| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08296390B2 |
Method for recognizing and distributing music
A customer for music distributed over the interne may select a composition from a menu of written identifiers (such as the song title and singer or group) and then confirm that the composition is indeed the one desired by listening to a corrupted version of the composition. If the customer has forgotten the song title or the singer or other words that provide the identifier, he or she may hum or otherwise vocalize a few bars of the desired composition, or pick the desired composition out on a simulated keyboard. A music-recognition system then locates candidates for the selected composition and displays identifiers for these candidates to the customer. |
| US08296386B1 |
Method and system for processing network packets
A method for writing information to a first memory location controlled by a first computing system from a second memory location controlled by a second computing system that interfaces with the first computing system via a network connection is provided. |
| US08296384B2 |
System and method for deferred message reminders and expiry extension
Disclosed is a method for transmitting reminders for deferred message, the method includes requesting, by client, to set reminders for deferred messages to a application sever (AS); setting, by the application sever, reminders comprising information of when to remind, whether to repeat reminder or not, and/or how many times to repeat; monitoring, by the application sever, time of the set reminders in order to notify the Client; and notifying, by the application sever, the reminders to the client once a timer triggers to send a notification. |
| US08296375B1 |
Parallel management of load servers, cache servers, and feed servers
A system of content delivery is provided. The system comprises cache servers, data loaders, and content feed servers. The cache servers store content. The data loaders communicate with the content cache servers, and each data loader writes updated content to each of the content cache servers. The data loaders schedule the retrieval of the updated content from content sources based on a refresh period. The data loaders arbitrate periodically to prevent duplication of file entries. The content feed servers are in communication with the content cache servers and each of the data loaders. Each feed server receives a request for content from an electronic device and requests the content from one of the content cache servers. When the content cache server replies that the requested content is not available, the feed server sends the request for the content to one of the data loaders. |
| US08296373B2 |
Automatically managing objectionable behavior in a web-based social network
A system and method for curtailing objectionable behavior in a web-based social network is disclosed. The method includes monitoring various actions of users of a web-based social network for objectionable behavior. The monitored actions are those that affect other users of the social network. A policy is determined based on behaviors of users. The policy may be violated by a user if the user exceeds a policy threshold. Some monitored actions include the poking, friend requesting, and wall posting. A policy may be violated by multiple occurrences of a single type of action or by a combination of different types of actions. Upon a policy violation, a warning may be issued to the user or the user's account may be suspended. |
| US08296370B2 |
System and method of sharing auto-reply information
A system and method routes messages based on an intended recipient's availability to receive messages. Each network user's current status is determined by tracking when the user activates and deactivates an auto-reply feature. The user's current status, return date and alternate contact(s) are specified in the auto-reply and stored and updated on a user status server which periodically communicates to each user the current status information for each contact listed in that user's address book. When the current status information indicates that the intended recipient is unavailable, message routing options are presented to the sender. These options include sending the message to the user regardless of the intended recipient's current unavailability, not sending the message at all, routing the message to at least one specified alternate contact, sending the message to the intended recipient while sending a copy of the message to the alternate contact. |
| US08296367B2 |
Synchronizing shared files during communication sessions
A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for synchronizing copies of a shared file used by different communication session participants is presented. A shared file that is used by a first communication session participant and a second communication session participant is identified. The first and second communication participants each use a separate copy of the shared file. In response to detecting a communication session between the first and second communication session participants, the separate copies of the shared file are automatically synchronized. |
| US08296364B2 |
Systems and methods for computer and voice conference audio transmission during conference call via VoIP device
A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support canceling audio streams leaked from a speaker to a microphone so that a clean audio stream of a presenter or viewer speaking at a conference call is transmitted. Here, the audio streams being canceled includes the computer audio stream of an application being run or a material being presented online during a web conference and/or the audio stream received from the rest of the group of participants at the conference call. The computer audio stream is then transmitted in addition to the presenter or viewer audio stream, and separate from any other audio stream captured by the hosting device during the conference call. |
| US08296363B2 |
Discussion support apparatus, discussion support method, and computer-readable medium
A discussion support apparatus includes a holding unit, an accepting unit and a generating unit. The holding unit holds pieces of discussion state information each indicating a state of a discussion at a corresponding one of points in time included in a period of time during which discussions are performed. The accepting unit accepts a discussion start operation indicating a start of discussion on a topic for which discussion has been started. The generating unit generates, based on one or more of the pieces of discussion state information indicating states of discussions at points in time before a point in time when the accepting unit accepts a discussion start operation for a certain topic, topic-related information indicating at least one piece of discussion state information which is related to the certain topic and which is specified from among the one or more of the pieces of discussion state information. |
| US08296361B1 |
Method and system for managing conference resources
A method for managing conference resources includes hosting a conference between a plurality of participants using a first amount of resources. The plurality of participants use a plurality of endpoints to communicate on the conference. The method includes reserving a sufficient amount of the first amount of resources to allow a first participant of the plurality of participants to rejoin the conference when the first participant disconnects from the conference. The method also includes reclaiming the sufficient amount of resources upon one of the following: receiving an indication that the first participant will not rejoin the conference or expiration of a predetermined amount of time after the first participant disconnects from the conference. |
| US08296360B2 |
Aggregation system
An aggregation machine, including: a computer, an output device controlled by the computer, and networking hardware connecting the computer to a network, the computer programmed so that the aggregation apparatus: connects to a plurality of sites on the Internet; and authenticates itself with each of the plurality of sites; and retrieves information from each of the plurality of sites; and parses the information from each of the plurality of sites; and provides user-enabled content management to users, and subject to said content management, produces an aggregation of the parsed information; and renders the aggregation as output. |
| US08296359B2 |
Systems and methods for networked, in-context, high resolution image viewing
Systems and methods are provided for viewing portions of an image in high resolution and in context with a full image, which is displayed at a base resolution that is lower resolution than the resolution of the high-resolution image. A user can select an area of interest from the base-resolution image for viewing at a higher resolution on the client device. The server, or in some implementations the client device, can generate a high-resolution image representing the area of interest and the client device can display a portion of the high-resolution image in a virtual lens overlaid on the base-resolution image. |
| US08296357B2 |
Systems and methods for remoting multimedia plugin calls
Described are methods and systems for remotely providing calls issued to a multimedia plugin. A proxy plugin executing on a server can intercept calls issued by a container application on the server, to a multimedia plugin. The proxy plugin can then transmit the intercepted call to a plugin executing on a client. The multimedia plugin on the client can receive the call issued by container application and responsively generate graphical or multimedia content. Upon generating the multimedia or graphical content, the multimedia plugin can display the generated content within a plugin window on the client. In some instances, the proxy plugin responds to the call issued by the container application rather than forward the call to the multimedia plugin. In those instances, the proxy plugin retrieves content from cache and responds to the container application call with the retrieved content. |
| US08296356B2 |
Rating based on relationship
People often trust ratings provided by those with whom they have an existing relationship more than they would trust ratings provided by strangers. A system that provides ratings can combine the ratings with information about a person's social network, in order to provide information that a person seeking the rating may find more reliable. The information provided to a person may, in some manner, differentiate between ratings that were provided by members of the person's social network and ratings that were provided by those outside of the persons' social network. |
| US08296355B2 |
Terminal for supporting dynamic contents delivery service, and system thereof
A terminal for supporting a dynamic content delivery (DCD) service a system thereof, and method thereof. A general terminal cannot provide information specialized for individuals. In order to solve the foregoing problem, there is provided a method for delivering contents includes the steps of: acquiring contents at a DCD server; personalizing, at the DCD server, the acquired contents; providing, at the DCD server, the personalized contents to a terminal; receiving and storing the personalized contents at the terminal; and driving the personalized contents at the terminal. |
| US08296350B2 |
Method and apparatus for QR-factorizing matrix on multiprocessor system
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for QR-factorizing matrix on a multiprocessor system, wherein the multiprocessor system comprises at least one core processor and a plurality of accelerators, the method comprises the steps of: iteratively factorizing each panel in the matrix until the whole matrix is factorized; wherein in each iteration, the method comprises: partitioning an unprocessed matrix part in the matrix into a plurality of blocks according to a predetermined block size; partitioning a current processed panel in the unprocessed matrix part into at least two sub panels, wherein the current processed panel is composed of a plurality of blocks; and performing QR factorization one by one on the at least two sub panels with the plurality of accelerators, and updating the data of the sub panel(s) on which no QR factorization has been performed among the at least two sub panels by using the factorization result. The present invention enables a multiprocessor system having a high computing capability to be applied to the matrix QR factorization having a large amount of computation tasks. |
| US08296341B2 |
Privacy and security method and system for a world-wide-web site
Personal information of users is used to customize the browsing experiences of the users on a World-Wide-Web site. To ensure privacy of the users' personal information, each user is assigned a unique Universal Anonymous Identifier (UAI). The UAI is generated by a trusted third party and provided to the Web site operator. The Web site operator then indexes the users' personal information by UAI. Only the user has the ability to correlate his/her true identity with his/her personal information. |
| US08296325B2 |
Method for digitally labelling websites
A host website, method and system for digitally labelling websites or subscribers with digital labels which represent characteristics or qualities of the website is disclosed. Digital labels are stored on host websites, each of which is directed to a specific subject or activity. The host website can also provide digital labels for storage in other host websites. The host website is provided with artificial intelligence capabilities. Methods and systems for asymmetric access in a host website database are disclosed. |
| US08296309B2 |
System and method for high precision and high recall relevancy searching
A method and system for performing high precision and high recall relevancy searching is provided. According to embodiments of the present invention, a relevance rule is generated based on a user model and language from within one or more relevant and non-relevant documents. A query is created based on the relevance rule wherein the query may be applied to a corpus to identify relevant and non-relevant documents. The relevance rule may be iteratively refined in order to increase the accuracy of the query. The resulting query may be used by a litigator during the discovery phase of a litigation to respond to a request for production. |
