| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08265453B2 |
Recording medium, playback apparatus, recording apparatus, playback method, recording method, and program
A BD-ROM has recorded thereon: a plurality of subtitle streams each configured for playback in sync with a video stream; and PlayList information. The PlayList information includes PlayItem information and a display method flag. The PlayItem information defines a playback section with information indicating In_time and Out_time of a playback time axis of the video stream and includes a stream information table. The display method flag indicates whether or not control according to a subtitle display method is valid. The stream information table specifies to, a playback apparatus, one of the subtitle streams to be selected if the control according to the subtitle display method is valid. |
| US08265452B2 |
Recording apparatus and method for recording a program and management information
As a method of quickly displaying a thumbnail for navigation display of an AV stream, it is necessary to associate the AV stream with a thumbnail file when recording the thumbnail file separately from the AV stream file. The association, therefore, is performed by use of a serial number of the recorded AV stream file as a name of the related thumbnail file. |
| US08265451B2 |
Recording medium capable of interactive reproducing and reproduction system for the same
On an optical disk, video object sets (VTST_VOBS) to be reproduced and video title set information (VTSI) serving as management information on the video object sets have been stored. In each video object set (VTST_VOBS), many data cells, each containing video, audio, and sub-picture data, are arranged. Management information on programs chains, which are combinations of programs to be reproduced one after another, has been written in a video title set PGC table (VTS_PGCIT). By referring to the program chain table (VTS_PGCIT) according to the user's input, the playback order of program chains can be changed, enabling the program chains to be reproduced one after another in various modes. |
| US08265450B2 |
Capturing and inserting closed captioning data in digital video
Some embodiments of the invention provide a novel method for processing a high definition (“HD”) digital video that includes video data and closed captioning data. The method (i) imports an HD digital video in a computer system, (ii) extracts closed captioning data from the HD digital video and (iii) stores the extracted closed captioning data in a storage of the computer system (e.g., hard drive of the computer system). Some embodiments first import all of the video before extracting closed captioning data from it, while other embodiments extract closed captioning data from the video as they import the video into the computer system. In some embodiments, a video editing application of a computer system performs this HD-video processing method. Accordingly, in some such cases, the method also edits the video that is extracted from the HD digital video. In addition, when video data is edited, the extracted closed captioning data is also edited in some embodiments. |
| US08265449B2 |
Information delivery apparatus, stream recording apparatus, recording system, stream reproducing apparatus, and record reproducing system
An information delivery apparatus includes an encoder for encoding and packetizing digital data of an image or an audio, a frame assembly identification packet insertion unit for inserting a frame assembly identification packet including time information in the data packetized by the encoder on a frame assembly basis, and a transmission side communication module for outputting to a network the stream data having the frame assembly identification packet inserted therein by the frame assembly identification insertion unit. |
| US08265447B2 |
Modular fiber optic enclosure with external cable spool
A fiber optic enclosure includes a housing and a cable spool assembly. The housing includes a main body and a cover mounted to the main body. The cover and the main body cooperatively define an interior region. The cable spool assembly is connected to an exterior of the housing. The cable spool assembly includes a drum portion and a strain relief post. |
| US08265446B2 |
Kit of optical fibers for percutaneous ablative treatment
The kit of optical fibers for percutaneous ablative treatment, comprises at least two optical fibers (5), each of which is equipped; at a first end with a connector (5A) to a laser source (7); and in proximity to a second end with a device (5B) for constraining to a pervious needle (9). The kit comprises a coding system that characterizes one fiber with respect to the other, allowing said fibers to be distinguished from one another. |
| US08265441B2 |
Hydrogen-resistant optical fiber/grating structure suitable for use in downhole sensor applications
A hydrogen-resistant optical fiber particularly well-suitable for downhole applications comprises a relatively thick pure silica core and a depressed-index cladding layer. Interposed between the depressed-index cladding layer and the core is a relatively thin germanium-doped interface. By maintaining a proper relationship between the pure silica core diameter and the thickness of the germanium-doped interface, a majority (preferably, more than 65%) of the propagating signal can be confined within the pure silica core and, therefore, be protected from hydrogen-induced attenuation problems associated with the presence of germanium (as is common in downhole fiber applications). The hydrogen-resistant fiber of the present invention can be formed to include one or more Bragg gratings within the germanium-doped interface, useful for sensing applications. |
| US08265431B2 |
Rotated single or multicore optical fiber
An apparatus for estimating a shape, the apparatus including: an optical fiber configured to conform to the shape and having a first core offset from a centerline of the optical fiber, the first core having an optical characteristic configured to change due to a change in shape of the optical fiber wherein a change in the optical characteristic is used to estimate the shape. A method for estimating a shape is also disclosed. |
| US08265429B2 |
Image processing apparatus and methods for laying out images
An image processing apparatus, includes an input unit that inputs a plurality of input images. The image processing apparatus also includes an acquisition unit that acquires photographic information added to each of the plurality of input images. The image processing apparatus further includes a first setting unit that sets control information used to control a layout of each of the plurality of input images in accordance with whether or not the photographic information indicates that the respective input image is photographed with emphasis on an object. The image processing apparatus further includes a generator that generates an output image on which each of the plurality of input images is configured to have an image size according to the control information of the respective input image. |
| US08265428B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of data in a data store
A method of determining whether particular data is included in a data store. The particular data comprises a plurality of first data values and the data store comprises a plurality of second data values. The method comprises obtaining identification data associated with the particular data. The identification comprises a subset of said first data values. A portion of the data store is retrieved and it is determined whether at least a predetermined number of data values of the identification data have a predetermined relationship with corresponding second data values of the retrieved portion of the data store. |
| US08265427B2 |
Interpolator and designing method thereof
Interpolation of signed values A and B is efficiently performed by simple circuitry. To calculate an interpolated value C based on a 4-bit values A (bits a3a2a1a0) and B (bits b3b2b1b0) expressing a negative number by twos complement notation and a 4-bit interpolation rate D (bits d3d2d1d0) consisting of only a decimal part, a basic expression of C=(1−D)*A+D*B is transformed into an expression composed of an unsigned part that includes a sum of products with a bit di or a logically inverted value ei of the bit di (i=0, 1, 2, and 3), and indicates an absolute value of the interpolated value C, and a signed part indicating a sign of the interpolated value C. Then, 7 bits of bits c6 through c0 are generated from an arithmetic operation of the unsigned part, and logic judgement of the signed part is performed by considering a carry from the digit of the bit c6 of the arithmetic operation of the unsigned part to generate a bit c7. Significant digits of the obtained 8-bit value (bits c7 through c0) are outputted as an interpolated value. |
| US08265426B2 |
Image processor and image processing method for increasing video resolution
According to one embodiment, an image processor comprises an image converter and a controller. The image converter is configured to convert a first video signal of a first resolution to a second video signal of a second resolution higher than the first resolution. The conversion is based on a parameter indicating a ratio of high-frequency component pixels of the first video signal to be interpolated and pixels forming the first video signal to be interpolated. The controller is configured to change the parameter based on a type of broadcast wave of the first video signal. The type of broadcast wave may include, but is not limited or restricted to satellite broadcasting or terrestrial broadcasting. |
| US08265424B1 |
Variable seam replication in images with energy-weighted priority
A system and method for expansion and reduction of images uses variable seam replication to expand an image. Seam carving techniques may be used to identify one or more low-cost seams of an input image, and these low-cost seams may be replicated to produce a resized version of the image. A different replication factor may be applied to different ones of the low-cost seams, dependent on the average or total energy value of each seam. For example, the lowest cost seam may be replicated twice as many times as the next lowest cost seam. The replication factor applied to each seam may be dependent on the number of low-cost seams identified for replication, which may be configurable by users. A configurable look-up table may map seam costs to replication factors, and may be accessed to determine a respective replication factor to be applied to each of the identified low-cost seams. |
| US08265423B2 |
Image processing for arranging images based on size ratio
A plurality of images are input, specific regions are set for each of the inputted plurality of images, a typical size of the specific regions of each of the plurality of images is determined, and the ratio of the typical size to the size of the entire image is calculated as a typical size ratio. A typical size ratio used as a reference is selected from the typical size ratios calculated for the respective images as a reference ratio, and a candidate region upon trimming that image is determined based on the specific regions of each of the plurality of images. A trimming region for each of the plurality of images is determined based on the reference ratio, and the typical size ratio and candidate region of each image, and each of the plurality of images is trimmed according to the trimming region. |
| US08265420B2 |
Digital image exposure correction
Techniques are disclosed for correcting the exposure of a digital image. An exposure predictor may be generated based on a set of images for which ground truth data are known. After identifying an optimal set of features, the exposure of the digital image may be corrected by extracting values of the selected optimal features from the image, using the predictor to predict a desired exposure correction for the image, and correcting the exposure of the image by the predicted desired amount. Exposure correction is based on a model that relates intensity of light in the world to the RGB digits of the digital image. The model comprises a gamma function that models the response of a typical monitor and a S-shaped curve that compresses the large dynamic range of the world to the small dynamic range of the RGB digit space. |
| US08265419B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes an edge keeping index (EKI) generating unit and a noise reducing unit. The image decoding unit decodes a data stream to generate a plurality of image comprising at least a current image having the target pixel. The adjusting unit, coupled to the image decoding unit, comprises an edge keeping index (EKI) generating unit, for generating an edge intensity value of the target pixel according to an original luminance value of the target pixel and an original luminance value of at least one neighboring pixel associated with the target pixel, and a noise reducing unit, coupled to the EKI generating unit, for determining a first adjusted luminance value of the target pixel according to the original luminance value of the target pixel and the original luminance value of the at least one neighboring pixel associated with the target pixel, and for generating a static adjusted luminance value of the target pixel according to the original luminance value, the first adjusted luminance value and a first adjustment value of the target pixel. The adjustment value is determined by the edge intensity value. |
| US08265417B2 |
Image processing apparatus, method, and program for adding shadow information to images
An image processing apparatus processes an input image while also considering the luminous intensity information thereof, and thereby generates an output image wherein the apparent object surface roughness has been enhanced with respect to the input image. The image processing apparatus includes a luminous intensity information separator that separates the input image information into global luminous intensity information and local luminous intensity information, a shadow component generator that generates a shadow component of the image on the basis of the local luminous intensity information, and an image compositor that generates an output image by adding shadow image information to the input image information, with the shadow image information being generated from the shadow component and from a value based on the input image information. |
| US08265413B2 |
Digital image degraining filter and method
A method of filtering and a degraining filter employ lowest edge activity (LEA) to assign a pixel value in a filtered image. A method of filtering includes selecting a set of pixels that includes a central pixel and pixels surrounding the central pixel from a digital image. The set has a plurality of subsets of pixels where at least one subset includes the central pixel. The method of filtering further includes assigning a value of a corresponding central pixel in a filtered image. The assigned value is a mean value of pixels in an identified subset of the plurality having the LEA. A degraining filter includes a processor, a memory and a computer program having instruction that implement selecting the set, identifying the subset with LEA and assigning the value. |
| US08265412B2 |
Image processing method
An image processing method for removing a noise component contained in an original image includes: smoothing a noise component contained in an original image on a temporary basis by using a noise fluctuation index value; extracting a temporary noise component free of a non-noise component based upon a differential signal representing a difference between the original image and a smoothed image; extracting an actual noise component by further excluding a component less likely to be a noise component from the extracted temporary noise component by comparing the extracted temporary noise component with the noise fluctuation index value again; and removing noise from the original image based upon the extracted actual noise component having been extracted. |
| US08265409B2 |
Edge preservation image processing device and image processing method
An image processing device and an image processing method of the invention generate multiple images having different edge preservation performances based on an original image, and synthesize the multiple images based on edge information. In the synthesis, the generated images are synthesized in such a manner that an image of an edge portion in the generated image having a low edge preservation performance is replaced by the generated image having a high edge preservation performance. |
| US08265406B2 |
Parallel entropy encoding of dependent image blocks
A method of entropy encoding image or video data may include entropy encoding a number of blocks independently and in parallel to generate a number of bit streams. At least one of the number of bit streams may include an assumed value in place of a value that would be determined by another bit stream. The method may also include selectively correcting the assumed value based on a value in another one of the number of bit streams. The number of bit streams may be combined into an output, entropy encoded bit stream corresponding to the number of blocks. |
| US08265405B2 |
Image encoding apparatus, image decoding apparatus, image encoding method, image decoding method, image encoding program, and image decoding program
A variable-length encoder that feeds a Coded Block Pattern (CBP) as an input symbol to variable-length code output part. Coded symbol memory supplies CBPs in neighboring blocks as coding map table reference information to coding map table provider. Coding map table provider determines a coding map table used in coding of the CBP, based on these CBPs in the neighboring blocks, and provides a coding map table H4 to variable-length code output part. Variable-length coding table provider feeds a variable-length coding table to variable-length code output part. Then the coding target CBP is subjected to variable-length coding, and the resultant is outputted as coded data. This allows information source coding of coding symbols to be performed efficiently according to the coding condition and the property of image. |
| US08265403B2 |
Picture coding method and picture decoding method
The method includes the following units: a coefficient number detecting unit (109) for detecting the number of coefficients which has a value other than 0 for each block according to the generated coefficient, a coefficient number storing unit (110) for storing the number of coefficients detected, a coefficient number coding unit (111) for selecting a table for variable length coding based on the numbers of coefficients in the coded blocks located on the periphery of a current block to be coded with reference to the selected table for variable length coding so as to perform variable length coding for the number of coefficients. |
| US08265401B2 |
Image compressing apparatus, image compressing method, image decompressing apparatus, image decompressing method, image forming apparatus and recording medium
When compressing continuous tone bit map image data, the image compression section of the image compressing apparatus segments the continuous tone bit map image data into bit map image data for lossy compression, index image data for lossless compression and bit map image data for lossless compression based on pixel identification information data. The lossy compression section of the image compression section performs lossy compression process according to the JPEG method for the bit map image data for lossy compression, and the first lossless compression section thereof performs lossless compression process according to the JBIG method for the index image data for lossless compression. Furthermore, the second lossless compression section thereof performs lossless compression process according to the JPEG-LS method for the bit map image data for lossless compression. |
| US08265398B2 |
Image analysis system and image analysis program
There is provided an image analysis system which captures image data of an arbitrary pair of a first image RI and a second image LI among images obtained by color-photographing a single object from different positions into an analysis computer, wherein the computer includes corresponding point extraction means for assigning a weighing factor to a pixel information value based on the contrast size of the pixel information value in each of a first local area ROI1 set around an arbitrary reference point in RI and second local areas ROI2s at which scanning is performed on LI, calculating the similarity between ROI1 and ROI2s, and extracting a corresponding point which corresponds to the reference point from a ROI2 having the highest similarity, and depth information calculating means for calculating depth information of the object based on coordinates of the reference point and the corresponding point. |
| US08265394B2 |
Multi-image file editing apparatus and multi-image file editing method
A multi-image file includes one representative main image data and one or more sub-image data other than the main image data in one file. Each of the image data is provided with a header area. When dividing the multi-image file into individual image files, related information indicative of a relationship between the main image data and the one or more sub-image data is recorded in the header area of the main image data and in the header area of each of the one or more sub-image data. The related information is necessary for reconstructing the multi-image file from a plurality of divided image data and includes, for example, a total number of the sub-images, an image identification number, main image file identification information, an image type, and the like. |
| US08265390B2 |
Probabilistic segmentation in computer-aided detection
Described herein is a method and system for facilitating segmentation of images. A difference image is received and processed to extract at least one histogram (402). A noise component is determined by fitting a symmetric Gaussian distribution to the extracted histogram such that the negative portion of the Gaussian distribution coincides with the negative portion of the histogram (403). The noise component is then subtracted from the histogram to generate a probability distribution function (404), which may be converted to a cumulative distribution function (406) and applied to the difference image to generate a probabilistic representation of contrast enhancement (408). |
| US08265389B2 |
Color enhancement for digital images
Techniques for identifying and enhancing colors in a digital image associated with one or more target color shades. In an embodiment, the target color shades may include a shade of blue associated with the sky, a shade of green associated with outdoor foliage, or the color red. In an embodiment, the blue chroma (Cb) and red chroma (Cr) coordinates of a pixel are evaluated to determine whether to apply an enhancement factor. The enhancement factor may incorporate an exposure index (EI) auxiliary enhancement factor, a color temperature (D) auxiliary enhancement factor, and a luminance (Y) of each pixel. Further aspects for implementing the techniques in software and hardware are disclosed. |
| US08265385B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method of enhancing depth perception
Disclosed is an image processing apparatus and method for enhancing a depth perception. The image processing apparatus and method for enhancing the depth perception may classify an input image including a plurality of layers according to a depth into a foreground layer, a middle layer, and a background layer, and process a color component of each of the layers. The image processing apparatus and method for enhancing the depth perception may enhance the depth perception by stages according to the depth, thereby generating an image expressing natural realism. |
| US08265383B2 |
Method and communication terminal for searching phone book for desired contacts
A method for searching a phone book for desired contacts and a communication terminal using the method are provided. The method includes the steps of: enabling an image acquisition device to capture a present image, calculating a color value of the present image, comparing a reference color value for each contact in the phone book with the color value of the present image, selecting the desired contacts for which the reference color value matches the color value of the present image and displaying the desired contacts. |
| US08265382B2 |
Electronic annotation of documents with preexisting content
In a pen-based computing system, a printed version of a document having preexisting content is annotated using a smart pen. The smart pen captures handwriting gestures to obtain an electronic representation of the annotations. The smart pen computing system identifies a digital version of the document having the preexisting content and stores the electronic representation of the annotations in association with the digital document. The smart pen computing system may overlay the electronic representation of the annotations with the preexisting content to provide a digital representation of the annotated document. |
| US08265375B2 |
Method and apparatus for remote sensing of objects utilizing radiation speckle
Disclosed are systems and methods to extract information about the size and shape of an object by observing variations of the radiation pattern caused by illuminating the object with coherent radiation sources and changing the wavelengths of the source. Sensing and image-reconstruction systems and methods are described for recovering the image of an object utilizing projected and transparent reference points and radiation sources such as tunable lasers. Sensing and image-reconstruction systems and methods are also described for rapid sensing of such radiation patterns. A computational system and method is also described for sensing and reconstructing the image from its autocorrelation. This computational approach uses the fact that the autocorrelation is the weighted sum of shifted copies of an image, where the shifts are obtained by sequentially placing each individual scattering cell of the object at the origin of the autocorrelation space. This computational approach reconstructs the image by eliminating all but one of these copies. |
| US08265374B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program and recording medium used therewith
An image processing apparatus acquires and transforms first plane image data representing a space having a depth. The apparatus includes a vanishing point estimating unit for estimating a vanishing point of the first plane image data, an angle-of-view estimating unit for estimating an angle of view of the first plane image data, and an image generating unit for generating, on the basis of the vanishing point estimated by the vanishing point estimating unit and the angle of view estimated by the angle-of-view estimating unit, second plane image data corresponding to a case in which the first plane image data is projected onto a portion corresponding to the angle of view on a curved surface of a cylinder having a predetermined radius by using, as a reference point, a position being the center of the cylinder and being equal in height to the vanishing point. |
| US08265373B2 |
Method and apparatus for inspecting appearance of long-length objects
An apparatus for inspecting appearance of long-length object takes images of lighted line every predetermined timing while making the hose move in the long-length direction. By this, the contours of the hose are taken continuously and correctly over the length direction of the hose. The height direction position data of the lighted line corresponding to each of the width direction position of the hose are extracted, and the height direction position data are subtracted by the base data provided so as to correspond to each of the width direction position. Thus, the arc shape of the outer surface of the hose is canceled from the height direction position data. Also, the height direction position data of each taken image which are given the subtracting is put in image-taking order, and an inspection image is made on the basis of the predetermined color. |
| US08265371B2 |
Method for evaluating cell detachment, method of detaching cultured cell, apparatus for evaluating cell detachment and automated cell culture apparatus
A novel method for evaluating cell detachment which can be used in passage operation and the like in culture of adhesive cells; a method of detaching a cultured cell utilizing the same; an apparatus for evaluating cell detachment for carrying out the aforementioned method for evaluating cell detachment; and an automated cell culture apparatus in which the apparatus is used are provided. |
| US08265368B2 |
Image analysis apparatus, image processing apparatus, image analysis program storage medium, image processing program storage medium, image analysis method and image processing method
Plural sectional images are acquired at a plurality of slice positions arranged in a predetermined direction in a subject. Each of the plural sectional images acquired by the image acquisition section is binarized based on a predetermined reference image density. Each image included in the sectional images binarized by the binarizing section is classified into a first image group having the images inside the subject and a second image group having the images outside the subject, based on the relative position of the each image from the other images in the same sectional image and also the relative position of the each image from other images contained in another sectional images. |
| US08265364B2 |
Gradient search integrated with local imaging in laser surgical systems
Techniques and systems for gradient search are provided based on sensing or measuring at selected locations of a target object without performing full-field sensing or measuring over the entire field of the target object. Search methods are provided to include determining a coordinate of a boundary of a region in relation to a loop in a proximity of a first location, determining a direction of a gradient of the coordinate corresponding to the first location, and selecting a second location based on the determined direction. A search system can be implemented to include an imaging system to determine a coordinate of a feature of an object on a loop in a proximity of a first location, and a controller, coupled to the imaging system, to determine a direction of a gradient of the coordinate corresponding to the first location, and to select a second location based on the determined direction. |
| US08265363B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically identifying image views in a 3D dataset
A method is provided for automatically identifying image views in a three-dimensional dataset comprises accessing with a processor a three-dimensional dataset comprising a plurality of image frames and fitting with the processor at least one deformable model to at least one structure within each of the image frames. The method further comprises identifying with the processor at least one feature point within each of the image frames based on the at least one deformable model and displaying on a display at least one image view based on the at least one feature point. |
| US08265359B2 |
Computer-aided cytogenetic method of cancer diagnosis
The present invention relates to noninvasive diagnostic systems for cancer detection comprising RGB-imaging of cancer cells, buccal epithelium cells and uses of the system for drug discovery. The present invention provides novel algorithms for the detection of malignancy associated changes of buccal epithelial cells based on RGB analysis. |
| US08265358B2 |
Ultrasonic image processing apparatus and method for processing ultrasonic image
A contour detector detects the contour of a specific tissue based on ultrasonic image data having been acquired in a predetermined time phase. A contour tracking part obtains the position of each of points composing the contour of a specific tissue in ultrasonic image data having been acquired in each time phase, by pattern matching for each time phase. A computing part obtains motion information indicating the motion state of a specific tissue in each time phase, based on the position of each of points composing the contour in each time phase. A display controller controls a display to display an ultrasonic image based on ultrasonic image data having been acquired in each time phase, for each time phase. Furthermore, the display controller controls the display to display the motion information in each time phase, on each occasion of each time phase. |
| US08265356B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficient automated re-contouring of four-dimensional medical imagery using surface displacement fields
A technique is disclosed for generating a new contour and/or a 3D surface from contour data using a surface displacement field. The technique is preferably applied to un-contoured target images within a 4D image sequence for which contour data is desired. The technique can be initialized with contour data related to a reference image that has already been contoured, e.g. by a doctor who manually enters contour information into a computer. Image registration (calculation of correspondence between the reference image and target image) can be performed simultaneously with segmentation (identifying regions of interest in the target image). This allows one to make use of segmentation information in a reference image to improve the accuracy of contouring within the target image. |
| US08265355B2 |
System and method for automated detection and segmentation of tumor boundaries within medical imaging data
A method for segmenting regions within a medical image includes evaluating a set of candidate segmentations generated from an initial segmentation. Based on distance calculations for each candidate using derivative segmentations, the best candidate is recommended to clinician if it is better than the initial segmentation. This recommender realizes a most stable segmentation that will benefit follow-up computer aided diagnosis (i.e. classifying lesion to benign/malignant). |
| US08265354B2 |
Feature-based composing for 3D MR angiography images
Multiple volumes that are to be aligned to form a single volume are processed. The system and method use an equalization step, a edge detection step and a correlation step to determine the overlapping positions between the first volume and the second volume of a volume pair having a maximum correlation value, and the best alignment of the first volume and the second volume of the volume pair is determined by the correlation value. A coarse correlation step using lower resolution volumes can be performed first followed by a fine correlation step using higher resolution images to save processing time. Initial preprocessing steps such as volume shearing can be performed. Equalization involves equalizing voxel size and edge detection can be performed using a Canny edge detector. |
| US08265345B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and image reading apparatus
A document matching process section calculates feature points (e.g., the centroid) on the basis of an inputted document image, then selects a plurality of feature points from among the calculated feature points, and then calculates a hash value on the basis of the selected feature points. Then, on the basis of the calculated features, the document matching process section determines whether the document image is similar to a preliminary reference format (reference image). When it is determined as being similar, the document matching process section determines whether write-in is present in the document image, and then outputs a determination signal (a determination result indicating the presence or absence of write-in). In the determination of similarity of the document image, permission or non-permission for processing such as copying is determined more accurately than in the prior art. |
| US08265341B2 |
Voice-body identity correlation
A system and method are disclosed for tracking image and audio data over time to automatically identify a person based on a correlation of their voice with their body in a multi-user game or multimedia setting. |
| US08265332B2 |
Speaker diaphragm and speaker
A speaker diaphragm with a circular opening in a center zone thereof has a pattern of concave and convex sections formed on a front surface or a rear surface thereof. A plurality of concave and convex sections are formed in each of regions provided at a regular interval with a specific angle in a circumferential direction of the diaphragm. The concave and convex sections formed in each region have different sizes in a radial direction of the diaphragm. The concave and convex sections formed in adjacent regions are displaced from each other in the radial direction. The concave and convex sections formed on the diaphragm are aligned on at least a first and a second imaginary curved line, respectively, each imaginary curved line passing regions and approaching an inner periphery of the circular opening from an outer periphery of the diaphragm. |
| US08265330B2 |
Material for speaker device and speaker device using it
A material for improving the sound pressure level at the bass reproduction limit of the present invention is composed of an activated carbon having a cumulative pore volume of 0.4 ml/g or more for the pores each having a radius of 50 angstroms or less. Preferably, this activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.1 ml/g or less for the pores each having a radius of 7 angstroms or less. In particular, when a sound pressure level improving material in which the activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.5 ml/g or more for the pores each having a radius of 18 angstroms or less is installed in a cabinet of a loudspeaker device, the material alleviates pressure fluctuations of a gas within the cabinet caused by vibration of a loudspeaker, and thus a very good bass reproduction effect is attained. Moreover, in the case where a sound pressure level improving material in which the activated carbon has a cumulative pore volume of 0.4 ml/g or more for the pores each having a radius of 18 to 50 angstroms is installed in the cabinet, a loudspeaker device having a good bass reproduction effect even in an atmosphere of high humidity is obtained. |
| US08265329B2 |
Compact housing for portable electronic device with internal speaker
Improved approaches for providing a speaker within a housing of a portable electronic device are disclosed. The housing of the portable electronic device can be compact, such as a low profile housing. In one embodiment, an acoustic chamber for a speaker can be formed internal to a housing for a portable electronic device using non-dedicated space. In another embodiment, irregular surfaces can be sealed so that an acoustic chamber for a speaker can be formed internal to a housing for a portable electronic device. |
| US08265328B2 |
Earphone
There is provided an earphone having an ear hook, at one end of which is arranged a first end of a sliding shaft and at the other end of which (at the ear lobe abutment end) the cable is fixed. The housing of the electroacoustic transducer is connected to the second end of the shaft in such a way that the housing of the electroacoustic transducer can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the shaft. |
| US08265325B2 |
Earphone device for portable terminal
An earphone device for a portable terminal, including a body connected to the terminal; an earphone having a pair of ear speakers, a connection plug, and a cable joining the ear speakers to the connection plug; a fixed member fixedly positioned on the cable; and a coupling member adapted to slide on the cable while surrounding overlapping portions of the cable, which is bent at the fixed member. The cable between the coupling member and the fixed member is used as a strap of the terminal when the ear speakers are mounted on the body. This makes it possible to carry the terminal conveniently and prevents the cable from being tangled. |
| US08265322B2 |
Headphone
A headphone has a speaker unit with a diaphragm and a driving source that vibrates the diaphragm along a driving axis that passes through the speaker unit. The speaker unit has a first face and an opposing second face along the driving axis. The diaphragm and the driving source are installed in the speaker unit between the first and second faces. First and second weighting members are fixed as being in contact with the first and second faces, respectively. The speaker unit and the weighting members are installed in a housing. At least either of the weighting members is fixed to the housing. The speaker unit is installed in the housing via the weighting members so that the speaker unit is not in direct contact with the housing. The weighting members have a higher specific gravity than the housing. |
| US08265320B2 |
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker for projecting siren and other warning signals which is compact to facilitate installation in emergency vehicles, and which provides a horn projector in the compact space. The loudspeaker has a support in which an electrically driven driver unit is mounted. A chamber providing a plurality of cyclonic or spiral paths for sound from the speaker is located at one end of the support as by being connected to the support or being a part thereof. The support has a plurality of passageways for sound from each of the paths to exit ports at an end of the support opposite to the end thereof attached to or having the chamber. The cyclonic paths and the passageways are of like length and taper so that the sound from the exit ports combined in reinforcing relationship and projects outwardly from the exit port end of the support. The support provides a recombiner for the sound propagating along the cyclonic paths and passageways to provide the effect of a long horn in the compact space. |
| US08265315B2 |
Listening system comprising a charging station with a data memory
A listening system, e.g. a hearing aid system, including a charging station and one or more listening devices, e.g. hearing instruments. The hearing aid system includes a) a hearing instrument including a rechargeable battery for energizing the hearing instrument, and a volatile data memory, wherein basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument are stored during normal operation, b) a charging station adapted for allowing a hearing instrument to be mounted and the battery to be recharged without removing the battery from the hearing instrument, and c) a connection allowing communication between the charging station and the hearing instrument, to allow the basic data for the configuration of the hearing instrument to be transferred from the data memory of the charging station to the data memory of the hearing instrument, when the hearing instrument is mounted in the charging station. |
| US08265312B2 |
Hearing aid having improved RF immunity to RF electromagnetic interference produced from a wireless communications device
A hearing aid has improved immunity to RF electromagnetic interference produced from wireless communications devices. A microphone receives audio signals from the environment. Audio circuitry is connected to the microphone and amplifies the audio signals. A speaker is connected to the audio circuitry and directs the audio signals into an ear canal of the user of the hearing aid. The audio connection lines connect the microphone and audio circuitry and the speaker and audio circuitry. A filter is connected into each of the audio connection lines and operative for reducing the RF coupling from a wireless communications device. |
| US08265308B2 |
Apparatus including two housings and a piezoelectric transducer
An apparatus (100) including two housings and a piezoelectric transducer is disclosed. The apparatus may include a first housing (110), a hinge (115) coupled to the first housing, and a second housing (140) coupled the first housing via the hinge. The first housing can have a closed position when the first housing is substantially adjacent to the second housing and the first housing can have an open position when a portion of the first housing is substantially away from the second housing. The apparatus can also include a first piezoelectric element (130) coupled to the second housing where the first piezoelectric element can be substantially in contact with the first housing when the first housing is in the closed position. The apparatus can further include a user interface (140) coupled to the second housing and a controller (150) coupled to the first piezoelectric element and the user interface. The controller can drive the first piezoelectric element to cause the first housing to vibrate against the second housing when the first housing is in the closed position. The controller can also drive the first piezoelectric element to provide tactile feedback in response to user activation of the user interface. |
| US08265307B2 |
Acoustic transducer
An acoustic transducer radiates a sound wave into a medium, and includes: a shaft member which extends at a center portion of the acoustic transducer; first and second cylindrical acoustic radiation plates which have a cylindrical shape, a central axis of the first and second cylindrical acoustic radiation plates agreeing with the longitudinal axis of the shaft member, the first and second cylindrical acoustic radiation plates alternately arranged in a direction of the central axis; a plurality of connection members which have a ring shape, and connect adjacent first and second acoustic radiation plates to each other; a plurality of bending vibration plates each of which connects the shaft member and one of the connection members to each other; and a plurality of vibrators which are provided on the bending plates. The first acoustic radiation plate has a sectional shape which is curved outwardly in a radial direction thereof, and the sectional shape of the first acoustic radiation plate is along a plane including the central axis. The second acoustic radiation plate has a sectional shape which is curved inwardly in a radial direction thereof, and the sectional shape of the second acoustic radiation plate is along a plane including the central axis. |
| US08265306B2 |
Digital microphone and power supply unit for a digital microphone
Provided is a digital microphone having a power supply. In this case the power supply is configured so as to provide a P48 V phantom power. |
| US08265303B2 |
Circuits and methods for reducing pop noise in class D amplifiers
In one embodiment the present invention includes a method for starting up a class D amplifier. The method comprises increasing, gating, and driving. The increasing includes increasing a duty cycle of a pulse train from a first duty cycle to a second duty cycle. The gating includes gating a signal based on the increasing of the duty cycle. The gating results in a gated signal. The driving includes driving an output signal from the gated signal to charge an output capacitor. The output capacitor is coupled to a speaker. The increasing of the duty cycle contributes to the charging of the output capacitor such that switching sounds detectable by the human ear are reduced. |
| US08265300B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling volume
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for controlling the volume of an audio track. This method represents the volume of an audio track with a graph. This graph is defined along two axes, with one axis representing time and the other representing the volume level. A user can adjust the graph at different instances in time in order to change the volume level in the audio track at these instances. Different embodiments use different types of graphs to represent volume. For instance, some embodiments use a deformable line bar. |
| US08265299B2 |
Method and an apparatus for processing an audio signal
A method for processing an audio signal is disclosed. The present invention includes obtaining a plural-channel audio signal including a speech component signal and other component signals, obtaining gain of the audio signal, obtaining modification strength parameter determining the strength of the modification of the speech component signal, modifying the gain based on the modification strength parameter, and modifying the speech component signal based on the modified gain. |
| US08265297B2 |
Sound reproducing device and sound reproduction method for echo cancelling and noise reduction
A sound reproducing device is provided including a communication unit that transmits/receives signals; at least one sound output unit that outputs sound based upon a signal having been received, a sound pickup unit that picks up sound and generates audio data, an echo canceller unit that stores any echo signal contained in the signal having been received at the communication unit and generates a dummy echo signal by using the stored echo signal, and a noise reducing unit that generates a cancel signal to be used to cancel noise by using the audio data if the sound picked up at the sound pickup unit contains noise originating from a noise source and outputs a composite signal generated by combining the output signal from the echo canceller unit and the cancel signal. |
| US08265296B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding noise signal
Provided is a method and apparatus for encoding/decoding an audio signal. Sections which are not used to output noise components near important spectral components and sub-bands which are not used to output noise components, are determined to be encoded or decoded, so that the efficiency of encoding and decoding an audio signal increases, and sound quality can be improved using less bits. |
| US08265294B2 |
