between the imprint and the exhibition glass sheet; acquiring by contact at least one image of the imprint after contact with the exhibition glass sheet; and standardizing at least one of the contact-less images in proportions that are identical to those of one of the contact images by analysing at least one of the contact-less images and at least one of the contact images. |
| US08264528B2 |
Display apparatus, frame member, and reflection suppressing member
A display apparatus, frame member, and reflection suppressing member that are capable of achieving an improvement in display quality and an improvement in visibility, are provided. In a case, a reflection suppressing portion that attenuates emitted display light is formed on an annular wall portion (frame portion). The reflection suppressing portion previously suppresses undesirable display (display that is directed to a not-intended direction) which can occur due to the display light emitted from an outer periphery of a display face being reflected by the case and the like. |
| US08264518B2 |
Gesture-based actions in a video communication session
In one embodiment, a method for transferring a communication session detects a transfer indication generated by a user of a first video conference system, where the transfer indication requests to transfer an active voice communication session. The method acquires image information associated with the transfer indication, where the image information includes at least one frame captured from a second video conference system having an active video conference session with the first video conference system. The method identifies a mobile communication device associated with the transfer indication and having the active voice communication session and identifies a target communication device using the image information associated with the transfer indication. The method also initiates transfer of the voice communication session to the target communication device. |
| US08264516B2 |
Method and apparatus for process magnification adjustment
A magnification adjustment method for a document processing system having a fixed frequency clock source providing a fixed frequency output signal to a plurality of raster output scanners (ROSs) and a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO)-based adjustable frequency clock source providing an adjustable frequency output signal to the ROSs is disclosed. The method includes: using a controller to determine a frequency setting for a phase increment control input signal to the adjustable frequency clock source; starting the document processing system; using the controller to set a phase accumulator control input to the frequency setting; sending a message to a ROS control module prior to imaging, including the correct clock source to use for the next image, the correct clock source being either the fixed frequency clock source or the adjustable frequency clock source; and applying the correct clock source synchronously to the beginning of an inter image panel zone. |
| US08264510B2 |
Exposure head and image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier having a curvature in a first direction; and an exposure head including a first light emitting element that emits a light having a wavelength λ11 and a light having a wavelength λ12, a first optical system that converges each of the light emitted from the first light emitting element onto the image carrier, a second light emitting element, and a second optical system that converges a light emitted from the second light emitting element onto the image carrier, wherein a position at which the first optical system converges each of the light and a position at which the second optical system converges the light are different from each other with respect to the first direction. |