| US08296306B1 |
Linear-time top-k sort method
The present invention relates to an algorithm that retrieves only k data elements having the largest (or smallest) key values from a dataset (i.e., top-k results) in a time linearly proportional to the size of the dataset. The proposed method using the algorithm finds the top-k results using a k-sized min (or max) heap structure that maintains candidate elements of the top-k results by scanning all data elements in the dataset only once. In other words, the present invention provides a linear-time top-k sort method that finds top-k results in a time linearly proportional to the size of the dataset (i.e., O(n) time complexity), while conventional sort algorithms for finding top-k results cannot find the top-k results in a time linearly proportional to the size of the dataset (i.e., at least O(n log n) time complexity). |
| US08296298B1 |
Performance facilitation and tracking system
A performance facilitation and tracking system includes a server configured with an interface module having a plurality of submodules for a plurality of user types and a database module having cross-linked databases of entities requesting performance, entities performing and entities benefiting from performance, and cross-linked databases of incidents related to performance. |
| US08296292B2 |
Internal ranking model representation schema
A markup language schema utilized to represent internal ranking models. In one implementation, the schema developed utilizes XML (extensible markup language) for internal ranking model representation. Other markups languages can be employed. |
| US08296291B1 |
Surfacing related user-provided content
Identification and Surfacing of related pieces of content, such as user-provided content, enables users of a merchant website to more easily find related items. A server associated with the website may receive, from a user, an image that illustrates items offered for sale on the site. The site may then enable this and other users to annotate the image by, for example, associating the illustrated items with hyperlinks to respective item detail pages. When a user views this page, the site may surface the most related other user-uploaded images that also illustrate items. To determine the most related images, the website may analyze, for each of the other images, the similarity between the items illustrated in the image and the items illustrated in the currently-displayed image. The website may also analyze the tags applied to the items and the images themselves, as well as multiple other types of criteria. |
| US08296289B2 |
Join tuple assembly by partial specializations
Various embodiments of systems and methods for join tuple assembly by partial specializations are described herein. The join tuple assembly by partial specializations is a phase of the method for join query evaluation by semi-join reduction. By using partial specializations of the non-join part of the WHERE clause of a join query and matching sets, the join tuple assembly is organized in a manner that all computations are necessary, none are repeated, and failure to complete a partial join tuple to a full tuple is detected as early as possible. The method can be applied to inner and outer joins, and to arbitrary join graphs and non-join conditions in the WHERE clause. It can also be used outside the context of semi-join reductions. |
| US08296288B2 |
Query processing for web search
A computer-implemented method for processing user entered query data to improve results of a search of pages using a database, when searching the internet, is disclosed. The method includes receiving the user entered query data and parsing each word of the query data and segmenting words using probability to determine a likelihood that the word is for a particular name. And, associating the particular names with a name tag to create one or more tagged name terms. Then, normalizing each of the tagged name terms and the normalizing including boosting information if found in the database and determining proximity between selected ones of the tagged name terms. The method then generates an optimized search query that incorporates normalized terms and operators. The optimized search query being applied to the internet to enable search results to be produced and displayed to the user in response to the entered query data. |
| US08296284B2 |
Guided navigation system
A navigation system is used in combination with a data retrieval system to more effectively locate the correct answers or information in search content. The navigation system provides taxonomies that identify different information categories and sub-categories (facets). Classifiers automatically classify the search content by identifying the content corresponding with associated facets. The facets, in conjunction with the associated classifiers, provide robust classification and correlation between both structured and unstructured content. Rules can be used in conjunction with the facets and classifiers to automatically control different navigation operations. The navigation system can also leverage ontologies to dynamically create taxonomies and provides unique facet expansion and intra-document classification operations. |
| US08296283B2 |
DHT-based distributed file system for simultaneous use by millions of frequently disconnected, world-wide users
Content items in a distributed system are defined by a respective key, and each such content item is copied to R1 computer systems of the distributed system which have unique identifiers closest to a value of the respective key, where R1 is less than R2 which is less than R3, at least R2 number of the computer systems have copies of any respective one of the content items for all of the content items, and none of the computer systems farther than R3 in an address space of the distributed system have a copy of the subject content item. Modifications of individual content items are synchronized across all instances thereof responsive to a put operation and/or at periodic intervals. |
| US08296281B2 |
System and method for notifications relating to flight tracking or planning
A computer-implemented system and method processes flight position information and provides a notification to a remote user in response to a triggering event. Typically, flight position data is received over a digital network. The service accepts requests for notification based upon the position of a specified flight and subsequently provides that notification based upon the flight position data. Upon receiving a user query, a server retrieves a result set from the flight position data and determines if the triggering criteria has been met. In one form, the requested notification may be presented to the user in the form of an e-mail, telephone call, text message or the like. Also disclosed is a system for flight tracking or planning which includes photographs supplied by remote users of the aircraft for which the tracking or planning is associated, for use by other remote users that see the association of the supplied photos with the tracked or planned flight. Still further disclosed is a social system for use with flight tracking or planning which allows affiliated users to share information to the exclusion of other non-affiliated users. |
| US08296280B2 |
Image-based search system and method
Disclosed-herein is an image-based search system and method. The image-based search system includes at least one user terminal, an information communication network, a search server, and a web server. The user terminal transmits any one or more of a search term entry signal, an image selection signal and an image combination signal to a search server and receives relevant search results from the search server. The information communication network connects the user terminal, the search server and a web server to one another. The search server receives any one or more of the search term entry signal, the image selection signal and the image combination signal from the user terminal, performs searching using attribute information of an image, and transmits search results, including images, to the user terminal. The web server forms a physical space over the information communication network, in which websites, which are objects from which information is gathered by the search server, exist. |
| US08296276B2 |
Scope based indexing prioritization
Methods and systems provide a tool for prioritizing the ordering of outstanding indexing work in order to bring a particular portion of an indexing source up to date quickly and to reduce the likelihood of inconsistencies between an index-backed view and a direct view of a source. In accordance with the described embodiments, indexing of items can be prioritized based upon a user's view or metadata contained within a query. Further, in at least some embodiments, the tool can decide the order to index items based upon multiple prioritization requests. |
| US08296275B2 |
Data processing method, data processing system, and storage device controller
A method and a system for processing data, and a storage device controller are provided. In the present method, a storage device is provided, and the storage device is coupled to a host. The method also includes, when the host gives a write-in command and the write-in command includes a logical accessing address and a first data, determining whether the logical accessing address is one of logical accessing addresses of file system information. When the logical accessing address is one of the logical accessing addresses of the file system information, the storage device writes a second data into the storage device at a predetermined time, and the second data is different from the first data. |
| US08296274B2 |
Considering multiple lookups in bloom filter decision making
Example apparatus, methods, and computers are configured to consider multiple lookups when making decisions concerning whether a probabilistic data structure indicates that an item is or is not present. One example method includes receiving a first response from a probabilistic data structure, where the first response indicates whether a first element is a member of a set of stored elements. The example method also includes receiving a set of second responses from the probabilistic data structure, where the set of second responses indicate whether members of a corresponding set of second elements are members of the set of stored elements. The method then provides a present/absent signal concerning whether the first element is a member of the set of stored elements. The signal is computed as a function of the first response and the set of second responses rather than merely as a function of the first response. |
| US08296271B1 |
System and method for optimizing data recovery in a parallel database
A method and system for data recovery in a parallel database system in which data stored in the database has been corrupted by a transaction or operation. Transaction log files corresponding to each node of the parallel database are scanned to determine an operation that caused the corruption of the stored data. Information corresponding to the corrupted data before the operation causing the corruption is then generated based on the scanned transaction log. The operation responsible for corrupting the data is then rolled back, and the corrupted data is replaced with the original data stored in the database prior to the corruption. |
| US08296269B2 |
Apparatus and method for read consistency in a log mining system
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to receive a specification for requested data in a log based replication system where data changes are retrieved from both a transaction log and a database. It is determined that the requested data is compromised. A search for a data image containing the requested data is initiated. The data image is accessed to secure the requested data. The requested data is returned. |
| US08296268B2 |
System and method for change logging in a firmware over the air development environment
The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for change logging in a firmware over the air (FOTA) development environment. In one example, the method may include creating a cumulative change log for an intermediate binary file that contains an extractable binary image. The cumulative change log may record changes between the intermediate binary file and earlier iterations of the intermediate binary file. The cumulative change log may be stored in the intermediate binary file and later retrieved. The cumulative change log may be analyzed to identify statistics about changes that occurred between the intermediate binary file and earlier iterations of the intermediate binary file. |
| US08296267B2 |
Upgrade of highly available farm server groups
A machine manager controls the deployment and management of machines (physical and virtual) for an online service. Multi-tier server groups are arranged in farms that each may include different configurations. For example, their may be content farms, federated services farms and SQL farms that are arranged to perform operations for the online service. When the multiple farms are upgraded, new farms are deployed and the associated content databases from the old farms are moved to the newly deployed farms. During the upgrade of the farms, requests may continue to be processed by the farms. The farms may be automatically load balanced during an upgrade. As content becomes available on the new farm, requests for the content may be automatically redirected to the new farm. |
| US08296261B2 |
Bookmarked synchronization of files
A file synchronization system that includes a non-volatile memory for storing at least one bookmark respective to a file; a telecommunication mechanism for receiving a new bookmark value respective to this file; and a controller operative to update the respective bookmark according to the new bookmark value; and to control presentation of the file in accordance with the updated bookmark value. A plurality of bookmarks that associate to a single file are stored in the file synchronization system, each such bookmark respective to a different user. |
| US08296258B2 |
Automated channel market data extraction, validation and transformation