Public address system utilizing power transmission medium communication
A public address system includes at least one monitoring device, a transmission medium and at least one level monitoring device. The monitoring device is connected to the transmission medium and powered by an AC voltage with a supply frequency present on the transmission medium. The monitoring device receives or transmits or transmits and receives a communication signal utilizing a carrier frequency upon the transmission medium. The carrier frequency is different from the supply frequency and the level monitoring device is adapted to monitor the level of the AC voltage. |
| US08265293B2 |
Audio signal output method and apparatus for short-range communication enabled headset
An audio signal output method and apparatus for a short-range communication enabled headset are disclosed. An audio signal of the headset can be output through an internal speaker or be transmitted to an in-vehicle speaker unit. The audio signal output method includes checking, when an audio signal is present, an operating mode of the headset, outputting, if the headset is in a normal headset mode, the audio signal through an internal speaker and transmitting, if the headset is in a frequency modulation (FM) transmission mode, the audio signal through an FM channel to an in-vehicle speaker unit for reproduction, wherein the input and output gains are adjusted based on a determined vibration levels. |
| US08265292B2 |
Removing noise from audio
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method for removing noise from audio that includes building a sound model that represents noises which result from activations of input controls of a computer device. The method further includes receiving an audio signal produced from a microphone substantially near the computer device. The method further includes identifying, without using the microphone, an activation of at least one input control from among the input controls. The method further includes associating a portion of the audio signal as corresponding to the identified activation. The method further includes applying, from the audio model, a representation of a noise for the identified activation to the associated portion of the audio signal so as to cancel at least part of the noise from the audio signal. |
| US08265289B2 |
Method and system for clear signal capture
A method and system for clear signal capture comprehend several individual aspects that address specific problems in improved ways. In addition, the method and system also comprehend a hands-free implementation that is a practical solution to a very complex problem. Individual aspects comprehended related to echo and noise reduction, and divergence control. |
| US08265285B2 |
System for monitoring audible tones in a multiple planar chassis
Aspects for monitoring audible tones indicative of operational status of each planar in a multiple planar chassis are described. Included in the aspects is the monitoring of a speaker channel of each planar of a plurality of planars in a common chassis for state changes of beep tones. An operational status of a specific planar emitting the beep tones is identified based on the state changes. |
| US08265283B2 |
Acoustic processing device and acoustic processing method
An acoustic processing device, includes an inputting section which receives a first audio signal and a second audio signal, a first input signal amplifying section which amplifies the first audio signal at an amplification factor, a second input signal amplifying section which amplifies the second audio signal at an amplification factor, a first initial delayed amplifying section, a first adding section which adds the first audio signal amplified by the first amplifying portion and the first audio signal amplified by the first input signal amplifying section, a second adding section which adds the first audio signal amplified by the second amplifying portion and the second audio signal amplified by the second input signal amplifying section, a first supplying section which supplies an audio signal output from the first adding section to a first sound emitting section, and a second supplying section which supplies an audio signal output from the second adding section to a second sound emitting section different from the first sound emitting section. |
| US08265282B2 |
Method of and system for secure management of data stored on electronic tags
A method of secure management of data records stored in an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag includes data fields whose contents are provided by different parties. Some of the data-fields contain public information data accessible to authorized end users. The data records are stored in encrypted form by encrypting data provided by different parties with different keys so as to set different access rights for contents providers and end users. The end users are supplied only with the keys allowing access to information data fields, whereas proprietary data are accessible only to the data owners. The keys are provided to the users in encrypted form. |
| US08265281B2 |
IP service authorization in wireless communications networks
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate protocol address assignment using protocols compatible with specified domains for mobile devices. Devices can request wireless network access through a gateway, which can forward an authentication/authorization request to an authentication server. Upon successful authentication, the authentication server can transmit one or more domain identifiers related to the device or a user thereof. Using the domain identifier, compatible protocols can be determined for use in configuring the device for subsequent domain communication. |
| US08265279B2 |
Polarization coding quantum cryptography system
Provided is a polarization coding quantum cryptography system. The quantum cryptography includes a light source, a quantum channel, an optical path selector, and a path-dependent polarization selector. The light source generates a signal light. The quantum channel is used as a path to transmit the signal light to a receiver unit. The optical path selector is disposed between the light source and the quantum channel to transmit the signal light to one of a plurality of propagation paths. The path-dependent polarization selector is disposed between the optical path selector and the quantum channel. Herein, the path-dependent polarization selector is configured to determine the polarization direction of the signal light according to the propagation path of the signal light. |
| US08265276B2 |
Method for combining transfer functions and predetermined key creation
A method for combining transfer functions with predetermined key creation. In one embodiment, digital information, including a digital sample and format information, is protected by identifying and encoding a portion of the format information. Encoded digital information, including the digital sample and the encoded format information, is generated to protect the original digital information. In another embodiment, a digital signal, including digital samples in a file format having an inherent granularity, is protected by creating a predetermined key. The predetermined key is comprised of a transfer function-based mask set to manipulate data at the inherent granularity of the file format of the underlying digitized samples. |
| US08265275B2 |
System and method for cryptographically authenticating data items
A cryptographic authentication system comprises an authentication media key block that comprises media key precursors. The system generates transformed keys by applying a function to a media ID of a media and each of the media key precursors, and generates entries in a binding table by applying an encrypting function to a media key of an encrypted content and each of the transformed keys. To play encrypted content, a media player processes the authentication media key block using a device key to extract a media key precursor, extracts a media key from the binding table using the extracted media key precursor and the media ID, and verifies that the extracted media key matches the media key of the encrypted content, allowing the media device to decrypt and play the encrypted content. |
| US08265274B2 |
Data processing device, data processing method, data processing program, recording medium containing the data processing program and integrated circuit
A data processing device for processing stream data composed of a plurality of frames generated with encoded contents data, which includes a protected storage unit for storing data, being protected from external access, a non-protected storage unit for storing data, a receiving unit for receiving stream data, a separating unit for separating the stream data into protected data including frames necessary for decoding of other frames, and non-protected data not including frames necessary for decoding of other frames, and storing the protected data in the protected storage unit and storing the non-protected data in the non-protected storage unit, and a combining unit for restoring the stream data by combining the protected data stored in the protected storage unit and the non-protected data stored in the non-protected storage unit. |
| US08265270B2 |
Utilizing cryptographic keys and online services to secure devices
The claimed subject matter in accordance with an aspect provides systems and/or methods that generates, allocates, or utilizes strong symmetric cryptographic keys to secure storage devices. The system can include components that determine whether a storage device with an associated credential cache has been affiliated with the system. The system extracts authentication information included within the credential cache and establishes communications with a web service that utilizes the authentication information to generate and return a set strong symmetric cryptographic keys to the system. The system employs one of the set of strong symmetric cryptographic keys to encrypt or decrypt the storage device to make content persisted on the storage device available and thereafter removes the distributed set of strong symmetric cryptographic keys from the system. |
| US08265268B2 |
Converter, encryption/decryption system, multi-stage converter, converting method, multi-stage converting method, program, and information recording medium
A converter uses a predetermined parameter a. A generating unit accepts generated inputs x1, . . . , xn, and generates generated outputs, y1, . . . , yn, using recurrence formulas, y1=F1(x1, a) and yi+1=Fi+1(xi+1, y1)(1≦i≦n−1). A key accepting unit accepts key inputs, k1, . . . , kn, and gives them as generated inputs to said generating unit. A repetition controller gives the generated outputs as generated inputs to said generating unit, for an “m” (m≧0) number of times, and sets one of the generated outputs to be given at the end as a random number string, r1, . . . , rn. The data accepting unit accepts data inputs, d1, . . . , dn. The converting unit converts data using, ei=di⋆ri, and, outputs data outputs, e1, . . . , en. The converter can be used both for encrypting and decrypting data. |
| US08265265B2 |
Circuit arrangement and method for RSA key generation
In order to further develop a circuit arrangement for as well as a method of performing at least one operation, in particular at least one cryptographic calculation, wherein the problem of creating at least one key, in particular the R[ivest-]S[hamir-]A[dleman] key, satisfying at least one defined digital signature laws, in particular satisfying the German Digital Signature Law, is solved it is proposed that at least one, preferably two, prime numbers (p; q) for key generation, in particular for R[ivest-]S[hamir-]A[dleman] key generation, are searched in compliance with at least one defined digital signature law, in particular with the German Digital Signature Law. |
| US08265263B2 |
Delayed adaptation structure for improved double-talk immunity in echo cancellation devices
In a system having an adaptive filter block for receiving a reference signal and adapting to an input signal, and a block for detecting corruption of the input signal by an interference signal and in response limiting adaptation of the adaptive filter block, the improvement comprising delaying and applying the input signal to the adaptive filter block while applying the input signal to the block for detecting corruption without delay. |
| US08265260B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing human-assisted natural language call routing
Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, user devices and computer program products for providing human-assisted natural language call routing. Systems include a call interface device on an IVR system for receiving a telephone call from a caller. The system also includes a level one agent processing module for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when it is not directed by the IVR system after an initial interaction and a second interaction between the caller and the IVR system. The system further includes a level two agent processing module for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when it is not directed by the IVR system after the initial interaction and when a level two agent is available. In addition the system includes a level three agent processing module for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when a level three agent is available. |
| US08265259B2 |
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 receiving a telephone number (TN) to test for its porting activity as part of a local number portability (LNP) order, accessing a LNP call tester (LCT) to determine a current local routing number (LRN) for the TN, and determining, based on the TN and current LRN, whether the porting activity is completed for the TN in relation to a core telecommunications carrier servicing an owner of the TN. The porting activity may include at least one of port in, port out, and migration of the TN. In one embodiment, the planned porting activity for the TN associated with the LNP order is known prior to determining whether the porting activity has been completed. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08265256B1 |
Method and apparatus for locating and reserving items via a web application
A method and apparatus for providing a web based service that allows subscribers to specify the particular item they desire to purchase, to input a zip code, and to activate a web based tool to search stores within a specified radius of the specified locales to locate and reserve the item for purchase and pickup are disclosed. |
| US08265255B1 |
End-to-end session without signaling protocol
An endpoint system for media communication comprises a resource-limited device and a base station. The resource-limited device at least one of receives and outputs at least one of audio and graphic information. The base station communicates media and control packets with the resource-limited device via a permanent virtual circuit, establishes a switched virtual circuit with an endpoint device via a communications channel, and translates media packets between the permanent virtual circuit and the switched virtual circuit. |
| US08265251B1 |
System and method to provide services from a communication network to a media-delivery network via a host device connected to the media-delivery network
The present invention relates to a system and method for integrating telecommunications and cable networks for the purpose of providing telephone services to a cable host device over a cable network. The methods include registering a cable host device to receive telephone services, downloading telephone service software to a cable host device, cable host device sign on to the telephone services, associating a telephone with a cable host device, temporarily registering a cable host device, and activating and deactivating telephone services for a cable host device. Also described are systems for connecting telephone and cable networks to enable telephone services to be provided by cable host devices. |
| US08265249B2 |
Changing a state of a remote switch box which connects a phone to a network
A computer implemented method, and apparatus for changing a state of a remote switch box. On a master switch box, a request is received from a user to set a state of the remote switch box to a selected state. A request to change the remote switch box to the selected state is transmitted from the master switch box to the remote switch box. The remote switch box connects a remote phone to a phone line. The master switch box receives a confirmation from the remote switch box of the change to the selected state. The confirmation contains the state of the remote switch box. The state of the remote switch box is displayed on the master switch box. |
| US08265241B2 |
Apparatus for citizen requests for assistance
A method and system for initiating an incident-specific request for assistance from a citizen call station by touching a sequence of positions on a display screen. The citizen call station comprises a display having a touch-responsive mechanism for entering a call sequence of statements including initiating an alert, reporting a concern, and selecting help needed. A transmission mechanism for transmitting the call sequence to a control location is provided. A confirmation of the request, sent from the control location, may be received at the call station. The call station may also deliver information from a central location. The call station may include cameras, various sensors, two-way communications, and may be used to provide information on demand, outside of the normal security concerns. |
| US08265237B2 |
System and method for facilitating a custom ring in connection with a call
A system and method are disclosed for facilitating a custom ring in connection with a call. A ring tone delivery system may include an interface operable to receive a calling signal that indicates a request to place a call from a calling party to a communication device of a called party. The system may also include a network node communicatively coupled to the interface. The network node may be operable to determine whether the calling party is able to use a calling party selected ring tone. The network node may also be operable to determine whether the communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone. The network node sends the calling party selected ring tone to the communication device when the calling party is able to use the calling party selected ring tone and when the communication device will accept the calling party selected ring tone. |
| US08265234B2 |
Systems and methods for enabling a user to more easily navigate an interactive voice response (IVR) menu
In one aspect, the present invention provides a system and method for enabling a user to more easily navigate an IVR menu by, for example, displaying to the user a visual representation of the IVR menu. |
| US08265233B2 |
Method for providing early-media service based on session initiation protocol
The present invention relates to a method of providing an early media service based on a session initiation protocol (SIP), wherein early media of a multimedia form can be provided under SIP-based B2BUA mode operation. According to the present invention, in a case where early media are provided to an originating terminal when a call connection with a terminating terminal is established at the request of the originating terminal, the early media is provided in the form of multimedia data, such as text, image, moving image, flash animation and the like, as well as audio data, and thus users desires are fulfilled and users satisfactions are maximized. In addition, with individual operation management of the terminating terminal and the originating terminal according to B2BUA mode operation based on the session initiation protocol and an early session initiation with the originating terminal, an early media service can be normally provided to the originating terminal even when the terminating terminal is in an abnormal operation state. |
| US08265232B2 |
Estimation of transmission line insertion loss
A method and arrangement for estimating line insertion loss of a customer transmission line at a frequency (f1) or a plurality of frequencies. Values of line insertion loss for at least two reference transmission lines are pre-measured at each frequency and stored in a memory. A calibration quantity representing an amplitude of a far-end Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) reflection is also measured for each of the reference transmission lines. The pre-measured line insertion loss of each reference transmission line is then calibrated by the calibration quantities of the reference transmission lines. The calibration quantity for the customer transmission line is then measured, and an estimate of the line insertion loss at each frequency for the customer transmission line is generated based on the calibrated line insertion losses of the reference transmission lines and the measured calibration quantity of the customer transmission line. |
| US08265226B2 |
X-ray image acquiring apparatus
The present invention relates to an X-ray image acquiring apparatus having a structure for improving the quality of an image signal representing an X-ray image captured. The X-ray image acquiring apparatus (5) comprises an imaging section (7), a connecting section (8), and a signal cable (L1). The imaging section (7) outputs an image signal representing an X-ray image captured. The connecting section (8) has a structure attachable/detachable to a control circuit (6) for controlling the imaging section (7). The signal cable (L1) has one end connected to the imaging section (7) and the other end connected to the connecting section (8), and is flexible. The signal cable (L1) includes a detection signal line (L11), a control signal line (L12), an image signal line (L13), and a GND line (L14), which are used for transmitting signals exchanged between the imaging section (7) and the control circuit (6), and a shield member (5a) covering these lines (L11 to L14). The connecting section (8) includes a resistor (5c) provide between the shield member (5a) and a grounding terminal (81a) of the connecting section (8). |
| US08265224B2 |
System for adjusting angiographic X-ray imaging parameters based on image content
An Angiographic X-ray imaging system includes a detector for automatically detecting a transition between different phases of contrast enhanced blood flow in vessels of a portion of patient anatomy, in response to pixel luminance content of at least one image of a sequence of acquired images of the portion of patient anatomy. An X-ray imaging device uses the detector and information associating different sets of X-ray imaging device settings with corresponding different phases of contrast enhanced blood flow in vessels for automatically sequentially acquiring images in different phases using different imaging settings, in response to detection of transitions between different phases. |
| US08265221B2 |
Debris trap
A debris trap catches debris falling through a fuel bundle orifice in a nuclear reactor. The debris trap includes a shaft and a debris capture tray attached to an end of the shaft. The debris capture tray includes a tray cavity sized larger than the fuel bundle orifice. |
| US08265220B2 |
Rate adaptation for use in adaptive multi-rate vocoder
The present invention includes a time-division-multiple-access (TDMA) communication system having a base station and at least one mobile station, each transmitting and receiving an analog radio-frequency signal carrying digitally coded speech. The speech is encoded using a vocoder which samples a voice signal at variable encoding rates. During periods when the radio-frequency channel is experiencing high levels of channel interference, the encoded voice channel having a lower encoding rate is chosen. This low-rate encoded voice is combined with the high degree of channel coding necessary to ensure reliable transmission. When the radio-frequency channel is experiencing low levels of channel interference, less channel coding is necessary and the vocoder having a higher encoding rate is used. The high-rate encoded voice is combined with the lower degree of channel coding necessary to ensure reliable transmission. The appropriate levels of channel coding necessary for reliable transmission are determined by various channel metrics, such as frame erase rate and bit error rate. The determination of the appropriate vocoder rate and level of channel coding for both the uplink and downlink may be determined centrally at the base station, with the vocoder rate and level of channel coding for the uplink being relayed to the mobile station. Alternatively, the appropriate vocoder rate and level of channel coding for the downlink may be determined by the mobile station, and the appropriate vocoder rate and level of channel coding for the uplink may be determined by the base station. |
| US08265219B1 |
Method and apparatus for fast PLL initialization
A method and apparatus for fast PLL initialization have been disclosed where control of a VCO is based on a selected control signal which is based upon either a comparison signal or a prespecified signal. |
| US08265216B2 |
Techniques for asynchronous data recovery
A data recovery circuit includes a pulse width indicator circuit, an edge detection circuit and a first storage. The pulse width indicator circuit is configured to receive, at an input, a data stream and provide pulses, at respective outputs, that are indicative of respective data bits in the received data stream. The edge detection circuit is configured to receive, on respective inputs, the pulses from the pulse width indicator circuit and provide respective storage signals, on respective outputs that are indicative of a logic level of the respective data bits, responsive to the pulses. The first storage is configured to receive and store the respective storage signals. |
| US08265215B1 |
Method and system for determining symbol boundary timing in a multicarrier data transmission system
Improved techniques for acquiring symbol boundary timing at a receiver of a multicarrier data transmission system during a training sequence are disclosed. One aspect is symbol boundary determination at a receiver wherein minimal interference is used as a criterion in selecting from a plurality of potential symbol boundary timings. The symbol boundary determination at the receiver can be performed in a time domain or a frequency domain manner. Another aspect pertains to an improved training sequence wherein pairs of identical symbols are transmitted by a transmitter. These symbols can be supplied to the transmitter in a time domain or a frequency domain manner. |
| US08265214B2 |
Method and apparatus for adaptive timing synchronization in a communication network
An adaptive timing synchronization process dynamically adapts timing synchronization parameters for both wide and local area channels based on channel estimates. Timing synchronization parameters are dynamically adapted according to C/I estimates calculated from WID/LID energies. The timing synchronization algorithm 102 takes as the primary input, the current channel estimate 110 and produces an output comprising a correction to the current Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) sampling window position delta T (or offset) for locating the start of data within a current symbol 108. After dynamic parameter adjustment of noise filtering thresholds 104 and weak channel tap sensitivities 106 based on a calculated C/I from the channel estimate, a timing synchronization algorithm 102 locates the beginning of each continuous symbol by finding the boundary between the preamble, or cyclic prefix, and the useful data portions interlaced with pilots for channel information defining the start of a symbol 108. |
| US08265211B2 |
Device and method for improving the carrier-to-noise ratio for a receiver with diversity
The method of improving the carrier-to-noise ratio for a receiver with diversity, and the associated device, consists, after extracting, by phase shifting, the noise component of the signals to be demodulated, in optimizing the cancellation of the useful component via a feedback loop acting on the phase shifter and in summing the noise component in phase and in phase opposition with these signals to improve the carrier-to-noise ratio. |
| US08265209B2 |
Method and apparatus for channel and noise estimation
Techniques for performing channel and noise estimation for a MIMO transmission sent from multiple transmit antennas to multiple receive antennas are described. Samples are obtained from the receive antennas. For a first scheme, channel estimates are derived by correlating the samples with at least one pilot sequence, and signal, noise and interference statistics are also estimated based on the samples. For a second scheme, total received energy as well as signal and interference energy are estimated based on the samples. Noise is then estimated based on the estimated total received energy and the estimated signal and interference energy. For a third scheme, signal and on-time interference statistics are estimated based on the samples. Noise and multipath interference statistics are also estimated based on the samples. Signal, noise and interference statistics are then estimated based on the estimated signal and on-time interference statistics and the estimated noise and multipath interference statistics. |
| US08265205B2 |
Receiver architecture
A wireless receiver uses a joint detection Viterbi (JDV) algorithm to demodulate a signal that has a desired signal component and an interference signal component. The desired signal component includes a training sequence and at least one data field. The training sequence and a corresponding portion of the interference signal component is demodulated using the JDV algorithm to evaluate possible transmitted training sequences and interference signal sequences, and channel estimations for the desired signal component and the interference signal component are generated. The at least one data field is demodulated according to the JDV algorithm using the channel estimations as initial channel estimates for the JDV algorithm. |
| US08265202B2 |
Method for estimating hidden channel parameters of a received GNNS navigation signal
For the reduction of the multipath error of received GNSS navigation signals, a sequential Bayesian estimation is used, with a movement model underlying this estimation, which model is particularly designed for dynamic channel situations. Sequential Monte Carlo methods are used to calculate the posterior probability density functions of the signal parameters. To facilitate an efficient integration in received signal tracking loops, the invention builds on complexity reduction concepts that have previously been used in maximum likelihood (ML) estimators.Applicable with GNSS satellite navigation receivers, e.g. GPS and Galileo. |
| US08265197B2 |
OFDM transmission methods in three phase modes
Systems and methods for power line transmission are disclosed in which transmitters and receivers are connected to one or more phases of the power line. At least one symbol stream to be transmitted on the power line network is generated. The at least one symbol stream is scaled using a weight vector to generate a plurality of scaled symbol streams. The weight vector comprises a plurality of weights, each corresponding to a phase of the power line network. Each of the scaled symbol streams are transmitted on a corresponding phase of the power line network. A zero crossing detector identifies phase information for a receiver. A concentrator adapts signals to be sent to the receiver based upon the phase associated with the receiver. |
| US08265191B2 |
Receiver for object locating and tracking systems and related methods
A communications system, such as part of a real-time location system, includes a transmitter that can be part of a location processor, tag emission reader or tag interrogator that generates a frequency shift key (FSK) modulated wireless communication signal representative of digital data and transmits the communications signal over a wireless communications channel. A receiver such as incorporated within a tag transceiver used in the real-time location system receives the FSK modulated communication signal. The receiver includes a circuit for calculating the magnitude of low and high tones of the FSK modulated communication signal and a threshold for amplitude shift keyed (ASK) channel data and FSK channel data to derive the digital data even in the presence of on-tone jammers in the communications channel. |
| US08265186B2 |
Minimum mean squared error approach to interference cancellation and maximum likelihood decoding of space-time block codes
Block-encoded transmissions of a multi-antenna terminal unit are effectively detected in the presence of co-channel interfering transmissions when the base station has a plurality of antennas, and interference cancellation is combined with maximum likelihood decoding. More specifically, the signals received at the base station antennas are combined in a linear combination that relates to the channel coefficients between the various transmitting terminal units and the base antennas. By selecting proper coefficients for the linear combination and choosing probable transmitted signals that minimize a minimum mean squared error function, the signals of the various terminal units are canceled when detecting the signal of a particular unit. In another embodiment of the invention, the basic approach is used to obtain an initial estimate of the signals transmitted by one terminal unit, and the contribution of those signals is removed from the received signals prior to detecting the signals of other terminal units. In still another embodiment, the decoding process is repeated at least twice by detecting the signals of the terminal units in a different order, and selecting the detections that produce the lowest uncertainty measure. The disclosed techniques are viable for any number K of terminal units transmitting concurrently over a given channel, where each terminal unit is using a space-time block code with N transmit antennas, and a base station has at least K receive antennas. |
| US08265182B2 |
Radio transmission device and radio reception device
Provided is a radio transmission device (100) which can flexibly cope with a request for assuring an error ratio feature during a high transmission rate, a request for increasing a cell coverage, or the like. The radio transmission device (100) includes a first subcarrier modulation unit (104) which forms a first subcarrier modulation signal obtained by converting a plurality of modulation signals into a frequency region; a second subcarrier modulation unit (105) which forms a second subcarrier modulation signal obtained by parallel conversion of a plurality of signals; an IFFT unit (111) which forms an OFDM signal by performing inverse Fourier transform on the first and the second subcarrier modulation signal; and a subcarrier mapping unit (110) which controls allocation of the first and the second subcarrier modulation signals. |
| US08265181B2 |
Phase tracking in frequency domain in a wireless communication system
Techniques for correcting sampling frequency offset (SFO) and carrier frequency offset (CFO) in a wireless communication system are disclosed. An apparatus for correcting SFO and CFO may include a pilot tone extractor for extracting a plurality of pilot tones from one or more first symbols, a demodulator, an error signal generator, a loop filter, an angle generator, and a device for applying a correction phase to one or more symbols subsequent to the one or more first symbols. The demodulator is configured to demodulate the pilot tones. The error signal generator is configured to generate an error signal by summing and calculating the arctangent of the plurality of demodulated pilot tones. The loop filter is configured to generate an estimated phase rotation due to a residual CFO and the angle generator is configured to generate a correction phase for the plurality of tones. |
| US08265180B2 |
OFDM cognitive radio with zero overhead signalling of deleted subcarriers frequencies
A system, device and method are described for suppressing certain sub-carrier frequencies within a multi-path transmission system and efficiently notifying a receiver (400) of the suppressed sub-carriers. In various embodiments of the invention, an OFDM system uses the preamble (210) of an OFDM burst for indicating which sub-carrier frequencies are being suppressed by a transmitter (300). |
| US08265175B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for signaling with geometric constellations
Communication systems are described that use signal constellations, which have unequally spaced (i.e. ‘geometrically’ shaped) points. In many embodiments, the communication systems use specific geometric constellations that are capacity optimized at a specific SNR. In addition, ranges within which the constellation points of a capacity optimized constellation can be perturbed and are still likely to achieve a given percentage of the optimal capacity increase compared to a constellation that maximizes dmin, are also described. Capacity measures that are used in the selection of the location of constellation points include, but are not limited to, parallel decode (PD) capacity and joint capacity. |
| US08265174B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of load impedance modulation in a transformer circuit
A method and apparatus for detection of load impedance modulation as a result of communication of data from the secondary to the primary side of a transformer are presented. The load impedance on the secondary of the transformer barrier is modulated differentially using data to be communicated across the barrier. A detection circuit on the primary side isolates the load current from the magnetizing current in the primary. The load current is subsequently integrated over two consecutive Manchester periods and the integrated value from the first Manchester period is compared against that of the second period thereby recovering the receive data. |
| US08265172B2 |
Method and apparatus for analytical and empirical hybrid encoding distortion modeling
There are provided a method and apparatus for analytical and empirical hybrid encoding distortion modeling. An apparatus includes a distortion calculator for modeling video encoding distortion by dividing the video encoding distortion into a first portion and a second portion, calculating the first portion using empirical calculations, and calculating the second portion using analytical calculations. |
| US08265169B2 |
Video block memory read request translation and tagging
According to some embodiments, a video block memory read request may be received from a processing unit. For example, a codec may request to access a macroblock of pixel information from a memory unit. The video block memory read request may then be translated into a plurality of memory access requests. |
| US08265168B1 |
Providing trick mode for video stream transmitted over network
Systems and methods for performing a trick mode of video streams transmitted over a network without increasing the amount of data transmitted over the network. A video server transrates a source video stream to a target video stream by removing pictures from the source video stream. The target video stream has a reduced number of pictures compared to the source video stream. Therefore, when the target video stream is played on a display device, the target video stream has a playback speed faster than the playback speed of the source video stream. |
| US08265167B2 |
Application specific video format
A method, system, and medium are provided for formatting video frames such that a region of interest is emphasized and the video frames can be encoded, communicated, and rendered without excessive processing burdens. A region of interest is identified in a video frame and a feature mask is created that represents the region of interest. The feature mask can be used to crop the video frame to remove background images that are not within the region of interest and the cropped video frame can be overlayed on a simulated background before being encoded and communicated to a display device. |
| US08265165B2 |
Method and apparatus for video decoding to improve picture quality based on picture quality estimation, in the presence of noise
A method and apparatus for decoding video data that is encoded by bit rate control to keep a bandwidth of a bit stream in a predetermined range are provided. The encoded video data is decoded, picture quality estimation information is estimated, the estimation including information about a bit stream size of a decoded video frame, the number of fragmented macro blocks included in the video frame, and the number of skip-mode macro blocks included in the video frame, the picture quality of the video data is determined based on a correlation between picture quality estimation information and SNR, and the video data is output by applying a picture quality improving algorithm to the video data, if the determined picture quality is lower than a predetermined level. |
| US08265163B2 |
Video shape padding method
Horizontal and vertical video shape padding (with or without attendant motion compensation) are facilitated through use of a two-dimensional small array of processing elements. Multiple pixel value assignments are determined and made with each clock cycle or iteration, thereby greatly reducing overall cycle time to complete the shape padding. This approach is compatible with MPEG 4. |
| US08265160B2 |
Parallel three-dimensional recursive search (3DRS) meandering algorithm
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related motion estimation unit for performing motion estimation on video data comprising a plurality of frames. The method may begin by reading a current frame of the plurality of frames from a memory of a motion estimation unit. The method may then select a motion vector for each respective block of pixels in a current row of the current frame. The step of selecting the motion vector may include, for each respective block, selecting, by the motion estimation unit, a candidate vector for at least one block directly surrounding the respective block based on a determination of whether the directly surrounding block has been processed for the current frame, calculating, for each candidate vector, a difference value, and selecting, as the motion vector, the candidate vector with the lowest difference value. |
| US08265157B2 |
Motion vector refinement for MPEG-2 to H.264 video transcoding
A method for transcoding is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a decoded frame by decoding an input video stream in an MPEG-2 format, the decoded frame including a plurality of decoded macroblocks; (B) determining a current search center to be used in encoding a current macroblock into an H.264 format, the current macroblock corresponding to a pair of the decoded macroblocks on consecutive macroblock rows, wherein when (i) the encoding uses a predictive field mode and (ii) a current field being encoded comprises a second field of a current frame and has a first field of the current frame as a reference field, the current search center comprises a temporally scaled version of a decoded motion vector from one of an upper macroblock of the pair and a lower macroblock in the pair; (C) generating a refined motion vector by searching in a temporal search direction about the current search center; and (D) generating an output video stream in the H.264 format by the encoding of the current macroblock based on the refined motion vector. |
| US08265152B2 |
System and method for low-latency processing of intra-frame video pixel block prediction
A method and system for low-latency processing of intra-frame video pixel block prediction including: predicting a pixel block based on boundary pixels of left and upper neighbor blocks of said pixel block; subtracting said predicted pixel block from a source pixel block to generate a prediction error; forward transforming and quantizing said prediction error to generate a residual data; inverse transforming and quantizing said residual data; adding said predicted pixel block to said inverse transformed and quantized residual data to generate a reconstructed pixel block; pre-computing blocks of DC-coefficients used with luma and chroma intra prediction modes; pre-computing mode selection of a best prediction mode of said luma and chroma intra prediction modes; and outputting said residual data to be used in entropy or arithmetic coding, and a reconstructed data used for motion prediction. |
| US08265150B2 |
Picture coding apparatus, picture decoding apparatus and the methods
A weighting factor mode determination unit determines whether to code an interlaced picture in a field mode or a frame mode, based on a value of a flag “AFF” indicating whether or not to switch between the field mode and the frame mode on a block-by-block basis and notifies switches and a multiplexing unit of the determined mode. The switches select either the field mode or the frame mode according to the notified mode. A field weighting factor coding unit or a frame weighting factor coding unit performs respectively the coding of respective weighting factors when the respective modes are selected. |
| US08265149B2 |
Method and apparatus encoding and/or decoding image by using diffusion properties of the image
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding/decoding a moving picture by using the diffusion properties of the image. In the method, a value of a current pixel is predicted from the values of neighboring pixels of the current pixel, based on the variations between the values of the neighboring pixels present in directions toward the current pixel; a correction value of the predicted value is calculated from at least one variation from among the variations; the value of the current pixel is determined by reflecting the correction value into the predicted value; and then, the original image is reconstructed using the determined value of the current pixel. |
| US08265148B2 |
Parameterization for fading compensation
Techniques and tools for performing fading compensation in video processing applications are described. For example, during encoding, a video encoder performs fading compensation using fading parameters comprising a scaling parameter and a shifting parameter on one or more reference images. During decoding, a video decoder performs corresponding fading compensation on the one or more reference images. |
| US08265146B2 |
Information processing apparatus, imaging device, information processing method, and computer program
An information processing apparatus includes a data processor configured to execute processing for selecting a plurality of frame pictures from moving-picture data and for displaying an array of the selected frame pictures. In selecting frame pictures to be displayed, the data processor preferentially selects frame pictures corresponding to highlight points as frame pictures to be displayed, using highlight point information that allows identification of picture portions corresponding to important scenes, the highlight point information being recorded in association with the moving-picture data. |
| US08265143B2 |
Method and apparatus for coding image information, method and apparatus for decoding image information, method and apparatus for coding and decoding image information, and system of coding and transmitting image information
An image information decoding method for decoding a bit stream in an image decoding apparatus. The decoding process includes decoding, in a decoding unit in the image decoding apparatus, the bit stream and generating a chroma component of quantized coefficients; and performing, in a dequantization unit in the image decoding apparatus, dequantization on the chroma component of quantized coefficients using a chroma quantization parameter calculated on the basis of a luma quantization parameter weighted by an addition operation. |
| US08265140B2 |
Fine-grained client-side control of scalable media delivery
Techniques and tools for adjusting quality and bit rate of multiple chunks of media delivered over a network are described. For example, each of the multiple chunks is encoded as multiple layers (e.g., a base layer and multiple embedded residual layers) for fine-grained scalability at different rate/quality points. A server stores the encoded data for the layers of chunks as well as curve information that parameterizes rate-distortion curves for the chunks. The server sends the curve information to a client. For the multiple chunks, the client uses the curve information to determine rate-distortion preferences for the respective chunks, then sends feedback indicating the rate-distortion preferences to the server. For each of the multiple chunks, the server, based at least in part upon the feedback, selects one or more scalable layers of the chunk to deliver to the client. |
| US08265139B2 |
Packet comparator
A packet comparator includes a match packet buffer and a first in first out (FIFO) buffer that stores a reference packet stream. Once a packet in the reference stream and a candidate stream are matched to the match packet, the reference stream and the candidate stream are considered synchronized. Thereafter, the two streams are passed through a compare function and a resultant stream is output from the packet comparator. Possible resultant streams include the results of an exclusive OR (XOR) operation between all, or selected parts, of packets in each of the streams. |
| US08265136B2 |
Motion refinement engine for use in video encoding in accordance with a plurality of sub-pixel resolutions and methods for use therewith