Select portions of product channel data collected by a product channel participant and stored in a data warehouse are periodically extracted based on a previously determined template. The extracted subset of product channel data is thereafter transformed so that the format of the data complies with that of the requesting enterprise. Once transformed, one or more rule sets is applied to the subset of transformed data to guarantee that the information complies with requirements set forth by the enterprise yet does not violate any disclosure rules of the product channel participant. Thereafter and on a scheduled basis, the transformed and validated data is delivered to a delivery server from which the enterprise can retrieve the data at its convenience. |
| US08296253B2 |
Managing online content based on its predicted popularity
A historical popularity value is determined for a user-selectable online content from historical data describing user accesses to the user-selectable online content over a selected period. A predicted popularity value describing future popularity of the user-selectable online content at a future time after the selected period is ascertained from the historically popularity value. A web site from which user-selectable online content is accessible is managed based on the predicted popularity value. |
| US08296251B1 |
Method and apparatus for generating collective intelligence to automate resource recommendations for improving a computer
A method for generating collective intelligence in order to automate resource recommendations for improving a computer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method for generating, using at least one processor, collective intelligence in memory in order to recommend a resource for improving a computer comprises accessing configuration data associated with various resources at a plurality of computers, identifying usage patterns, based on the configuration data, associated with the various resources, wherein the identified usage patterns indicate at least one related resource for at least one resource of the various resources and determining a resource of the at least one related resource to utilize at a computer based on the identified usage patterns. |
| US08296249B2 |
Rule learning by updating training example and a remaining feature weights
A rule learning method for making a computer perform rule learning processing in machine learning includes firstly calculating an evaluation value of respective features in a training example by using data and weights of the training examples; selecting a given number of features in descending order of the evaluation values; secondly calculating a confidence value for one of the given number of selected features; updating the weights of training example, by using the data and weights of the training examples, and the confidence value corresponding to the one feature; firstly repeating the updating for the remaining features of the given number of features; and secondly repeating, for a given number of times, the firstly calculating, the selecting, the secondly calculating, the updating, and the firstly repeating. |
| US08296248B2 |
Method for clustering samples with weakly supervised kernel mean shift matrices
A method clusters samples using a mean shift procedure. A kernel matrix is determined from the samples in a first dimension. A constraint matrix and a scaling matrix are determined from a constraint set. The kernel matrix is projected to a feature space having a second dimension using the constraint matrix, wherein the second dimension is higher than the first dimension. Then, the samples are clustered according to the kernel matrix. |
| US08296247B2 |
Combination machine learning algorithms for computer-aided detection, review and diagnosis
A method of reviewing medical images and clinical data to generate a diagnosis or treatment decision is provided. The method includes receiving, at a computer-aided detection (CAD) system, the medical images and clinical data, processing the medical images and clinical data; to generate initial finding candidates and clustering the initial finding candidates into a plurality of groups. The method further includes classifying the initial finding candidates using machine learning algorithms integrated into the CAD system into one or more categories one or more categories of the initial finding candidates using type 2 fuzz logic, and determining detection and assessment statistics based on at least the assessed categories and classified findings using Bayesian probability analysis. The method also includes modifying the classified findings and assessed categories based on additional interactive input, and generating the diagnosis or treatment decision based on the determined detection, assessment statistics, and the additional interactive input. |
| US08296244B1 |
Method and system for standards guidance
A method and system for guiding end-users with respect to payment card data security standards. The system uses guidance questions that are worded simply and intelligibly so that end-users, regardless of their technical background or expertise, can understand the underlying issues and provide the proper answer. The guidance questions are generated from the PCI DSS SAQ and related guidance documents, to generate a list of positive, negative or non-applicable SAQ answers at the end of the process. The system generates action items with applicable policy statements for negative answers, if necessary, such that a completed questionnaire can be generated with all positive answers and sent to the authoritative entity. The system also generates vulnerability level reports based on the end-user's answers to assist the end-user and the host in assessing PCI DSS compliance readiness. The host can process the generated information, for example, to do risk analysis or risk management. |
| US08296242B1 |
Method and apparatus for coordinating and tracking delivery of a benefit
A method for validating and securing transactions involving multiple agents separated by physical space or scheduling constraints is presented. In the invention messages (informational tokens) are communicated at key junctures during a transaction (a transfer of goods or provision of services) to provide confirmation of the transaction to parties that are not present during the transaction. The transfer of informational tokens may occur by attachment to products or service related packages, through telephone, Internet or other inter-party communications channels. |
| US08296239B2 |
Data distribution system and method of same, data processing apparatus and method of same, and data recording medium
A data distribution system and method suitably performing various processing such as suitable distribution of data, control of copying, conversion of signals, charging, and distribution of profits, comprising a reproducing apparatus for reproducing content data to be distributed from a mounted recording medium, a recording apparatus for recording reproduced content data on a mounted recording medium, an examining means for examining types of content data recorded on the recording medium, the recording medium mounted in the reproducing apparatus, the reproducing apparatus, a recording medium mounted in the recording apparatus and the recording apparatus, and a controlling means for controlling a transfer of the content data from the recording medium mounted in the reproducing apparatus to the recording medium mounted in the recording apparatus based on results of the examination. |
| US08296236B2 |
Centralized check image storage system
Centralized check image storage system. The present invention provides for sharing check images stored in a substantially centralized storage system between and/or among banks in support of the check collection process. In some embodiments, check images are received from the capture bank via a landing zone at the centralized storage facility. These images and information supporting the check collection process can be in the form of load file. A cross-reference file including information supporting the check clearing process such as unique handles identifying the check images is received from a paying bank, possibly also via a landing zone. Check images can be identified based on these unique handles, so that the check images can be made accessible to both the capture bank and the paying bank from the substantially centralized storage system. |
| US08296232B2 |
Systems and methods for screening payment transactions
Methods and systems for anti money laundering screening are provided. A risk score and a first validation code is determined based on information related to a funds transfer transaction. The first validation code is associated with the risk score. Thereafter, a second validation code is calculated and compared with the first validation code. The risk score and the validation score are included in a payment authorization message sent to a payment processing network. The payment processing network extracts the validation code and communicates the payment authorization message including the risk score to a receiving financial institution. The receiving financial entity accepts or denies the incoming funds transfer based on the risk score included in the payment authorization message. |
| US08296230B2 |
System and method for remote deposit system
Described is a method and system for a remote deposit system. The method comprises receiving facsimile data corresponding to facsimile of a plurality of checks, constructing digitized images of the checks as a function of the facsimile data, gathering check data from each of the digitized images, and processing the check data according to a check processing procedure to settle transactions referenced by each of the checks. |
| US08296229B1 |
Method and system for associating consumers with purchase transactions
A system and method for associating consumers with their purchases so that consumer transactions can be tied back to a particular consumer is described. More particularly, a central transaction entity as part of a larger network collects, aggregates, manages and mines consumer transaction data from at least consumer and merchant members of the network for the purpose of routing electronic purchase history to consumers and allowing merchant analysis of consumer behavior in order to create consumer profiles to better service consumers and provide more personalized offers. |
| US08296228B1 |
Dual transaction authorization system and method
A general feature of the present invention is to provide a dual authorizing system and method to prevent fraudulent use of credit cards and E-signature. To do so, a third party verifier is provided to ensure that the rightful owner of the credit card or E-signature approves of the transaction before the purchase is completed between the merchant and the credit card user. This is accomplished by linking the owner's Internet address or addresses or other communication device address to the credit card number, and storing this information with the third party verifier, such as an Authorization agent. Once the card is used to make a purchase, the Authorization agent is notified of the purchase. The Authorization agent then pulls the corresponding Internet address or communication address for the credit card number, then sends an approval request message to the owner at the owner's Internet address or communication device. This way, only the owner who had previously registered the credit card number with the Authorization agent is notified of the pending purchase and can approve or deny the purchase and, thereby preventing unauthorized user from making purchase using the owner's credit card. |
| US08296227B2 |
Computerized extension of credit to existing demand deposit accounts, prepaid cards and lines of credit based on expected tax refund proceeds, associated systems and computer program products
Systems, computer programs encoded on non-transitory memory, and computer-implemented methods to make available new credit or additional credit to demand deposit accounts, prepaid cards, and existing lines of credit of a customer based on expected tax refund amounts. The new or additional credit being, for example, based on a computerized estimate of the tax refund of the customer. The existing line of credit, for example, is adjusted based on the expected refund and/or actual tax refund determined to be available, which can serve as an additional source of repayment for the line of credit. One or more of several adjustments may then be made to an existing line of credit: the line of credit may be increased; fees reduced; or the terms of payment adjusted. |
| US08296224B2 |
Constrained optimized binning for scorecards
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for generating bins for a scorecard. An approximate set of bins is generated by applying an optimization model to binning data. The optimization model includes an objective function, constraints, and surrogate weight of evidence metric(s). The approximated set of bins are then used in scorecard operations. |
| US08296219B2 |
Transaction management device and readable storage medium
A transaction management device can executed, with a simple procedure, a plurality of if-done orders in parallel and can reduce the risk of the client. In the transaction management device, an order receiving unit receives buy and sell order application information from client terminals. An order information generation unit generates a plurality of order information groups for each of the items of the buy and sell order application information received by the order receiving unit, the order information groups each including: a first order for placing one of a buy order or a sell order at a first order price; a second order for placing the other one of the buy or the sell order at a second order price; and a stop order for placing the other one of the buy order or the sell order at the stop order price. The first order price, the second order price, and the stop order price are set to different values for each of the order information groups. A storage unit stores the order information groups generated in the order information generation unit. An execution information generation unit, when starting transaction processing corresponding to each of the order information groups, sets the first order to be valid, the second order to be invalid, and the stop order to be invalid. |
| US08296217B1 |
Method and apparatus for enhancing market data feed using proprietary order flow
Order flow information is used to provide traders with an enhanced market data feed. The external market data are overlaid with detailed internal customer order flow data to produce an enhanced virtual order book that more accurately reflects the best price and quantity available to traders at the receiving location and also the market liquidity behind that current best price. If a market impact overlay processor at a particular location closer to the exchange has access to customer order flow data from other more remote locations, the resultant enhanced virtual order book may not only be shared with traders at the closer location but also may be broadcast to market impact overlay processors at the remote locations, which may further enhance the shared data with more recent customer order flow data that would have not been received at the closer location at the time the enhanced data was broadcast. |
| US08296213B2 |
Using commercial share of wallet to rate investments
Commercial size of spending wallet (“CSoSW”) is the total business spend of a business including cash but excluding bartered items. Commercial share of wallet (“CSoW”) is the portion of the spending wallet that is captured by a particular financial company. A modeling approach utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a company's spend capacity. A mutual fund rating company can use this CSoW/CSoSW modeling approach to predict the performance of funds that invest in a particular industry or sector. In addition, since mutual funds often provide guidelines for selecting stocks, rating companies can use this modeling approach to predict the performance of companies in a fund's portfolio. |
| US08296211B2 |
Method of analyzing investments using standardized performance measurements
A process for the analysis and selection of financial investments based on a comparative analysis of performance and diversification. Large data sets can be manipulated in a manner that is simple to understand and convenient to use. Historical performance data for investments can be analyzed in respect of every possible investment period using any pre-existing or personally defined quantitative measurement algorithm. The user can apply his or her personal weightings to the various performance measurements based on a combination of attribute and time period to construct a customized scoring process, based on which a comparative ranking of the investments can be created. Further, a complete universe of investments can be segmented into peer groups based on one of a number of similarity/dissimilarity criteria from which the user may choose. |
| US08296202B2 |
Task management system
A task management system includes: an attribute information acquiring unit acquiring attribute information indicating an attribute of a document corresponding to document data; a billing destination information generator extracting attribute information specifying a billing destination of a cost caused as a price of performance of a task using the document data from the attribute information acquired by the attribute information acquiring unit and generating billing destination information indicating the billing destination on the basis of the extracted attribute information; a process content information storage storing process content information indicating a content of a process performed on the document data by a task terminal used by a task performer; a task content specifier specifying the content of the task performed on the document data by the task performer on the basis of the process content information stored in the process content information storage; a cost correlation storage storing a correlation of the content of the task and the cost caused as the price of the performance of the task; a billing amount information generator generating billing amount information indicating a billing amount for the billing destination on the basis of the content of the task specified by the task content specifier and the correlation stored in the cost correlation storage; and a billing information storage correlating and storing the billing destination information generated by the billing destination information generator and the billing amount information generated by the billing amount information generator. |
| US08296200B2 |
Collaborative financial close portal
Mechanisms and approaches for a collaborative financial close portal are provided. A client receives display data, which when rendered by the client, depicts a collaborative financial close portal that supports one or more workspaces. Each of the one or more workspaces may be used by a different set of users to perform activities related to a financial close process. The one or more workspaces are arranged in a hierarchical relationship. In response to receiving identification data that identifies a user of the client, additional display data is sent to the client, which when rendered, depicts a particular workspace for which the user is granted access. The depiction of the particular workspace includes depicting status information about financial close activities associated with one or more workspaces lower in the hierarchal relationship than the particular workspace. |
| US08296199B2 |
Construction payment management system and method with sub-tier document exchange and approval features
Systems and methods for managing a construction payment process wherein a higher degree of functionality is provided to primary users and only a limited subset of functionality is provided to sub-tier contractors. One construction of the system is configured to receive an electronically signed document and a request for payment from the sub-tier contractor. The request for payment is presented to a first primary user who is a contractual parent of the sub-tier contractor. When approval of the request for payment is received, a payment is initiated from a project payor to the sub-tier contractor. In some embodiments, the project payor is a contractual grandparent of the sub-tier contractor and a contractual parent of the first primary user. |
| US08296196B2 |
Tag along shopping
A method for browsing in a virtual environment includes generating a plurality of tag data collections from multiple tag data sources. A plurality of virtual online browsing modes are presented using a computer having data storage. A browsing mode is selected by a user, wherein the browsing mode specified includes tag data and preference data. The tag data collection is analyzed for tag data associated with the browsing mode data. At least one specified tag collection from the plurality of tag collections is generated using the selected browsing mode. Associated tag data is determined from the specified tag collection and a user's tag data. A tag data group is generated from the tag data collection analysis using the tag sets, and a three-dimensional virtual environment is generated and presented on the computer using the tag data group, which may present the user with a plurality of goods and/or services. |
| US08296194B2 |
Method, medium, and system for ranking dishes at eating establishments
Data-driven item value determinations for a user-interested topic are automatically generated and made available to a user for rendering effective, efficient decisional choices on one or more aspects of the user-interested topic. Information on components of the user-interested topic relevant to a user's decisional choices are mined from the internet and collated to generate values that identify optimum user choices. User input is utilized to tailor generated value determinations for specific user preferences, issues and/or concerns. Data-driven item value determinations can be generated for a host of user-interested topics including, but not limited to, eating establishment nutritional choices and shopping mall criteria. |
| US08296182B2 |
Computer-implemented marketing optimization systems and methods
Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for determining an action item from a global set of action items for a plurality of customers based on an objective function, a plurality of individual constraints, and a plurality of aggregate constraints. A plurality of offer sets is generated for each customer. An approximate highest reduced adjusted objective for each of the offer sets for each customer is calculated, and the customers are bucketed based on the highest adjusted objective value associated with each customer. The buckets are collapsed into a single bucket record containing a plurality of aggregate offer set columns, and an aggregate offer set column is selected from each bucket record for each bucket. Each bucket associated with a selected offer set is disaggregated, and the action item included in the selected offer set is stored in a computer-readable memory. |
| US08296180B1 |
System for improving shape-based targeting by using interest level data
A system for improving shape-based targeting by using interest level data is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises creating one or more trade zones, wherein creating a trade zone comprises grouping a set of parameters to deliver custom shapes, clustering the custom shapes according to offline data and geographic distribution of IP addresses, and mapping clusters of the custom shapes to IP addresses. Data indicating consumption of a content source is received, the content source having a plurality of tokens. The plurality of tokens is organized according to the one or more trade zones, wherein the one or more trade zones consume the tokens at a calculated rate and the calculated rate is analyzed to determine an interest associated with each trade zone. Targeting is based on a selected trade zone, wherein the selected trade zone is selected based upon a desired interest representative of a desired audience. A targeting request is transmitted including instructions or information associated with the target action, and the target action is performed. |
| US08296175B2 |
Social network marketing plan comparison method and system
A comparison method and system including retrieving by a computer, first data associated with first interactions between users associated with social networks. The computing system generates a first graph illustrating the first interactions. The computing system identifies targeted users associated with a marketing plan for the users. The computing system enables the marketing plan and retrieves second data associated with second interactions between the users. The computing system generates a second graph illustrating the second interactions, compares the second graph to the first graph, and generates a third graph illustrating first order differences between the first interactions and the second interactions. |
| US08296166B2 |
Family protection insurance method and system
Family protection insurance provides for a flexible and adjustable insurance policy that can be adjustable to be consistent with changes in the adult's insurance needs. The insurance policy is a term policy where, at predefined intervals, the policy owner may increase the policy value without requiring additional underwriting. The policy owner may also, at any time, convert all or a portion of the term policy to permanent insurance, while still maintaining the term policy and replenish the death benefit amounts of the term policy through the intermittent value increments. Thus, adults may adjust the death benefits of the term policy and convert the term policy death benefits to permanent insurance consistent with changing insurance needs. |
| US08296165B2 |
Computer-implemented method for grouping medical claims into episode treatment groups
A computer-implemented method for profiling medical claims to assist health care managers in determining the cost-efficiency and service quality of health care providers. The method allows an objective means for measuring and quantifying health care services. An episode treatment group (ETG) is a patient classification unit, which defines groups that are clinically homogenous (similar cause of illness and treatment) and statistically stable. The ETG grouper methodology uses service or segment-level claim data as input data and assigns each service to the appropriate episode. The program identifies concurrent and recurrent episodes, flags records, creates new groupings, shifts groupings for changed conditions, selects the most recent claims, resets windows, makes a determination if the provider is an independent lab and continues to collect information until an absence of treatment is detected. |
| US08296163B2 |
Method and system for medical treatment review
A method of medical treatment review. The method can include the steps of receiving patient data into a patient database in which the patient data at least includes a diagnosis of the patient and providing one or more treatment protocols for the patient for selection by a treating provider in which the treatment protocols are pre-approved for the patient diagnosis. The method can also include the steps of analyzing a selection of a treatment protocol by the treating provider and generating an authorization of the selected treatment protocol based on predefined criteria. Generating the authorization of the selected treatment protocol can include generating the authorization without any peer review if the selected protocol meets the predefined criteria or generating the authorization following peer review if the selected protocol does not meet the predefined criteria. |
| US08296160B1 |
System and method for integrated customer management
An automated system and method for customer management deploys customer databases to profile customer service requests for distribution to appropriately assigned agent representatives. The representatives adopt particular roles according to customer care volume, inquiry type, time of day and other customer management needs. Consumer profiles may be accessed in real time to combine customer care events with cross-selling and other promotions related to the consumer's transaction history and other factors. |
| US08296157B2 |
Apparatus and method for deciding adaptive noise level for bandwidth extension
An apparatus and method for deciding an adaptive noise level for bandwidth extension are provided. The apparatus includes a noise level decider for deciding a high-band noise level for bandwidth extension according to tonality of an input signal, a pitch frequency analyzer for detecting a pitch frequency of the input signal and analyzing correlation between the detected pitch frequency and a frequency channel, and a noise level controller for adaptively controlling the decided high-band noise level based on the analyzed correlation of the pitch frequency and the frequency channel. |