A motion compensation module can be used in a video encoder for encoding a video input signal that includes a sequence of images are segmented into a plurality of macroblocks. The motion compensation module includes a motion search module, that generates a motion search motion vector for a plurality of subblocks for a plurality of partitionings of a macroblock of a plurality of macroblocks. A motion refinement module generates a refined motion vector for the plurality of subblocks for the plurality of partitionings of the macroblock of the plurality of macroblocks, based on the motion search motion vector for each of the plurality of subblocks of the macroblock of the plurality of macroblocks. The motion refinement module can operate in a plurality of selected modes including a first mode corresponding to a first sub-pixel resolution and a second mode corresponding to a second sub-pixel resolution. |
| US08265135B2 |
Method and apparatus for video processing
In one embodiment, the invention includes a method for compressing video data using redundant binary mathematics. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08265132B2 |
Conditioning circuit that spectrally shapes a serviced bit stream
A high-speed bit stream interface module interfaces a high-speed communication media to a communication Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) via a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The high-speed bit stream interface module includes a line side interface, a board side interface, and a signal conditioning circuit. The line side interface includes a media coupler that receives the line side media, such as copper media or optical media. The board side interface couples the high-speed serial bit stream interface module to the PCB. A signal conditioning circuit communicatively couples to the line side interface and to the board side interface. The signal conditioning circuit receives an RX signal from the line side interface, conditions the RX signal, and provides the RX signal to the board side interface. The signal conditioning circuit receives a TX signal from the board side interface, conditions the TX signal, and provides the TX signal to the board side interface. |
| US08265129B1 |
Digital receiver with system for controlling the operating mode of an adaptive equalizer
A radio receiver for receiving a selected digital HDTV signal, irrespective of whether it is a complex-amplitude-modulation (QAM) or a vestigial sideband (VSB) signal, using the same tuner. The tuner supplies a final IF signal in a 6 MHz frequency band, the lowest frequency of which is not appreciably more than 2.38 MHz. The final IF signal is digitized for synchrodyning to baseband, with the 2.375 MHz difference between the carrier frequencies of QAM and VSB signals being taken into account in the digital synchrodyning circuitry. The carrier frequencies of the QAM and VSB final IF signals are regulated to be submultiples of symbol frequency by applying automatic frequency and phase control signals developed in the digital circuitry to a local oscillator of the tuner. The presence of the pilot carrier accompanying a selected VSB HDTV signal is detected for automatically switching the radio receiver for operation in a VSB signal reception mode. The absence of pilot carrier accompanying a selected QAM HDTV signal is detected for automatically switching the radio receiver for operation in a QAM signal reception mode. |
| US08265128B2 |
Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) with relay nodes
A method for providing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) feedback information and configuration information. The method includes transporting the MIMO feedback information, configuration information, or both over an uplink relay link using higher layer signaling. Also included is a method for providing uplink data transmission over an access link. The method includes transporting the uplink data over an uplink access link using orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing access (OFDMA). Also included is a relay node comprising a processor configured to promote transmitting MIMO feedback information, configuration information, or both over an uplink relay link using higher layer signaling. Also included is a user agent (UA) comprising a processor configured to promote transmitting uplink data over an uplink access link using OFDMA. |
| US08265127B2 |
Detecting data symbols
In one embodiment, a method includes generating a set of sequences of chip values and calculating a correlation between a demodulated signal and each one of two or more of the sequences. Each of the correlations has an absolute value, and one of the correlations has a highest absolute value. The method includes selecting the one of the sequences with the correlation having the highest absolute value; identifying a sequence index corresponding to the selected one of the sequences; and, for each of one or more data symbols in the demodulated signal, determining a value of the data symbol based on the sequence index corresponding to the selected one of the sequences. |
| US08265123B2 |
CDMA receiving apparatus and CDMA receiving method
A CDMA receiving apparatus includes a path searcher which outputs path timing that corresponds to sample timing where a correlation value between a received data sequence and a reference code sequence reaches a peak, and outputs the correlation value calculated at a sample timing adjacent to the path timing as an adjacent timing correlation value; an interpolation adjuster; and a despreader which despreads an output of the interpolation adjuster at the path timing, wherein the interpolation adjuster includes an interpolator for generating an interpolating data sequence which is a data sequence displaced in time by a specified fraction of one sample period with respect to the received data sequence, and outputs the received data sequence or the interpolating data sequence by switching therebetween based on a result of a comparison between the correlation value calculated at the path timing and the adjacent timing correlation value. |
| US08265119B2 |
Method and apparatus for frequency assignment in a frequency hopping mode of a wireless communication system
A frequency allocation method and apparatus using a mirroring-assisted frequency hopping pattern is provided for retransmission in a wireless communication system operating in frequency hopping mode. A frequency allocation method for a wireless communication system operating in frequency hopping mode includes generating a mirroring pattern having a mirroring-assisted frequency hopping interval identical with a data retransmission interval; and allocating different frequency bands for an initial transmission and retransmission by performing frequency hopping according to the mirroring pattern. Preferably, the mirroring-assisted frequency hopping interval is shorter than the data retransmission interval. |
| US08265117B2 |
Bandwidth-limited and long pulse master oscillator power oscillator laser systems
Laser systems have a line-narrowed master oscillator and a power oscillator for amplifying the output of the master oscillator. The power oscillator includes optical arrangements for limiting the bandwidth of radiation that can be amplified. The limited amplification bandwidth of the power oscillator is relatively broad compared to that of the output of the master oscillator, but narrower than would be the case without the bandwidth limiting arrangements. The bandwidth narrowing arrangements of the power oscillator function primarily to restrict the bandwidth of amplified spontaneous emission generated by the power oscillator. |
| US08265109B2 |
Systems and methods for implementing an interaction between a laser shaped as line beam and a film deposited on a substrate
A laser crystallization apparatus and method are disclosed for selectively melting a film such as amorphous silicon that is deposited on a substrate. The apparatus may comprise an optical system for producing stretched laser pulses for use in melting the film. In still another aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a system and method are provided for stretching a laser pulse. In another aspect, a system is provided for maintaining a divergence of a pulsed laser beam (stretched or non-stretched) at a location along a beam path within a predetermined range. In another aspect, a system may be provided for maintaining the energy density at a film within a predetermined range during an interaction of the film with a shaped line beam. |
| US08265105B2 |
Scanning temporal ultrafast delay and methods and apparatuses therefor
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatuses for performing temporal scanning using ultra-short pulsewidth lasers in which only minimal (micro-scale) mechanical movement is required. The invention also relates to methods for obtaining high-accuracy timing calibration, on the order of femtoseconds. A dual laser system is disclosed in which the cavity of one or more of the lasers is dithered, by using a piezoelectric element. A Fabry-Perot etalon is used to generate a sequence of timing pulses used in conjunction with a laser beam produced by the laser having the dithered laser cavity. A correlator correlates a laser pulse from one of the lasers with the sequence of timing pulses to produce a calibrated time scale. The methods and apparatuses of the present invention are applicable to many applications requiring rapid scanning and time calibration, including, but not limited to metrology, characterization of charge dynamics in semiconductors, electro-optic testing of ultrafast electronic and optoelectronic devices, optical time domain reflectometry, and electro-optic sampling oscilloscopes. |
| US08265102B2 |
System and method for reacquisition of a gated pilot
Systems and techniques are disclosed wherein a gated pilot signal can be re-acquired faster by searching a last known pilot offset and/or searching a last coset in which the last pilot signal was found. |
| US08265098B2 |
Flash position signaling: multiplexing and interference management
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate use of power and phase coherence to multiplex or manage interference in a wireless communication environment. In accordance with various aspects set forth herein, systems and/or methods are provided that receive a spectrum of tones that include additional data, ascertain whether or not tone intensities of received tones included in the spectrum of tones exceeds a threshold, based on whether or not the tone intensities of the received tones exceed the threshold, decode information included in the received tones to extract the additional data, and thereafter decode information included in one or more remaining tones that fail to exceed the threshold in order to extract primary data. |
| US08265096B2 |
Method for constructing frame structures
A method of constructing a frame structure for data transmission, the method comprising generating a first section comprising data configured in a first format compatible with a first communication system, generating a second section following the first section, the second section comprising data configured in a second format compatible with a second communication system, wherein the second format is different from the first format, generating at least one non-data section containing information describing an aspect of data in at least one of the first section and the second section, and combining the first section, the second section and the at least one non-data section to form the frame structure. |
| US08265093B2 |
Multi-service channelized sonet mapper framer
An embodiment of a multi-service mapper framer device and methods for operating same are described. This device may support the interconnection of synchronous optical networks using the SONET and SDH standards to Ethernet packet networks, and may be capable of mapping up to 2.5 gigabits per second of traffic from a variety of client-side interfaces including time division multiplex T1/E1 and T3/E3 data interfaces, a System Packet Interface, and Ethernet packet data interfaces. The device may support a trunk-side connection using a T3/E3 data interface, and the ANSI T1X1.5 Generic Framing Procedure and ITU X.86 Ethernet-over-SONET Recommendation may also be supported. Functionality to enable Virtual Concatenation with Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme may be included. |
| US08265092B2 |
Adaptive low latency receive queues
A receive queue provided in a computer system holds work completion information and message data together. An InfiniBand hardware adapter sends a single CQE+message data to the computer system that includes the completion Information and data. This information is sufficient for the computer system to receive and process the data message, thereby providing a highly scalable low latency receiving mechanism. |
| US08265085B2 |
State information and routing table updates in large scale data networks
In a communication network comprising nodes and links between the nodes, a controller node disseminates link state information. A nodal routing table exists at each node comprising routes between pairs of nodes. The nodal routing table is either populated by the given node based on network information received from the controlling node or populated at the controlling node and received by the given node. Each node receives heartbeat signals from its neighboring nodes. An unexpected delay between heartbeat signals may be perceived as a failure of a link. The perceived failure of that link is reported by the perceiving node to the controlling node. Upon receiving link failure information from a node, the controlling node may determine a subset of nodes in the network influenced by the link failure and indicate the link failure to the determined subset of influenced nodes. |
| US08265083B1 |
Systems and methods of providing communications services
An IP telephony system allows users of the IP telephony system to register extension telephony devices with the IP telephony system. An extension telephony device is one that is provided with service by a separate telephony service provider. Once an extension telephony device is registered, a user can obtain communications services from the IP telephony system using the extension telephony device. A extension telephony device may be tied to a user's main telephony services account with the IP telephony system such that when the user obtains communications services from the IP telephony system using an extension telephony device, the user will be billed for those communications services through the user's main account. |
| US08265081B2 |
Obtaining multiple port addresses by a fibre channel from a network fabric
Apparatus and program product for assigning or confirming multiple address identifications to a single channel adapter. A server contains multiple partitions connected to a single channel adapter which is used to send data and commands to a fabric. A request is sent to the fabric on behalf of each of the partitions, and the fabric assigns or confirms and returns to the adapter, an address identification associated to each partition on whose behalf the request was sent. The assigned or confirmed address is used to communicate between controllers connected to the fabric and the associated partition through the same channel adapter. |
| US08265079B2 |
Discriminatory MTU fragmentation in a logical partition
Communication between nodes on distinct physical computer systems typically involves fragmentation of packets, such that packet size complies with a communication protocol's specified maximum transmission unit (MTU). However, communications between logical partitions on the same computer system (“virtual nodes”) do not have to comply with a MTU. A computer system can handle packet sizes for intra-system communications between virtual nodes larger than the MTU. Functionality can be implemented to determine that a packet's source and destination are virtual nodes on the same physical machine. This can enable the system to virtually transfer packets for intra-system communication without fragmentation. |
| US08265077B2 |
Lawful interception method and architecture for transparent transmission of interception information
A system, method, and gateway in a telecommunication network for providing intercepted Content of Communications (CC) information from an Intercepting Control Element (ICE) to a Law Enforcement Monitoring Facility (LEMF). The system splits the intercepted CC information into CC control and CC payload information. A control point receives the control information and controls the gateway in accordance with the control information. The gateway receives the payload information and routes it to the LEMF over a payload Handover Interface. |
| US08265074B2 |
Collecting network performance data from multiple autonomous systems
A computer apparatus comprises first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) logic comprising BGP route table data; a network interface to communicatively couple to a first autonomous system; data collection logic in computer-readable storage media when executed operable to perform discovering an address prefix of a data collector that is communicatively coupled to second BGP logic of a router within a second autonomous system that is coupled to the first autonomous system, wherein the second autonomous system is independent of the first autonomous system; determining a path through the first autonomous system, the one or more networks or internetworks, and the second autonomous system to the data collector based on the BGP route table; requesting the data collector to provide one or more data values relating to performance of network elements of the second autonomous system; receiving and storing the one or more data values. |
| US08265073B2 |
Method and system which enables subscribers to select videos from websites for on-demand delivery to subscriber televisions via a television network
Provisioning of network element with a provisioning element having a number of provisioning servers. Each provisioning server being active to support its own provisioning and to actively backup the provisioning of the provisioning servers such that operations of the provisioning servers is maximized while providing redundancy in the event that one of the other provisioning servers is lost or disabled. |
| US08265070B2 |
System and method for implementing a multistage network using a two-dimensional array of tiles
A network, including: a first tile having a processor, a first top brick connected to the processor, a first bottom brick, and a first intermediate brick; a second tile having a second intermediate brick and a second bottom brick; multiple connections connecting the first top brick with the second intermediate brick and the first intermediate brick with the second bottom brick using a passthrough on an intermediate tile between the first and second tiles, where the first, the intermediate, and the second tiles are positioned in a row; and a third tile having a plurality of caches connected to a third bottom brick, where the second and third tiles are positioned in a column, and the first bottom brick, the second bottom brick, and the third bottom brick belong to a bottom layer of the network, and where the first and second intermediate bricks belong to an intermediate layer of the network. |
| US08265067B2 |
System and method for supporting concurrent communication over multiple access points and physical media
A system and method for enabling communication concurrently over multiple access points and multiple physical media including but not limited to: cellular, network (e.g., Ethernet), broadband wireless, audio communication schemes. |
| US08265063B2 |
Transmission system
A transmission system is provided which multiplexes and transmits synchronous data and asynchronous data, while maintaining the communication quality required of synchronous data and of asynchronous data respectively. A tag having information used to identify the data as synchronous data or as asynchronous data is added to both synchronous data and to asynchronous data. Tags added to each data item are extracted, and based on the information contained in the tag, each data item is identified as synchronous data or as asynchronous data, and synchronous data is transferred to a time-division switch, while asynchronous data is transferred to a packet switch. |
| US08265061B1 |
Optimal expansion of a telecommunications network
There is assigned at least one first cost for expanding at least one link to a circuit-switched network that is part of a hybrid network comprising the circuit switched network and a packet switched network. All paths in the packet switched network are represented with a virtual link. A cost is assigned to the virtual link. An integer programming problem is solved to determine a number of links to add to the network, the integer programming problem having as inputs a model of the hybrid network and a demand forecast matrix. |
| US08265056B2 |
Packet decoding for H-ARQ transmission
Techniques for efficiently decoding packets sent with H-ARQ are described. Packet decoding for H-ARQ may be performed based on local search around a start of packet (SOP) decision for a packet. The SOP decision for the packet may be made based on traffic detection results for received transmissions. At least one SOP hypothesis may be determined for the packet based on the SOP decision, and the received transmissions may be decoded based on the at least one SOP hypothesis. A sliding SOP window may be used to keep track of SOP hypotheses for the packet. The sliding window may be initialized at an earliest received transmission, moved forward for each subsequent received transmission with no detected packet data, and maintained at the first received transmission with detected traffic. Rotating buffers may be used to store received transmissions for packets for decoding. |
| US08265055B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting signals for multiple input multiple output wireless communication system
A storage unit stores a preamble signal defined in a legacy system and a preamble signal defined in a MIMO system. A monitoring unit in a transmitting apparatus monitors the existence of any communication apparatus which is not compatible with the MIMO system but accepts the legacy system. A channel characteristics acquiring unit derives the characteristics of a radio channel between the transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus. A selector selects a packet format based on a monitoring result obtained by the monitoring unit. The selector also selects where to place LTS, based on the characteristics of wireless channel derived by the channel characteristics acquiring unit. |
| US08265053B2 |
Configuration of rank indicator reporting instances
A method for setting a periodicity and an offset in rank indicator (RI) reporting in a user equipment in a wireless communication system receives a radio resource control (RRC) signal from a base station, decodes a RI periodicity and offset configuration index, sets the periodicity and offset in accordance with said decoded periodicity and offset configuration index and reports a RI according to the set periodicity and offset. The periodicity is an integer and reporting a RI reports with equal the product of the periodicity and a period of reporting of the channel quality indicator (CQI) and the preceding matrix indicator (PMI). |
| US08265048B1 |
Wireless local area network ad-hoc mode for reducing power consumption
A system on chip (SOC) includes a media access control (MAC) device that controls transitions of a wireless local area network (LAN) station between an active mode and a low power mode. A first timing device generates a first clock signal based on timing signals from a crystal oscillator external to the SOC. A second timing device comprises a first oscillator. The first oscillator generates an oscillator signal and generates a second clock signal based on the oscillator signal. During the active mode, the MAC device powers up the first timing device causing a radio frequency (RF) transceiver external to the SOC to transmit data during a predetermined time slot that is assigned to the wireless LAN station and is not assigned to other wireless LAN stations in a LAN. During the low power mode, the MAC device powers down the first timing device and generates the second clock signal using the second timing device. |
| US08265044B2 |
Method, system and base station using frame configuration which supports relay for wireless transmission
A method using a frame structure which supports relay for wireless transmission, which divides the time slots of a sub-frame into some zones, in which the data is transmitted using the manner of TDD, wherein further including that at least one time slot in a sub-frame is set as a hybrid zone; the transmission of the data is realized through frequency division multiplexing the access link and relay link in the hybrid zone of the sub-frame; and also the multi-hop relay is supported under the two work manners of relay in sub-frame and relay in frame. |
| US08265036B2 |
Apparatus and method for a centrally managed handoff between two technologies
An apparatus and method for a centrally managed handoff comprising originating a service using a first technology and connecting the service using the first technology; activating a second technology that is different from the first technology; receiving a first request for the handoff from the first technology to the second technology; sending a second request for the handoff from the first technology to the second technology, wherein the second request relates to the first request; receiving an acknowledgement that the second technology is available; implementing the handoff from the first technology to the second technology; and determining that the handoff is successfully implemented before terminating the first technology. |
| US08265034B2 |
Method and system for a signaling connection release indication
A method and system for processing a signaling connection release indication between user equipment and a wireless network, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring, at the user equipment, whether a signaling connection release indication should be sent to the wireless network; appending, at the user equipment, a cause for the signaling connection release indication to the signaling connection release indication; sending the appended signaling connection release indication to the wireless network; receiving the signaling connection release indication at the wireless network; and filtering said cause to determine whether to raise an alarm. |
| US08265033B2 |
Closed subscriber group cell handover
A radio terminal connection may be handed over from a serving base station associated with a serving cell to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell served by a CSG base station in which only radio terminals belonging to the CSG are permitted to access and receive service from the CSG cell. Radio terminals in the serving cell are generally informed not to report to the serving base station signal quality measurements of signals transmitted by CSG base stations. But if a radio terminal in the serving cell is authorized to access and receive service from the CSG cell, then that radio terminal is instructed to report to the serving base station signal quality measurements of signals transmitted by the CSG base station. Based on that report, the connection may be handed over to the CSG base station. A central node provides a CSG authorization list identifying CSG authorized radio terminals to the serving base station when a listed CSG cell is a neighboring cell which the radio terminal is authorized to access. |
| US08265031B2 |
Base station and broadcast channel transmission method
A disclosed base station transmits a broadcast channel to a user device a predefined number of times in a predetermined cycle for communication with the user device. The base station includes a repetition unit configured to repeat the broadcast channel, after the broadcast channel is channel-coded, for the predefined number of times to generate multiple broadcast channels; and a signal waveform changing unit configured to process the generated broadcast channels such that the processed broadcast channels have different signal waveforms. Positions of the broadcast channels in the order of transmission in the predetermined cycle are associated with the signal waveforms of the broadcast channels. |
| US08265027B2 |
Method, access point and terminal for selecting channel in wireless local area networks
A method for selecting a channel for an access point (AP) in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The method includes the AP receiving network conditions of APs within the sensing range of a terminal sent by the terminal, and the AP selecting a channel based on the received network conditions. By forwarding the network conditions of other APs which can be detected by the terminal, the method of the present invention enables an AP to select a channel from the view of a terminal to avoid conflicts at the terminal, thereby improving the available bandwidth of the terminal, and giving a better experience to users. |
| US08265025B2 |
Radio transmission device and radio transmission method
Disclosed is a radio transmission device and a radio transmission method which reduces the RACH conflict ratio and improve the RACH detection characteristic. When the device and the method are used: as the number of signature numbers allocated for UE by the network side increases, the condition for allocating a signature by UE itself is mitigated and an expectation value which is a statistic average value of the RA quantity using the signature allocated by UE for itself is decreased; and as the number of signature numbers allocated for UE by the network side decreases, the condition for allocating a signature by UE itself is limited and an expectation value of the RA quantity using the signature allocated by UE for itself is increased. |
| US08265023B2 |
Method and apparatus for sending control signaling
A method for sending control signaling, including: a transmitter using different states of one field in the control signaling to indicate the payload size or RV; and sends the control signaling indicative of the payload size or RV in the field. It is appropriate that some states of one field indicate different payload sizes, and the remaining states of the field indicate different RVs. An apparatus for sending control signaling is disclosed. The apparatus may be integrated in a base station, and may include a control signaling generating unit and a control signaling sending unit. |
| US08265018B2 |
System and method for dynamic allocation of capacity on wireless networks
A wireless communication system is described for allocating limited network access according to priorities designated for requested transactions of wireless communications. The wireless network has a number of access links for transmitting transactions for wireless communications. A plurality of wireless communications devices request transmission of transactions on the wireless network. A designated priority level is associated with each transaction. In response to the transaction requests, an access control manager in the wireless network schedules transmission of transactions when all of the plurality of access links are occupied, by authorizing a transmission of a transaction of higher priority than another transaction that is being transmitted, and discontinuing the transmission of the transaction of lower priority. |
| US08265017B2 |
Methods and apparatus for network capacity enhancement for wireless device coexistence
Methods and apparatus for enhancing network capacity in a network comprising multiple wireless communication that overlap at least partly in frequency spectrum. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a portable device such as a laptop or smartphone having both a WLAN (e.g., Wi-Fi) interface and a PAN (e.g., Bluetooth) interface which each operate with approximately the same frequency range. One variant places the WLAN interface into a power-saving mode as a default, thereby mitigating interference with the PAN interface in cases where the WLAN interface is not in active use. In another variant, an aggressive PAN management algorithm is used to enforce network policy on the PAN interface, thereby mitigating interference between the PAN interface and the WLAN interfaces of other devices in the network (as well as the parent device). AP-based variants are also described. Methods of operation and doing business utilizing the aforementioned apparatus are also disclosed. |
| US08265013B2 |
Apparatus and method for supporting interactive broadcasting service in broadband wireless access (BWA) system
An apparatus and method for providing an interactive broadcasting service in a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) system are provided. The method includes receiving content attributes, including a terminal interaction request time index information, and corresponding contents from a content provider; after transmitting the contents to a terminal, sending a burst allocation request message to a Base Station (BS) to allocate an uplink bandwidth to the terminal at the terminal interaction request time; and receiving interactive information from the terminal over the uplink bandwidth allocated to the terminal. The content provider or the service provider can request a response from a plurality of recipients through the MBS service, gather their responses, and reflect the gathered information in the contents. |
| US08265010B2 |
Wireless communication system and routing method for packet switching service, femto AP using the routing method
A wireless communication system, a routing method for a packet switched service, and a Femto AP (FAP) using the routing method are provided. The wireless communication system may include a core network, a broadband IP network, a FAP and at least a user equipment (UE). The UE connects the core network through the FAP and the broadband IP network. The routing method is as follows. The FAP may evaluate a request of the packet switched service sent by the UE, and may reply an accept message to the UE. The accept message may include a FAP address. The UE may use the FAP address to send a packet switching data to the FAP in order to obtain the packet switched service. The FAP may directly conduct the packet switched service with a packet switched service supply end through the broadband IP network without routing through the core network. |
| US08265004B2 |
Transferring data using ad hoc networks
A method for a local device to establish an ad hoc communications channel with a broadcast device is disclosed. The method comprises upon determining that the ad hoc communications link with the broadcast device is required, accessing memory to obtain connection parameters for the broadcast device; and establishing a communications link with the broadcast device by sending a connection request to the broadcast device based on the connection parameters. |
| US08265000B2 |
Method for receiving common channel in wireless communication and terminal thereof
A method for receiving a common channel of a mobile terminal is disclosed. The mobile terminal receives a shared control channel, determines whether to receive a shared data channel or a common channel, and receives the shared data channel or the common channel according to control information transmitted via the shared control channel. |
| US08264997B2 |
System and method for providing message push service in wireless communication system
A method and a system for providing a push service in a wireless communication system adopting an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme or an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme are provided. The method includes when receiving a message from another network or another messaging server, transmitting, at a messaging server, a push service request message to a push server; when a Mobile Station (MS) of which the push service is requested using the push service request message of the messaging server, operates in an awake mode, transmitting, at the push server, a first push deliver message comprising a message designated for the MS, to a Base Station (BS), and when receiving the first push deliver message, transmitting, at the BS, a second push deliver message based on a Media Access Control (MAC) layer comprising the message designated for the MS, to the MS. |
| US08264993B2 |
Method for minimizing current consumption at handover in multimode terminal and terminal for use in the same
A method and a multimode terminal for minimizing current consumption and simultaneously reducing a handover processing time when a handover occurs between communication networks which provide communication services using different mobile communication technologies. The communication network modems of the multimode terminal are interconnected via a one-to-one communication path, so that a handover target communication network modem is powered on only when handover actually occurs. In this way, by efficiently determining a time point when the handover target communication network modem is powered on, a processing time according to the occurrence of handover can be reduced, and additional current consumption can be minimized. |
| US08264991B2 |
System and method for improving symmetry in data transfer in LLC layer of peer to peer NFC device
A data transmission/reception method in Near Field Communications (NFC) for improving data throughput is provided. Communications between a first NFC device and a second NFC device which perform NFC includes (a) transmitting, by the first NFC device, a data frame to the second NFC device, (b) setting, by the second NFC device, an indication of presence or absence of more-data in a bit of a Logical Link Control (LLC) information frame and transmitting the LLC information frame as a response frame responding to the data frame transmitted from the first NFC device, and (c) checking, by the first NFC device, the bit of the response frame and waiting for predetermined time or immediately transmitting a next transmission data bit without waiting for the predetermined time according to the check result. |
| US08264988B2 |
Method for inferring physical network topology from end-to-end measurement
A method for inferring end-to-end network topology and to accurately determine a layer-3 routing tree between one sender and a set of receivers in the presence of anonymous routers in a network. |
| US08264983B2 |
Method for provisioning circuits on multiple parallel links with a single setup message
A method and system for provisioning circuits on multiple parallel links with a single setup message is disclosed. A setup message specifying links in a circuit path is transmitted to switches along the circuit path. If a switch determines that a link specified in the setup message has insufficient bandwidth for the circuit, the switch substitutes a parallel link having sufficient bandwidth for the specified link in the circuit path. The setup message can indicate whether substitution for a link is permitted. This can be used to prevent substitution for links when provisioning service routes for new circuits in order to maintain diversity requirements, while allowing substitution for links when provisioning restoration routes for failed circuits in order to reduce restoration time. |
| US08264981B2 |
Inter-multipoint voice conversation apparatus
A quality level analysis unit 504 specifies a coding method, communication line conditions, and a quality level, such as an S/N ratio and the like, of voices of an input channel, received by a corresponding receiving unit 501. A channel allocation/mixing unit 502 controls the allocation or mixing of voices of respective input channels to or into respective output channels 503 (output units 505) on the basis of the results of analysis by the quality level analysis unit 504. Consequently, loud speakers from which poor quality voices and good quality voices are output can be separated from one another, thus improving the total intelligibility of received voices. |
| US08264977B2 |
Signal quality indicator
A method of deriving an indicator of the signal quality in an in-service packet-based network at least having means to detect errors in packets and means to determine the overall amount of network traffic received. The method comprises the steps of: obtaining a value of the number of packets received having errors therein; obtaining a value of the overall amount of the network traffic received; calculating the indicator of signal quality (eBER) using the ratio of the number of packets received having errors therein to the overall amount of network traffic received. |
| US08264971B2 |
Method for managing resources in a platform for telecommunication service and/or network management, corresponding platform and computer program product therefor
A method and system for managing resources in telecommunications services and networks. The method and system regard execution of processes by distributed agents on processing machines to perform predetermined tasks on the network, and are characterized by setting target data including goals on processes and constraints on resource utilization to be met by the system; monitoring computational resources utilization and processes execution by agents, and collecting performance data representative of resource utilization and process execution; comparing the collected performance data with the set data, a penalty being established when performance data do not fulfill target data; and re-allocating resources for process execution by agents so as to minimize the penalty determined on the basis of the comparison. |
| US08264970B2 |
Continuity check management in a link state controlled Ethernet network
An OAM link trace message is sent from a source node to a target node in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network. The link trace message using an 802.1ag format except, as a destination address, it uses either the unicast Ethernet MAC node ID of the target node, or the multicast destination address of the service instance. A method of network topology verification in a link state protocol controlled Ethernet network checks the link state protocol database at a node to ascertain the control plane topology view of at least part of the network. It then executes one or more Ethernet OAM commands from the node to ascertain the data plane topology view of the same part of the network. The control plane topology view of the network is compared to the data plane topology view of the network to see if they match. An error is flagged if they do not match. |
| US08264953B2 |
Resilient data communications with physical layer link aggregation, extended failure detection and load balancing
Rapid channel failure detection and recovery in wireless communication networks is needed in order to meet, among other things, carrier class Ethernet channel standards. Thus, resilient wireless packet communications is provided using a physical layer link aggregation protocol with a hardware-assisted rapid channel failure detection algorithm and load balancing, preferably in combination. This functionality may be implemented in a Gigabit Ethernet data access card with an engine configured accordingly. In networks with various topologies, these features may be provided in combination with their existing protocols. |
| US08264948B2 |
Interconnection device
A plurality of system board modules are connected to a crossbar module. An error detection unit detects an error in a packet received from a corresponding system board module. When an error is detected by the error detection unit, a transmission control unit issues a completion data generation request. When receiving the completion data generation request, a packet completion unit generates completion data. When receiving an error packet, a selector circuit outputs a completion packet in which completion data is provided in place of a data unit involving error. |
| US08264944B2 |
Manufacturing method for optical recording medium, optical recording medium, optical information device, and information reproducing method
An optical recording medium includes a cover layer, a plurality of recording surfaces, and a plurality of intermediate layers. The thicknesses of the layers are specifically determined and set at values which suppress a back focus problem. Because the optical recording medium suppresses back focus, the recording and reproducing of information using the optical recording medium is not obstructed. |
| US08264939B2 |
Optical pickup apparatus
An optical pickup apparatus includes: a laser diode configured to emit a laser beam; and an objective lens configured to condense the laser beam into a laser spot through which a signal recorded on a signal recording layer of an optical disc is read out by the laser beam, the objective lens having formed thereon a lens surface with a second numerical aperture for acting as a lens, which is larger than a first numerical aperture for forming the laser spot. |
| US08264937B2 |
Optical pickup device
An astigmatism element converges laser light in first and second directions to generate focal lines. A spectral element makes propagating directions of light fluxes entered into first through fourth areas different from each other to disperse the four light fluxes from each other. The direction along which the first and second areas are aligned is in parallel to a direction of a track image of a recording medium projected onto the spectral element. Each of the first and second areas has a surface area larger than a surface area of each of the third and fourth areas, and a boundary portion between the first and second areas, and the third and fourth areas includes a straight portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the track image. |
| US08264928B2 |
Method and system for fluid mediated disk activation and deactivation
Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms. |
| US08264927B2 |
Write-once information recording medium, information recording apparatus, information recording method, information reproducing apparatus and information reproducing method
According to the present invention, multiple space bitmaps (SBMs #0 and #1 30) are provided for the user data area of each recording layer. A disc management structure update unit including one of those space bitmaps and a disc definition structure (TDDS 32) and having a size of one block is written on a management information area (TDMA 17). As a result, data including the disc definition structure (TDDS 32) can always be arranged in the first block at the top of the management information area (TDMA 17). |
| US08264926B2 |
Information recording medium with power calibration area
The invention provides an information recording medium including highly reliable power calibration areas, as well as an information recording and reproducing device utilizing it. The medium is an information recording medium having a recording layer including a data recordable area 50 for recording user information signals, a lead-in area provided on the inner periphery of the data recordable area 50, an inner power calibration area provided further on the inside of the lead-in area for recording test recording patterns, and a recording management area for recording management information related to the inner power calibration area. An outer power calibration area 70 is provided on the outer periphery of the final point of recording of the user information signal on the recording layer. |
| US08264919B2 |
Thermal assisted magnetic recording head having spot size converter
A spot size converter according to the present invention is capable of shortening the waveguide length in the spot size converter and of promoting a size reduction of the optical waveguide itself because two cores having a taper portion are combined and those tapering angles are mutually aligned. Furthermore, spot size conversion efficiency is favorable even in a small size. |
| US08264918B2 |
Near-field recording device having heating mechanism positioned near a trailing side of a magnetic pole
One purpose of the invention according to one embodiment is to provide a magnetic recording apparatus of high recording density in which magnetization transition curvature amount of a recording pattern is small. In one embodiment, the center of a heating area is arranged at a track edge side of a recording pattern as compared with the width-direction center position of a main magnetic pole of a recording head, and a recording magnetic field is applied while a medium is locally heated at the time of signal recording. A switching magnetic field of the medium is locally reduced by heating, so that a line where the switching magnetic field of the medium is equal to the recording magnetic field from the head approaches the heating center position, and a desired recording pattern in which the transition curvature amount is reduced can be realized. Other systems and methods are also presented. |
| US08264916B1 |
Microwave assisted magnetic head and magnetic disk device
A microwave assisted magnetic head of the present invention includes: at least two or more auxiliary coils that are arranged in a periphery of a writing main pole; and microwave current supply means that applies microwave currents to the at least two or more auxiliary coils. The at least two or more auxiliary coils respectively include linear body parts linearly arranged on an ABS side, two of the linear body parts of the at least two or more auxiliary coils are arranged in a substantially orthogonal positional relationship, and the microwave current supply means is configured such that the microwave current supply means changes phase differences of the microwave currents applied respectively to the at least two or more auxiliary coils. Therefore, the microwave current can be easily controlled, and thus, a circularly polarized magnetic field with high magnetization inversion efficiency can be generated as an assistance magnetic field. |
| US08264915B2 |
Time information-acquiring apparatus and radio wave timepiece
A time information-acquiring apparatus comprises an input waveform generator which generates an input waveform, a predicted waveform generator which generates plural phase-shifted predicted waveforms, a correlation calculator which calculates a positive correlation based on a first value of the input waveform and a first value of the predicted waveform or a second value of the input waveform and a second value of the predicted waveform, and calculates a negative correlation based on the first value of the input waveform and the second value of the predicted waveform or the second value of the input waveform and the first value of the predicted waveform, a comparator which compares the correlation values to detect an optimal value, and a controller which detects a head position of a second based on a predicted waveform related to the optimal value. |
| US08264912B2 |
Watch with calendar mechanism having two date indicators
A watch with a calendar mechanism has a rotatable first date indicator for displaying a ones place of a date, a rotatable second date indicator for displaying a tens place of the date, and a second date indicator feeding lever for rotating the second date indicator. The first date indicator has calendar shift teeth and first date indicator tooth portions. The calendar shift teeth include a first calendar shift tooth, a second calendar shift tooth arranged relative to the first calendar shift tooth at a first interval, a third calendar shift tooth arranged relative to the second calendar shift tooth at a second interval greater than the first interval, and a fourth calendar shift tooth arranged relative to the first calendar shift tooth at a third interval greater than each of the first and second intervals. The second date indicator feeding lever has a spring portion and is mounted to undergo movement from a first position toward the second date indicator in accordance with rotation of the first date indicator and is restored to the first position by a spring force of the spring portion. |
| US08264911B2 |
Universal wristwatch and relevant time setting system in twelfths and twenty-fourths according to the different time zone
A universal wristwatch and relevant system for setting the time according to the time zone, the wristwatch (1) including concentric dials (A, B, C) showing the 24 hours (dial B), the 24 time zones (dial C) and the minutes (winder A) and including also selecting devices (11) suitable to implement a temporary connection between the rotation of the time zone dial (C) and the 24-hour dial (B) in order to realize an identical synchronous rotation further to which it will be possible to set the hour hand (O) on the new place thus obtaining independently and at the same time the collimation with the joint unit of dials (B) and (C). Once the collimation is completed, the previous different rotation of dials (B) and (C) is restored. The wristwatch (1) showing the time of the current time zone in twelfths and twenty-fourths, universal wristwatch, in addition to the other 23 places. |
| US08264908B2 |
Method of detecting and compensating for precipitation in sodar systems
A method of detecting precipitation with a sodar apparatus that transmits sound beams into the atmosphere, detects echoes returned from the atmosphere, from the echoes determines a Doppler-shifted spectrum comprising the relative strength of the echoes at various Doppler-shifted frequencies, and estimates wind speed and direction. The method includes automatically estimating the presence of precipitation based on the Doppler-shifted spectrum. |
| US08264903B1 |
Systems and methods for refreshing a memory module
A memory module according to certain aspects has a plurality of memory devices arranged into one or more logical ranks. Each logical rank may correspond to a set of at least two physical ranks. The memory module can include a circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of memory devices and configured to be operatively coupled to a memory controller of a computer system to receive a logical rank refresh command. In response, the circuit can initiate a first refresh operation for one or more first physical ranks and then initiate a second refresh operation for one or more second physical ranks. The memory module can further include a memory location storing a refresh time (tRFC) value accessible by the memory controller and based at least in part on a calculated maximum amount of time for refreshing the logical rank. |
| US08264896B2 |
Integrated circuit having an array supply voltage control circuit
An integrated circuit comprises a plurality of memory cells and an array supply voltage control circuit. The plurality of memory cells are organized in rows and columns. A row comprises a word line and all of the memory cells coupled to the word line. A column comprises a bit line pair and all of the memory cells coupled to the bit line pair. The array supply voltage control circuit is coupled to the plurality of memory cells. The array supply voltage control circuit is for receiving a power supply voltage and for providing a reduced power supply voltage to memory cells of a selected column during a write operation in response to a voltage differential on the bit line pair of the selected column. |
| US08264889B2 |
Memory device and semiconductor device
A memory device has a pair of conductive layers and an organic compound having a liquid crystal property that is interposed between the pair of conductive layers. Data is recorded in the memory device by applying a first voltage to the pair of conductive layers and heating the organic compound, to cause a phase change of the organic compound from a first phase to a second phase. |
| US08264887B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of programming the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory block including a number of cell strings, a channel voltage detection unit configured to detect channel voltages of the cell strings in which the channel voltages are changed based on voltages supplied to memory cells of the cell strings during a program operation and to generate channel voltage code based on an average channel voltage of the detected channel voltages, and a voltage supply unit configured to change a level of a pass voltage of the voltages supplied to memory cells in which the pass voltage is supplied to the memory cells during the program operation according to the channel voltage code. |
| US08264883B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method of reading the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including an even page cell group and an odd page cell group, and a page buffer configured to read data stored in memory cells of the even page cell group and the odd page cell group and store the read data. The page buffer comprises a first latch configured to store first even page data of the even page cell group when a first read operation is performed, a second latch configured to store odd page data of the odd page cell group when a second read operation is performed, and a third latch configured to store second even page data of the even page cell group when a third read operation is performed. |
| US08264882B2 |
Charge loss compensation during programming of a memory device
In programming a selected word line of memory cells, a first program verify or read operation is performed, after one page of a selected word line is programmed, in order to determine a first quantity of memory cells that have been programmed to a predetermined reference point in the programmed first page distribution. Prior to programming the second page of the selected word line, a second program verify or read operation is performed to determine a second quantity of cells that are still at the reference point. The difference between the first and second quantities is an indication of the quantity of cells that experienced quick charge loss. The difference is used to determine an adjustment voltage for the second page verification operation after programming of the second page. |
| US08264880B1 |
Reprogramming non-volatile memory devices for read disturbance mitigation
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to non-volatile memory. A described device includes a non-volatile memory structure including a first data area, and a second data area that stores information. The information can include a first value corresponding to the first data area, the first value being set responsive to a last programming cycle on the first data area, and a second value indicating a total number of programming or erasing operations on the first data area. |
| US08264878B2 |
Method and apparatus for increasing memory programming efficiency through dynamic switching of bit lines
A method of efficiently programming charge-trapping memory cells includes sense amplifiers being dynamically connected to cells to be programmed, by switching bit lines. The method increases a number of cells that can be programmed simultaneously, such that an optimal use of sense amplifier resources is obtained. |
| US08264872B2 |
Column decoder for non-volatile memory devices, in particular of the phase-change type
A column decoder is for a phase-change memory device provided with an array of memory cells, a reading stage for reading data contained in the memory cells, and a programming stage for programming the data. The column decoder selects and enables biasing of a bitline of the array and generates a current path between the bitline and the reading stage or, alternatively, the programming stage, respectively during a reading or a programming operation of the contents of the memory cells. In the column decoder, a first decoder circuit generates a first current path between the bitline and the reading stage, and a second decoder circuit, distinct and separate from the first decoder circuit, generates a second current path, distinct from the first current path, between the bitline and the programming stage. |
| US08264871B2 |
Phase change memory device
A phase change memory device is constituted of a plurality of memory cells including a plurality of phase change memory elements, which are arranged at intersecting points formed between a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines. A write circuit which operates based on a write voltage source (Vwrite) is controlled by control signals (e.g. WE, RDIS, SDIS, and DIN) output from a control circuit which operates based on a voltage source (VDD), where Vwrite>VDD. All the control signals based on VDD are applied to the gates of N-channel MOS transistors included in the write circuit. This allows adequately high write currents to be supplied to phase change memory elements; and this eliminates the necessity of arranging a potential switch circuit in the write circuit, thus reducing the scale of the phase change memory device. |
| US08264867B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor storage device
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device having a plurality of operation modes, includes: a plurality of first lines; a plurality of second lines; a plurality of memory cells; a first selection unit that charges the first line to a first selection voltage; and a second selection unit that charges a second line to an unselection voltage and discharges the second line to a second selection voltage after the first line is charged to the first selection voltage by the first selection unit, wherein the second selection unit adjusts at least one of a level of the second selection voltage to which the second line to be selected is to be discharged and a time constant when discharging the second line to be selected, in accordance with an operation mode in which the nonvolatile semiconductor storage device operates among the plurality of operation modes. |
| US08264865B2 |
Nonvolatile memory element, manufacturing method thereof, and nonvolatile semiconductor device incorporating nonvolatile memory element
A nonvolatile memory element of the present invention comprises a first electrode (103), a second electrode (108); a resistance variable layer (107) which is interposed between the first electrode (103) and the second electrode (107) and is configured to switch a resistance value reversibly in response to an electric signal applied between the electrodes (103) and (108), and the resistance variable layer (107) has at least a multi-layer structure in which a first hafnium-containing layer having a composition expressed as HfOx (0.9≦x≦1.6), and a second hafnium-containing layer having a composition expressed as HfOy (1.8 |
| US08264862B2 |
Low power SRAM based content addressable memory
An apparatus comprising a memory array and a plurality of processing circuits. The memory array may be configured to store a plurality of data bits in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. A plurality of data words may be stored in a respective plurality of the columns. The plurality of processing circuits may each be configured to compare (i) a test bit of a plurality of bits of an input data word with (ii) a test bit of one of the plurality of columns to determine a match. The compare may occur on a first clock cycle of an input clock signal. Each of the plurality of processing circuits may be configured to power down a respective column of the memory array if the test bit of the input data word does not match the test bit of the column. |
| US08264860B2 |
System and method for power factor correction frequency tracking and reference generation
A power factor correction (PFC) system includes a period determination module, a frequency generation module, an angle generation module, a signal generation module, and an angle correction module. The period determination module determines a period of an input alternating current (AC) line signal based on a time between rising edges of the input AC line signal. The frequency generation module generates a frequency based on the period. The angle generation module generates an angle based on the frequency. The signal generation module generates a sinusoidal reference signal based on the frequency and an adjusted angle. The angle correction module generates the adjusted angle based on the angle and based on a comparison of a falling edge of the sinusoidal reference signal, the period, and a rising edge of the input AC line signal. |
| US08264859B2 |
Direct power converting apparatus
A transistor is brought into conduction when, for example, a voltage between both ends of a second clamp capacitor exceeds a predetermined reference voltage. A resistance value of a discharge resistor is smaller than a value obtained by dividing the reference voltage by the maximum value of a current flowing through the discharge resistor. When the transistor is brought into conduction as a result of a voltage between both ends of the second clamp capacitor exceeding the predetermined reference voltage, a voltage applied to the discharge resistor, which results from a regenerative current, is larger one of the voltage between both ends of the second clamp capacitor and a voltage drop of the discharge resistor due to the regenerative current. The voltage drop and the voltage between both ends are smaller than a voltage between DC power supply lines, whereby it is possible to reduce an electrostatic capacitance of the discharge resistor. |
| US08264858B2 |
Electronic circuit control element with tap element
A technique for controlling a power supply with power supply control element with a tap element. An example power supply control element includes a power transistor that has first and second main terminals, a control terminal and a tap terminal. A control circuit is coupled to the control terminal. The tap terminal and the second main terminal of the power transistor are to control switching of the power transistor. The tap terminal is coupled to provide a signal to the control circuit substantially proportional to a voltage between the first and second main terminals when the voltage is less than a pinch off voltage. The tap terminal is coupled to provide a substantially constant voltage that is less than the voltage between the first and second main terminals to the control circuit when the voltage between the first and second main terminals is greater than the pinch-off voltage. |
| US08264856B2 |
Lightweight audio system for automotive: applications and method
A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture integrally forms a resilient beam portion adjacent an edge thereof carrying a grounding pad. The major components and subassemblies are self-fixturing during the final assembly process, eliminating the need for dedicated tools, fixtures and assembly equipment. The major components and subassemblies self-interconnect by integral guide and connection features effecting “slide lock” and “snap lock” self-interconnection. |
| US08264855B2 |
Electronic device with a locking assembly
An electronic device includes an enclosure and a locking assembly. The enclosure defines an accommodating hole and includes a bottom wall defining a pair of receiving portions. Centers of the pair of receiving portions define an imaginary line. The accommodating hole is configured on a perpendicular bisector of the imaginary line. The locking assembly includes a guiding part, a pair of sliding portions, and a control portion. The guiding part and the bottom wall cooperatively define a receiving space receiving the sliding portions. Each of the sliding portions includes a securing portion, a blocking portion and a groove closing to the blocking portion. One end of the control portion passes through the accommodating hole, and the other end is received in the receiving space. The control portion defines a pair of guiding grooves symmetrical about and inclined to the perpendicular bisector and used to engage with the securing portions. |
| US08264853B2 |
3D electronic module
The invention relates to a 3D electronic module comprising a stack (100) of at least a first slice (10) and a second slice (30), the first slice (10) having on a face (101) at least one set (4) of electrically conductive protrusions (41), and the second slice (30) comprising at least one zone (61) of electrically insulating material, traversing the thickness of the slice. The second slice (30) comprises at least one electrically conductive element (3) traversing said slice in a zone (61) of electrically insulating material, able to receive a set (4) of protrusions (41) of the first slice (10). |
| US08264850B2 |
Electronic device package with connection terminals including uneven contact surfaces
An electronic device package includes an electronic device including a plurality of input/output terminals, a wiring board which places the electronic device on a first surface and includes wiring connected to the input/output terminals of the electronic device, and a first connection terminal formed on a second surface of the wiring board and connected to the wiring, wherein the first connection terminal has an uneven contact surface formed to receive solder material placed thereon. |
| US08264849B2 |
Mold compounds in improved embedded-die coreless substrates, and processes of forming same
An apparatus includes a coreless substrate with an embedded die that is integral to the coreless substrate, and at least one device assembled on a surface that is opposite to a ball-grid array disposed on the coreless substrate. The apparatus include an at least one stiffener layer that is integral to the coreless substrate and the stiffener layer is made of overmold material, underfill material, or prepreg material. |
| US08264846B2 |
Ceramic package substrate with recessed device
A ceramic package substrate has a recess. This allows a device in that recess to be close to a die attached to the substrate's top side, for better performance. The device may be an array capacitor, an in-silicon voltage regulator, or another device or devices. |
| US08264845B2 |
Electronic device with cover ejection mechanism
An electronic device includes a main body including a guiding portion, and a back cover and a cover ejection mechanism. The cover ejection mechanism includes an ejection member and a locking member. The ejection member includes a sliding block defining an inclined surface. The locking member includes a locking element defining a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, and en elastic element. To close the back cover, the back cover is rotated and the sliding block is pushed to slide. When the inclined surface touches the first inclined surface, the locking element is pushed to move, causing the elastic element to be compressed. After the sliding block slides over the locking element, the elastic element rebounds to push the locking element to return to an initial position where the sliding block is blocked by the second inclined surface of the locking element. |
| US08264843B2 |
Mobile communication device and card socket thereof
The invention discloses a card socket comprising a base, a first resilient member, a holder, a second resilient member and a driving rod. The base comprises a bottom surface and a side wall with a block portion. The first resilient member is disposed on the bottom surface. The holder is pivotally connected to the base and compresses the first resilient member. The holder comprises an accommodating space, and a card member is removably accommodated in the accommodating space. The second resilient member and the driving rod are also disposed in the accommodating space. The driving rod comprises a hook and a recess. The hook is against the second resilient member and is capable of driving the card member to move. The block portion restrains the driving rod on the base. Furthermore, the restriction between the driving rod and the block portion can be removed through the recess. |
| US08264832B2 |
Hard disk connecting mechanism and hard disk assembly using the same
A hard disk assembly includes a first and a second hard disk, and a hard disk connecting mechanism for holding the first and the second hard disks. The first and second hard disks both each have a composite receptacle. The hard disk connecting mechanism includes a frame for mounting the first and the second hard disks and a composite connector detachably positioned in the frame. The composite connector includes a base, a first composite plug engaged with the composite receptacle of the first hard disk and a second composite plug engaged with the composite receptacle of the second hard disk. The frame defines a sliding slot. The base form a sliding protrusion slidably received in the sliding slot to slidably position the composite connector in the frame. |
| US08264825B2 |
Flat type image display apparatus
A flat image display device that has a bracket and a frame section integrally formed by a transparent material, an apparatus mounting section is disposed in an inner peripheral edge of the frame section, and parts fixing sections that are disposed on the outside of the frame section. A front panel is formed by a transparent material and disposed on the front surface side of the bracket; an apparatus body section has a screen surface that is mounted at the apparatus mounting section of the bracket. One or more signal paths send and receive electric signals between the apparatus body section and the functional sections. This enables sending and receiving of electric signals between the apparatus body section and the functional sections that send and receive electric signals to exhibit a predetermined function. |
| US08264824B2 |
Drive bay assembly
An exemplary assembly includes a drive that includes two substantially parallel sides and, for receipt of media, a substantially rectangular opening; a plate that includes a tab; a positioning mechanism to position the plate with respect to either one of the two parallel sides of the drive; and a bay configured to at least partially receive the drive, with the plate, in first and second orientations of the substantially rectangular opening with respect to the bay where the bay includes a lower slot configured to receive the tab if the plate is positioned with respect to one of the two parallel sides of the drive in the first orientation of the opening and where the bay includes an upper slot configured to receive the tab if the plate is positioned with respect to the other of the two parallel sides of the drive in the second orientation of the opening. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed. |
| US08264820B2 |
Handheld computing device
A handheld computing device and handheld music player are disclosed. The handheld computing device includes a seamless enclosure formed from an extruded tube. The extruded tube includes open ends and internal rails which serve as a guide for slidably assembling an operational assembly through the open ends of the extruded tube, a reference surface for positioning the operational assembly relative to an access opening in the seamless enclosure, and a support structure for supporting the operational assembly during use. The handheld music player includes an elongated extruded tube extending along a longitudinal axis. The elongated extruded tube has a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, and defines an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of operational components of the handheld music player. The lumen includes rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen. |
| US08264817B2 |
Dielectric ceramic and laminated ceramic capacitor
A laminated ceramic capacitor which has a dielectric ceramic with a high dielectric constant and has excellent reliability against changes in temperature and mechanical shocks, even when dielectric ceramic layers are reduced in thickness employs a dielectric ceramic containing (Ba1-xCax)yTiO3 (where 0.045≦x≦0.15 and 0.98≦y≦1.05) as its main constituent and containing Re2O3 (where Re is at least one of Gd, Dy, Ho, Yb, and Y), MgO, MnO, V2O5, and SiO2 as accessory constituents, which is represented by the general formula: 100(Ba1-xCax)yTiO3+aRe2O3+bMgO+cMnO+dV2O5+eSiO2, and satisfies each of the following conditions: 0.65≦a≦1.5; 0.98≦y≦1.05; 0.15≦b≦2.0; 0.4≦c≦1.5; 0.02≦d≦0.25; and 0.2≦e≦3.0. |
| US08264815B2 |
Multilayer ceramic capacitor and method for manufacturing the same
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: a ceramic element; a plurality of first and second inner electrodes formed at the interior of the ceramic element and including capacity contribution portions facing each other and capacity non-contribution portions extending from the capacity contribution portions and having one end alternately exposed from the side of the ceramic element; first and second outer electrodes formed at the side of the ceramic main body and electrically connected with the first and second inner electrodes, wherein the thickness of the capacity non-contribution portion is greater than that of the capacity contribution portion and connectivity of the capacity non-contribution portion is higher than that of the capacity contribution portion at one or more of the first and second inner electrodes. |
| US08264814B2 |
Downhole sequentially-firing casing perforating gun with electronically-actuated wireline release mechanism, and actuation circuit therefor
A downhole release tool for use in conjunction with multiple select-fire perforating guns and a method for electronically actuating the release tool using either positive or negative control voltage. In a preferred embodiment, the release tool employs operating circuitry that allows actuation of the release tool by either a positive or a negative voltage at an absolute magnitude greater than the absolute magnitude of positive or negative voltages used to arm or fire the perforating guns. |
| US08264810B2 |
Electrically assisted safing of a linear actuator to provide shock tolerance
Electrically assisted safing of a solenoid linear actuator to provide shock tolerance is provided for a solenoid actuator, the actuator having an armature and at least one electromagnetic inductive coil. A controller, receiving an output from a motion sensor, adjusts an electrical power input to the electromagnetic inductive coil. When the output of the motion sensor indicates onset of an environmental transient exceeding a predetermined threshold of intensity, the controller adjusts the electrical power input such that an electromagnetic field generated by the coil is sufficient to restrain the armature in a desired position during the environmental transient. |
| US08264805B2 |
Dual voltage hot swap module power control
A module hot swap circuit includes a low voltage-drop rectifier adapted to receive either positive or negative voltages of different absolute values. The rectifier is coupled to a power manager that provides dual startup/shutdown voltage thresholds and inrush current limiting. A detector prevents reverse current flow allowing the module to hold up during input voltage drop-outs. |
| US08264800B2 |
Magnetic field detecting element having a tunnel barrier formed on an amorphous layer
A magnetic field detecting element has a first lower layer, a second lower layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and an upper layer, wherein the first lower layer, the second lower layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the upper layer are stacked adjacent to each other in this order, the first lower layer is formed in an amorphous state; and the second lower layer is made of cobalt, iron, nickel or a combination thereof and that is formed in a substantially amorphous state, the second lower layer being in touch with the first lower layer and the tunnel barrier layer on both sides and a film thickness of the second lower layer is approximately between 0.2 and 1.5 nm. |
| US08264795B2 |
Flexible circuit for use with a magnetic head
A flexible circuit having a first end attached to a clamping mechanism and a second end attached to a carriage to move, a magnetic head to read a tape. The clamping mechanism has a curved surface to allow the flexible circuit to maintain an S-shape when the magnetic head moves with respect to the magnetic tape. |
| US08264791B2 |
Pass-through mechanism for linear tape library
A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string. |
| US08264789B2 |
Servo controlling method, recording/reproducing apparatus, magnetic tape, and magnetic tape cartridge
A servo controlling method of the present invention is a servo controlling method for controlling a position of a magnetic head against a magnetic tape that is accommodated in a cartridge and has at least a data track and a servo track, and the method includes the steps of: reading tape variance information from a magnetic tape cartridge (23) side, the magnetic tape cartridge (23) being composed of a cartridge (20) and a magnetic tape (21); reading a servo signal recorded in the servo track by the magnetic head and converting the servo signal into head position information; and controlling the position of the magnetic head according to an off-track value based on the tape variance information and an off-track value calculated from the head position information. With this configuration, even in the case where a recording track width is narrowed and a tape speed is increased, the magnetic head can follow a recording track accurately at a high speed. |
| US08264786B2 |
Lens module
A lens module includes a lens barrel, a lens and an aperture plate. The lens barrel includes a main body. The lens barrel includes a main body with an inner sidewall. The lens is received in the main body and includes an optical portion and a non-optical portion surrounded the optical portion. The aperture plate is disposed on the image-side surface of the non-optical portion of lens. The aperture plate defines a plurality of cutouts on the outer periphery thereof and thereby leaving a plurality of flanges at the outer periphery thereof. The flanges abut the inner side wall. The cutouts are coated adhesive to firmly attach the aperture plate on the image-side surface of the lens and fixed on the inner sidewall of the main body. |
| US08264782B2 |
Imaging lens
Provided is an imaging lens, the imaging lens including in an orderly way from an object side, a first lens including an incidence surface having a positive (+) refractive power and incident with light, a reflecting surface reflecting the incident light and an exit surface outputting the reflected light; a second lens having a negative (−) refractive power; a third lens having a positive (+) refractive power; a fourth lens having a positive (+) refractive power; a fifth lens having a negative (−) refractive power; a sixth lens having a positive (+) refractive power; and a seventh lens having a positive (+) refractive power, wherein the second lens through the seventh lens are disposed in an orderly way from an exit surface of the first lens. |
| US08264779B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus including same
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side and arranged along an optical axis, first to fifth lens units having positive, negative, positive, positive or negative, and positive refractive power, respectively. When zooming, the second lens unit moves monotonically to the image side, the third lens unit moves to the object side in a convex locus, the fifth lens unit moves nonlinearly, and the first and fourth lens units do not move. The fourth lens unit includes a first sub lens unit and a second sub lens unit; the first sub lens unit is an image-stabilizing lens unit that includes a first lens having negative refractive power and a second lens having positive or negative refractive power. The focal length of the fourth lens unit, the focal length of the entire system at the wide-angle end, the Abbe numbers of the materials of the first and second lenses are set appropriately based on predetermined conditions. |
| US08264778B2 |
Display substrate, method of manufacturing the same and electrowetting display panel having the display substrate
A display substrate includes a base substrate, a reflection-polarization member, a first electrode, an insulation layer and a pixel wall. The reflection-polarization member is disposed on the base substrate to reflect and polarize incident light. The first electrode is disposed in a unit pixel area of the reflection-polarization member. The insulation layer is disposed on the first electrode. The pixel wall is disposed on the insulation layer and defines the unit pixel area. Therefore, the entire area of a unit pixel may be used as a reflective area or a transmissive area, and thus an aperture ratio may be improved in a reflection mode or a transmission mode. |
| US08264777B2 |
Portable electronic device having an electro wetting display illuminated by quantum dots
A portable electronic device (510) having a self illuminating display (200, 202, 204, 206, 300, 512) that reduces both the thickness of known displays and processing steps in the fabrication thereof is provided. The portable electronic device (510) includes an electrowetting display (200, 202, 204, 206, 300, 512) having a plurality of transparent layers defining a cavity (219). A combination of a first fluid (218, 236) and a second fluid (210, 234, 244, 254) are positioned in the cavity. First circuitry (224) is configured to be coupled to a first voltage source (222) for selectively repositioning the second fluid (210, 234, 244, 254) in relation to the first fluid (218, 236). A plurality of quantum dots (208, 360) is positioned within the second fluid (210, 234, 244, 254), and a light source (209, 309) is disposed contiguous to the plurality of layers. Second circuitry (228) is configured to be coupled to a second voltage source (226) for selectively causing the light source (209, 309) to emit photons to strike the plurality of quantum dots (208, 360). Additional similar stacks of layers (204, 206) may be added to provide a color display. |
| US08264776B2 |
Lens array apparatus
A lens array apparatus and a manufacturing method thereof are provided in which in the lens array apparatus includes a predetermined angle of gradient in relation to a thickness direction for each of a plurality of lenses, an exiting direction of light emitted from each lens is at an angle of gradient allowing respective converging points of the light emitted from each lens to be positioned on a predetermined straight line that corresponds to each lens and is parallel with the thickness direction, under a plurality of different ambient temperatures. |
| US08264774B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating reconstructions of information encoded in ambient light modulators
The present invention relates to a method and device for the generation of reconstructions of information encoded on spatial light modulators by way of illumination with coherent incident waves. The invention includes the following steps: Splitting of the incident wave into at least two incident sub-waves, Modulation of the incident sub-waves with the help of selected apodization functions so to form modulated incident sub-waves, Direction of the modulated incident sub-waves towards the corresponding, spatially separated and pixel-matrix-shifted spatial light modulators, Diffraction of the modulated incident sub-waves at the encoded pixels of the respective spatial light modulators, Additive combination of the sub-waves emitted by the respective spatial light modulators to form one common emitted wave, and Transformation of the emitted wave into the Fourier plane with the help of a projection system. |
| US08264764B1 |
Multiple-FSR DPSK demodulator
A switchable free-spectral-range mode selector is used to change the free spectral range of a free-space delay-line interferometer. The mode selector consists of a rotatable device with at least one transparent plate selected to produce the desired change in the free spectral range of the delay-line interferometer. The device may be rotated in and out of the free-space optical path of on of the interferometer arms. If used as a DPSK demodulator, the device enables operation at multiple predetermined free spectral ranges. In the preferred embodiment, the demodulator includes a 50/50 beam-splitter cube combined with two cavities. The mode selector consists of a plurality of different transparent slabs attached to a rotatable shaft so that any one of the slabs or none may be inserted in the appropriate optical path to obtain the desired FSR mode of operation. |
| US08264762B2 |
Image displaying apparatus and display controlling device
An image displaying apparatus includes laser light sources corresponding to a plurality of colors, while at least one of the laser light sources corresponding to one of the colors includes a plurality of wavelength conversion laser light sources corresponding to a mutually same color and has a plurality of outputs. The image displaying apparatus is operable to display a color image by causing a spatial modulation element to perform a spatial modulation process on laser beams output from the laser light sources by using a field sequential method. When the spatial modulation element performs the spatial modulation process on the laser beams output from one of the laser light sources (e.g., the green laser light source) having a plurality of outputs, a drive controlling device causes green laser emitting units serving as the wavelength conversion laser light sources to sequentially output pulses so that the laser beams output from the green laser emitting units continuously form substantially constant laser outputs that have substantially the same peak power as each other. |
| US08264760B2 |
E-ink display device and method for manufacturing the same
An E-ink display device includes an active element array substrate, an E-ink layer, a protective layer and a sealant. The active element array substrate has a surface, and the surface includes a contacting region and a sealing region. The E-ink layer is disposed on the contacting region and has a first side wall, and a first included angle defined between the first side wall and the surface being smaller than 90 degrees or larger than 90 degrees. The protective layer is disposed on the E-ink layer and has a second side wall, and a second included angle defined between the second side wall and the surface is smaller than 90 degrees or larger than 90 degrees. The sealant is disposed on the sealing region and surrounds the E-ink layer and the protective layer. A method for manufacturing the E-ink display device is also provided. |
| US08264759B2 |
Fast all-optical switch
An apparatus, system, and method for fast all-optical switching is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first light transmitting medium. The apparatus may also include a second light transmitting medium coupled to the first light transmitting medium and disposed to form an interface region between the first light transmitting medium and the second light transmitting medium. Additionally, the apparatus may include a plurality of Lambda atoms disposed in the interface region, the Lambda atoms adapted to cause Electromagnetically-Induced Transparency (EIT) in the interface region in response to an incident photon. |
| US08264756B2 |
Device for recording holograms
An apparatus for recording holograms on an optical medium, in particular on an optically addressable spatial light modulation device is disclosed. For this purpose, the apparatus comprises an illumination device for emitting light, an optical medium, an image source having at least one modulation element, and an arrangement of microlenses. In this case, the arrangement of microlenses is arranged at a distance from the optical medium in such a way that the image focal points of the microlenses lie on the optical medium, such that the hologram can be generated on the optical medium. |
| US08264754B2 |
Document feeding device, image reading device and image forming device equipped with same
A document feeding device includes: a document tray on which a document is loaded; a discharge tray to which the original document is discharged; a conveyance path which conveys a document on the original document tray to the discharge tray via a document reading position; a detection unit which is disposed in the conveyance path and detects a jam of the original document in the conveyance path; and an illumination device which illuminates the conveyance path in a state visible from the exterior when the detection unit has detected a jam of the original document. |
| US08264753B2 |
Automatic document feeder, image reading device having the same and image forming apparatus having the same
Disclosed are an automatic document feeder capable of moving a pickup device between a standby position and a pickup position and carrying out a document pickup operation by using a single driving source, an image reading device having the same and an image forming apparatus having the same. The automatic document feeder includes a pickup device, a lifting device and a pickup driving device. The pickup device includes a pickup roller to pick up a document sheet. The lifting device moves the pickup device between a standby position and a pickup position. The pickup driving device includes a pickup motor to rotate in a first direction and a second direction. The pickup motor drives the pickup roller by rotating in the first direction, and drives the lifting device by rotating in the second direction. |
| US08264750B2 |
Image reading apparatus
There is provided an image reading apparatus including: a light source with arrayed light emitting elements; a light guide unit that scatters light emitted from the light source such that the light intensity is greater at end portions than at the central portion in the array direction of the light emitting elements, and guides the light to a reading position of a medium to be read; and an optical system that guides the light reflected at the reading position to a light detection unit that detects the light intensity. |
| US08264747B2 |
Image reading device and image reading method
In an image reading device, a sampling-and-holding circuit generates a plurality of analog image signals by sampling an image signal at each sampling-and-holding timing and holding sampled image signals for a predetermined amount of time, an analog-to-digital converting unit converts the analog image signals into a plurality of digital image signals at each sampling-and-holding timing, a phase regulating unit performs phase regulation of each sampling-and-holding timing based on corresponding digital image signals to obtain phase-regulated sampling-and-holding timing. The sampling-and-holding circuit generates the analog image signal at each phase-regulated sampling-and-holding timing. |
| US08264744B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program to execute image processing method
An instruction of image processing for an image and an object included in the image is received from a client. The operation environment of the client is stored as the metadata of the object included in the image. When an instruction is input to re-evaluate the attribute of the object included in the image, a record is made as metadata indicating that the attribute has been re-evaluated. Upon receiving another image different from the image, when the operation environment of a client which has given an instruction to perform image processing of the other image is identical to the operation environment of the client which is stored by the storage unit, and the record is in the recording unit indicating that the attribute has been re-evaluated, the attribute of the received other image is re-evaluated. |
| US08264742B2 |
Information processing apparatus, recording method, and computer-readable storage medium
A recording method includes providing setting of recording with a special-color recording material in a designated region of a sheet; determining whether the designated region with the special-color recording material setting is a region in which printing is performed; recording the special-color recording material to the designated region determined such that the printing is performed, in accordance with the setting; and canceling the setting of the designated region determined such that the printing is not performed. |
| US08264741B2 |
Color to black only percent threshold option for customers
A system prints documents according to non-color content. The system includes a processing component that receives a print job that includes at least one of color and non-color content. A threshold selection component allows a user to select a minimum value of non-color content within the received print job. An analysis component evaluates the non-color content within each print job, compares the non-color content with the value selected via the threshold selection component, and modifies the color parameters of the print job to appear as non-color, if the threshold is met or exceeded. A print devices receives the print job information from the evaluation component and outputs the print job as a non-color print job if the non-color content threshold is met or exceeded, and outputs the print job as a color job if the non-color content threshold is not met. |
| US08264736B2 |
Variable data print verification mechanism
A printing system is disclosed. The printing system includes a first printer to print a first type of data to a medium and to print a first barcode on the medium including variable to be printed on the medium and a second printer to print the variable data to the medium based on the first barcode and to print a second barcode to the medium for verification that the variable data has been accurately printed to the medium. |
| US08264735B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image formation apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium storing program
An image processing apparatus, which includes: an extraction section that extracts a drawing element to be printed in a black color; a contour portion determination section that determines a contour portion of the drawing element extracted by the extraction section; and a controller that controls a printing unit such that, for a portion determined as the contour portion by the contour portion determination section, the portion is overprinted on a printed background image, and for a portion not determined as the contour portion by the contour portion determination section, the portion is printed without printing the background image. |
| US08264734B2 |
Print management apparatus, print management system, medium for storing print management program and print management method
A print image acquiring section acquires print images to be aligned and printed on a print medium. An arrangement storing section stores prescribed arrangements preset under a predetermined prescription and a free arrangement to be added. An arrangement data preparing section prepares a free arrangement and stores the free arrangement in the arrangement storing section. An arrangement searching section finds an arrangement where the same number of pages as a designated number are aligned, through the arrangements stored in the arrangement storing section. An arrangement designation receiving section receives designation of an arrangement for printing, of the arrangements found by the arrangement searching section. A print data preparing section prepares, according to the print image acquired by the print image acquiring section and the arrangement designated by the arrangement designation receiving section, print data representing a print image to be printed on a print medium and an arrangement of the print image. |
| US08264731B1 |
Printing management system and printing management method