| US08296156B2 |
Apparatus and method for encoding/decoding signal
An encoding method and apparatus and a decoding method and apparatus are provided. The decoding method includes extracting a compatible down-mix signal optimized for a first multi-channel decoder from the input bitstream, converting the compatible down-mix signal to be optimized for a second multi-channel signal by performing a compatibility processing operation on the compatible down-mix signal, and generating a three-dimensional (3D) down-mix signal by performing a 3D rendering operation on the converted down-mix signal. Accordingly, it is possible to efficiently encode multi-channel signals with 3D effects and to adaptively restore and reproduce audio signals with optimum sound quality according to the characteristics of an audio reproduction environment. |
| US08296150B2 |
System and method for audio content navigation
A system and method for communicating one or more audio files through a network. One or more original files of an original web site are converted into one or more audio files. An indication is provided to a user that the one or more original files are available as the one or more audio files in response to the user navigating the one or more original files. The one or more audio files are delivered to a computing device of the user through the network in response to a request to access the one or more audio files. |
| US08296148B1 |
Mobile voice self service device and method thereof
A Mobile Voice Self Service (MVSS) mobile device and method thereof. A VoiceXML browser that is implemented directly on the MVSS mobile device may request a VoiceXML application from a VoiceXML application server and process it. A call data manager may also be implemented on the MVSS mobile device and may provide call data that, in conjunction with data from the VoiceXML application server, may authorize access to advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services, such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) or Text-To-Speech (TTS). A media resource gateway may then provide the advanced MRCP services to the VoiceXML application processed by the VoiceXML application browser. Hotkey navigations and bookmarked application points to VoiceXML applications may be created and applied through application analysis and state tracking. Therein, VoiceXML document transitions and user input are stored to maintain application state changes until the user requests creation of an application bookmark. |
| US08296144B2 |
System and method for automated testing of complicated dialog systems
Embodiments of an automated dialog system testing method and component are described. This automated testing method and system supplements real human-based testing with simulated user input and incorporates a set of evaluation measures that focus on three basic aspects of task-oriented dialog systems, namely, understanding ability, efficiency, and the appropriateness of system actions. These measures are first applied on a corpus generated between a dialog system and a group of human users to demonstrate the validity of these measures with the human users' satisfaction levels. Results generally show that these measures are significantly correlated with these satisfaction levels. A regression model is then built to predict the user satisfaction scores using these evaluation measures. The regression model is applied on a simulated dialog corpus trained from the above real user corpus, and show that the user satisfaction score estimated from the simulated dialogs do not significantly differ from the real users' satisfaction scores. These evaluation measures can then be used to assess the system performance based on the estimated user satisfaction. |
| US08296127B2 |
Discovery of parallel text portions in comparable collections of corpora and training using comparable texts
A translation training device which extracts from two nonparallel Corpora a set of parallel sentences. The system finds parameters between different sentences or phrases, in order to find parallel sentences. The parallel sentences are then used for training a data-driven machine translation system. The process can be applied repetitively until sufficient data is collected or until the performance of the translation system stops improving. |
| US08296126B2 |
System and method for multi-lingual translation
The present invention relates to the translation of a portion of text to be communicated in a text-based communication in a communications network. A communications device for composing the text-based communication queries a translation service with a portion of text in a first language to obtain a replacement for the portion in a second language. A user may trigger a replacement query by composing the portion using at least one trigger symbol monitored by the communications device. Replacement may be confirmed with the user and at least one alternative replacement sought in response to the confirmation. The communications network may comprise a wireless network and the communications device a wireless mobile communications device. |
| US08296112B2 |
Flow simulation method, flow simulation system, and computer program product
A system for a flow simulation using Moving Particle Semi-implicit method, includes a processor representing a target incompressible fluid by a plurality of particles grouped according to different particle sizes depending on a spatial resolution required at positions in a simulation domain; temporarily updating a velocity and a position coordinate of each particle to a first velocity and a first position coordinate by implicitly calculating a variation of the velocity of each particle due to a viscosity of the incompressible fluid in each of a plurality of time steps having a predetermined time interval; and updating the first velocity and the first position coordinate to a second velocity and a second position coordinate of each particle at a next time step of each time step by calculating a velocity correction of the first velocity due to a pressure gradient of the incompressible fluid using the first velocity. |
| US08296110B2 |
Forming condition determination method and forming condition determination system
A forming speed determination method for determining a forming speed of a press-processing device with a plurality of measurement points on a sheet material to conduct press-forming of the sheet material with a press-processing device at a predetermined forming speed. Strain states at respective points on the press-formed sheet material are plotted on a forming limit diagram including the forming limit curve of a sheet material to produce a strain distribution chart. Subsequently, the closest point to the forming limit curve among the points is defined as a specific measurement point. When this specific measurement point is located in the bulge region, the forming speed of a press-processing device is decreased to be slower than the above-mentioned predetermined forming speed. Meanwhile, when this specific measurement point is located in the draw region, the forming speed of a press-processing device is increased to be faster than the above-mentioned predetermined forming speed. |
| US08296109B2 |
Methods and systems for enabling simulation of aging effect of a chrono-rheological material in computer aided engineering analysis
Methods and systems for enabling simulation of material aging effect of chrono-rheological materials in computer aided engineering (CAE) analysis are disclosed. According to one aspect, a set of material property tests is conducted for a chrono-rheological material of interest. Each test obtains a series of material properties such as relaxation test data at different age. The relaxation test data are measured by maintaining a specimen of the chrono-rheological material at a predetermined strain. A set of first and second time-dependent material aging effect parameters is determined by shifting and matching the series of relaxation test data between each pair of the tests. The set of first and second time-dependent material aging effect parameters in conjunction with a CAE analysis application module with a chrono-rheological material constitutive equation configured therein are then used for simulating material aging effect by performing a CAE analysis of an engineering structure containing at least in part the chrono-rheological material. |
| US08296106B2 |
Apparatus, method and computer-readable storage medium for processing a signal in a spectrometer system
A method is provided that includes receiving and processing a sample signal scan. Processing the sample signal scan includes applying an inner-product operation on the sample signal scan and each of a plurality of eigenvectors to generate a plurality of corresponding coefficients, and subtracting the sample signal scan from a linear combination of the eigenvectors and corresponding coefficients to thereby produce a corrected sample signal scan. In this regard, the eigenvectors have been generated by decomposing a plurality of background reference signal scans according to a singular value decomposition technique. The signal scans include a plurality of electromagnetic signal measurements at a discrete set of frequencies, where each measurement has been taken by a spectrometer system passing an electromagnetic signal through a sample cell including just a base medium (for the background reference signal scans), or both a base medium and a sample medium (for the sample signal scan). |
| US08296102B2 |
System and method for testing derating performance of a component of an electronic device
A system and method for testing derating performance of a component obtains a component list, a pin list, and a standard derating list of the electronic device from a storage. The system and method further receives parameters of each component, the parameters of each component comprising voltages of two pins of the component and a working temperature of the component, calculates a working voltage and a derating ratio of the component according to the parameters. The system and method also analyzes the working voltage and the derating ratio of the component to get analysis result, generates a test report comprising the derating ratio, the working temperature, the analysis results of each component in the component list, and storing the test report in the storage. |
| US08296099B2 |
Vehicle tilt detecting apparatus and seat load detecting apparatus using the same
A vehicle tilt detecting apparatus includes a load sensor provided for detecting a load acts on a supporting portion, a load detecting portion detecting a partial load value of the load placed on the seat on the basis of an output from the load sensor and outputting a detected load value, first interrelating portion indicates a relation between a detected load value of no-load and a front-rear tilt angle of the vehicle, unoccupied seat determining portion determining an unoccupied state, where no-load is placed on the seat, when the detected load value outputted from the load detecting portion is less than an unoccupied seat determining value and front-rear tilt angle calculating portion calculating the front-rear tilt angle corresponding to the detected load value outputted from the load detecting portion, on the basis of the first interrelating portion, when the unoccupied seat determining portion determines the unoccupied state. |
| US08296098B2 |
Metrological instrument
A metrological instrument determines a surface profile or form of a surface (61) of a workpiece (60) by effecting relative movement between a probe (11, 12) and the surface (61) so that the probe follows and is displaced by changes in the surface topography. A measure of the displacement of the probe as it follows the surface is obtained by a displacement provider which may be an interferometric gauge (35). Instead of making a measurement along a single measurement path over the surface (61), respective measurements are made on sections (61d and 61e or 61g and 61h) of that measurement path to obtain corresponding measurement data sets and these measurement data sets are independently positioned or aligned to a reference data set. The reference data set may be obtained by a measurement made on another section (61c) of the measurement path (61), on another measurement path (61f) over another surface (62a and 62b) of the component or on another measurement path over a surface on which the component is located. The aligned measurement data sets are then merged together to form a profile of the surface. |
| US08296090B2 |
Gas analyzer
A gas analyzer using a quadrupole mass spectrometric method etc. is provided with an ionizer to ionize a sample gas, a first ion detector and a second ion detector each configured to detect a respective ion from ionizer, and each being disposed a respective distance from the ionizer on an opposite side of the ionizer, the respective distances being different from each other, a filter interposed between the ionizer and the first ion detector to selectively allow ions from the ionizer to pass therethrough, and an arithmetic device to correct a partial pressure of a specific component obtained from the first ion detector and selected by the filter by using a first total pressure of the sample gas obtained from the first ion detector and a second total pressure of the sample gas obtained from the second ion detector. |
| US08296089B2 |
Method for compensating for angular transmission error of wave gear device
A positioning system (1) provided with an actuator (2) having a wave gear device (4) is driven and controlled by a semi-closed loop control for controlling the load position of a load device (5) based on the motor position of a motor shaft (31) of a motor (3). In a method for compensating for an angular transmission error by compensating for a motor shaft synchronous component θSync that occurs in synchrony with the motor position and is a relative rotation-synchronous component that includes an angular transmission error component of the wave gear device (4), the positioning system (1) is represented as a two-inertia model, and the motor shaft synchronous component θSync is represented as an oscillation source for producing a twisting action between the two inertia bodies in the two-inertia model. A motor current command iref is corrected by a compensation current command icomp calculated so as to allow the effect of the motor shaft synchronous component θSync on the load position to be compensated in this case, and a motor position command r is corrected by a motor position correction signal θcomp calculated in order to compensate for the effect of the motor shaft synchronous component θSync. |
| US08296086B2 |
Method for measuring absolute magnitudes and absolute phase relationships over a wide bandwidth
A new measurement system, with two receiver channels per measurement port, has been developed that provides absolute magnitude and absolute phase relationship measurements over wide bandwidths. Gain ranging is used at RF to provide optimum noise performance and a swept YIG preselector filter is used to avoid spurious signals. A new absolute vector error correction method is used to calibrate the measurement system in order to allow for absolute vector measurements, and it also removes the time-varying responses caused by the swept YIG preselector filters. A quasi-reciprocal mixer with a characterized non-reciprocal ratio is used to provide the absolute calibration standard. The two receiver channels can be adapted to a wide variety of applications, including wide bandwidth vector signal analyzer measurements, mixer measurements, and harmonic measurements. The two-channels can also be used as an absolute calibrated transmitter/reflectometer. |
| US08296084B1 |
Non-contact, focused, ultrasonic probes for vibrometry, gauging, condition monitoring and feedback control of robots
Method and apparatus for vibrometry, gauging, condition monitoring and feedback control of robots, using one or more ultrasonic probes (100) that are non-contact and form a focused beam. The ultrasonic probe is driven by a pulser-receiver (120) controlled by a computer. The probe has a substantially spherical transducer surface (75) that forms the focused beam within a gas or a liquid. The curvature of the transducer surface determines the focal length (25) and the extent of the focal region (50) of the beam. For greatest lateral accuracy, measurements are made within the focal length, where beam is narrowest. Diameter (80) of the probe determines the size of the beam, which can be chosen to satisfy a particular application. The focused beam has acoustic depth of field (85), which is the furthest distance from the probe to a surface (90) that can return a measurable echo to a pulse emitted by the probe. |
| US08296083B2 |
Vibratory pipeline diagnostic system and method
A vibratory pipeline diagnostic system (100) is provided. The system (100) comprises at least one vibration generator (104) adapted to be affixed to a pipeline, at least one vibration sensor (107) adapted to be affixed to the pipeline, and a processing device (111) in communication with the at least one vibration generator (104) and the at least one vibration sensor (107). The processing device (111) is configured to vibrate a portion of the pipeline using the at least one vibration generator (104), receive a vibrational response to the vibration from the at least one vibration sensor (107), compare the vibrational response to one or more previous vibrational responses of the pipeline, and indicate a fault condition if the vibrational response differs from the one or more previous vibrational responses by more than a predetermined tolerance. |
| US08296074B2 |
Melting curve analysis with exponential background subtraction
A method for clustering melting profiles of a plurality of nucleic acid samples, comprising measuring the fluorescence of each nucleic acid sample as a function of temperature to produce a respective raw melting curve for each respective nucleic acid sample, and clustering genotypes of the plurality of nucleic acid samples to form a plurality of clusters of melting curves. A system for analyzing a plurality of nucleic acid samples comprising an instrument for sequentially heating fluorescently detectable complexes while monitoring their fluorescence, a central processing unit (CPU) for performing computer executable instructions, and a memory storage device for storing computer executable instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the CPU to cluster genotypes of a plurality of nucleic acid samples. |
| US08296072B2 |
Techniques for recording signals
The present invention provides techniques of recording signals. In one aspect of the invention, a method of recording a signal comprises the following steps. One or more errors are selectively introduced during synthesis of a polymer in response to the signal. The one or more occurrences of the one or more errors in the synthesized polymer are recorded. The synthesis of the polymer may comprise a polymer synthetase that can selectively introduce the one or more errors in response to the signal. A method for analyzing signals is also provided. |
| US08296071B2 |
Methods for uniformly treating biological samples with electromagnetic radiation
Methods, devices and device components are presented for uniformly treating fluids undergoing mixing with electromagnetic radiation. In one aspect, the present invention provides methods of treating a fluid undergoing continuous fluid mixing wherein net radiant energies necessary to provide uniform treatment of the fluid samples with electromagnetic radiation are calculate on the basis of the volume, mass or mixing rate of the fluid or any combination of these variables. In another aspect, the present invention provides algorithms for determining net radiation energies, radiant powers, and/or illumination times necessary for providing uniform treatment of fluid samples. The present invention provides methods for uniformly reducing pathogens in biological fluids, including blood and blood components. |
| US08296070B2 |
Method and apparatus for improved simulation of chemical and biochemical reactions
An integrated system for modeling, simulating and analyzing chemical and biochemical reactions includes a modeling environment for constructing a model of a chemical or biochemical reaction. The system also includes a simulation engine accepting as input said constructed model of the chemical or biochemical reaction and generating as output an expected result for a first chemical reaction using a first type of computational model and an expected result for a second chemical reaction using a second type of computational model. An analysis environment communicates with the simulation engine and displays the expected result. |
| US08296069B2 |
Pseudo-analytical method for the solution of wave equations
The instant invention is a method for numerically propagating waves or solving wave equations on a digital computer. This invention can be used to compute highly accurate solutions to the wave equation, in fact in some cases it computes the analytical solution, something previously considered impossible. The instant method can also propagate waves that are not described by differential equations, such as anisotropic scalar waves. The invention has the advantages that it is computationally efficient, accurate, and flexible. Of importance is the ability to propagate waves that simulate the P-wave arrivals in both isotropic and anisotropic media with a scalar as opposed to a vector equation. |
| US08296066B2 |
Automated location-intelligent traffic notification service systems and methods
Traffic notification systems include a location determination system that is configured to determine a geographic location of a subscriber and an automated traffic notification system that is configured to automatically transmit a traffic notification message that is based on the geographic location of the subscriber to a wireless. |
| US08296064B2 |
Path search method
A path search method of a mobile object in a grid map having a plurality of cells, each having an identical size, is provided. The path search method includes: generating a block map having a plurality of blocks by merging a specific number of cells in the grid map; obtaining a block path by finding a path from a starting position to a destination position in the block map; and obtaining a final path of the mobile object by performing a cell-based path search on cells in the blocks on the block path. |
| US08296061B2 |
Presenting a travel route using more than one presentation style
Techniques are provided for presenting a route in a manner that emphasizes the route and provides context information. For example, a vivid color or vivid colors may be used to display the route, and pastel colors or other desaturated colors may be used for non-route context information. This may result in a map in which the vivid colors of the route stand out over the faded style of the non-route context information to emphasize the route. In this manner, the map may both emphasize the route and provide context information for the route. |
| US08296058B2 |
Method and apparatus of obtaining improved location accuracy using magnetic field mapping
Method and apparatus of increasing location accuracy of an inertial navigational device is described. The inertial navigation device generates real-time data and transmits the real-time data to a second device so that the second device may obtain a location of the inertial navigational device. The inertial navigational device receives an update message from the second device, wherein the update message is created at the second device based on a comparison of the real-time data generated by the inertial navigational device against a magnetic field database and adjusts the depicted location of the inertial navigational device based on the update message in order to increase the location accuracy of the inertial navigational device. |
| US08296057B2 |
Mobile body position information transmitting device for navigation system, and mobile body position information transmission method and program for navigation system
A vehicle (12) starts from the front of a home (11a) and moves to a destination (11b). An area (area—1) with the home (11a) at the center is an area where the position of the home (11a) is estimated to be easily specified, and a road (13a) to be searched is a road required for searching a moving route of the vehicle (12). An in-vehicle device (200) does not transmit position information or the like acquired in the area (area—1) in response to a request of position information from a road side device (100). The in-vehicle device (200) transmits the position information or the like on the vehicle (12) acquired after the vehicle (12) moves out of the area (area—1) to the road side device (100). The position information on the vehicle is transmitted to the road side device by protecting personal information. |
| US08296055B2 |
Method and system for positional communication
Methods and systems for positional communication are described. In one embodiment, a plurality of electronic communications for a user may be accessed. Positional information associated with the user may be accessed. User interface data for the plurality of electronic communications may be provided based on the positional information. |
| US08296052B2 |
Method for avoiding point rows for quadrilateral fields using autoguidance
A method for generating a swath pattern avoiding point rows for a work vehicle to be driven in a region of a field, which region can be described as having a first side boundary and an opposite second side boundary extending divergently between a first and an opposite second end boundary, the method generating a swath pattern including side by side swaths having centerlines that diverge uniformly between the end boundaries, the method also generating a plurality of swath patterns including options for disabling one or more individual rows of an implement for selection by an operator. |
| US08296050B2 |
Navigation device
A navigation device (100) has a position detection section (7), an interface (4), a touch panel (62), and a computer (1). The computer (1) has timekeeper means for clocking a current time, estimated arrival time calculation means for calculating the estimated time of arrival at a destination by using the touch panel (62), mail creation instruction means for causing, through the interface, (4) a portable telephone (200) to create mail containing text that informs arrival at the calculated estimated time of arrival, and mail transmission instruction means for causing the portable telephone (200) to transmit the created mail. The estimated time of arrival is transmitted to the other party without operation of a portable telephone by a driver. |
| US08296048B2 |
Vehicle information system
A vehicle information system operating method performs operations comprising determining an operational period, determining a movement period, determining a modification factor, determining a fuel economy value and determining an adjusted fuel economy value. The determining of the operational period determines the operational period during which a vehicle is running. The determining of the movement period determines the movement period during which the vehicle is in motion. The determining of the modification factor determines the modification factor based on respective durations of the operational period and the movement period. The determining of the fuel economy value determines the fuel economy value associated with the operational period. The determining of the adjusted fuel economy value determines the adjusted fuel economy value based on the fuel economy value and the modification factor. |
| US08296044B2 |
Method for the localization of a fault location within a fuel injection system
In a method for localizing a fault location within a fuel injection system, when a critical fault is detected by the diagnostic function, a pulse or a series of pulses to the injectors is triggered by a control unit. By observing the voltage value and/or charge value at the injector, it is possible to localize the fault location within the fuel injection system. |
| US08296043B2 |
Method and device for monitoring a functional capacity of an engine controller of an internal combustion engine
In a method for monitoring the functional capacity of an engine controller having a plurality of execution units, a comparison operating mode is provided, in which a torque monitoring program is executed on a plurality of execution units of the system, and signals outputted during the execution of the monitoring program by the execution units are compared with one another in order to recognize an error. |