According to this invention, a printing management system which manages a log of a print job includes a creation unit which creates log information for specifying a print job on the basis of issued print job data, a save unit which saves the log information created by the creation unit in a save location corresponding to the log information in a storage unit, a determination unit which determines, in accordance with a request to access the log information saved in the save unit, whether to permit or reject the access request, and an access unit which reads log information subjected to the access request when the determination unit determines to permit the access request. |
| US08264714B2 |
Sheet conveyance system, control program thereof, and sheet conveyance method
In a sheet conveyance system in which a plurality of apparatuses each including a communication unit with a plurality of communication channels are connected, and a sheet is conveyed between the apparatuses, each of the plurality of communication channels can be switched between a transmission mode and a reception mode. When a plurality of transmission channels are set by channel assignment, communication can be executed by giving a priority to each transmission destination. If transmission data are accumulated in an apparatus, and they include data for a transmission destination with a higher priority over the current data transmission destination, the number of transmission channels is increased, and the priority is raised. |
| US08264712B2 |
Method and apparatus of processing wireless printing based on wireless LAN
Provided are a wireless printing system and method based on wireless Local Area Network (LAN). A method of requesting a wireless printing, includes: requesting a printer that exists in a wireless LAN to perform a print job; and communicating with the printer according to a standard of the wireless LAN in order to transmit data regarding the print job to the printer. The method provides wireless direct printing suitable for a wireless LAN environment. |
| US08264708B2 |
Printing system
A printing system is provided. A user directs an instruction apparatus to an electronic board in a state where an image of image data to be desirably printed is displayed, and presses a file selection button. While pressing the file selection button, the user directs the instruction apparatus to a printer desirably caused to print, and while directing the instruction apparatus to the printer, the user releases the file selection button. When the print instruction button is pressed while the instruction apparatus being directed to the printer, desired image data is printed from the printer to which the instruction apparatus is directed. |
| US08264707B2 |
Enforcing reproduction rights for hard copies of documents
Mechanisms for enforcing reproduction rights for hard copies of physical hard copy articles are provided. The mechanisms electronically scan a surface of the physical hard copy article using a scanning mechanism to generate scanned data. A reproduction control identifier is extracted from the scanned data and output of a copy of the article is controlled based on the reproduction control identifier that was extracted from the scanned data. The physical hard copy article has a plurality of reproduction control identifiers present in multiple locations on the surface of the physical hard copy article such that content of portions of the physical hard copy article provided on the surface cannot be electronically scanned by the scanning mechanism without detecting a reproduction control identifier. |
| US08264706B2 |
Image reading apparatus and method of reading image
An image reading apparatus reads the image of an original document. An original document reading section scans an original document to read the image of an original document. A scanned data producing section produces scanned data based on the image read from the original document. A communication section receives a read command from the external apparatus, the read command containing a first item of identification information and a command to read the image from the original document, and transmits scanned data produced in the scanned data producing section to the external apparatus. A user inputs a second item of identification information through an inputting section. If the first item of identification information and the second item of identification information coincide, then a controller allows the original document reading section to scan the original document. |
| US08264704B2 |
Method of automatically controlling print quality in digital printing
A method of automatically monitoring and controlling print quality in digital printing with a first and second scanner capturing an image from different locations in the printing engine. In an exemplary embodiment, a first scanner captures an image from a surface internal to the print engine while an external scanner captures an image from a printed sheet. If the external print image quality is acceptable, the internally captured image is saved as a reference. The system periodically compares internally captured images with the saved reference and provides automatic image correction if the variation from the reference is within a correctable range. If the image variation is not within a correctable range, the system runs a new test print and creates a new reference image. |
| US08264702B2 |
Method and system for determining root cause of problems in members of a fleet of multi-function devices
A distributed data mining system and method for determining root cause of problems associated with a MFD cloud. The MFD cloud may be configured to include a fleet of networked MFDs within an enterprise firewall to perform data analytics in real time. High frequency data with describing the state of each MFD can be captured and stored locally in a file system (distributed or not). The high frequency data may be acquired at regular intervals and/or in response to a specific event with a much higher cadence and finer granularity than currently practiced. A distributed data mining module associated with the enterprise firewall may then continuously analyze the data stored within the cloud to identify actual, pending or, difficult to detect problems based on available computational cycles of idle MFDs in the network. The data associated with the problems may then be securely transmitted to a back-end unit to verify and propagate the results of the analysis of the problems more rapidly. |
| US08264700B2 |
Image forming apparatus
Image forming apparatus that forms an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a photosensitive member with a laser beam, including a generation unit configured to generate a high-speed clock and a low-speed clock mutually different in frequency, a scanning unit configured to perform scanning of the laser beam in a main scanning direction based on the low-speed clock, a detection unit configured to detect the laser beam during a scanning operation performed by the scanning unit, a first shift register unit configured to receive a detection signal from the detection unit according to the high-speed clock, and an output unit configured to receive a parallel output of the first shift register unit in synchronization with the low-speed clock and to output detection timing of the laser beam as a detection signal synchronized with the low-speed clock and a value corresponding to a shift number defined by the high-speed clock. |
| US08264699B2 |
Apparatus and methods for converting print data supplied from a host computer to a print media processing apparatus into print image data before a print command is asserted
A control method for a print media processing apparatus that prints on a print medium based on print data supplied from a host computer, comprising converting the print data supplied from the host computer to the print media processing apparatus before a print command is asserted to print image data in a buffer based on a print data conversion command, and controlling printing in response to a print command by accessing the buffer and retrieving the print image data. |
| US08264689B1 |
Micro gas cell array device and method
A device and method for the detection of one or more gases is disclosed.A MEMS structure comprising a micro gas cell array is provided comprising one or more micro gas cells having a predetermined gas therein. The micro gas cells define an optical path therethrough and may comprise a micro lens. Electromagnetic energy from a scene is collected and passed through one or more micro gas cells whereby electromagnetic energy emitted or reflected from a gas of interest in a scene is absorbed by a substantially identical gas contained within a micro gas cell. In this manner, the micro gas cell acts as a spectral filter.The electromagnetic outputs of the micro gas cells, which may comprise one or more spectrally inert micro gas cells, are received by one or more detector elements such as a photon detector array. The ratio of the outputs of the related detector elements are computed by processing electronics, resulting in the identification of the gas of interest. |
| US08264680B2 |
Biochip reader and electrophoresis system
A biochip reader wherein spectroscopic information of a sample under analysis is arranged in spaces between images of the sample arranged on a biochip. The reader comprises a confocal microscope and the biochip comprises a transparent substrate to allow passage of the excitation light and fluorescent light from the sample with the excitation light being applied from the side opposite that on which the samples are arranged so that noise from dust and the like is avoided by the transmitted light avoiding contact with the dust. Another aspect is an electrophoresis system wherein different coloring material are used for each of a variety of target substances, so that the same lane and area are utilizable to concurrently detect a polychrome fluorescent pattern of the different targets. A confocal scanner or fluorescence imaging system is used with a plurality of filters to detect the multi-colored fluorescences of the target substance. Advantageously, in the biochip reader, a lower S/N ration is obtained together with lower cost; and in the electrophoresis system, concurrent detection of multiple polychromatic fluorescence patters is attained. |
| US08264677B2 |
Optical path monitoring device and optical path monitoring system
An optical path monitoring device according to the present invention includes: a measurement unit which irradiates optical pulses to an optical path as a monitoring target to cause back scattered lights, the measurement unit generating measurement data based on the back scattered lights; and a processing unit which controls operation of the measurement unit, the processing unit acquiring the measurement data from the measurement unit, the processing unit performing an arithmetic processing of the measurement data to identify an abnormal point of the optical path, and after acquiring the measurement data the processing unit sending the measurement unit instructions to start the next measurement. |
| US08264676B2 |
Detecting a disturbance in the phase of light propagating in an optical waveguide
A partially coherent Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) apparatus has a light source comprising a directly modulated semiconductor Distributed FeedBack (DFB) laser diode for transmitting partially coherent light pulses along a monomode optical fibre. Light Rayleigh backscattered from the light pulses as they travel along the optical fibre is output from the end of the fibre into which the light pulses are transmitted to a Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) filter. The FBG filter reduces the supectral width of light received at a photodetector. In one embodiment, the supectral width of the FBG filter is around one fifth of the supectral width of the light pulse after it has travelled around 1 km along the optical fibre. As a consequence of reducing the supectral width of the light received at the photodetector, the FBG filter increases the temporal coherence of the light. So, the FBG filter can ensure that the detected light is sufficiently coherent that a temporal supeckle pattern can be detected at the photodetector. At the same time, the light traveling in the optical fibre can be relatively supectrally broad so that non-linear effects in the optical fibre, such as Brillouin scattering, can be reduced. |
| US08264669B2 |
Movable body drive method, pattern formation method, exposure method, and device manufacturing method for maintaining position coordinate before and after switching encoder head
Positional information of a stage within a movement plane is measured, using three encoders which include at least one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder. Based on position measurement values of the stage, the encoder used in position measurement is switched from an encoder (Enc1, Enc2 and Enc3) to an encoder (Enc4, Enc2 and Enc3). On the switching, a coordinate linkage method or a phase linkage method is applied to set an initial value of an encoder (Enc4) which is to be newly used. Accordingly, position measurement values of the stage before and after the switching are stored even though the encoder used in position measurement of the stage is sequentially switched, and the stage can be driven accurately two-dimensionally. |
| US08264668B2 |
Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
The disclosure relates to an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The illumination system can include a depolariser which in conjunction with a light mixing system disposed downstream in the light propagation direction at least partially causes effective depolarisation of polarised light impinging on the depolariser. The illumination system can also include a microlens array which is arranged upstream of the light mixing system in the light propagation direction. The microlens array can include a plurality of microlenses arranged with a periodicity. The depolariser can be configured so that a contribution afforded by interaction of the depolariser with the periodicity of the microlens array to a residual polarisation distribution occurring in a pupil plane arranged downstream of the microlens array in the light propagation direction has a maximum degree of polarisation of not more than 5%. |
| US08264666B2 |
Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method of manufacturing device
An exposure apparatus of one aspect of the present invention is provided with a moving mechanism that moves a first portion of a belt-shaped substrate that has photosensitivity in a first heading along a first direction and moves a second portion of the substrate in a second heading along the first direction, a stage mechanism that holds a mask and moves it in a third heading along a second direction in synchronization with the movement of the substrate, and a projection optical system. The projection optical system forms a first projection image of the pattern on the first portion so that the third heading on the mask and the first heading on the first portion optically correspond, and forms a second projection image of the pattern on the second portion so that the third heading on the mask and the second heading on the second portion optically correspond. |
| US08264665B2 |
Cooled spider and method for grazing-incidence collectors
A cooled spider for grazing-incidence collectors includes an outer ring, an inner ring and spokes that mechanically and fluidly connect the inner and outer rings. Cooling channels in the outer and inner rings and in the spokes define a general cooling-fluid flow path through the spider. The general cooling-fluid flow path has input and output points located substantially 180° apart so that the flow path diverges at the input point into two branch flow paths that flow in opposite directions through the spider, and then converge at the output point. Input and output cooling fluid manifolds are fluidly connected to the outer ring at the input and output points and serve to flow cooling fluid over the cooling-fluid flow path. |
| US08264660B2 |
Polymer dispersed liquid crystal display with lateral light source and method of fabricating the same
There are provided a polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) display not using a backlight unit and a method of fabricating the same. The PDLC display comprises a rear substrate over which a thin film transistor (TFT), a first electrode, and a second electrode are formed, a front substrate apart from the rear substrate and having a first black matrix formed thereon corresponding to a region where the TFT is formed, a PDLC layer disposed below the first black matrix and formed between the front and rear substrates, a light source formed on one side of the PDLC layer and configured to provide light to the side of the PDLC layer, and a first reflection plate formed on the other side of the PDLC layer and configured to reflect light incident via the PDLC layer. |
| US08264659B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes a sealed housing part, a liquid crystal display part disposed at the front face of the housing part, a light source part housed in the housing part to generate the light to be displayed on the liquid crystal display part, an electric power supply part housed in the housing part to perform electric power supply, a control part housed in the housing part to perform control, and a heat exchange part disposed at the rear face of the housing part to cool the heat generated in the housing part. The heat exchange part includes an air stirring part for stirring the air in the housing part, a forced air cooling part covered with a duct in which the air stirring part is installed and constructed from a plate extending into the housing part, and a natural air cooling part constructed from a plate extending to the outside of the housing part. The forced air cooling part and the natural air cooling part are integrated with a rear face plate of the housing part. |
| US08264650B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate has a pixel electrode having many first slits and many second slits, connected to a third slit. Each first and second slit respectively stretches along a first and a second vector with a starting point in a junction with the third slit. Liquid crystal molecules near an alignment layer of the second substrate is aligned by the alignment layer to pre-tilt. Each projection of the long-axis of at least part of the pre-tilted liquid crystal molecules on the second substrate forms a third vector with a starting point at the end of the liquid crystal molecule near the alignment layer. An included angle between the first and the third vector is θ1, and an included angle between the second and the third vector is θ2. 90°<θ1<160°, and 90°<θ2<160°. |
| US08264646B2 |
Transflective display with white tuning
In an embodiment, a multi-mode LCD comprises pixels, each comprising sub-pixels, each sub-pixel comprising a first polarizing layer; a second polarizing layer; a first substrate layer and an oppositely oriented second substrate layer, the first and second substrate layers are between the first and second polarizing layers; a liquid crystal material between the first and second substrate layers; a first reflective layer that is adjacent to the first substrate layer and comprises at least one opening that forms a transmissive part of the sub-pixel and wherein a remainder of the first reflective layer that forms a reflective part of the sub-pixel; a first filter of a first color opposite to and covering the transmissive part with an area larger than that of the transmissive part; a second filter of a second color opposite to and partially covering the reflective part, wherein the second color is different from the first color. |
| US08264643B2 |
Active matrix type liquid crystal display device and manufacturing process for the same
An active matrix liquid crystal display device of the invention includes a liquid crystal display panel operating in a normally black mode having a first substrate provided with a color filter and a second substrate provided with an active matrix array, wherein the first substrate is provided with a laminated colored layer with three colors, a laminated colored layer with two colors and a colored layer with one color in a frame part surrounding a display area without being provided with a black matrix, and the second substrate is provided with a conductive film formed in a region which is opposed to the laminated colored layer with two colors and the colored layer with one color, between the display area and the laminated colored layer with three colors. |
| US08264640B2 |
Optical sheet
There is provided an optical sheet for use as a display device surface, which has a functional layer on at least one side of a transparent base material and has a diffusion factor on the outer surface and/or interior of the functional layer, wherein the relationship represented by the following formula (I) is satisfied. 1.92<γ<5.11 (I) γ: The diffusion angle representing 1/10 of the diffusion intensity, obtained by extrapolating a straight line connecting the reflection intensity at diffuse regular reflection ±2 and the reflection intensity at diffuse regular reflection ±1, to the diffuse regular reflection angle. |
| US08264633B2 |
Backlight unit and liquid crystal display using the same
A backlight unit and a liquid crystal display using the same are provided. The backlight unit includes a plurality of lamps, each including first and second electrodes, first and second substrates, a bottom case for receiving the substrates and lamps, first and second inverter units, and first and second wires. First and second common electrode patterns are formed on the first and second substrates and are commonly connected to the first and second electrodes, respectively. The first and second inverter units are disposed on a rear surface of the bottom case at positions corresponding to the first and second substrates, respectively. The first wire connects the first common electrode pattern and the first inverter unit via holes in the first substrate and the bottom case. The second wire connects the second common electrode pattern and the second inverter unit via holes in the second substrate and the bottom case. |
| US08264632B2 |
Repair structure and method for liquid crystal display
A data line repair structure for a liquid crystal display panel is disclosed. The data line repair structure includes a first repair line parallel to the scan line and crossing a first end of the data line; a fourth repair line formed in an oblique line area of the liquid crystal panel, coupled to the first repair line; a second repair line parallel to the data line, coupled to the gate driving chip and the fourth repair line; a third repair line parallel to the scan line, coupled to the second repair line and separated from a second end of the data line; and a floating line connected between the third repair line and the second end of the data line when the data line has a broken point. |
| US08264631B2 |
Common repair structures for close bus in a liquid crystal display
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a common repair structure for repairing scanning and/or data line defects in a liquid crystal display panel. In one embodiment, the common repair structure includes a plurality of “H” shaped structures, where each “H” shaped structure is placed over a corresponding segment of two neighboring scanning lines located between and associated with two neighboring pixels along the second direction or a corresponding segment of two neighboring data lines located between and associated with two neighboring pixels along the first direction. |
| US08264630B2 |
Active matrix substrate and liquid crystal display device
In an auxiliary capacitance electrode of each pixel region, a side end on one side in a direction in which a drain electrode crosses an end of a gate electrode so as to enter from the outside of the gate electrode to the inside thereof is disposed inside of an auxiliary capacitance line, and a side end on the other side in a direction in which the drain electrode crosses the end of the gate electrode so as to go out from the inside of the gate electrode to the outside thereof is disposed outside of the auxiliary capacitance line. |
| US08264628B2 |
Capacitor element, method for manufacturing the same, and electro-optic device
A capacitor element includes a lower conductive portion, an underlying film which covers the lower conductive portion, a lower electrode formed on the underling film, a capacitor insulating film including (i) a dielectric film formed on the lower electrode and (ii) a protective film formed on the dielectric film and having a lower etching rate than that of the dielectric film, and an upper electrode formed on the capacitor insulating film. The upper electrode and the lower conductive portion are electrically connected to each other through a connection portion exposed from the underlying film by partially removing the underlying film and the capacitor insulating film. |
| US08264625B2 |
Display device and method of displaying three dimensional stereoscopic images
A display device includes a first display panel, a second display panel, and an optical panel. The first display panel has a plurality of first display areas and provides a first frame. The second display panel has a plurality of second display areas and provides a second frame. The optical panel has a plurality of optical units with a zooming function. The first display areas and the second display areas are disposed corresponding to the optical units. The first frame is transformed into a first real image through the optical units. The second frame is transformed into a second real image through the optical units. There is a first depth of field between the first real image and the optical panel, and there is a second depth of field between the second real image and the optical panel. The first depth of field differs from the second depth of field. |
| US08264623B2 |
Liquid crystal geometrical phase optical elements and a system for generating and rapidly switching helical modes of an electromagnetic wave, based on these optical elements
Geometrical phase optical elements comprising, as a birefringent means, a liquid crystal material with a spatially inhomogeneous orientation of the molecular director in a plane orthogonal to the direction of propagation of an input radiation beam, ordered according to a predetermined geometrical pattern. Also, an optical system for generating helical modes of propagation of an optical radiation beam, including a geometrical phase optical element orientated transversely to the direction of propagation of the beam, whose optical axis is orientated according to a predetermined geometrical relation adapted to transform a circular polarized input radiation beam into a helical mode with a wavefront having a helical surface whose handedness is a function of the handedness of the input polarization, in which the switching between different orders of helicity of the radiation beam emerging from the geometrical phase optical element is carried out by switching the circular polarization state of the input radiation. |
| US08264621B2 |
Viewing device for widescreen comprising means of correcting the doubling of images due to said widescreen
The general technical field of the invention is that of viewing devices mounted on vehicles and comprising a display whose image is reflected by the windscreen of the vehicle, making it possible to superimpose the displayed image on the outside world. One of the major problems with this type of display is that the windscreen gives, by reflection, two non-superimposed doubled images. The basic principle of the invention is that the initial image is such that the combination of the first reflected image and the second image reflected by the windscreen gives a “clean” or “ideal” perceived image without any offsets. To perform this function, an image is generated on the display that comprises, obviously, the “ideal” image, but also a succession of offset images comprising negatives of the “ideal” image so that the resultant sum of the first reflected image and of the second reflected image includes no more than the “ideal” image. Obviously, the principle of the invention can be applied to simple displays or to displays comprising an image collimated to infinity or to a great distance. |
| US08264618B2 |
Remote control apparatus
A remote control apparatus for remotely operating an electronic device. The remote control apparatus including: an operation section having a plurality of operation keys; and a reader/writer configured to read and/or write information from or to an information storage medium, wherein in said operation section, at least one of the plurality of operation keys is arranged so as to overlap a read/write portion of said reader/writer, the read/write portion being used for the reading and/or writing of the information from or to the information storage medium. |
| US08264617B2 |
Analog TV broadcast signal receiving apparatus and analog TV broadcast signal demodulating apparatus
Disclosed herein is an analog television broadcast signal receiving apparatus including: a tuner section configured to convert an analog television broadcast signal into a predetermined intermediate frequency band signal; a demodulation circuit section configured to obtain a picture output signal and a sound intermediate frequency signal from the predetermined intermediate frequency band signal coming from the tuner section; a picture processing circuit section configured to convert the picture output signal into a display-ready picture signal; a sound demodulation processing circuit section configured to demodulate the sound intermediate frequency signal; and a control section. |
| US08264612B2 |
Method of raster-scan search for multi-region on-screen display and system using the same
A method of raster-scan search for multi-region OSD and a system using the same are provided. The multi-region OSD is to be displayed on a screen after an alpha-blending of a mixer. The method includes at least following procedures. First, a global header search is executed in the first memory module for each or a portion of a plurality of search lines so as to determine a blending region and store header addresses of OSD regions in a second memory module. Next, whether there is a dummy region at the search line is determined. In addition, an alpha value for the dummy region, a dummy data of the dummy region and the OSD data of the OSD regions at the search line are transmitted to the mixer. |
| US08264602B2 |
Method for image format conversion with insertion of an information banner
The present invention relates to a method for image processing to generate, from a source image having a predefined width to height ratio, called initial ratio, and an information banner having predefined width to height ratio, called banner ratio, a final image having a width called final and a height called final and for which the width to height ratio, called final ratio, is different from the initial ratio, comprising the following steps: determine a ratio called useful according to the final ratio and the banner ratio, extract from the source image a part of the image having a width to height ratio equal to the useful ratio, and generate, from the part of the image extracted and the information banner, a final image comprising in juxtaposition an image representative of the extracted image part having a width to height ratio equal to the useful ratio and an image representative of the information banner having a width to height ratio equal to the banner ratio. |
| US08264601B2 |
Video picture format conversion method and corresponding device
The present invention can be implemented in a video coder or decoder or directly in any type of display device. According to the invention, a distance representative of the edge orientation in the input picture is calculated, for at least one point situated inside a zone delimited by a first set of neighbouring pixels of the input picture, it is calculated independently from the grid of pixels of the output picture. For at least one pixel of the output picture situated in this zone, a second set of pixels is determined in the input picture from the distance and the position of said pixel of the output picture in this zone. The value of this output pixel is then determined from the value of the pixels of said second set of pixels. This method enables a reduction in the number of calculations for this format conversion. |
| US08264600B2 |
Image processing apparatus for converting a lower resolution image into a higher resolution image using cyclic coefficients
An image processing apparatus includes a converter converting an interlace image including a first number of pixels into a first progressive image, an interpolator interpolating the first progressive image to generate a second progressive image including a second number of pixels, a classification unit classifying, in accordance with a feature of the second progressive image, into classes, subject pixels forming a third progressive image, which serves as a target image, including the second number of pixels and having a quality higher than the second progressive image, a storage unit storing a prediction coefficient for each of the classes obtained by conducting learning using a plurality of progressive images, each including the second number of pixels, and a computation unit performing computation using the second progressive image and the prediction coefficient for each of the classes to determine the third progressive image from the second progressive image. |
| US08264590B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, a light guide mechanism, and a signal processing unit. The imaging device converts light incident on a photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device into electric signals. The light guide mechanism, arranged adjacent to the photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device, includes a plurality of apertures that guide light from a subject to the photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device. The signal processing unit performs desired signal processing on the electric signals output from the imaging device on the basis of subject information units derived from the light guided onto the photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device through the apertures. |
| US08264587B2 |
Increasing frame rate for imaging
The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for implementing algorithms for improving a frame rate by reducing a size and resolution of selected versus unselected image frames captured by a sensor in an image processing pipeline before displaying (or before encoding) in electronic devices (e.g., cameras, wireless camera phones, etc.), according to various embodiments of the present invention. |
| US08264585B2 |
Imaging apparatus capable of readily specifying undesirable photographing parameters form auto photographing parameters
An imaging apparatus capable of readily specifying undesirable photographing parameters from auto photographing parameters. This apparatus includes: a parameter determining section that determines a plurality of photographing parameters to set when a subject is photographed; a parameter setting section that sets each value of part of the plurality of determined photographing parameters; a moving image acquiring section that acquires a moving image using the part of set photographing parameters; a display section that displays the acquired moving image; an evaluation button that evaluates the photographing parameters; and a parameter changing section that, when the evaluation button is operated while the moving image is displayed, changes at least one of values of the part of set photographing parameters. |
| US08264581B2 |
CMOS photogate 3D camera system having improved charge sensing cell and pixel geometry
A photosurface for receiving and registering light from a scene, the photosurface comprising: a first semiconductor region in which electron-hole pairs are generated responsive to light incident on the photosurface; a single, first conductive region substantially overlaying all of the first semiconductor region; at least one second semiconductor region surrounded by the first semiconductor region; a different second conductive region for each second semiconductor region that surrounds the second semiconductor region and is electrically isolated from the first conductive region; wherein when the second conductive region is electrified positive with respect to the first conductive region, electrons generated by light incident on the first semiconductor region are collected in the second semiconductor region. |
| US08264580B2 |
Solid state imaging device, signal processing method of solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus capable of removing vertical smears
A solid-state imaging device is disclosed. The device includes: a pixel array unit in which unit pixels including photoelectric conversion elements are two-dimensionally arranged and a first signal and a second signal are outputted to a signal line as a pixel signal; a signal processing unit including a variable gain amplifier, and an analog/digital converter; a signal supply unit supplying a reference signal; plural memory units holds the reference signal passed through the signal processing unit so as to correspond to the plural gains respectively when the variable gain amplifier is set at the plural gains respectively; and a correction unit subtracting the reference signal held in the plural memory units from the pixel signal outputted from each unit pixel in an active pixel area of the pixel array unit and passed through the signal processing unit when the variable gain amplifier is set at the plural gains respectively. |
| US08264579B2 |
Shared-pixel-type image sensors for controlling capacitance of floating diffusion region
A shared-pixel-type image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, four photoelectric conversion elements disposed adjacent to one another in one direction on the semiconductor substrate, two first transmission elements transmitting charges accumulated in two adjacent ones of the photoelectric conversion elements to a first floating diffusion region, respectively, two second transmission elements transmitting charges accumulated in the other two adjacent photoelectric conversion elements to a second floating diffusion region electrically coupled with the first floating diffusion region, respectively, MOS capacitors that are electrically coupled with the first or second floating diffusion region, a reset element resetting the charges of the first and second floating diffusion regions to a reference value, and a drive element and an select element outputting the charges of the first or second floating diffusion region. |
| US08264578B2 |
Image sensor with selectable amplification factors
The invention relates to an image sensor for electronic cameras, having a plurality of light-sensitive pixels for the generation of at least one signal proportional to exposure, wherein the pixels are coupled to a read-out circuit having at least one amplifier and configured to amplify the at least one signal of a respective pixel with different amplification factors to generate differently amplified signals for the at least one signal of a respective pixel, wherein the read-out circuit has at least one output to output at least some of the differently amplified signals as output signals. At least three different amplification factors can be selected for the at least one signal of a respective pixel, wherein the read-out circuit includes a selection device which is configured to select those amplification factors in dependence on the level of the at least one signal of a respective pixel with which the output signals of the read-out circuit are amplified, wherein the number of output signals for the at least one signal of a respective pixel amounts to at least two and is less than the number of the selectable amplification factors. |
| US08264575B1 |
Red eye filter method and apparatus
A digital camera has an integral flash and stores and displays a digital image. Under certain conditions, a flash photograph taken with the camera may result in a red-eye phenomenon due to a reflection within an eye of a subject of the photograph. The digital camera has a red-eye filter which analyzes the stored image for the red-eye phenomenon and modifies the stored image to eliminate the red-eye phenomenon by changing the red area to black. The modification of the image is enabled when a photograph is taken under conditions indicative of the red-eye phenomenon. The modification is subject to anti-falsing analysis which further examines the area around the red-eye area for indicia of the eye of the subject. |
| US08264574B2 |
Electronic image capture with reduced noise
An electronic image capture system for capturing a reduced noise image of a scene includes a detector array and an image processing apparatus. The detector array provides to the image processing apparatus data representing at least one image of a scene detected by the array. The image processing apparatus holds a noise model that characterizes the noise performance of the image capture system. Based on the image data and the noise model the image processing apparatus identifies one or more portions of the scene that are predicted to contribute disproportionately to visible noise in an image formed from said image data. Based on the identified portions of the scene and the noise model, the image processing apparatus determines an exposure pattern for the image capture system that is predicted to produce multiple exposures of the scene that are combinable to produce an image with a minimal predicted noise. |
| US08264573B2 |
Imaging apparatus and reproducing apparatus which changes frame rate based on zoom operation
An imaging unit outputs a video signal at a frame rate higher than a standard frame rate. During a zoom operation period or a period including the zoom operation period and periods before and after the zoom operation, a video signal from the imaging unit is recorded in a recording medium at a high recording frame rate. Other than this period, a video signal is recorded in the recording medium at the standard frame rate. The recording frame rate and zoom operation information is recorded as metadata in the recording medium. During reproduction, based on a set reproduction mode, thinning processing is carried out on a video signal recorded during a zoom operation, and the processed signal is output at the standard frame rate. In this way, it is possible to change a frame rate in view of a photographer's intention and assure compatibility with existing viewing and reproduction environments. |
| US08264571B2 |
Image capture device and image processing device
An image capture device includes: an imager for imaging an object and generating image data; an image file generator for generating an image file by adding, to the image data generated by the imager, a header portion which stores at least one type of information concerning shooting circumstances; a timer for outputting information indicating a current time; and a manipulation section which is used to set period information specifying a period. The image file generator changes the type of information to be stored in the header portion depending on whether a time of imaging as indicated by the information which is output from the timer at the time of the imaging falls within the period specified by the period information. |
| US08264566B2 |
Method for processing image and portable terminal having camera thereof
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for processing image data in a portable terminal including obtaining a first image having a first resolution for display from an image obtaining unit of the portable terminal, receiving a semi-shutter signal during display of the first image on a display unit of the portable terminal, obtaining a second image having a second resolution from the image obtaining unit in response to the semi-shutter signal prior to receiving a full-shutter signal, and capturing a still image from the second image when the full-shutter signal is received. |
| US08264561B2 |
Image pickup apparatus detachably connecting to light emitting device and control method thereof
An image pickup apparatus detachably connecting to a light emitting device. Still image shooting is performed during moving image recording being paused according to a still image shooting instruction received during the moving image recording being performed and the moving image recording is resumed after performing the still image shooting. Information about charge control of the connected light emitting device is acquired. Light emitting of the connected light emitting device involved with the still image shooting is prohibited based on the acquired information about the charge control. |
| US08264560B2 |
Image capturing device having oblique image sensor
An image capturing device includes a lens module defining an optical axis, a holder defining an opening and a space communicating with the opening, an image processing unit received in the space, and an image sensor received in the space and fixed on the image processing unit. The holder is configured for receiving the lens module. The image processing unit is electrically connected to the image processing unit and inclined relative to the optical axis. The image sensor is configured for capturing images of objects. The optical axis passes through the center of the sensing surface of image sensor. |
| US08264559B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and image pickup method
This invention makes it possible to produce a high quality synthesized panoramic image when it is difficult to highly precisely shift the image pickup direction. The present invention provides an image pickup apparatus for synthetically generating a first image, or a whole image of an entire object of shooting, the apparatus comprising an image pickup section that sequentially changes the image pickup direction and picks up section of images of the object of shooting to be imaged, a reading section that reads second images, each having a predetermined width and constituting a part of the image picked up on an imaging plane in the image pickup section, a defining section that defines a reading range of each second image to be read by the reading section, a relative position identifying section that identifies the relative position of each second image relative to the first image, and a synthesizing section that generates the first image by sequentially and synthetically combining the second images read out by the reading section, the defining section being adapted to determine the first quantity of movement of each second image by referring to the relative position thereof as identified by the relative position identifying section and define the reading range of the second image to be read out next according to the first quantity of movement. |
| US08264545B2 |
Electronic camera
It is enabled to check a detail of a subject being a tracking object more rapidly and easily by including an image-capturing unit capturing a subject image and generating an image, a selecting unit continuously selecting a focus detection object area at the time of image-capturing by the image-capturing unit based on the image generated by the image-capturing unit, a displaying unit capable of displaying the image generated by the image-capturing unit, a generating unit cutting out a part corresponding to the focus detection object area from the image generated by the image-capturing unit and generating a tracking object checking image, and a controlling unit displaying on the displaying unit by overlapping a through image for a composition checking based on the image generated by the image-capturing unit and the tracking object checking image at the time of image-capturing by the image-capturing unit. |
| US08264544B1 |
Automated content insertion into video scene
A method for automated content insertion into a video sequence. The video sequence comprising a sequence of frames is received. An automated determination is made of non-moving pixels in the sequence of frames. Thereafter, an automated identification is made of valid regions comprising the non-moving pixels which are suitable for unobtrusive content insertion. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. |
| US08264543B2 |
Radiation image capturing system for controlling a plurality of image capturing apparatuses
A radiation image capturing system includes at least one image capturing apparatus including a radiation detector, at least one image capturing apparatus including a stimulable phosphor panel for generating radiation image information, which is readable by an image reading apparatus, and at least one control device for controlling at least the image capturing apparatus and the image reading apparatus based on image capturing instruction information supplied from an external source. The control device includes a change setting unit for changing settings of the image capturing instruction information depending on whether the image capturing apparatus and the image reading apparatus are usable or not, and a controller for controlling the image capturing apparatus and the image reading apparatus based on the changed settings of the image capturing instruction information. |
| US08264534B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing the image data of the surface of a wafer recorded by at least one camera
A method for processing the image data of the surface of a wafer (2) recorded by at least one camera (5) is disclosed, wherein an image field (15) is defined for each camera (5) in such a way that the recorded image content is repeated after N recorded images. In an evaluation electronics (18) M utility programs (19) are determined, wherein M is equal to the number of recorded images after which the image content is repeated. The number M of utility programs (19) is adapted to the number N of images. Each of the M utility programs (19) of the plurality of recorded images is only fed with images having the same image contents in order to detect defects on the basis of the image contents of the images of the surface of the wafer. The results of the M utility programs (19) are respectively forwarded to a central program (20) in a sequential manner, which compiles a distribution of the defects present on the surface of the wafer (2) from the individual results of the M utility programs (19). |
| US08264529B2 |
Camera pod that captures images or video when triggered by a mobile device
The present invention provides methods and systems for remotely recording an image using a mobile device. In one embodiment, a user transmits a message using a mobile device to activate a camera pod to record an image. The user makes adjustments to the settings of the camera pod using the mobile device, and in some instances, initiates a trigger sequence using the mobile device. The camera pod records the image and transmits the image to the mobile device, enabling the user to preview the image. In some instances, the camera pod transmits the image to a storage server, where it is stored in an album. In one embodiment, the storage server creates a webpage with the captured visual record that the user can retrieve using a personal computer. |
| US08264525B2 |
Closed loop feedback control to maximize stereo separation in 3D imaging systems
An apparatus and method for stereoscopic 3D image projection and viewing using a single projection source, alternating polarization, and passive eyewear. This approach is applicable to frame sequential video created using existing 3D graphics APIs, as well as other video signal formats, and is compatible with existing digital light processor (DLP) technology for both front and rear projection systems. An alternating polarizer filter actuator in the form of a closed feedback loop is used to modulate the projected image. A preferred embodiment enables an existing DLP projection system to be enhanced with 3D capability. |
| US08264524B1 |
System for streaming multiple regions deriving from a wide-angle camera
A wide-angle camera emulating a PTZ camera via image data processing is used to generate a panoramic image of multiple regions for ease of viewing. A client can specify multiple regions for extraction from the panoramic image to stream to a separate server for further image processing and analysis. |
| US08264522B2 |
Videotelephone terminal with intuitive adjustments
Intuitive adjustment of framing on a terminal is achieved by a remote party using a mobile terminal during a videotelephone call. The terminal includes a camera, framing means, video encoding means and communication and multiplexing means. The terminal includes motion sensors, formatting means, and communication and multiplexing means. In response to its own movement, the terminal produces framing data from movement information coming from the movement sensors and sends said framing data to the terminal. The framing means extract image portions from images captured by the camera in response to framing information corresponding to the framing data. |
| US08264520B2 |
Communication system, connection controller, terminal, and control method
In a system including a plurality of terminals and a connection controller that controls connection among the respective terminals, the connection controller records terminals of a previous connection session and information on participants as session history information. In response to a request for a connection destination candidate from a terminal, the connection controller references the session history information and presents connection destination candidate terminals. The plurality of terminals transmits a connection request to the connection controller and receives a list of connection destination candidate terminals from the connection controller. |
| US08264519B2 |
Telepresence system, method and computer program product
A video conferencing system provides realistic presence of participants in a videoconference by way of standards-based communication. The system includes three large displays, and at least one slave codec and one camera for each display. In addition, there is an extra codec installed which is the master codec. The master codec is able to establish a conference by instructing the slave codecs at its own site and at the other participating sites to set up point-to-point connections with other slave codecs at different participation sites in a pattern providing an optimal feeling of natural communication so that when a user A talk to user B at another site, user B will experience that the user A turns to him. |
| US08264514B2 |
Recording head, LED head, and image forming apparatus
A recording head is supplied capable of generating a plurality of concentration dots on the same line without providing a complicated circuit. The recording head has a recording device array in which a plurality of recording devices are arranged, and comprises a first input terminal which inputs a first driving signal for deciding a first driving time; a second input terminal which inputs a second driving signal for deciding a second driving time; a selecting section which selects whether or not the driving signal of the first input terminal or the second input terminal is used for each of the recording devices; and a driving circuit which drives the corresponding recording device by the driving signal selected by the selecting section, wherein the plurality of recording devices of the recording device array are driven by selected signals on the basis of print data. |
| US08264513B2 |
Method for image processing and image processing apparatus
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for image processing and an image processing apparatus which are capable of performing repetitive forming and erasing of high-contrast images at high speeds by forming high-density, uniform images and uniformly erasing images in a short period of time, and in addition, suppressing the degradation of the thermoreversible recording medium due to repetitive forming and erasing is possible. The method for image processing of the present invention contains at least any one of image forming step wherein an image is formed on a thermoreversible recording medium in which any one of transparency and color tone is changed reversibly depending on temperatures by heating due to laser beam irradiation, and image erasing step wherein an image formed on the thermoreversible recording medium is erased by heating due to laser beam irradiation to the thermoreversible recording medium, and a light irradiation intensity of the center is equal to or less than the light irradiation intensity of the periphery in the light intensity distribution of cross-section in a direction approximately perpendicular to the traveling direction of the laser beam irradiated at least in any one of the image forming step and the image erasing step. |
| US08264508B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for controlling the same
An image of a color misregistration detection pattern is formed, and the amount of color misregistration is detected by reading of the pattern image. The amount of color misregistration detected by a detecting unit and the delay time from the time when image data is requested to the time when the image data is output are stored. The color misregistration is corrected based on the stored delay time and amount of color misregistration. |
| US08264507B2 |
Gray scale drive sequences for pulse width modulated displays
Methods, apparatus, and systems for generating drive sequences for pulse width modulated displays are described. A pulse width modulated signal that includes a drive sequence of temporal segments that are activated and deactivated to produce a desired gray scale. The temporal segments can be non-binary, non-equally weighted. The drive sequence can also include at least two of the temporal segments are least significant bit segments and the other segments are higher order segments. |
| US08264506B2 |
System and method for displaying a rotated image in a display device
A method for controlling display of an image includes generating a list of non-sequential random numbers, each number corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of lines in a source image. The lines in the source image are then transferred in non-sequential order from a first memory to a second memory based on the random numbers in the list and orientation change information. The resulting image in the second memory is then displayed in the desired orientation. |
| US08264497B2 |
Gamut mapping and subpixel rendering systems and methods
In a first embodiment, a display system comprises a display panel with 4 or more colored subpixels. The display system receives input image data specified in a first color space and outputs image data specified in a second color space. The display system further comprises a gamut mapping module for mapping the input image data specified in the first color space to image data specified in the second color space. The gamut mapping module clamps out-of-gamut colors using at least a first clamping system and a second clamping system. The first and second clamping systems yield first and second clamped values. A weighting module produces a resulting clamped value from the first and second clamped values. A final output image value is derived from the resulting clamped value. Other embodiments of the display system include pre-reduction modules and adjustable GMA modules. |
| US08264495B2 |
Display underflow prevention
In devices in which display data is read from a memory for display, display underflow in a processing block is alleviated by controlling a clock frequency driving the processing block. Stages of the processing block send underflow detection signals to underflow prevention logic. The underflow prevention logic controls the frequencies of clock signals generated by a clock generator to alleviate the underflow condition. |
| US08264481B2 |
Display device
To implement brightness change of pixels due to variations in environmental temperatures with low electric power, the display device includes a display part having a display area arrayed with plural pixels, a display scanning circuit and a signal driving circuit for driving the plural pixels, and a power circuit that supplies a current for illuminating each of the plural pixels with brightness corresponding to a display signal from the signal driving circuit; and a detection unit that includes: a monitor element for driving a constant current that detects environmental temperatures; and plural constant current sources, detects a voltage value relating to the luminous intensity of the pixels by the monitor element to generate a signal to control an output voltage of the power circuit, and changes over a constant current source of the monitor element according to a voltage value detected in the detection unit. |
| US08264479B2 |
Display control device for flat panel displays and display device utilizing the same
A display control device for a flat panel display is provided and includes a display controller and a timing controller. The display controller is provided for receiving an input signal and generating a display signal and a plurality of timing signals corresponding to the display signal. The timing controller includes a timing control unit and a data processing unit. The timing control unit is coupled to the display controller for providing a plurality of control signals required for the flat panel display. The data processing unit is incorporated into the display controller in a first integrated circuit chip for receiving the display signal and generating a plurality of output signals in synchronization with the timing signals. The output signals are output to the flat panel display through a predetermined interface. |
| US08264478B2 |
Liquid crystal display and control method for charging subpixels thereof
A demultiplexer is provided within a liquid crystal display (LCD) to transfer respective data levels of a time multiplexed data signal to respective sub-pixels within a pixel group. The last of sequentially activated switches in the demultiplexer is activated for the longest time so as to provide sufficient time for charge to transfer from the demultiplexer to a subsidiary data line (SDL) of the last supplied sub-pixel and from that last SDL through a respective TFT of the last sub-pixel to the last supplied sub-pixel. |
| US08264477B2 |
Image display apparatus
An image display device is provided with a display section (10) for displaying a two-dimensional image on a screen; a microlens array board (22), which is arranged in an optical path of display light constituting the two-dimensional image, and transmits the display light to display an actual image of the two-dimensional image on an imaging plane positioned in a space on a side opposite to the screen; and a display control section (100) for controlling the display section (10) to perform blocking process to have a part of an actual object on a side further than the imaging plane not seen by an observer who observes the imaging plane. |
| US08264476B2 |
Active matrix type semiconductor device
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device in which a power supply circuit is disposed on an array substrate, which achieves reduction of the size by suppressing an increase of the area occupied by the power supply wiring. The feature of the present invention is that a power supply circuit is disposed adjacent to a supply voltage input terminal and a signal line driving circuit. An extremely large amount of electric current is flown in a power supply wiring between the power supply circuit and the supply voltage input terminal and a power supply wiring between the power supply circuit and the signal line driving circuit. Thus, by disposing the power supply circuit adjacent to the supply voltage input terminal and the signal line driving circuit, the power supply wirings therebetween can be shortened. Accordingly, the wiring resistance proportional to the product of the length and the width becomes small so that the thinned power supply wiring can be tolerated. As a result, the power supply wirings can be shortened and thinned so that the wiring area can be decreased. |
| US08264475B2 |
Electronic device with infrared touch input function
An electronic device with infrared touch input function is provided. The electronic device includes a display unit defining an signal display area; an infrared input device including a circuit board having two pairs of oppositely disposed sides defining an open area corresponding in size and shape to the signal display area, at least one light emitting device positioned on the circuit board, configured for emitting infrared light; at least one light detecting device positioned on the circuit board, configured for detecting infrared light emitted; a micro-processing unit configured for controlling the at least one light emitting device to emit infrared light, detecting infrared light paths obstructed via the light detecting devices, sending information of the obstructed infrared light paths to a central processing unit(CPU); and the CPU configured for performing functions according to the information of the obstructed infrared light paths. |
| US08264473B2 |
Timing controller, image display device, and reset signal output method
To provide a timing controller and the like, which can display an image properly regardless of the scanning direction even when an image display device is formed by using signal-line driving ICs having residual output terminals that are not connected to the signal lines. The timing controller includes: a reset signal storage section which stores a plurality of reset signals including a normal reset signal and a specific reset signal; a reset signal setting section which sets one of the plurality of reset signals stored in the reset signal storage section for each of the plurality of ports in accordance with a signal from the outside; and a reset signal synthesizing section which synthesizes the reset signals set by the reset signal setting section and the video data, and simultaneously outputs acquired data to the plurality of ports, respectively. |
| US08264470B2 |
Cleaning mode for information display device with touchscreen
The present invention provides a device that will not force, if the situation permits, the user to abort his or her work entirely when the modes of operation are changed from cleaning into non-cleaning, or vice versa. An information display device includes: a display section; a touchscreen panel, which forms an integral part of the display section and which has an input area that is associated with the display area of the display section; an area locating section for determining, in response to a user's action on the input area, what partial area of the input area has been operated on as a result of the user's action, thereby generating a signal specifying that partial area; and a control section for instructing the display section to display a non-opaque pattern with some degree of transparency. In a cleaning mode for cleaning the input area, the display section displays the pattern on the display area, and the control section increases the degree of transparency of that pattern on the partial area in accordance with the signal specifying the partial area. |
| US08264469B2 |
Touch panel and display unit
A touch panel capable of decreasing concavity and convexity generated on the surface and a display unit including the same are provided. The touch panel includes: a first spacer layer on both side faces of a first wiring layer provided on a first transparent substrate; and a second wiring layer on both side faces of a second wiring layer provided on a second transparent substrate. The touch panel also includes a flexible printed circuit board in a gap between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate and in a region including at least part of a region not provided with the adhesion layer in the region opposed to the first wiring layer, the second wiring layer, the first spacer layer, and the second spacer layer. |
| US08264463B2 |
Input device and electronic apparatus
An input device inputs information by a slide operation depending on an operation body. The device contains a housing having an operation surface, a detection unit that is provided in the housing and includes an electrostatic capacitance sheet member which detects a slide position of the operation body to output a position detection signal, and an operation unit that covers an entire surface of the detection unit and is slide-operated along the operation surface of the housing. The operation unit has a convex shape which becomes thicker along a sliding direction from one direction of the operation surface of the housing and also which becomes thinner toward the other direction of the operation surface thereof. The electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a switch portion that is switched by a press-in operation of the operation body to the operation unit. |
| US08264462B2 |
Motion estimation with adaptation of the correlation block size
A process for determining the displacement of an entity equipped with a sensor for capturing a sequence of images, comprising a step for determining a motion vector associated with a current image as a function of at least one correlation calculation between a first block of pixels in the current image and a second block of pixels from which the vector points towards said first block of pixels, with said second block being in a previous image in the sequence of images, wherein the dimensions of the first block are determined as a function of at least a motion vector associated with a previous image in the image sequence. |
| US08264458B2 |
Variable compliance joystick with compensation algorithms
The present invention provides variable compliance joysticks with mechanical and software customization, and with an integrated control capability, and a method of systematically determining the best mechanical settings and compensatory algorithms to embed in the joysticks to offer an individual with substantial upper extremity motor impairments a personal fit and maximum function. The joysticks may include components for varying the compliance and dampening of the joystick shaft. The method may include providing the user access to operate the joysticks, operatively connecting the joysticks to a driving simulator, displaying an icon on the driving simulator, controlling movement of the icon by the joysticks, evaluating performance of the user based upon the user's ability to control movement of the icon, and modifying hardware settings and software algorithms for the joysticks based upon the evaluation. |
| US08264451B2 |
Display panel control device, liquid crystal display device, electronic apparatus, and display panel drive control device
To provide a display panel control device capable of improving gap of moving pictures, etc., without increasing the dividing number of the backlight. The device includes: a black image insertion driving part which performs, on a display panel, black image insertion drive in which video display scanning and black image display scanning are executed in a specific period; and a light-up timing control part which controls a light-up start timing and a light-off start timing of each light source block based on a synchronous signal which synchronizes with the start timing of the video display scanning or the black image display scanning. The light-off period of the light source block is equal to or less than a period from the end of black image display scanning performed on all display lines within a block area to the start of video scanning performed on the first display line within the area. |
| US08264449B2 |
Method for driving a color-sequential display
A method for driving a color-sequential display suitable to reduce the color break-up phenomenon of the color-sequential display is disclosed. The method includes: dividing each sub-frame period into a data-writing period and a backlight turned-on period; within the data-writing period, transmitting a data of first color; during a first duration of the backlight turned-on period, turning on a first color backlight; during a second duration of the backlight turned-on period, turning on a second color backlight. |
| US08264448B2 |
Regulation of wavelength shift and perceived color of solid state lighting with temperature variation
Representative embodiments of the disclosure provide a system, apparatus, and method of controlling an intensity and spectrum of light emitted from a solid state lighting system. The solid state lighting system has a first emitted spectrum at full intensity and at a selected temperature, with a first electrical biasing for the solid state lighting system producing a first wavelength shift, and a second electrical biasing for the solid state lighting system producing a second, opposing wavelength shift. Representative embodiments provide for receiving information designating a selected intensity level or a selected temperature and providing a combined first electrical biasing and second electrical biasing to the solid state lighting system to generate emitted light having the selected intensity level and having a second emitted spectrum within a predetermined variance of the first emitted spectrum over a predetermined range of temperatures. |
| US08264439B2 |
Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display device using the same
A LCD panel includes a data line, first and second scan lines, first and second pixels and an auxiliary electrode. The first pixel has a first pixel electrode, first and second switches. The first switch has an input terminal coupled to the data line, a control terminal coupled to the first scan line and an output terminal coupled to the first pixel electrode. The second switch has an input terminal coupled to the data line and a control terminal coupled to the first scan line. The second pixel has a second pixel electrode and a third switch. The third switch has an input terminal coupled to the data line, a control terminal coupled to the second scan line and an output terminal coupled to the second pixel electrode. The auxiliary electrode coupled to an output terminal of the second switch is adjacent to the second pixel electrode. |
| US08264434B2 |
Active matrix substrate and drive circuit thereof
An active matrix substrate used in a display device or the like capable of making substantially uniform the level shift generated in the pixel potential caused by the distribution of resistance and capacity in each signal line is disclosed. On the TFT substrate which is an active matrix substrate including a common electrode line formed parallel to the scan signal line, in order to eliminate non-uniformity of the level shift of the pixel potential generated at the scan signal fall, each pixel circuit is formed so that the capacity between the scan signal line and the pixel electrode becomes greater as electrically going farther from the scan signal line drive circuit and going farther from the common electrode line drive circuit. Embodiments can be applied especially to an active matrix substrate used in a liquid crystal display device, an EL display device, and the like. |
| US08264429B2 |
Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus and method of driving the same
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display apparatus, including a control unit to receive an image signal and to generate a frame-based image data signal and a frame identification signal based at least in part on the received image signal, the frame identification signal being synchronized with the frame-based image data signal, a driving voltage supply unit to generate a first voltage for a switching unit and a second voltage for a display unit, and a switching unit to receive the first voltage and the frame identification signal and to supply the first voltage for the display unit based at least in part on the frame identification signal. |
| US08264426B2 |
Organic light emitting display device and a method for generating scan signals for driving an organic light emitting display device having a scan driver
A system on panel (SOP)-type scan driver for an organic light emitting display (OLED) device. The scan driver includes flip-flops. Each of the flip-flops receives an input signal, a clock signal, and an inverted clock signal and outputs a scan signal. The scan signal is shifted and input to an adjacent flip-flop. Each of the flip-flops includes three transistors of the same conductivity type and a capacitor. Thus, layout area is minimized owing to simplification of circuits, and static current is cut off to reduce power consumption. |
| US08264423B2 |
Method of driving display element
Provided is a method of driving a display element in which color tone variation of white during repeated drive has been reduced. Also disclosed is a method of driving a display element in which an electrolyte comprising silver or a compound containing silver in a chemical structure thereof is contained between facing electrodes, comprising the step of applying a driving operation to the facing electrodes so as to induce dissolution and deposition of silver, wherein an impression necessary for displaying black color is the impression of a pulse applied to the facing electrodes, satisfying the following Expression (1). Expression (1) 1/100 ≦TBP/TW≦1/5, where TBP represents time width (ms) of one pulse applied in an applied direction necessary for black display, and TW represents the sum of applied time (ms) in an applied direction necessary for white display after conducting the black display employing the applied pulse. |
| US08264420B2 |
Antenna device and antenna waterproof structure
An antenna device includes an antenna module configured to receive radio waves. A plate has a plurality of first through holes. A cover is coupled with the plate to define a space accommodating the antenna module. The cover includes a rib and a side wall surrounding the antenna module. The side wall has an end face opposing the plate and formed with a plurality of threaded holes. The rib is projected from the end face. A gasket has a part formed with a plurality of openings and is disposed between the rib and the plate. A plurality of screws are respectively screwed into the threaded holes through the first through holes and the openings. At least a part of each of the screws is surrounded by an associated one of the openings. |
| US08264418B2 |
Planar antenna with isotropic radiation pattern
A planar antenna with an isotropic radiation pattern is provided. The planar antenna includes a substrate, a dipole antenna, a microstrip line set, and a channel selection module. The dipole antenna is disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and the microstrip line set and the channel selection module are disposed on a second surface of the substrate. A first microstrip line and a second microstrip line of the microstrip line set are spirally extended along two opposite rotation trails on a vertical projection plane to form a high-frequency path with the dipole antenna. The planar antenna controls the on/off state of the channel selection module so that a low-frequency path is formed when the dipole antenna is connected to a first line and a second line. A plurality of channels having different operating frequencies is respectively generated within the high-frequency path and the low-frequency path. |
| US08264411B2 |
Antenna structure and wireless communication device having the same
An antenna element has a dielectric base, at least a portion of which is arranged in a non-ground region of a substrate. A feeding radiation electrode has an intermediate path that is connected to a feeding portion and that is arranged to extend in a perimeter direction of the dielectric base on a side surface of the dielectric base adjacent to the non-ground region and spaced away from a ground region. The feeding radiation electrode has an open end side path that is arranged to extend along a loop path from the termination of the intermediate path and an open end of the extended distal end is arranged parallel or substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the intermediate path. A dielectric material having a high dielectric constant, which increases the capacitance between the intermediate path and the open end, is located in a region including the spaced region between the intermediate path and parallel or substantially parallel open end. |
| US08264408B2 |
User-executable antenna array calibration
A system used for calibrating a direction-finding system. A device may include a signal receiver array. The signal receiver array may be utilized to determine the direction of arrival for signals emitted by other devices, and therefore, may be used to resolve the direction towards another device using the received signal. For example, an external tag may be utilized to emit a wireless signal usable inducing a response in each signal receiver of the signal receiver array. The device may also include one or more sensors usable in determining device orientation and/or a change in device orientation. The combined signal receiver response information and orientation information may be recorded at various instants as the device is moved for use in calibrating the antenna array. |
| US08264407B2 |
Transmitter beamforming steering matrix processing and storage
A mechanism for processing beamforming steering matrices in a transceiver system. A plurality of beamforming steering matrices associated with a plurality of subcarriers of an RF signal received at the transceiver system are generated. The beamforming steering matrices are compressed and stored. The beamforming steering matrices may also be grouped or sub-sampled prior to being stored. The beamforming steering matrices are decompressed and ungrouped before being applied to data to be transmitted. Prior to ungrouping the beamforming steering matrices, a phase difference between corresponding beamforming steering vectors of consecutive beamforming steering matrices is determined. Phase rotation is performed on the corresponding beamforming steering vectors based on the determined phase difference associated with the corresponding beamforming steering vectors to improve phase continuity between consecutive beamforming steering matrices. |
| US08264406B2 |
Manifold calibration for a communication system
A method and apparatus for determining stream weights is provided herein. During operation, an uplink direction of arrival (DOA) and a downlink direction of departure (DOD) calibration procedure is implemented using uplink signals and GPS information from a subset of mobiles without the need of calibration circuitry at the base. Because the presented calibration procedure needs no new hardware it can be deployed in existing deployments with only a soft-ware upgrade. |
| US08264405B2 |
Methods and apparatus for radiator for multiple circular polarization
Method and apparatus for a receive electronically steered array aperture including a plurality of radiators each having a single complex phase/amplitude control at a radiating phase center of the radiators to simultaneously receive up to four circularly polarized plane waves, each of the plane waves being arbitrarily of left hand circular polarization or right hand circular polarization, from spatially diverse sources. |
| US08264404B2 |
Double-nudged broadcast orbit drift correction
A method in a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver for double-nudged broadcast orbit drift correction. A first broadcast orbit message is utilized to nudge a broadcast orbit in use at the GNSS receiver to create a first nudged broadcast orbit for a GNSS satellite, the first nudged broadcast orbit being more precise than the broadcast orbit. A second broadcast orbit message is utilized to nudge the first nudged broadcast orbit in use at the GNSS receiver to create a double-nudged broadcast orbit for a GNSS satellite, the double-nudged broadcast orbit being more precise than the first nudged broadcast orbit. A third broadcast orbit message is utilized to maintain the double-nudged broadcast orbit, the third broadcast orbit message smaller than the second and the first broadcast orbit messages. |
| US08264397B2 |
Time transfer method and system
A Time Transfer Time Reverse Mirror (TT TRM) method and system includes a radio transceiver for transmitting a series of short pulses repeatedly at a period T and for receiving from a remote node a return signal that is a retransmission of the original signal at the same period T: a clock circuit for inputting a clock signal to the transceiver: and a computer for (i) computing and generating an imaginary time-reversed signal version of the original signal, (ii) comparing the return signal with the imaginary version, (iii) computing a delay between the return signal and the imaginary version that is substantially equal to twice the time difference between the two nodes, and (iv) applying the computed delay to a clock input calibration for a desired signal. The system includes time transfer using the ionospheric reflection (refraction), producing precise synchronization among remote nodes beyond the line-of-sight and thus without necessitating GPS or communication satellites. |
| US08264396B2 |
Three dimensional noncontact motion sensor
A non-contact motion sensor comprising a radar detector that includes a first antenna, a second antenna that is orthogonal to the first antenna and a third antenna that is orthogonal to the first antenna and the second antenna. The non-contact motion sensor further includes a control that collects and analyzes signals that are received from the radar detector. |
| US08264395B2 |
Radar device and rain/snow area detecting device
A radar device is disclosed. The radar device includes a radar antenna, from which detection signals are transmitted while the radar antenna being rotated, the radar device generating a radar image from reflection waves of the transmitted detection signals, a reception module for receiving the reflection waves of the detection signals, an inclination calculating module for calculating an inclination of level of the received signals that continue in a predetermined direction, the inclination being a rate of change in the received signal level per predetermined range in the predetermined direction, and a rain/snow reflection determining module for determining whether the received signals are reflection signals from at least one of rain and snow by using the inclination calculated by the inclination calculating module. |
| US08264392B1 |
Compact high-speed analog-to-digital converter for both I and Q analog to digital conversion
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a receiver that includes the ADC is disclosed. The ADC includes a first filter configured to receive a signal in an I-signal path of the receiver and a second filter configured to receive a signal in a Q-signal path of the receiver. The ADC further includes a quantizer alternatingly in connection with the first and second filters, and at least one DAC alternatingly in connection with the first and second filters. Switches in the ADC are configured to alternate connection between an input of the quantizer and outputs of the first and second filters, and are also configured to alternate connection between an output of the at least one DAC and inputs of the first and second filters. |
| US08264388B1 |
Frequency integrator with digital phase error message for phase-locked loop applications
A digital phase-locked loop (DPLL), a supporting digital frequency integrator, and a method are provided for deriving a digital phase error signal in a DPLL. A digital frequency integrator periodically accepts a digital tdcOUT message from a Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) representing a measured ratio of a reference clock (Tref) period to a synthesizer clock (Tdco) period. Also accepted is a digital message selecting a first ratio (Nf). In response, a digital phase error (pherr) message is periodically supplied that is proportional to an error in phase between the reference clock and the (synthesizer clock*Nf). |
| US08264386B2 |
Variable length code decoding device and decoding method
A variable length code decoding device for decoding variable length code data, including: a table memory that stores a plurality of decoding process tables having a reference relationship therein; and a decoding control unit that sequentially selects the decoding process tables according to the decoded data to control a process of decoding the variable length code data, wherein when referring to the decoding process table to perform an initial decoding of the variable length code data, the initial decoding process is conducted by a longer bit length to be clipped from the variable length code data for referring to the decoding process table than the bit length used when referring to the other portions of the decoding process table. |
| US08264385B1 |
Using error bucketing and baseline analysis for I18N testing
Systems and methods to detect and analyze character set translation errors in an electronic document are provided. One method according to the invention includes detecting a first character string within the electronic document; converting the first character string to a sequence of bytes by use of a first character set; using a second character set to convert the sequence of bytes to a second character string; and detecting whether a length of the second character string is different than a length of the first character string. Detection results are stored in memory for later analysis. Systems according to aspects of the invention perform are configured to perform this and other methods. In one example, the system includes a test scheduler, a test result classifier, an analyzer unit, and a processor coupled to data storage for performing the aforementioned method. |
| US08264380B2 |
Code wheel manufacturing method, code wheel, rotary encoder, rotation control unit, belt carrier unit, and image forming apparatus
A manufacturing method for a code wheel for a rotary encoder is provided. The code wheel includes, in a central portion, a hole into which a rotary shaft of a rotary member is fitted and a code portion including a radial code pattern in a circumferential edge portion. The manufacturing method is configured to include the steps of forming the code portion and a reference circle in a plate so that the reference circle has a radius larger than a radius of the hole by a tolerance of deviation between a center position of the code portion and a center position of the hole and has a same center as that of the code portion; and forming the hole in the plate in which the code portion and the reference circle are formed, so as to be contained in the reference circle. |
| US08264379B2 |
Methods and systems for correlating data sources for vehicle displays
Systems and methods are provided for displaying information on a display device associated with an aircraft. A method comprises rendering a perspective view of terrain on a display device and obtaining sensor data for a sensing region overlapping at least a portion of the viewing region. The method further comprises obtaining tracking data associated with a first object located within the sensing region and correlating a first portion of the sensor data that corresponds to the first object with the tracking data. The method further comprises rendering a graphical representation of the first object on the display device, wherein positioning of the graphical representation of the first object with respect to the terrain is influenced by the correlation with first portion of the sensor data. |
| US08264378B1 |
Aircraft display center and range control
Technologies are described herein for providing enhanced center and range control on an aircraft display. According to embodiments, a display mode is selected to display a map on the aircraft display. A range input for displaying the map in the selected display mode at a desired range and a centering input for centering on a predefined map location on the aircraft display are received. The range input and the centering input associated with the selected display mode are then stored. When the selected display mode is deselected and then reselected, the map is displayed on the aircraft display in the selected display mode according to at least one of the stored range input and the centering input associated with the selected display mode. |
| US08264377B2 |
Aircraft collision avoidance system
An aircraft collision avoidance system comprising (a) at least one separation monitoring device connectable to at least a portion of an aircraft, the separation monitoring device comprising (1) at least one transmitter and (2) at least one receiver and (b) a master unit. |
| US08264376B1 |
Avionics control and display unit
A multi-product avionics control and display unit (CDU). In implementations, the CDU may include a display and a processor coupled with the display. The processor is configurable to operate in a first mode to cause the display to present standby primary flight information associated with the aircraft and a second mode to control and display operation of one or more aircraft systems associated with the aircraft. |
| US08264374B2 |
Wireless data transmitting and receiving system
There is provided a wireless data transmitting and receiving system that wirelessly transmits a signal regarding a torque acting on a rotary shaft and/or a rotation angle of the rotary shaft from a data transmitting unit disposed in the rotary shaft to a data receiving unit. The wireless data transmitting and receiving system includes: a data transmitting unit (20) provided on the rotary shaft (52) of a tightening machine (50) to detect the torque and the rotation angle, the data transmitting unit (20) including a torque sensor (21) disposed so as to be capable of sensing a toque acting on the rotary shaft (52), a rotation angle sensor (29) disposed so as to be capable of a rotation angle of the rotary shaft (52), and transmitting means (22) that is electrically connected to the foregoing sensors (21,29), and wirelessly transmits signals regarding the torque detected in the torque sensor (21) and the rotation angle detected in the rotation angle sensor (29); and a data receiving unit (30) including receiving means (32) that receives the transmitted signals regarding the torque and the rotation angle, and display means (40) that displays the signals regarding the torque and the rotation angle received by the receiving means (32). |
| US08264371B2 |
Method and device for communicating change-of-value information in a building automation system
An automation component configured for wireless communication within a building automation system includes a wireless communications component, a processor in communication with the wireless communications component, and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory configured to store computer readable instructions which are executable by the processor to process a change-of-value message received via the wireless communications component, generate a change-of-value update in response to the change-of-value message, and communicate the change-of-value update via the wireless communication component. This change-of-value can occur in a polled (pull) fashion, or in a pushed (when it occurs) fashions. |
| US08264368B2 |
Rifle mounted optical unit
A warning unit for attachment to a handheld firearm comprises an attachment device for attachment to a firearm, a light source, and a digitally manipulable input device operable to enable selection of a mode of operation. The warning unit is capable of being operated in at least a narrow divergence mode, and a wide divergence mode wherein, in the narrow divergence mode, the warning unit is operable to emit a beam of light of a lower divergence than in the wide divergence mode. |
| US08264365B2 |
Motion sensing remote microphone
An apparatus and method comprising of a remote microphone, attached to a portable radio, incorporating a motion sensing component, such as a Solid State Accelerometer, and an orientation sensing component, such as a Solid State Gyroscope or a multidirectional Solid State Accelerometer and activated by the wearer's motionlessness and subsequently activates the Emergency Alert and sends out an audible distress signal, a radio frequency (RF) distress signal, or both, as if the wearer had pressed the Emergency Alert button. |
| US08264361B2 |
Fluid flow indicator with automatic alarm timer for high pressure/low flow applications
A highly sensitive low loss and low flow fluid flow switch is coupled with an automatic timer and/or optional transmitter to indicate the flow of gas to an appliance and to automatically start a reminder timer to turn the appliance off. After a preset time limit has expired, the timer either sounds an alarm or wirelessly triggers an alarm in a remote location. The receiver portion of the wireless timer may be mounted directly to the appliance (grill handle), so that the timer automatically resets when activity (cover opening or closing) is detected, indicating the appliance is still in use. An alarm can also be configured to sound when the grill is attempted to be ignited with the cover closed, thereby avoiding a potential explosion. A biasing attraction magnet is incorporated in the fluid flow switch to offset either the force of gravity or a return spring in order to extend performance to low pressure and low flow applications. The piston is sealed for use in high pressure/low flow applications, and provided with a vent hole for residual gas bleed-off upon a stoppage of gas flow. |
| US08264360B2 |
Fluid flow indicator with automatic alarm timer for low pressure/low flow applications
A highly sensitive low loss and low flow fluid flow switch is coupled with an automatic timer and/or optional transmitter to indicate the flow of gas to an appliance and to automatically start a reminder timer to turn the appliance off. After a preset time limit has expired, the timer either sounds an alarm or wirelessly triggers an alarm in a remote location. The receiver portion of the wireless timer may be mounted directly to the appliance (grill handle), so that the timer automatically resets when activity (cover opening or closing) is detected, indicating the appliance is still in use. An alarm can also be configured to sound when the grill is attempted to be ignited with the cover closed, thereby avoiding a potential explosion. A biasing attraction magnet is incorporated in the fluid flow switch to offset either the force of gravity or a return spring in order to extend performance to low pressure and low flow applications. The piston is sealed for use in high pressure/low flow applications, and provided with a vent hole for residual gas bleed-off upon a stoppage of gas flow. |
| US08264355B2 |
RFID systems and methods for optical fiber network deployment and maintenance
An optical-fiber-network (OFN) radio-frequency identification (RFID) system for deploying and/or maintaining and/or provisioning service and/or locating faults in an OFN. The system includes a plurality of OFN components, and at least one RFID tag that includes RFID tag data that has at least one property of the OFN component associated with the RFID tag. The RFID tag data is written to and read from the RFID tags using one or more mobile RFID readers either prior to, during or after deploying the OFN components. An OFN-component-data database unit is used to store and process the RFID tag data and is automatically updated by the one or more mobile RFID readers. This allows for different maps of the OFN to be made, such as an inventory map and a maintenance map, and for the maps to be automatically updated. The OFN-RFID system allows for mobile automated operations and management of OFN components by service personnel, and provides for faster and more accurate OFN system deployment and maintenance. |
| US08264354B2 |