| US08296038B2 |
Method and system for determining engine brake torque in real time
A method and system for controlling an engine function includes a deflection determination module generating a clutch deflection signal. The system further includes an engine function module controlling an engine function in response to the clutch deflection signal. The clutch deflection signal may be generated by sensors associated with the transmission shaft such as within the clutch housing or the friction disk. |
| US08296034B2 |
Vehicle speed limiting system
To provide a vehicle speed limiting system that is capable of executing a maximum speed limiting control without influencing a driving feeling of a vehicle. A vehicle speed limiting system includes: a three-dimensional map 46a and a throttle valve driving unit 47. A first maximum speed limiter opening degree is calculated by adding a first predetermined opening degree, a second predetermined opening degree, and a current throttle valve opening degree, the first predetermined opening degree being calculated by multiplying a speed difference of the vehicle by a preset P-term coefficient, the second predetermined opening degree being calculated by multiplying an acceleration of the vehicle by a preset D-term coefficient. Once the calculated first maximum speed limiter opening degree falls below the target throttle valve opening degree θB, the throttle valve motor 30 is driven on a basis of the first maximum speed limiter opening degree. |
| US08296033B2 |
Curve-related accident mitigation
A vehicle control system includes one or more driver intent detection devices to detect at least a curve-negotiating intention of a driver. The system also includes one or more curvature detection devices, to detect or otherwise determine a road curvature. The system further includes one or more overspeed control devices, to, based at least in part on data received from the one or more curvature detection devices and data received from the one or more driver intent detection devices, cause braking to one or more vehicle tires and/or reducing engine torque to keep a vehicle accurately negotiating the curved road for the current driving condition. |
| US08296031B2 |
Electronic hydraulic pressure control system and control method thereof
Disclosed are an electronic hydraulic pressure control system and a control method thereof, capable of detecting an error in differential pressure between a master cylinder and a wheel cylinder. The control method includes the steps of acquiring pressure of a master cylinder and pedal pressure according to a stroke distance of a pedal, detecting a time point at which the pressure of the master cylinder and the pedal pressure reach predetermined reference pressure, and determining that an error occurs if the time point exceeds a predetermined reference time point. |
| US08296030B2 |
System and method for controlling the engine of a vehicle
A system for controlling an engine of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the system includes at least one monitoring device mounted on the vehicle, a controller in electronic communication with the at least one monitoring device, and a computer readable memory storing instructions executed by the controller. The instructions cause the controller to determine a current driving path of the vehicle based on data received from the at least one monitoring device, to detect a traffic congestion ahead of the vehicle in the current driving path based on data received from the at least one monitoring device, and to determine an alternative driving path of the vehicle based on data received from the at least one monitoring device. The instructions further cause the controller to calculate, using a first statistical model, a first probability that the traffic congestion will not move within a defined time period, and to stop the engine before the vehicle comes to a full stop when the first probability is greater than a first threshold. |
| US08296026B2 |
Powertrain control apparatus and method, and program for implementing the control method
In a control apparatus for a powertrain that includes an automatic transmission, occurrence of slip in a one-way clutch is determined when one gear is formed if a first rotation member and a second rotation member of the one-way clutch rotate relatively. If slip in the one-way clutch is detected, it is determined whether the rotational speed difference between the first rotation member and the second rotation member has increased. If the rotational speed difference between the first rotation member and the second rotation member has increased when slip is detected in the one-way clutch, a control is executed to engage a predetermined frictional engagement element. |
| US08296023B2 |
Control apparatus and control method for continuously variable transmission
An ECU executes a program including the steps of: learning a differential pressure of a lock-up clutch; determining whether or not learning has been completed when a vehicle is in a coasting state and a brake is applied; lowering the lock-up differential pressure such that the lock-up clutch can be disengaged immediately and prohibiting or suppressing control for increasing transmission gain when learning has been completed; and increasing a lower limit guard value for the lock-up differential pressure and performing control for increasing the transmission gain when learning has not been completed. |
| US08296016B2 |
Method for correcting measurements of the torque exerted on a steering wheel of an automobile vehicle electric power-assisted steering
The method consists of, when the instantaneous speed of the vehicle is greater than a pre-determined threshold: identifying that the vehicle travels in a straight line without torque exerted on the steering wheel; if the prior condition is met, determining an average residual torque for the steering wheel by calculating a sliding scale of measures of torque on the steering wheel; calculating a correction, if the average residual torque on the steering wheel is greater than a pre-determined minimum torque, which is proportional to the average residual torque to be applied to the torque measures on the steering wheel; calculating effective correction limited in terms of the speed of variation and amplitude in relation to the correction applied to the measures of torque on the steering wheel, said corrected measures being subsequently treated by the electronic calculator in order to control the electronic booster motor. |
| US08296015B2 |
Method and apparatus for decide turn condition using sensor
A method and apparatus of determining a straight-driving state or a turning state of a moving object using an acceleration sensor are provided. The method of determining a turning state using a sensor includes: reading sensor output signals of different axes from an acceleration sensor while a moving object is being driven wherein the acceleration sensor is an at least two axes acceleration sensor and detects an acceleration of the moving object; and comparing the read sensor output signals of the different axes and determining whether the moving object is in a straight-driving state or in a turning state. |
| US08296011B2 |
Systems and methods involving quadrant dependent active damping
A method for controlling a steering system, including, receiving a first signal representative of a torque applied to a steering wheel, receiving a second signal representative of a motor velocity of a motor operatively linked to the steering wheel, multiplying the first signal with the second signal resulting in a product signal, applying a backlash function to the product signal, wherein the backlash function imparts a defined hysteresis in the system, multiplying a defined first-third quadrant scaling factor with an active damping signal, and sending a resultant motor command signal to the motor responsive to determining that the product signal is a positive signal, and multiplying a defined second-fourth quadrant scaling factor with the active damping signal, and sending the resultant motor command signal to the motor responsive to determining that the product signal is a negative signal. |
| US08296006B2 |
Tire pressure monitoring device
In a tire pressure monitoring device, a receiving apparatus 1 detects a received signal level from sensor units 2 to judge, based on the signal level, tires, a front wheel or a rear wheel, provided with the sensor units 2. It estimates collision of data signals from the sensor units 2a, 2b of the front wheel and from the sensor units 2c 2d of the rear wheels. When it estimates that the data signals from the sensor units 2a, 2b of the front wheel and from the sensor units 2c 2d of the rear wheels collide with each other, it executes a process for acting an antenna shifting part 13 so as to produce a difference between the reception intensity levels. |
| US08296002B2 |
Vehicle control apparatus
A control apparatus for controlling a vehicle, the vehicle provided with: a rotating electrical machine capable of inputting or outputting a torque with respect to an input shaft; and a transmission, which is disposed between the input shaft and an output shaft coupled with an axle, which is provided with a plurality of engaging apparatuses, which transmits a torque between the input shaft and the output shaft, and which can establish a plurality of gear stages having mutually different transmission gear ratios in accordance with engagement states of the plurality of engaging apparatuses, the transmission gear ratio being a ratio between a rotational speed of the input shaft and a rotational speed of the output shaft, the vehicle control apparatus provided with: a detecting device for detecting a braking operation amount of a driver; and an input shaft torque controlling device for controlling a torque of the input shaft such that in cases where the detected braking operation amount changes in a reducing direction which promotes a reduction in a braking force applied to the vehicle in a coast regeneration speed change period in which the gear stage is changed at the time of coast regeneration of the rotating electrical machine, a change in torque of the output shaft accompanied by the change in the braking operation amount is suppressed. |
| US08296001B1 |
Marine vessel navigation device, system and method
A marine electronic device such as a chartplotter which includes a display; a location determining component; and a processing system for receiving location data from the location determining component and for causing information to be displayed by display. The processing system causes the display to display information which assists an operator in navigating and ascertaining characteristics of bodies of water, objects on nearby shores, and other vessels. |
| US08295997B2 |
Method of determining and displaying flying indications and a flight indicator for implementing said method
The present invention relates to a pilot assistance method for giving assistance in piloting a rotary wing aircraft, the method consisting in using a scale with collective pitch graduations that is movable on a display screen to indicate the position of the collective pitch, in determining the desynchronization pitch, in using a maximum limit value and a minimum limit value for the speed of rotation of the rotor, in transforming the maximum limit value and the minimum limit value in real time and as a function of physical flight parameters respectively into a bottom limit position and a top limit position for the collective pitch, and when a determined difference appears between the real value and the reference value Nr0 for the speed of rotation of the rotor, in displaying at least one item of corrective information about the adjustment of the collective pitch. |
| US08295995B2 |
Distributed approach to electronic engine control for gas turbine engines
A distributed electronic engine control system includes an airframe module, an electronic engine control module, and an engine I/O module. The modules are arranged in locations remote from one another. A serial communications bus interconnects the modules with one another. A first engine controls device is connected to the engine I/O module and is configured to interact with an engine component and provide a first data. The engine I/O module includes inner loop control logic that uses the first data and produces a second data in response thereto. The electronic engine control module includes an outer loop control logic using the second data and produces a third data in response thereto. The airframe module receives power and distributes the power to the electronic engine control and engine I/O modules. The first, second and third data are provided on the serial communications bus. |
| US08295993B2 |
System, method, and computer software code for optimizing speed regulation of a remotely controlled powered system
A system for operating a remotely controlled powered system, the system including a feedfoward gains element configured to provide information to the remotely controlled powered system to establish a velocity, and a feedback gains element configured to provide information from the remotely controlled powered system to the feedforward gains element. A method and a computer software code are further disclosed for operating the remotely controlled powered system. |
| US08295991B2 |
Fan speed control system and method
A fan speed control system includes a fan, a hardware device, and a basic input/output system (BIOS) module. The BIOS module includes a memory unit, an edit unit, a searching unit, and a control unit. The memory unit stores a matching table of different hardware device numbers and corresponding fan speed control curves. The edit unit is operable to edit the matching table. The searching unit is operable to read the matching table and search which fan speed control curve matches with the hardware device number of the hardware device. The control unit is operable to select the matched fan speed control curve to control the fan speed of the fan. |
| US08295989B2 |
Local power tracking for dynamic power management in weather-sensitive power systems