Data center equipment location and monitoring system
A data center equipment location system includes both hardware and software to provide for location, monitoring, security and identification of servers and other equipment in equipment racks. The system provides a wired alternative to the wireless RFID tag system by using electronic ID tags connected to each piece of equipment, each electronic ID tag connected directly by wires to a equipment rack controller on the equipment rack. The equipment rack controllers then link over a local area network to a central control computer. The central control computer provides an operator interface, and runs a software application program that communicates with the equipment rack controllers. The software application program of the central control computer stores IDs of the equipment rack controllers and each of its connected electronic ID tags in a database. The software application program in operation receives information from the electronic ID tags in real time enabling the central control computer to monitor the status, such as temperature and movement or tampering of each piece of equipment through its connected electronic ID tag. Further, the software application program can send a signal to an individual electronic ID tag to activate a sensory indicator to enable a technician(s) to locate a piece of equipment that is in need of repair or replacement. |
| US08264353B2 |
Method and system for sliding door pattern cancellation in metal detection
A method and system for reducing the signal interference effects of metal doors in a metal detection system. The system includes a transmitter operable to transmit an interrogation signal that is used to detect transitory metal objects within the detection region, a receiver operable to receive instantaneous signals that represent electromagnetic field disturbances during operation of the metal detection system and include electromagnetic field disturbances attributed to the movement of metal doors. The system also includes a metal detection module that determines a resulting waveform representing the difference between the instantaneous signals received during operation of the metal detection system and a recorded pattern of signals representing electromagnetic field disturbances caused by a pattern of movement of the metal doors in the detection region when a transitory metallic object is not present. The record pattern is canceled from the resulting waveform leaving only signals from transitory metal objects. |
| US08264351B1 |
Security alarm system
A drive assembly has a controller for moving an object. A security reset button initiates and terminates security functions for the system. An alarm is provided. A circuit assembly includes a first circuit for moving the object. The circuit assembly includes a second circuit for generating the alarm in response to unauthorized moving of the object. |
| US08264349B2 |
Time for ear pill intake determined by noise dosimetry in wearable devices
The disclosure relates to a portable processing system adapted for being worn by a user and comprising an input transducer for converting an input sound to an electric input signal, and a signal processing unit adapted for processing an SPU-input signal originating from the electric input signal. The disclosure further relates to use of such system and to a method. The object of the present disclosure is to provide an alerting device aiding a user in administering the dose of a hearing protecting agent. The problem is solved in that the signal processing unit comprises a monitoring part for monitoring and determining an accumulated sound dose AccD in the electric input signal from a start time t0 and for generating an alarm output at a threshold time t0+Δtth when a predefined dose threshold Dth is reached, wherein the predefined dose threshold Dth is set in relation to a recommended intake of a predefined hearing protecting agent to ensure an intended effect of the hearing protecting agent. An advantage of the present disclosure is that it helps a user to follow a prescribed dose administration scheme. The disclosure may e.g. be used in applications where a user taking hearing protecting medicine is exposed to acoustically different or noisy or loud environments. |
| US08264348B2 |
Interference detector resulting in threshold adjustment
A method and system are provided for adjusting a threshold value of an alarm for a metal detecting system, based on a detected interference with other systems that operate at adjacent frequencies. The method and system include receiving a plurality of sample values and calculating a discrepancy value based on a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value of the plurality of sample values, wherein the discrepancy value corresponds to detected interference. The discrepancy value is compared to a predefined interference threshold value and an activation signal is generated. A fast threshold adjustor receives the activation signal when the discrepancy value is greater than or equal to the predefined interference threshold value and a slow threshold adjustor receives the activation signal when the discrepancy value is less than the predefined interference threshold value. The activation signal triggers an output from the fast threshold adjustor or the slow threshold adjustor that is applied to adjust the threshold value. |
| US08264346B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing graduated annunciation of an impending alarm in a security system
A method of operating a security system includes sensing a security breach, and providing an indication to a user that an alarm signal will be issued in response to the sensing of the security breach. The indication perceptibly changes with time. |
| US08264336B2 |
Vehicle-mounted alarm generating apparatus
The vehicle-mounted alarm generating apparatus includes an extracting section configured to extract a road boundary marking representing a boundary of a lane from an image of a picture of a road surface ahead of a vehicle, a position setting section configured to set a first position and a second position more distant from the vehicle than the first position in accordance with extraction results by the extracting section, a first alarm generating section configured to generate a first alarm when a distance between the vehicle and the first position becomes shorter than a predetermined first distance, and a second alarm generating section configured to generate a second alarm, when a distance between the vehicle and the first position becomes shorter than a predetermined second distance. The configuration of the second alarm is different from that of the first alarm. |
| US08264334B2 |
Remote control unit, electronic device and method for controlling electronic device
A remote control unit, an electronic device and a method for controlling an electronic device using the same are provided. The remote control unit includes: a key input part including a menu key for allowing an electronic device to enter a setup mode, a numeric key rotatably provided to display different numerals depending on degree of rotation, and a confirm key for transmitting a control signal corresponding to the numeral of the numeric key; a memory for storing a control code for controlling the electronic device; a microcomputer for reading out and transmitting the control code stored in the memory depending on a signal inputted from the key input part; and an infrared transmitter for transmitting the control code in a form of an infrared signal depending on a control of the microcomputer. |
| US08264332B2 |
Apparatus and method for demodulating subcarrier tag signal in RFID reader
An apparatus and a method for demodulating a subcarrier tag signal in a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader is provided. The apparatus for demodulating the subcarrier tag signal in the RFID reader may include: an edge signal generation unit receiving a subcarrier tag signal and generating an edge signal with respect to the tag signal; an edge information extraction unit extracting edge information from the generated edge signal; and a decoding unit decoding the tag signal using the extracted edge information. |
| US08264331B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting container movement by a crane
A tag can receive first and second wireless signals respectively defining first and second transmission fields that overlap. When the tag moves from the first field to the second field through the region of overlap, the apparatus transitions only once from recognizing the tag is in the first field to recognizing the tag is in the second field. According to another aspect, first and second signposts are supported at spaced locations in the region of a crane, and respectively transmit first and second wireless signals that are different, and that respectively define first and second fields of transmission. According to yet another aspect, a signpost transmits wireless signals having a transmission field, and a system senses positional information regarding a tag movable relative to the signpost, the system using the positional information to determine a location of the tag in relation to the transmission field. |
| US08264326B2 |
Biometrics sensor
A biometrics sensor includes a portion for sucking air, a molecular sieve portion for selectively passing or adsorbing specific gas contained in the air, a gas detecting section for detecting the concentration of gas passed through the molecular sieve or the remaining gas, and a data processing section for comparing the detection result with a prestored detection result, wherein the gas detecting section selectively detects predetermined gas, and the data processing section performs determination or probabilistic determination on an authentication object person by comparing the composition ratio of gas for each authentication object person with a prestored composition ratio. |
| US08264325B2 |
Biometric authentication apparatus and biometric data registration apparatus
In accordance with input user ID, a personal template fetcher reads biometric feature data and biometric shape data from a template storage. A verification area finder determines a verification area that matches a detection area of a verification sensor within an area of biometric features. A guide information generator combines the verification area with a contour shape reconstructed from the biometric shape data, received from the personal template fetcher, to generate a guide pattern. A guide information presenter presents the generated guide pattern to the user. A verification sensor extracts biometric feature information from an input image of biometric features and converts it into numeric data to obtain biometric feature data. A biometric feature verifier then verifies the biometric feature data obtained by the verification sensor in comparison with the biometric feature data received from the personal template fetcher in the verification area received from the verification area finder. |
| US08264323B2 |
Method and apparatus for a merged power-communication cable in door security environment
A method controlling access to a door using a merged power-communication cable. An access controlled door lock in door is operated using merged power-communication cable. Access control identification mechanism in door may operate using merged power-communication cable. The access controlled door lock may include a piezoelectric controlled door lock or a standalone door lock or a solenoid controlled door lock. A processing module may operate in door to control access with power interface receiving at least part of the electrical power from the merged power-communication cable. The invention includes a strike plate containing a magnetic sensor aligns by a latch hole to a latch included an access control door lock. The invention also includes using a door conduit to provide the merged power-communication cable to at least the processing module in the door. |
| US08264320B2 |
Aftermarket keyless starter
An aftermarket keyless starter for a vehicle including a smart ignition system and an OEM security system is provided. The OEM security system includes an OEM transponder for user verification and an OEM reader for reading the OEM transponder when the OEM transponder is within a range R of the OEM reader. The OEM transponder stores an OEM identification code. The aftermarket keyless starter includes a secure box which is outside of the range R for isolating the OEM transponder from the OEM security system, an aftermarket reader, an aftermarket microcontroller, and an aftermarket transmitter. The aftermarket microcontroller is operable to receive the keyless start command and respond thereto by having the aftermarket reader read the OEM identification code and retransmitting the OEM identification code to the OEM reader. The engine start command is transmitted to the smart ignition system subsequent to the sending of the keyless start command. |
| US08264319B2 |
Location system and communication system
A location system comprises a plurality of transponders whose locations are detectable by a base system. The base system interrogates (51-55) the transponders one at a time in accordance with a schedule of consecutive time slots. In response to a priority request received (53) from one of the transponders, the base system interrupts the schedule and interrogates substantially immediately (56, 57, 55) the signaling transponder so as to determine its location with minimal latency. |
| US08264318B2 |
Consumable holder with converter
A consumable holder is provided for use in an appliance configured to perform an operation cycle related to a consumable in the consumable holder. The consumable holder has or is enabled to acquire information associated with itself or the consumable, and further includes a converter configured to transform the information to a cycle structure. Thus, the consumable holder can communicate with a cycle engine to create or modify a cycle structure for use by the appliance to perform an operation cycle related to the consumable. |
| US08264317B2 |
Protective device of three-phase motor
A protector for a three-phase electric motor has a container with a housing and a metal plate secured thereto. A protrusion is provided in the housing. Three conductive terminal pins, each with a fixed contact, protrude into the housing through the metal plate. A thermally responsive plate is connected to the three moveable contacts. The thermally responsive plate is dish shaped and reverses its direction of curvature at a predetermined temperature. Three moveable contacts are secured to the thermally responsive plate. An elastic member extends between the protrusion and the thermally responsive plate. A rotation member prevents the thermally responsive plate from rotating, thereby maintaining the moveable contacts in opposition to the fixed contacts. The conductive terminal pins are located at a neutral point side of phase windings of a three-phase motor so that AC current flowing into the three-phase motor is interrupted. |
| US08264313B2 |
Linear solenoid for vehicle
A guide of a coil device has a tongue portion, which is formed by resin integrally with the guide at a location radially outward of a slit of a yoke and axially extends toward an opening part of the yoke such that a distal end part of the tongue portion is resiliently bendable while exerting a resilient force. The tongue portion is resiliently engaged with a flange portion of a stator core upon filling of the coil device to the stator core. |
| US08264311B2 |
Magnet unit, elevator guiding apparatus and weighing apparatus
A magnet unit includes a first magnetic pole (7a), a second magnetic pole (7b) and a third magnetic pole (7c) at a center between the first magnetic pole (7a) and the second magnetic pole (7b), providing an E-shaped configuration. In the magnet unit, a first magnet is defined between the first magnetic pole (7a) and the third magnetic pole (7c) by connecting two electromagnets (71aa, 73aa) with each other through a permanent magnet (72a), while a second magnet is defined between the second magnetic pole (7b) and the third magnetic pole (7c) by connecting two electromagnets (71ba, 73ba) with each other through a permanent magnet (72b). With this configuration, it is possible to reduce a deviation in the length of respective magnetic paths from the permanent magnets (72a, 72b) up to their respective magnetic poles. By controlling exciting currents to the respective electromagnets (71aa, 73aa, 71ba, 73ba), it is also possible to adjust fluxes (or flux density) in respective directions x, y individually. |
| US08264310B2 |
Accessory device for peek mode
A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device. |
| US08264303B2 |
Composite substrate and elastic wave device using the same
A composite substrate 10 includes: a piezoelectric substrate 12 capable of transmitting an elastic wave and composed of lithium tantalate (LT); a silicon support substrate 14 that is bonded to the rear surface of the piezoelectric substrate in the (111) plane; and an adhesive layer 16 bonding the substrates 12 and 14 to each other. |
| US08264302B2 |
Multilayer resonator and multilayer filter
A multilayer filter includes a plurality of mutually coupled resonant circuits provided within a multilayer body. Capacitor internal electrodes, inductor internal electrodes, and inductor via electrodes, ground via electrodes, and input-output via electrodes are arranged within the multilayer body. The ground via electrodes and the input-output via electrodes are provided on a dielectric layer on a mounting surface, or a second dielectric layer on a first dielectric layer provided on the mounting surface. The capacitor internal electrodes arranged towards the side of the mounting surface do not overlap the input-output electrodes when viewed in plan view. With this configuration, degradation in frequency characteristics of a resonant circuit is effectively prevented by controlling one of an inductive component and a capacitive component of the resonant circuit. |
| US08264300B2 |
Tunable transmission line time delay circuit having conductive floating strip segments connected by switches
A tunable compact time delay circuit assembly is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a tunable delay circuit assembly for controllably delaying signals that propagate along a transmission line, the circuit assembly including an elongated conductor extending in a first direction, the elongated conductor configured to carry the signals, at least one floating strip, each floating strip including a first elongated conductive segment having a first centerline, wherein the first centerline is not parallel to the first direction, and a second elongated conductive segment having a second centerline, wherein the second centerline is not parallel to the first direction, and a first switch coupled between the first segment and the second segment, wherein the first switch, in a first position, is configured to connect the first segment to the second segment, wherein the first switch, in a second position, is configured to electrically isolate the first segment from the second segment, and wherein the at least one floating strip is electrically isolated from other components of the circuit assembly. |
| US08264299B2 |
Boundary acoustic wave device and communication equipment
A boundary acoustic waves device includes a piezoelectric substrate having piezoelectricity, interdigitated electrodes formed on the piezoelectric substrate, a first medium formed on the piezoelectric substrate so as to cover the interdigitated electrode, and a second medium formed on the first medium. The interdigitated electrodes include a plurality of electrode fingers and bus bars that connect ends of the plurality of electrode fingers. A third medium is formed on the first medium. The second medium and the third medium are in contact with the first medium. The first medium, the second medium, and the third medium are formed of different materials. The first medium, the second medium, and the third medium are different in a ratio in length of a part with the third medium formed with respect to a length of a propagation path of boundary acoustic waves in a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the electrode fingers, in the longitudinal direction of the electrode fingers. |
| US08264295B2 |
Switched varactor circuit for a voltage controlled oscillator
A switched varactor circuit for use at least one operating frequency comprises a first resistive element having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to receive a switching voltage; a hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT) having a base terminal, a first conducting terminal, and a second conducting terminal, wherein the base terminal of the HBT is coupled to a second terminal of the resistive element, and wherein the first conducting terminal is coupled to a first circuit node; and a first varactor having an anode coupled to the second conductive terminal of the HBT and a cathode coupled to a second circuit node, and wherein a capacitance value at the first circuit node is a function of the switching voltage. |
| US08264292B2 |
Device and method for compensating for a resonator
A device for compensating for the frequency of a resonator includes (a) a temperature sensor, (b) a sequencer determining a second compensation signal on the basis of the temperature and corresponding to a positive value N, and a third compensation signal on the basis of the temperature corresponding to a ratio between a positive integer S and N, S being lower than or equal to N, and (c) a variable counter receiving the compensation signals and generating a fourth output signal every N periods of a clock signal from the resonator and generating a fifth signal for modifying the charge capacity of the resonator. |
| US08264290B2 |
Dual positive-feedbacks voltage controlled oscillator
A dual positive-feedbacks voltage controlled oscillator includes an oscillation circuit and a cross coupled pair circuit. The oscillation circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, an inductor and a plurality of capacitors. The gates of the first and second transistors are opposite to each other and coupled to two points of the inductor. The inductor and the capacitors are formed as a LC tank. The cross coupled pair circuit includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor. The gates of the third and fourth transistors are cross coupled to two points of the inductor. Thereby, the gate of the third transistor is coupled to the gate of the second transistor; the gate of the fourth transistor is coupled to the gate of the first transistor; the drain of the third transistor is coupled to the source of the first transistor; and the drain of the fourth transistor is coupled to the source of the second transistor. |
| US08264284B2 |
Atomic frequency acquisition device based on self-mixing interference
The present invention relates to an atomic frequency acquisition device comprising a gas cell (400) filled with an atomic gas, a laser light source (100) emitting a laser beam which enters the gas cell (40) and excites a first energy transition of the atomic gas, a local oscillator (700) for generating an oscillator frequency in a frequency range including a frequency of a HFS transition of the atomic gas, and a modulator (600) modulating the laser light source (100) so as to emit laser radiation modulated with the oscillator frequency. An optical reflector (500) is arranged behind the gas cell (400) to reflect the laser beam after passage through the atomic gas so as to re-enter the laser cavity. A photodetector (200) detects beat frequencies caused by self-mixing interference within the laser cavity. A control unit (750, 800) controls the local oscillator (700) so as to periodically vary the oscillation frequency between two frequency margins which are adapted in such a way that a maximum beat frequency in the output signal of the photodetector (200) is within the two frequencies margins. The proposed device allows miniaturization and cost reduction by using a VCSEL with an integrated photodiode and achieves operation with fewer detection problems. |
| US08264281B1 |
Low-noise amplifier with tuned input and output impedances
A low-noise amplifier (LNA) includes a pair of transistors connected in a cascode configuration to provide amplification to an input signal. The LNA generates an amplified output in differential form across a pair of output terminals. One of the pair of output terminals is the output node of the cascode configuration. The LNA further includes a feedback transistor with its gate terminal connected to the output node of the cascode configuration and its drain terminal connected to the other one of the pair of output terminals. The differential nature of the amplified output reduces the noise figure of the LNA. A frequency-selective network connected across the pair of output terminals sets the frequency selectivity of each of the input section and the output section of the LNA. |
| US08264277B2 |
Differential amplifier circuit
Provided is a differential amplifier circuit in which an offset voltage is independent from input voltages. A first correction current generation circuit and a second correction current generation circuit are provided and configured to cause the same current as a current flowing through a folded cascode amplifying stage to flow into an output stage. Accordingly, transistors included in the folded cascode amplifying stage and transistors included in the output stage have the same bias condition. |
| US08264270B2 |
Method and apparatus to provide active cancellation of the effects of the parasitic elements in capacitors
Reducing, suppressing or canceling series parasitic inductance and/or resistive effects that affect the frequency response of components, elements and/or circuits in an electronic circuit or system that exhibit capacitance is disclosed. Noise generated by series parasitic inductance and/or parasitic resistance of the components, the physical orientation of the components, and/or the layout of components, devices and/or conductive tracks (board traces) on printed circuit boards within an electronic circuit or system is reduced, suppressed or canceled. The reduction, suppression or cancellation is achieved by adding a voltage source in series with a part or component of the electronic circuit or system that exhibits capacitance, the current source being adapted to deliver a compensating voltage of roughly equal magnitude and roughly opposite phase to parasitic voltage associated with the part or component. |
| US08264264B2 |
Multiple phase pulse generator
In one embodiment of the present invention, a multiple phase pulse generator includes n stages, where each stage includes a first sub-stage and a second sub-stage. The first sub-stage includes a first memory element and the second sub-stage includes a second memory element. The first memory element of each stage is arranged to be set by the preceding stage. The first sub-stage is arranged to supply a stage output pulse while the first memory element is set. The second memory element is arranged to be set by the stage output pulse. The second sub-stage is arranged to hold the first memory element reset after the stage output pulse while the second memory element is set. |
| US08264260B2 |
Delay locked loop and method of driving delay locked loop
Provided are a delay locked loop (DLL) having a pulse width detection circuit and a method of driving the DLL. The DLL includes a pulse width detection circuit and a delay circuit. The pulse width detection circuit receives a reference clock signal, detects a pulse width of the reference clock signal, and outputs the detection result as a pulse width detection result signal. The delay circuit receives and delays the reference clock signal, and outputs the delayed reference clock signal as an output clock signal. The delay circuit receives the pulse width detection result signal from the pulse width detection circuit, and controls a time delay in the reference clock signal in response to the pulse width detection result signal. |
| US08264258B1 |
Phase lock loop circuit
A phase lock loop (PLL) circuit having a phase frequency detector (PFD), a coarse tune low-pass filter module, a voltage control oscillation (VCO) module and a feedback loop is provided. The PFD compares phases and frequencies of an input signal and a feedback signal. The coarse tune low-pass filter module is coupled to the PFD and used for low-pass filtering a control signal with a gradually narrowed bandwidth to generate a filtered signal. The control signal indicates the comparison result of the input signal and the feedback signal. The VCO module has a first VCO gain and a second VCO gain, and generates an output signal according to the control signal and the filtered signal. The feedback loop provides the feedback signal to the PFD according to the output signal. |
| US08264256B2 |
Driver and method for driving a device
Embodiments of the invention relate to drivers and methods for driving devices, comprising at least one functional unit at least one of which is adapted to deduce a device parameter of an electronic device from a terminal parameter of the electronic device. |
| US08264254B2 |
Clocked inverter, NAND, NOR and shift register
A threshold voltage of a transistor is fluctuated because of fluctuation in film thickness of a gate insulating film or in gate length and gate width caused by differences of used substrates or manufacturing steps. In order to solve the problem, according to the present invention, there is provided a clocked inverter including a first transistor and a second transistor connected in series, and a compensation circuit including a third transistor and a fourth transistor connected in series. In the clocked inverter, gates of the third transistor and the fourth transistor are connected to each other, drains of the third transistor and the fourth transistor are each connected to a gate of the first transistor, sources of the first transistor and the fourth transistor are each electrically connected to a first power source, a source of the second transistor is electrically connected to a second power source, and an amplitude of a signal inputted to a source of the third transistor is smaller than a potential difference between the first power source and the second power source. |
| US08264248B2 |
Micro probe assembly
Embodiments of the present invention improve probes and probe assemblies. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a probe test head comprising a plurality of novel probes inserted in an array of holes in upper and lower dies of the assembly. The novel assembly includes a novel alignment layer for easy repair and maintenance of the probes. |
| US08264246B2 |
Electrical network representation of a distributed system
A method for determining characteristics of a multi-material object is provided. The method includes producing a rotating electric field by providing an applied electrical signal set of individual electrical signal patterns to electrodes surrounding the multi-material object. The method also includes obtaining a measured electrical signal of electrical signals from the electrodes corresponding to each electrical signal pattern applied. An electrical network is determined based on the applied electrical signal set, the measured electrical signal set and an inverse of the applied electrical signal set. The method further includes determining the characteristics of the multi-material object by analyzing the electrical network. |
| US08264245B2 |
Device and system for measuring properties of cells and method of measuring properties of cells using the same
According to a device and system for measuring the properties of cells, there is an advantage in that, since a cell accommodation unit having a volume is provided, the properties of three-dimensional cells can be measured. Further, the present invention is advantageous in that it enables passive measurement of multiple properties which passively measures the electrical, mechanical and/or optical properties of cells, and active measurement of multiple properties which actively applies electrical, mechanical and optical types of stimulation to cells and measures their electrical, mechanical and/or optical reactions, thus measuring the multiple properties of cells with high reliability. |
| US08264238B1 |
Method for calibrating a broadband voltage/current probe
A calibration method for performing open circuit and closed circuit calibrations of a voltage/current (VI) probe. In one implementation the method may involve inserting a VI probe into a circuit including a first known load (Load 1) and a applying a first signal to the circuit. A first raw impedance (ZRAW1) may be measured using the Load 1. The VI probe may then be inserted into the circuit along with a second known load (Load 2) in place of the Load 1, and a second signal may be applied to the circuit. A second raw impedance (ZRAW2) may then be measured using the Load 2. A fixed reference impedance (ZR50) may then be defined. The first and second raw impedances, and the fixed reference impedance, may then be used in determining an open circuit impedance (ZOC) and a short circuit impedance (ZSC). The ZOC and ZSC impedances may then be used to determine a plurality of calibration coefficients for the VI probe. |
| US08264236B2 |
System and method for electronic testing of devices
A method for testing electronic devices involves receiving a stimulus signal for testing a device; changing an operating temperature of at least a component of an electrical filter while maintaining settings of the electrical filter, thereby altering the stimulus signal as the stimulus signal passes through the electrical filter, to create an altered stimulus signal; and outputting the altered stimulus signal. |
| US08264231B2 |
Switch circuit
A switch circuit includes: a first charge/discharge circuit having a fixed first time constant; a second charge/discharge circuit having a second time constant associated with the operation statuses of a plurality of switches; first and second input/output ports to which the first and second charge/discharge circuits are connected, respectively; and a control section adapted to measure the first and second time constants by charging or discharging the first and second charge/discharge circuits and determine the operation statuses of a plurality of switches based on the ratio of the measured first and second time constants. |
| US08264229B2 |
Electromagnetic geological metrology system
An electromagnetic geological metrology system comprises: (a) a transmitter arrangement for generating outbound radiation towards a geological formation; (b) a receiver arrangement for receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation reflected from the geological formation and generating corresponding one or more received signals; and (c) a data processing arrangement for processing the one or more received signals, The system is distinguished in that: (d) the transmitter arrangement includes an antenna arrangement coupled via a switching arrangement to an energy storage arrangement; and (e) the switching arrangement is operable to discharge energy stored in the energy storage arrangement for generating the outbound radiation. |
| US08264226B1 |
System and method for locating buried pipes and cables with a man portable locator and a transmitter in a mesh network
A system and method for locating buried cables, pipes and other utilities includes a man portable receiver/locator which is linked by a wireless mesh connection to a transmitter which either directly applies, or induces, a signal onto a buried utility. |
| US08264225B2 |
Mass damped bore tube for imaging apparatus
A bore tube for use in an imaging apparatus has a first tube and a second tube. The first tube is a complete cylinder of electrically conductive material; and the second tube is segmented into separate elements, each separately attached to the first tube. |
| US08264224B2 |
Detection of magnetic fields using nano-magnets
Magnetic field detection techniques and devices are provided. In one embodiment, a device configured to detect a magnetic field includes a first set of nano-magnets and a second set of nano-magnets. The first set of nano-magnets is operable to induce a RF magnetic field, and the second set of nano-magnets is operable to induce a first electrical signal in response to magnetic resonance signals caused by the RF magnetic field. |
| US08264220B2 |
Arrangement and method for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles in a region of action using coil arrangement having a surrounding coil that almost completely surrounds a magnetic field generator
An arrangement and a method for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles in a region of action includes a selector for generating a magnetic selection field having a pattern in space of its magnetic field strength such that a first sub-zone having a low magnetic field strength and a second sub-zone having a higher magnetic field strength are formed in the region of action. A driver is provided for changing the position in space of the two sub-zones in the region of action by a magnetic drive field so that the magnetization of the magnetic particles changes locally. A receiver is also provided for acquiring signals, which signals depend on the magnetization in the region of action, which magnetization is influenced by the change in the position in space of the first and second sub-zone. Further, a coil arrangement is provided including a surrounding coil and a magnetic field generator such that the surrounding coil almost completely surrounds the magnetic field generator. |
| US08264219B2 |
In-line pipe inspection tool
An in-line pipe inspection tool has one or more inspection platforms (28, 30) which are connected to an elongate wheeled trolley by link arms (20 to 26). The trolley unit (10, 12) has drive means for driving the point of connection of the first link arm (20, 22) to the trolley (10) relative to the point of connection of the second link arm (24, 26) to the trolley (12), thereby to move the inspection platforms (28, 30) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of elongation of the trolley (10, 12). Thus the inspection platforms (28, 30) are movable which is relative to the trolley (10, 12) to permit the tool to be adapted to pipelines of different diameters. Moreover, the platforms (28, 30) preferably have permanent magnets which contain a rotatable magnet. The rotatable magnet permits the net magnetic field generated by the platform to be varied. |
| US08264217B2 |
Moving vehicle system and method of detecting position of moving vehicle
A detection head is provided for a moving vehicle. The detection head includes a coil array defined by a plurality of coils arranged along a moving direction of the moving vehicle. Dummy coils are provided on both sides of the coil array. Based on a difference between outputs of the dummy coils, whether the moving vehicle is in a continuous segment where the magnetic marks are provided at a constant first pitch or a discrete segment where the magnetic marks are arranged at a pitch wider than the first pitch is identified. |
| US08264215B1 |
Onboard electrical current sensing system
Electrical currents are detected and analyzed across structural members in a structural joint, such as a fastener of a vehicle. In some aspects, printed circuit boards etched with Rogowski coil circuits are inserted proximate the structural members in the structural joint. The Rogowski coil circuits may detect an electrical current as it flows through the structural joint. An integrator may integrate a transient current to generate an output signal, such as when the vehicle is subjected to an electrical charge. The output signal may be transmitted to an Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) system for analysis. In various aspects, the IVHM system may enable recording and reporting of various aspects of the current to enable maintenance, inspection, or real time/near real time health assessment of the vehicle. |
| US08264212B2 |
Power supply control device and power supply control method
Control accuracy with regard to variation of output voltage is improved. A direct current converter unit (20) that steps up or steps down an input voltage (Vin) to be outputted, and a control unit (10) that controls output voltage (Vout) of the direct current converter unit (20) by a pulse width modulation signal (Sw) are provided; the direct current converter unit (20) is provided with a voltage detection circuit (24) that monitors the output voltage (Vout); the control unit (10) is provided with an A/D converter (13) that samples a monitored voltage value (Vd) of the voltage detection circuit (24); and a pulse oscillator (14) that controls the position of one edge by an A/D conversion synchronous signal (Ss) indicating the start of sampling by the A/D converter (13), and generates the pulse width modulation signal (Sw), which controls the position of the other edge based on the monitored voltage value (Vd). |
| US08264201B2 |
Battery management system and driving method thereof
A battery management system and a driving method thereof are provided for detecting a short battery cell. The battery management system includes a main control unit (MCU) and a cell balancing unit. The MCU transmits a battery cell control signal for controlling charge and discharge of the battery cells. The cell balancing unit balances the battery cells according to the battery cell control signal. The MCU includes a cell balancing discharge amount measurement unit and a controller. The cell balancing discharge amount measurement unit measures a cell balancing discharge amount of each of the battery cells. The controller compares a difference value between a maximum value among the cell balancing discharge amounts of the battery cells and each of the cell balancing discharge amounts to determine a short battery cell. |
| US08264198B2 |
Battery pack, battery charger and charging method having multiple charging modes
A battery pack, a battery charger, a method for charging a battery pack are provided. The battery pack includes a secondary battery, a switch element for controlling charging and discharging the secondary battery, a controller for controlling the switch element, and a communication unit for performing with a battery charger. During charging, an initial charging is switched to a quick charging when a voltage of the secondary battery reaches a predetermined voltage, and the battery charger judges the battery pack as abnormal when the voltage does not reach the predetermined voltage within a timeout period after the initial charging is started. At least one of the timeout period and the predetermined is stored. At least one of the timeout period and the predetermined voltage to be read out is transmitted through the communication unit to the battery charger. |
| US08264192B2 |
Controller and method for transitioning between control angles
A system includes a pulse-width modulation (PWM) module, a subtraction module, an error reducing module, and a summing module. The PWM module controls switching of an inverter that powers a motor. The PWM module controls the switching based on a first angle in a first mode and a second angle in a second mode. The subtraction module determines a difference between the first and second angles. The error reducing module (i) stores the difference when a transition from the first mode to the second mode is commanded and (ii) decreases a magnitude of the stored difference to zero. The summing module calculates a sum of the stored difference and the second angle. The PWM module controls the switching based on the sum in the second mode. |
| US08264187B2 |
Systems, apparatus and methods for making an electrical connection
Systems, apparatus and methods are disclosed for allowing electrical connection to an electrical end effector in a robot apparatus. In one aspect, an electrical coupling is adapted to provide electrical power to the electrical end effector in the vacuum chamber. The electrical coupling may include engaging electrical contacts. In some embodiments, at least one of the contacts may be suspended relative to a spring such that the engaging contacts do not rotate relative to each other during arm rotation of the robot. In other embodiments, inductively coupled coils are included. Numerous other aspects are provided. |
| US08264182B2 |
Motor power factor correction apparatus and method
A power factor correction system includes a rectifier that rectifies the voltage of an alternating current (ac) power source to produce a voltage waveform that transitions, in a half sinusoid, from a minimum amplitude to a maximum amplitude and back to the minimum amplitude twice in the period of the ac power source. A phase winding of a motor conveys current induced by the voltage waveform, and a regulator regulates the flow of the current conveyed by the phase winding for storage as energy in a storage component. |
| US08264178B2 |
Brushless motor control apparatus, brushless motor and control method of brushless motor
A slope counter starts countdown at timing of changing an output voltage of an FET to zero. A controller executes a nonsymmetrical energization control operation to control a PWM generator such that the PWM generator generates a PWM signal based on a count value of the slope counter and outputs the generated PWM signal to the FET. The countdown of the slope counter is terminated when a predetermined time period elapses or when a time period corresponding to an electrical angle of 40 degrees elapses before the elapsing of the predetermined period. Also, at this time, the controller terminates the nonsymmetrical energization control operation. |
| US08264177B2 |
Apparatus and system for efficiently controlling a hub motor
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for an efficient hub motor. A stator is attached to a shaft. Coils are embedded in the stator in a circular pattern. Two rotors are rotatably coupled to the shaft with the stator between them. Permanent magnets are embedded in each rotor. Each permanent magnet and each core has a similar cross-sectional shape. The permanent magnets are positioned in a circular pattern corresponding to the coils. The permanent magnets are positioned so that when a coil aligns with a permanent magnet a next coil aligns between two magnets. Shorting bars connect exterior edges of the permanent magnets. A sequence control connects each coil so that current flows in a coil in one direction and the sequence control disconnects the coil and reconnects the coil with current flowing in the opposite direction in response to a set of permanent magnets aligning with a coil. |
| US08264176B2 |
Fan arrangement
A fan arrangement (20) has a fan (24) driven by an electric motor (22), also an apparatus for detecting the electrical power (PIST) consumed by the electric motor (22) during operation; an input apparatus (28) for inputting a desired rotation speed (nSOLL) of said electric motor (22); a converter (26) for converting said desired rotation speed (nSOLL) into a desired electrical power (PSOLL); and a controller (44), which regulates the control input controlling the electric motor (22) in such a way that the difference between the electrical power (PIST) consumed in operation and the desired electrical power (PSOLL) is reduced, in order thereby to improve the air output characteristic curve (49, 58) of the fan arrangement (20) at least in a portion of the overall operating range. |
| US08264173B2 |
Methods and systems for accelerating particles using induction to generate an electric field with a localized curl
A method is described wherein the acceleration of a beam of charged particles is achieved using the properties of conductors to limit the penetration of magnetic and electric fields in short times compared to natural time constants. This allows the use of induction electric fields with a Curl localized to a gap to accelerate particles while coupling the accelerated beam to a power supply. Two methods of coupling the particle beam to the power supply are disclosed as exemplary. |
| US08264172B2 |
Cooperative communications with multiple master/slaves in a LED lighting network
The present disclosure presents a relatively inexpensive yet intelligent solution for assigning a status to a lighting device over a connection used for transmissions of power and/or intensity for the lighting device. The system leverage and utilizes an existing connection that is available in many traditional lighting systems to provide intelligence between lighting devices, such as assigning a master or slave status to a lighting fixture or a device. For example, a typical lighting fixture may have existing connections such as for wiring and powering up the lighting fixture to modulate intensity of the light emitted. The present solution described herein provides systems and methods for utilizing the same wire to assign a status to the lighting fixture without interrupting the power supplied to the lighting fixture or the intensity emitted from the lighting device. |
| US08264168B2 |
Method and a system for controlling a lighting system
A location commissioning method for a lighting system, having several lighting arrangements, includes selecting an illuminated position, assigning the position a position id, measuring light at the position, deriving light data associated with each lighting arrangement from the measured light, associating the light data with the position id, determining light transfer data from the light data and current drive data for the lighting arrangements, and storing in a light effect setting array for the position id. A light effect setting method includes requesting a selected light effect at a selected position, receiving a position id and a target light effect setting associated with the position, deriving the associated initial light effect setting array, for example by retrieving a stored one, determining the drive data for obtaining the target light effect setting, via the light transfer data in the array. |
| US08264166B2 |
Amp control system by controlling outputs of a buck DC-DC converter
A lamp control system includes at least one lamp structure; comprising: a lamp body; a ballast connected to the lamp body; the ballast including: a first stage for converting AC current into DC current and boosting of voltage; a buck DC-DC converter; a transistor of the buck DC-DC converter having an input end; a PWM controller being installed between an output end of the lamp body and the input end of the transistor; a frequency controllable oscillator being connected to the PWM controller and an oscillation controlling processor being connected to the frequency controller oscillator for generating instructions to change the oscillation frequency of the oscillator and thus to adjust the modulation frequency of the PWM controller; sensors about voltages, currents, and illuminations are installed for light strength control, temperature control, auto-turning on and off of the HID lamp, power control and time and illumination control. |
| US08264156B2 |
Method and system for luminance characterization
A system for luminance characterization of a luminaire includes a ballast coil and a multi-tap capacitor connected in series with the ballast coil. The multi-tap capacitor has a plurality of tap capacitors integrated into a capacitor housing. A plurality of switches are each coupled to one of the plurality of tap capacitors for selectively coupling the tap capacitors together to produce a multi-tap capacitance corresponding to a configuration of the plurality of switches. A lamp is connected in series with the multi-tap capacitor and the ballast coil. A photometer is located to measure light intensity of the lamp and to produce a lumen output measurement. A memory is used to store a database having a plurality of lumen output measurements, each corresponding to a multi-tap capacitance corresponding to all configurations of the plurality of switches. |
| US08264155B2 |
Solid state lighting devices providing visible alert signals in general illumination applications and related methods of operation
A solid state lighting apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to the sensor. The control circuit is configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to ones of the plurality of light emitting diodes at respective intervals responsive to the sensor signal indicating that the operating condition does not meet a desired operating threshold to provide a visible indicator thereof in light emitted by the apparatus. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed. |
| US08264154B2 |
Method and apparatus for pulsed plasma processing using a time resolved tuning scheme for RF power delivery
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods and apparatus for pulsed plasma processing over a wide process window. In some embodiments, an apparatus may include an RF power supply having frequency tuning and a matching network coupled to the RF power supply that share a common sensor for reading reflected RF power reflected back to the RF power supply. In some embodiments, an apparatus may include an RF power supply having frequency tuning and a matching network coupled to the RF power supply that share a common sensor for reading reflected RF power reflected back to the RF power supply and a common controller for tuning each of the RF power supply and the matching network. |
| US08264153B2 |
Plasma source for large size substrate
A plasma source for a substrate is provided. The plasma source may include a source electrode and an impedance box. The source electrode receives a source Radio Frequency (RF) from the external and generates plasma based on capacitive coupling within a vacuum chamber. The impedance box connects at one end to an outer circumference surface of the source electrode, and is grounded at the other end to the vacuum chamber, and controls an electric current flowing from the source electrode to the vacuum chamber by the source RF. |
| US08264152B2 |
Vehicle lamp
A vehicle lamp includes a semiconductor light emitting device as a light source, a power supply module configured to supply electric power from a power source to the semiconductor light emitting device, and a housing in which the power supply module is accommodated. The semiconductor light emitting device is mounted on the power supply module. The power supply module comprises a current control circuit configured to control an amount of current supplied to the semiconductor light emitting device. The semiconductor light emitting device and the current control circuit are arranged to overlap each other in a direction of an optical axis of the semiconductor light emitting device. |
| US08264147B2 |
Oxidation-protected metallic foil and methods
An electrical lead assembly for devices such as electrical lamps having a metallic foil for providing an electrically conducting path through a hermetic seal formed by pinch sealing a vitreous material. The metallic foil includes an oxidation-inhibiting coating of silica. In another aspect of the invention, methods of coating metallic foils with silica are disclosed. In yet another aspect of the present invention, an electrical lead assembly for lamps is provided wherein the metallic foil is extended to form an outer electrical lead for the lamp. |
| US08264144B2 |
Light emitting device and electronic device utilizing fibrous barrier layers impregnated with organic resin
An object is to provide a highly reliable light emitting device which is thin and is not damaged by external local pressure. Further, another object is to manufacture a light emitting device with a high yield by preventing defects of a shape and characteristics due to external stress in a manufacture process. A light emitting element is sealed between a first structure body in which a fibrous body is impregnated with an organic resin and a second structure body in which a fibrous body is impregnated with an organic resin, whereby a highly reliable light emitting device which is thin and has intensity can be provided. Further, a light emitting device can be manufactured with a high yield by preventing defects of a shape and characteristics in a manufacture process. |
| US08264138B2 |
Shifting spectral content in solid state light emitters by spatially separating lumiphor films
A lighting device, comprising at least one solid state light emitter, at least one first lumiphor and at least one second lumiphor which is spaced from the first lumiphor. The solid state light emitter can be a light emitting diode. A method of making a lighting device, comprising positioning at least one second lumiphor spaced from and outside of at least one first lumiphor relative to at least one solid state light emitter. A method of lighting, comprising providing electricity to at least one solid state light emitter in such a lighting device. |
| US08264136B2 |
Fluorescent lamp having ceramic-glass composite electrode
Disclosed is a fluorescent lamp having ceramic-glass composite electrodes, which has a higher dielectric constant, higher secondary electron emission, and higher polarization under the same electric field, and thus enables the movement of many more electrons and cations, resulting in high brightness. The fluorescent lamp having ceramic-glass composite electrodes includes a glass tube, which has a phosphor applied on the inner surface thereof and is filled with a mixture of inert gas and metal vapor, both ends of which are sealed; and hollow cylindrical electrodes provided at both ends of the glass tube, each of the hollow cylindrical electrodes having a stepped portion between a central portion thereof and an end portion thereof, and being formed of a ceramic-glass composite. As the material for the electrode, a composite, including a CaO—MgO—SrO—ZrO2—TiO2 ceramic composition and glass frit, is used. |
| US08264131B2 |
Spark plug
Peeling resistance of a noble metal chip is improved by reducing a difference in the thermal stress generated between the noble metal chip and a ground electrode. A spark plug 1 includes an insulator 2, a center electrode 5, a metal shell 3, and a ground electrode 27, wherein a spark discharge gap 33 is formed between the center electrode 5 and the noble metal chip 41 bonded to the ground electrode 27. The ground electrode 27 is provided with a concave hole portion 43, and 70% or more of the noble metal chip 41 is bonded to the hole portion 43 of the ground electrode 27 through a fusion portion 35 formed by fusing the noble metal chip and the ground electrode 27 to each other by emitting a laser beam or the like from the side surface of the noble metal chip. A gap 45 is formed between the noble metal chip 41 and at least a part of an inner wall surface 43 S of the hole portion 43 so as to be more than 0 mm and equal to or less than 1.0 mm in the direction perpendicular to the central axis CL2 of the noble metal chip 41. |
| US08264130B2 |
Safety protection solution for compact fluorescent lamps
A compact fluorescent lamp which includes a compact fluorescent light source and a ballast operatively connected to and controlling operation of the light source. An outer light transmissive envelope surrounds the light source and an elastic protective shield surrounds the ballast. |
| US08264127B2 |
Low frequency acoustic transducer for a probe for non-destructive testing
The present invention provides a low frequency acoustic transducer for non-destructive testing of a test structure. The transducer is arranged for conversion between electrical energy and acoustic energy associated with an acoustic wave propagating through a portion of the test structure. The transducer comprises a bending actuator for generating the acoustic wave by generating a vibration from an electrical signal or for generating an electrical signal from a vibration generated by the received acoustic wave. The bending actuator has a vibration surface and a contact area surrounded by a portion of the vibration surface. The transducer further comprises a mode setting member that has a rigid portion which is in direct mechanical contact with the bending actuator at the contact area such that, within the contact area, an amplitude of the vibration is substantially suppressed. The location and shape of the contact area determine a bending mode associated with a resonance frequency of the bending actuator. |
| US08264126B2 |
Multilayer acoustic impedance converter for ultrasonic transducers
An impedance conversion layer useful for medical imaging ultrasonic transducers comprises a low impedance polymer layer and a high impedance metal layer. These layers are combined with corresponding thicknesses adapted to provide a function of converting from a specific high impedance to specific low impedance, wherein the polymer layer is at the high impedance side and the metal layer is at the low impedance side. The effective acoustic impedance of the polymer and metal layer combination may be adapted to configure an impedance converter in the same way as a quarter wavelength impedance converter, converting from low impedance to high impedance (metal to polymer) or from a high impedance to low impedance (polymer to metal). This structure may be used for front matching with the propagation medium and back matching with an absorber for ultrasonic transducers. |
| US08264125B2 |
Piezoelectric component comprising a security layer and an infiltration barrier and a method for the production thereof
A piezoelectric component with a monolithic stack, has electrode layers and piezoceramic layers arranged alternately one on top of the other, the piezoceramic layers have a piezoceramic, and having at least one porous security layer arranged in the stack for the formation of a crack if mechanical overload of the stack should occur. The piezoelectric component has an infiltration barrier arranged between the security layer and a lateral surface section of the stack for suppressing the penetration of a foreign substance into the security layer. The piezoelectric component can be as a piezoactuator for controlling a valve, particularly a valve of an internal combustion engine. |
| US08264124B2 |
Ultrasonic transducer
An ultrasonic transducer that improves workability of a housing, suppresses variations in resonant frequency, and has stable characteristics is constructed. The ultrasonic transducer includes a bottomed circular cylindrical housing and a piezoelectric element provided at substantially a center of a bottom of the housing. The bottom of the housing has a slope portion that gradually becomes thinner from a position at which the piezoelectric element is provided toward an inner wall surface of the housing, and a flat portion that extends from an outer edge of the slope portion to the inner wall surface of the housing while maintaining a thickness of the outer edge of the slope portion. |
| US08264123B2 |
Piezoelectric vibration device system and electronics apparatus
A piezoelectric vibration device system includes a piezoelectric vibration device that performs predefined movements using the vibration of the piezoelectric element; and a control unit that controls the behavior of the piezoelectric vibration device by controlling the frequency of the piezoelectric element, where the control unit includes: a first signal generating unit that generates a fundamental frequency signal having a fundamental frequency adjacent to the mechanical resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element; a second signal generating unit that generates a variable frequency signal whose frequency periodically rises or falls; and a frequency modulator that generates a frequency modulated signal, whose frequency changes into one of three or more frequencies existing around the fundamental frequency periodically and in sequence, by executing frequency modulation using the fundamental frequency signal and the variable frequency signal, and that outputs the frequency modulated signal as a control signal for controlling the piezoelectric vibration device. |
| US08264122B2 |
Acoustic wave device
An acoustic wave device having an improved frequency-temperature characteristic and in which a spurious response of the higher order mode is suppressed includes a piezoelectric substrate made of LiNbO3, a SiO2 layer laminated on the piezoelectric substrate, and an IDT electrode disposed in an interface of the piezoelectric substrate and the SiO2 layer, wherein φ and θ of Euler angles expressed by (φ, θ, ψ) of LiNbO3 substrate satisfy φ=0° and 80°≦θ≦130°, respectively. The acoustic wave device using an acoustic wave primarily having an SH wave, wherein ψ is set to satisfy 5°≦ψ≦30°. |
| US08264117B2 |
Motor and electronic apparatus using the same
A stator core comprises a laminated part made by stacking a plurality of sheet-like plates and one sheet-like plate into an integral unit in a manner to form dimple portions on both surfaces in the stacking direction thereof, and side plates each having extended portions and nib portions formed on a surface opposite the side where the extended portions are provided and disposed in a manner to sandwich the both surfaces of the laminated part, wherein the laminated part and the side plates are fastened together by inserting the nib portions on the side plates into the dimple portions formed on the laminated part. |
| US08264116B2 |
Motor/generator phase insulation article and method for manufacturing
Apparatus including a monolithic, motor/generator phase insulation article having a manufactured state and a ready-to-use state. The insulation article has longitudinally-spaced-apart first and second tabs and flexible, transversely-spaced-apart first and second legs each having a first end monolithically joined to the first tab and a second end monolithically joined to the second tab. The first and second tabs are disposed longitudinally closer together in the manufactured state than in the ready-to-use state. In the manufactured state the first and second legs each have a more serpentine shape, and in the ready-to-use state the first and second legs each have a less serpentine shape. A method for manufacturing the insulation article is also described which cuts a monolithic, substantially-rectangular sheet of motor/generator phase insulation to create the insulation article. |
| US08264115B2 |
Stator for electric rotating machine
A stator includes a hollow cylindrical stator core and a stator coil comprised of electric wires. Each of the electric wires has n in-slot portions and (n−1) turn portions, where n≧4. The in-slot portions are sequentially received in p slots of the stator core, where p≧n. The turn portions are located outside the slots to connect adjacent pairs of the in-slot portions. The radial distances from the longitudinal axis of the stator core to the first to the nth in-slot portions successively decrease. Each of the electric wires further includes bulges. Each of the bulges is formed, on a surface of a corresponding one of the in-slot portions or a surface of a portion of the electric wire which falls on an imaginary line extending axially from the corresponding in-slot portion, so as to protrude from the corresponding in-slot portion in a radial direction. |
| US08264111B2 |
Generator rotor bearing preload method and apparatus
A generator has its length shortened by placing springs in a space in a casing that includes an output shaft, which is driven by an input shaft, and a yoke for separating the two shafts. The generator is assembled by placing a spring in a space in a casing having a first part. The space also has a yoke in it. A rotor bearing is placed in the space adjacent to and impinging upon the spring. A second part of the casing is attached to the first part of the casing so that the spring is pre-loaded therein. The generator also utilizes a guide for holding a spring. The generator also has a thrust plate for applying a force of the springs upon the rotor bearing. |
| US08264108B2 |
Brushless motor
A stator includes an annular core back portion, a plurality of teeth extending radially outward from an outer circumference of the core back portion, and coils. A cylindrical portion of a housing includes a contact portion and a coming-off preventing portion arranged above the contact portion on an outer circumference of the cylindrical portion. The core back portion includes a small-diameter opening defining portion and a large-diameter opening defining portion arranged above the small-diameter opening defining portion. The cylindrical portion is arranged radially inward of the core back portion. The stator is held by the cylindrical portion with a lower surface of the core back portion arranged in contact with the contact portion and an upper surface of the small-diameter opening defining portion arranged in contact with the coming-off preventing portion. A bearing member is arranged radially inside the large-diameter opening defining portion and above the coming-off preventing portion. |
| US08264100B2 |
Electric power generating system for multiple sources and interface to an AC grid
An electric power generating system includes a plurality of variable power sources including at least one source of DC power and at least one source of AC power. Converters convert power supplied by the plurality of power sources to a common source of power to be communicated to a collector bus. A power grid supplies three-phase power to components requiring three-phase power downstream of the collector bus. Converters provide three phases of power to the power bus from the collector bus. |
| US08264097B2 |
Wind turbine generator and maintenance method thereof
A wind turbine generator includes: a main shaft; a generator having a rotor and a stator; and a sleeve coupled to the rotor and inserted onto the main shaft. The stator includes: stator magnetic poles arrayed circumferentially of the main shaft; and first and second stator plates rotatably coupled to the main shaft to support the stator magnetic poles. The rotor includes: rotor magnetic poles and at least one magnetic pole supporting structure coupled to the main shaft to support the rotor magnetic poles and provided between the first and second stator plates such that the rotor and stator magnetic poles are detachable from the sleeve. Positions at which the rotor and stator magnetic poles are detachable from the sleeve are closer to the main shaft from a closer end of the main shaft to the generator. |
| US08264096B2 |
Drive system for use with flowing fluids having gears to support counter-rotative turbines
The present invention includes a drive system for use in a flowing fluid, the drive system preferably having a first turbine connected to a shaft, a first gear connected to the shaft, a second turbine rotatably mounted on a pipe, a second gear rotatably mounted on the pipe and connected to the second turbine, and two or more satellite gears in fixed locations relative to the pipe and rotatably engaged, directly or indirectly, with the first gear and the second gear. The drive system may be used, for example, in a wind generator to generate electrical energy. |
| US08264092B2 |
Integrated circuits on a wafer and method of producing integrated circuits
Integrated circuits (Ia, Ib) on a wafer (2) comprise first and second integrated circuits (Ia, Ib) which each include an electric circuit (3). Only the first integrated circuits (Ia) comprise each at least one bump (8) not contacting their relevant electric circuits (3). |
| US08264091B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging system with encapsulated via and method of manufacture thereof
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a substrate; mounting an integrated circuit over the substrate; attaching a buffer interconnect to and over the substrate; forming an encapsulation over the substrate covering the buffer interconnect and the integrated circuit; and forming a via in the encapsulation and to the buffer interconnect. |
| US08264088B2 |
Planarized passivation layer for semiconductor devices
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a dielectric layer and a device layer on the substrate. The device layer has an opening. First and second sublayers are disposed on the device layer and line the opening. The second sublayer serves as a stop layer for planarization to provide a substantially planarized top surface for the semiconductor device. |
| US08264085B2 |
Semiconductor device package interconnections
A semiconductor device. In one embodiment the device includes a carrier. A first material is deposited on the carrier. The first material has an elastic modulus of less than 100 MPa. A semiconductor chip is placed over the first material. A second material is deposited on the semiconductor chip, the second material being electrically insulating. A metal layer is placed over the second material. |
| US08264081B2 |
Multilayered barrier metal thin-films
A multi-layered barrier metal thin film is deposited on a substrate by atomic layer chemical vapor deposition (ALCVD). The multi-layer film may comprise several different layers of a single chemical species, or several layers each of distinct or alternating chemical species. In a preferred embodiment, the multi-layer barrier thin film comprises a Tantalum Nitride layer on a substrate, with a Titanium Nitride layer deposited thereon. The thickness of the entire multi-layer film may be approximately fifty Angstroms. The film has superior film characteristics, such as anti-diffusion capability, low resistivity, high density, and step coverage, when compared to films deposited by conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The multi-layered barrier metal thin film of the present invention has improved adhesion characteristics and is particularly suited for metallization of a Copper film thereon. |
| US08264078B2 |
Metal wiring structures for uniform current density in C4 balls
In one embodiment, a sub-pad assembly of metal structures is located directly underneath a metal pad. The sub-pad assembly includes an upper level metal line structure abutting the metal pad, a lower level metal line structure located underneath the upper level metal line structure, and a set of metal vias that provide electrical connection between the lower level metal line structure located underneath the upper level metal line structure. In another embodiment, the reliability of a C4 ball is enhanced by employing a metal pad structure having a set of integrated metal vias that are segmented and distributed to facilitate uniform current density distribution within the C4 ball. The areal density of the cross-sectional area in the plurality of metal vias is higher at the center portion of the metal pad than at the peripheral portion of the planar portion of the metal pad. |
| US08264074B2 |
Device for use as dual-sided sensor package
A sensor package, and in one embodiment a sensor package for surface mount applications, that comprises a leadframe with an upper and lower surface for receiving a device thereon. Embodiments of the sensor package comprise a first device secured to the upper surface, and a second device secured to the lower surface so as to place connective pads from each of the first device and the second device proximate to one side of the leadframe. The sensor package further comprises a lead that is positioned in the sensor package in a manner that prevents electrical connection with circuitry that is external of the housing. The lead has an end proximate the side of the lead frame where the connective pads are positioned on the upper and lower surfaces. The end configured to receive connections, e.g., wirebonds, from the connective pads in a manner connecting the first device and the second device independent of any external connections of the sensor package. |
| US08264066B2 |
Liner formation in 3DIC structures
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a through-semiconductor via (TSV) opening extending into the semiconductor substrate; and a TSV liner in the TSV opening. The TSV liner includes a sidewall portion on a sidewall of the TSV opening and a bottom portion at a bottom of the TSV opening. The bottom portion of the TSV liner has a bottom height greater than a middle thickness of the sidewall portion of the TSV liner. |
| US08264063B2 |
Capacitive element, method of manufacture of the same, and semiconductor device
A capacitive element is characterized by including: a base (12); a lower barrier layer (13) formed on the base (12); capacitors (Q1 and Q2) made by forming a lower electrode (14a), capacitor dielectric layers (15a), and upper electrodes (16a) in this order on the lower barrier layer (13); and an upper barrier layer (20) covering at least the capacitor dielectric layers (15a) and the lower barrier layer (13). |
| US08264060B2 |
Method of sealing an air gap in a layer of a semiconductor structure and semiconductor structure
Providing a first layer of a semiconductor structure having at least one air gap between conductive lines formed in the first layer. The air gap extends into the first layer from a first surface of the first layer. A barrier dielectric material over the first surface and the air gap is selected to have a dielectric constant less than 3.5 and to provide a barrier to prevent chemicals entering the at least one air gap. An air gap can extend from a first surface of the first layer to at least a portion of side surfaces of the at least two conductive lines to expose at least a portion of the side surfaces. |
| US08264055B2 |
CMOS thermoelectric refrigerator
A CMOS thermoelectric refrigerator made of an NMOS transistor and PMOS transistor connected in series through a cold terminal is disclosed. Active areas of the NMOS and PMOS transistors are less than 300 nanometers wide, to reduce thermal conduction between the cold terminal and the IC substrate. Drain nodes of the NMOS and PMOS transistors are connected through hot terminals to a biasing circuit. The drain node of the NMOS transistor is biased positive with respect to the drain node of the PMOS transistor, to extract hot electrons and hot holes from the cold terminal. Biases on the drain nodes and gates of the NMOS and PMOS transistors may be adjusted to optimize the efficiency of the CMOS thermoelectric refrigerator or maximize the thermal power of the CMOS thermoelectric refrigerator. The cold terminal may be configured to cool a selected component in the IC, such as a transistor. |
| US08264051B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
A semiconductor device includes: a sensor element having a plate shape with a surface and including a sensor structure disposed in a surface portion of the sensor element; and a plate-shaped cap element bonded to the surface of the sensor element. The cap element has a wiring pattern portion facing the sensor element. The wiring pattern portion connects an outer periphery of the surface of the sensor element and the sensor structure so that the sensor structure is electrically coupled with an external element via the outer periphery. The sensor element does not have a complicated multi-layered structure, so that the sensor element is simplified. Further, the dimensions of the device are reduced. |
| US08264049B2 |
Integrated circuit including cross-coupled transistors with two transistors of different type having gate electrodes formed by common gate level feature with shared diffusion regions on opposite sides of common gate level feature
A semiconductor device includes first and second p-type diffusion regions, and first and second n-type diffusion regions that are each electrically connected to a common node. Each of a number of conductive features within a gate electrode level region is fabricated from a respective originating rectangular-shaped layout feature, with a centerline of each originating rectangular-shaped layout feature aligned in a parallel manner. The conductive features respectively form gate electrodes of first and second PMOS transistor devices, and first and second NMOS transistor devices. Widths of the first and second p-type diffusion regions are substantially equal, such that the first and second PMOS transistor devices have substantially equal widths. Widths of the first and second n-type diffusion regions are substantially equal, such that the first and second NMOS transistor devices have substantially equal widths. The first and second PMOS and first and second NMOS transistor devices form a cross-coupled transistor configuration. |
| US08264046B2 |
Synergy effect of alloying materials in interconnect structures
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer over the semiconductor substrate; forming an opening in the dielectric layer; forming a seed layer in the opening; forming a copper line on the seed layer, wherein at least one of the seed layer and the copper line includes an alloying material; and forming an etch stop layer on the copper line. |
| US08264045B2 |
Semiconductor device including a SRAM section and a logic circuit section
A semiconductor device including a SRAM section and a logic circuit section includes: a first n-type MIS transistor including a first n-type gate electrode formed with a first gate insulating film interposed on a first element formation region of a semiconductor substrate in the SRAM section; and a second n-type MIS transistor including a second n-type gate electrode formed with a second gate insulating film interposed on a second element formation region of the semiconductor substrate in the logic circuit section. A first impurity concentration of a first n-type impurity in the first n-type gate electrode is lower than a second impurity concentration of a second n-type impurity in the second n-type gate electrode. |
| US08264043B1 |
Protection of integrated circuit gates during metallization processes
In one embodiment, a first transistor is configured to switch ON to discharge accumulated charges on an interconnect line during a metallization process. This advantageously protects a second transistor, which is coupled to the interconnect line, from charge buildup. The gate of the first transistor may be coupled to the interconnect line by way of a coupling capacitor. The gate of the first transistor may remain floating during the metallization process, and subsequently coupled to ground at a topmost metal level. The metallization process may be physical vapor deposition, for example. |
| US08264041B2 |
Semiconductor device with electrically floating body
A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device includes an electrically floating body region, and a gate is disposed over a first portion of the body region. The device includes a source region adjoining a second portion of the body region, the second portion adjacent the first portion and separating the source region from the first portion. The device includes a drain region adjoining a third portion of the body region, the third portion adjacent the first portion and separating the drain region from the first portion. |
| US08264037B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A sinker layer is in contact with a first conductivity-type well, and is separated from a first conductivity-type collector layer and a second conductivity-type drift layer. A second conductivity-type diffusion layer (second second-conductivity-type high-concentration diffusion layer) is formed in the surface layer of the sinker layer. The second conductivity-type diffusion layer has a higher impurity concentration than that of the sinker layer. The second conductivity-type diffusion layer and the first conductivity-type collector layer are isolated from each other with an element isolation insulating film interposed therebetween. |
| US08264035B2 |
Avalanche capability improvement in power semiconductor devices
A power semiconductor device with improved avalanche capability structures is disclosed. By forming at least an avalanche capability enhancement doped regions with opposite conductivity type to epitaxial layer underneath an ohmic contact doped region which surrounds at least bottom of trenched contact filled with metal plug between two adjacent gate trenches, avalanche current is enhanced with the disclosed structures. |
| US08264034B2 |
Fin FET and method of fabricating same
A fin field effect transistor (fin FET) is formed using a bulk silicon substrate and sufficiently guarantees a top channel length formed under a gate, by forming a recess having a predetermined depth in a fin active region and then by forming the gate in an upper part of the recess. A device isolation film is formed to define a non-active region and a fin active region in a predetermined region of the substrate. In a portion of the device isolation film a first recess is formed, and in a portion of the fin active region a second recess having a depth shallower than the first recess is formed. A gate insulation layer is formed within the second recess, and a gate is formed in an upper part of the second recess. A source/drain region is formed in the fin active region of both sides of a gate electrode. |
| US08264031B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a multilayer structure; a semiconductor pillar; a third insulating film; and a fourth insulating film layer. The a multilayer structure is provided on the semiconductor substrate and including a plurality of constituent multilayer bodies stacked in a first direction perpendicular to a major surface of the semiconductor substrate. Each of the plurality of constituent multilayer bodies includes an electrode film provided parallel to the major surface, a first insulating film, a charge storage layer provided between the electrode film and the first insulating film, and a second insulating film provided between the charge storage layer and the electrode film. The semiconductor pillar penetrates through the multilayer structure in the first direction. The third insulating film is provided between the semiconductor pillar and the electrode film. The fourth insulating film is provided between the semiconductor pillar and the charge storage layer. |
| US08264029B2 |
Convex shaped thin-film transistor device
The present invention provides a semiconductor device that has a shorter distance between the bit lines and easily achieves higher storage capacity and density, and a method of manufacturing such a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: first bit lines formed on a substrate; an insulating layer that is provided between the first bit lines on the substrate, and has a higher upper face than the first bit lines; channel layers that are provided on both side faces of the insulating layer, and are coupled to the respective first bit lines; and charge storage layers that are provided on the opposite side faces of the channel layers from the side faces on which the insulating layers are formed. |
| US08264028B2 |
Non-volatile memory cells, memory arrays including the same and methods of operating cells and arrays
Memory cells comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a source region and a drain region disposed below a surface of the substrate and separated by a channel region; a tunnel dielectric structure disposed above the channel region, the tunnel dielectric structure comprising at least one layer having a hole-tunneling barrier height; a charge storage layer disposed above the tunnel dielectric structure; an insulating layer disposed above the charge storage layer; and a gate electrode disposed above the insulating layer are described along with arrays and methods of operation. |
| US08264021B2 |
Finfets and methods for forming the same
A Fin field effect transistor (FinFET) includes a fin-channel body over a substrate. A gate electrode is disposed over the fin-channel body. At least one source/drain (S/D) region is disposed adjacent to the fin-channel body. The at least one S/D region is substantially free from including any fin structure. |
| US08264020B2 |
Static RAM cell design and multi-contact regime for connecting double channel transistors
A static RAM cell may be formed on the basis of two double channel transistors and a select transistor, wherein a body contact may be positioned laterally between the two double channel transistors in the form of a dummy gate electrode structure, while a further rectangular contact may connect the gate electrodes, the source regions and the body contact, thereby establishing a conductive path to the body regions of the transistors. Hence, compared to conventional body contacts, a very space-efficient configuration may be established so that bit density in static RAM cells may be significantly increased. |
| US08264018B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
Provided is a semiconductor memory device. The semiconductor memory device may include a local bitline extending in a direction substantially vertical to an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate and a local wordline intersecting the local bitline. The local bitline is electrically connected to a bitline channel pillar penetrating a gate of a bitline transistor, and the local wordline is electrically connected to a wordline channel pillar penetrating a gate of a wordline transistor. |
| US08264014B2 |
Methods and apparatus for measuring analytes using large scale FET arrays
Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis. |
| US08264013B2 |
Solid-state image capturing device and electronic information device
A device separation insulating film and a device separation semiconductor layer are provided for a device separation section for separating adjacent devices from each other, end portions of the device separation insulating film and end portions of the device separation semiconductor layer are provided to overlap each other in order to surround two sides of an outer-periphery of the voltage conversion section and also to surround a channel section of the charge transfer device and the light receiving devices and an end portion of the device separation insulating film facing an end face of the light receiving device is arranged inwardly below a control electrode with respect to an end face of the control electrode on the light receiving device side. |
| US08264009B2 |
Semiconductor device with linearly restricted gate level region including four transistors of first type and four transistors of second type with gate defining shapes of different length
A cell of a semiconductor device includes a diffusion level including a plurality of diffusion regions separated by inactive regions. The cell also includes a gate electrode level including conductive features defined to extend in only a first parallel direction. Adjacent ones of the conductive features that share a common line of extent in the first parallel direction are fabricated from respective originating layout features that are separated from each other by an end-to-end spacing having a size that is substantially equal and minimized across the gate electrode level. Some of the conductive features form respective PMOS and/or NMOS transistor devices. A number of the PMOS transistor devices is equal to a number of the NMOS transistor devices in the cell. A width of the conductive features in the gate electrode level is less than a wavelength of light used in a photolithography process for their fabrication. |
| US08264008B2 |
Semiconductor device including transistor forming linear shapes including gate portions and extending portions of different size
A cell layout of a semiconductor device includes a diffusion level layout including a plurality of diffusion region layout shapes, including p-type and n-type diffusion regions separated by a central inactive region. The cell layout also includes a gate electrode level layout for the entire cell defined to include linear-shaped layout features placed to extend in only a first parallel direction. Adjacent linear-shaped layout features that share a common line of extent in the first parallel direction are separated from each other by an end-to-end spacing that is substantially equal and minimized across the gate electrode level layout. Linear-shaped layout features within the gate electrode level layout extend over one or more of the p-type and/or n-type diffusion regions to form PMOS and NMOS transistor devices. A total number of the PMOS and NMOS transistor devices in the cell is greater than or equal to eight. |
| US08264007B2 |
Semiconductor device including at least six transistor forming linear shapes including at least two different gate contact connection distances
A cell of a semiconductor device includes a substrate portion formed to include a plurality of diffusion regions, including at least one p-type diffusion region and at least one n-type diffusion region separated from each other by one or more non-active regions. The cell includes a gate electrode level including a number of conductive features defined to extend in only a first parallel direction. Each of the conductive features within the gate electrode level is fabricated from a respective originating rectangular-shaped layout feature. Some of the conductive features form respective PMOS and/or NMOS transistor devices. A total number of the PMOS and NMOS transistor devices in the cell is greater than or equal to eight. The cell also includes a number of interconnect levels formed above the gate electrode level. |
| US08264006B2 |
Compound semiconductor device including AIN layer of controlled skewness
A semiconductor epitaxial substrate includes: a single crystal substrate; an AlN layer epitaxially grown on the single crystal substrate; and a nitride semiconductor layer epitaxially grown on the AlN layer, wherein an interface between the AlN layer and nitride semiconductor layer has a larger roughness than an interface between the single crystal substrate and AlN layer, and a skewness of the upper surface of the AlN layer is positive. |
| US08264000B2 |
Semiconductor device with a protection diode
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a semiconductor region, a first and second electrodes. The semiconductor region is provided on the semiconductor substrate via an insulating film. The semiconductor region includes a protection diode. An overvoltage causes breakdown of the protection diode. A PN junction of the protection diode is exposed at an end face of the semiconductor region. A first and second electrodes are provided distally to the exposed end face of the PN junction. The first and second electrodes are connected to the semiconductor region to provide a current to the protection diode. |
| US08263999B2 |
Nitride semiconductor light-emitting device
A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device includes a p-type contact layer, a p-type intermediate layer below the p-type contact layer, and a p-type cladding layer below the p-type intermediate layer. Band gap energy differences between the p-type contact layer and the p-type intermediate layer and also between the p-type intermediate layer and the p-type cladding layer are, respectively, 200 meV or below. |
| US08263993B2 |
System and method for emitter layer shaping
Embodiments of an LED disclosed has an emitter layer shaped to a controlled depth or height relative to a substrate of the LED to maximize the light output of the LED and to achieve a desired intensity distribution. In some embodiments, the exit face of the LED may be selected to conserve radiance. In some embodiments, shaping the entire LED, including the substrate and sidewalls, or shaping the substrate alone can extract 100% or approximately 100% of the light generated at the emitter layers from the emitter layers. In some embodiments, the total efficiency is at least 90% or above. In some embodiments, the emitter layer can be shaped by etching, mechanical shaping, or a combination of various shaping methods. In some embodiments, only a portion of the emitter layer is shaped to form the tiny emitters. The unshaped portion forms a continuous electrical connection for the LED. |
| US08263987B2 |
Semiconductor light emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, and semiconductor light emitting device package using the same
There is provided a semiconductor light emitting device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a semiconductor light emitting device package using the same. A semiconductor light emitting device having a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor layer, a second electrode layer, and insulating layer, a first electrode layer, and a conductive substrate sequentially laminated, wherein the second electrode layer has an exposed area at the interface between the second electrode layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, and the first electrode layer comprises at least one contact hole electrically connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, electrically insulated from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer, and extending from one surface of the first electrode layer to at least part of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer. |
| US08263984B2 |
Process for making a GaN substrate
In some embodiments, the invention relates to a process for making a GaN substrate comprising: transferring a first monocrystal GaN layer onto a supporting substrate; applying crystal growth for a second monocrystal GaN layer on the first layer; the first and second GaN layers thereby forming together the GaN substrate, the GaN substrate having a thickness of at least 10 micrometers, and removing at least one portion of the supporting substrate. |
| US08263983B2 |
Wiring substrate and semiconductor device
The present invention provides a thin wiring pattern such as wiring formed by discharging a droplet. In the present invention, a porous (including microporous) substance is formed as a base film in forming pattern by using a droplet discharge method (also referred to as an ink-jetting method). One feature of a wiring substrate according to the present invention provides a porous film and a conductive layer thereon. One feature of a semiconductor device of the present invention provides a thin film transistor in which a gate electrode is formed by the conductive layer having the above-described structure. |
| US08263980B2 |
Active matrix substrate, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus
An active matrix substrate including: a substrate; a display section having a pixel circuit formed on the substrate; and a protection circuit connected to an interconnection of the display section. The protection circuit has a diode-connected transistor, an insulating layer provided so as to cover the transistor, and a light-shielding layer provided in a region above the insulating layer so as to face at least a channel region in the transistor and electrically connected to at least any one of a gate electrode and a source electrode of the transistor. |
| US08263979B2 |
Pixel structure and method of making the same
A pixel structure uses a pixel electrode made of transparent conductive material to electrically connect a data line and a source electrode of a switching element of the adjacent sub-pixel region so that a plurality of sub-pixels can share the same data line. Consequently, the number of data lines can be reduced, and the aperture ratio (AR) can be improved. |
| US08263975B2 |
Laminate, preparatory support, method for producing laminate, and method for producing device
There are provided a laminate, a preparatory support, a laminate production method and a device production method which make it possible to successfully produce a thin device on a flexible substrate which is likely to bend or break. A laminate 1A includes: a support 2A; a photothermal conversion layer 3A; a light blocking layer 4A; an adhesive layer 5A; a flexible substrate 6A; and a device element 7A, wherein the support 2A can be detached from the other layers by irradiating the photothermal conversion layer 3A with light, and wherein the adhesive layer 5A is formed such that it covers the side surface of the light blocking layer 4A. |