A power source affected by a geographically propagating condition (e.g. a weather-related condition) is monitored to detect changes in its power output. Characteristics of the monitored changes are analyzed to detect whether the changes are being caused by a geographically-propagating condition that could affect other power sources nearby. The information obtained from the measurements is used to extrapolate impending power-output changes in the same source, in one or more other sources, or in a collection of sources subject to effects of the propagating condition. The extrapolations enable one or more power generating systems associated with the source(s) to maintain the changes in its total power output within operating requirements. |
| US08295987B2 |
Systems and methods for performance monitoring and identifying upgrades for wind turbines
A method for indicating a performance of a wind turbine is provided. Target performance data are created based at least in part on performance data for one or more wind turbines of interest. Baseline performance data are calculated based at least in part on performance data for a plurality of other wind turbines. The target performance data are compared to the baseline performance data to create a relative performance profile. In addition, a graphical representation of the relative performance profile may be created, and an available upgrade for the wind turbines of interest may be evaluated based at least in part on performance data for one or more wind turbines including the available upgrade. |
| US08295984B2 |
Method for detecting the position of a closure element in a water distribution mechanism
A method and a device are provided for detecting the position of a closure element of a movement reversal device in a dishwasher. The device determines the position of a closure element via a comparison of a value corresponding to a predefined reference position of the closure element with a signal value of a circulation pump of the dishwasher. |
| US08295982B2 |
Heat dissipation apparatus, heat dissipation method thereof, and container data center utilizing the heat dissipation apparatus
A heat dissipation apparatus includes an air conditioning unit, a plurality of temperature sensors, a plurality of adjustable air outlet boards, a plurality of actuators, and a control unit. The temperature sensors determine the temperature of server racks. The adjustable air outlet boards guide airflow from the air conditioning device to the corresponding server racks. The actuator adjusts the corresponding adjustable air outlet board to alter the airflow to the corresponding server rack. The control unit receives the temperature detected by the temperature sensors to submit corresponding control signals, altering power supplied to the air conditioning unit and adjust the adjustable air outlet boards through the actuators. The present disclosure further provides a heat dissipation method and a container data center including the heat dissipation apparatus as disclosed. |
| US08295980B2 |
Deployment apparatus and method
A deployment apparatus (1) adapted to remove articles (14) located on a support surface (5), the articles (14) being located in a plurality of orientations and positions on the support surface (5). The deployment apparatus (1) includes; an article detector (2) capable of determining an orientation and position of at least one article located on the support surface (5), a removal system (4) capable of engaging with and removing an article (14) from the support surface (5), a maneuvering system (3) capable of positioning the removal system (4) to engage with a selected article and deploying an engaged article to a predetermined position and/or orientation. |
| US08295977B2 |
Medicine dispenser
(Object) To enable, in an operation of supplying a medicine to a medicine cassette, in which it is typical that the medicine once put in a vial bottle is recovered to a medicine cassette (medicine receiving container), an operation of specifying the medicine cassette to which the medicine is to be supplied to be performed more accurately and more efficiently.(Solving Means) Information used for specifying the medicine is read by reading a prescription code (d31) recorded as a bar code on a vial bottle (S202) or is input as search information through an operation portion (S221). As a result, a cassette shelf (2) (cassette code (d21)) to which a medicine cassette (1) for receiving the medicine corresponding to the input information is mounted is specified (S203, S224), and a shelf lamp (3) provided to the specified cassette shelf (2) is brought into a predetermined notification display state (blinking state). |
| US08295976B2 |
Method and device for determining the degree of filling of a container with filled envelopes
A system and method for determining the degree of filling of a container with filled envelopes is described including dynamically determining the real thickness of each of the filled envelopes of a plurality of filled envelopes before it is loaded into the container and evaluating the degree of filling of the container on the basis of the real thicknesses of envelopes thus determined. |
| US08295969B2 |
Combinatorial processing management system
A combinatorial processing management system is described, including determining an identification for a substrate, retrieving data from tools operating on the substrate, generating an analysis of the data in response to the retrieving, and storing the data and the analysis in a database indexed by the identification. The analysis may include comparisons between multiple processes performed on multiple regions of the substrate. The multiple processes may process at least one region of the substrate differently from at least one other region of the substrate. |
| US08295965B2 |
Semiconductor processing dispatch control
An embodiment is a method for semiconductor processing control. The method comprises identifying a key process stage from a plurality of process stages based on a parameter of processed wafers, forecasting a trend for a wafer processed by the key process stage and some of the plurality of process stages based on the parameter, and dispatching the wafer to one of a first plurality of tools in a tuning process stage. The one of the first plurality of tools is determined based on the trend. |
| US08295957B2 |
Method and system providing a customized audio presentation tailored to a predetermined event sequence
There is provided a method of customizing an audio presentation for tailoring to a predetermined event sequence, one embodiment comprising identifying the predetermined event sequence from a predetermined event sequence database, associating a first audio asset with one or more selected events of the predetermined event sequence, synchronizing the timing of the first audio assets with the timing of the selected events, and linking the first audio assets to produce a customized audio presentation tailored to the predetermined event sequence. In one embodiment, the method includes downloading an interactive audio presentation content including an interactive audio presentation program, an audio assets database, and the predetermined event sequence database to a client computer. In one embodiment, a system for customizing an audio presentation tailored to a predetermined event sequence comprises a client computer, a client memory located on the client computer, and interactive audio presentation content. |
| US08295955B2 |
Methods and apparatus for position estimation using reflected light sources
The invention is generally related to the estimation of position and orientation of an object with respect to a local or a global coordinate system using reflected light sources. A typical application of the method and apparatus includes estimation and tracking of the position of a mobile autonomous robot. Other applications include estimation and tracking of an object for position-aware, ubiquitous devices. Additional applications include tracking of the positions of people or pets in an indoor environment. The methods and apparatus comprise one or more optical emitters, one or more optical sensors, signal processing circuitry, and signal processing methods to determine the position and orientation of at least one of the optical sensors based at least in part on the detection of the signal of one or more emitted light sources reflected from a surface. |
| US08295954B2 |
Method and device for adjusting a regulating device
A method for adjusting a first functional unit (for example, a filter) and a second functional unit (for example, a proportional branch, integral branch, controlled industrial system and interference variables) includes determining a characteristic number that quantifies a relative deviation of respective reactions YMod and ySys of the two functional units to a reference variable change that occurs when both functional units are excited by the same reference variable change and determining a correction factor based on the characteristic number and using the correction factor to adjust at least one of the two functional units in order to reduce the relative deviation. |
| US08295951B2 |
Systems and methods for offset-free model predictive control
Techniques, systems and methods for designing, implementing, and operating model predictive controllers that can deliver perfect tracking of set points and that can reject the effect of disturbances when steady-state operation is reached are disclosed. High performance is achieved through the incorporation of set-point tracking costs, integral costs, and velocity costs, as well as the adoption of incremental model systems for prediction purposes. Embodiments can deliver offset-free performance for tracking set points with constant final values, set points of a ramp type, and set points of a parabolic form, while rejecting disturbances that have a constant final value. The approach reduces the complexity of model predictive control design, delivers improved performance, and requires modest computational power. An Incremental Model State Estimator (IMES) is disclosed that reduces the computation load required for producing estimated values for the unmeasured star vector of a model under the presence of unmeasured disturbances. |
| US08295948B2 |
Tubular lead anchor and methods and devices using the anchor
A lead anchor includes a plurality of parallel tubular members and at least one suture element configured and arranged for receiving a suture to suture the lead anchor to patient tissue. Each tubular member defines a lead lumen having a first opening and a second opening through which a lead can pass. |
| US08295941B2 |
Systems configured to power at least one device disposed in a living subject, and related apparatuses and methods
Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems configured to power at least one device disposed in a living subject, apparatuses configured to be disposed in a living subject and export power stored in an energy-storage device, and related methods of powering at least one device disposed in the living subject. |
| US08295937B2 |
Optimizing pitch allocation in a cochlear stimulation system
Optimizing pitch allocation in a cochlear stimulation system may include implanting an electrode array having a plurality of electrodes into the cochlea of a patient, where the electrode array has an associated implant fitting characteristic that defines a relationship between the implanted electrode array and audio frequencies, presenting sounds through the electrode array to the patient, receiving from the patient a selection of one of the sounds that most closely conforms to a single note, and determining a slope of the implant fitting characteristic of the electrode array based on the sound selected by the patient. Each sound may include a fundamental frequency and one or more harmonics. The optimization may also include changing a center frequency of a band pass filter associated with each electrode based on the determined slope. |
| US08295935B2 |
Multiple lead method for deep brain stimulation
New methods for deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery using two or more electrical leads are provided. The methods are useful for treating a wide variety of brain-associated disorders including movement-related disorders, psychiatric disorders, metabolic/eating disorders, memory disorders, and pain. Methods featuring stimulation of distinct target areas of a subject's brain, such as the thalamic ventralis intermedius (VIM) and the ventralis oralis (VOA/VOP) using multiple electrical leads for treatment of tremor provide superior clinical outcomes to stimulation with single leads implanted in these target areas. |
| US08295934B2 |
Systems and methods of reducing artifact in neurological stimulation systems
The present invention relates to neurological systems and methods of use which acquire physiological signals from a subject and stimulate the subject. The system is adapted to control the timing at which the system acquires the physiological signals from the subject and the timing of the stimulation signal to reduce the amount of stimulation induced artifact that is acquired by the system. |
| US08295933B2 |
Implantable medical lead including voiding event sensor
An implantable medical lead includes at least one stimulation electrode and at least one sensor configured to generate an electrical signal that varies as a function of a parameter associated with a voiding event of a patient. In some embodiments, the sensor may be at least one of a microphone that captures sounds associated with voiding events, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a strain gauge, a physiological parameter sensing electrode or a temperature sensor. The electrical signal generated by the sensor may used to detect an occurrence of a voiding event. Thus, the lead may be coupled wirelessly or via a wired connection to a device that processes the electrical signal from the sensor, generates voiding information based on the electrical signal, and in some cases, records the voiding information for later retrieval and analysis. |
| US08295931B2 |
Self-sealing septum assembly
Exemplary septum assemblies include first and second housing components each defined by at least an inner surface, at least one sealing strip disposed at least partially on at least one of the inner surfaces of the housing components, and a compression member at least partially surrounding the housing components. |
| US08295924B2 |
Transdermal systems for the delivery of ionic agents directly to open wounds and surgically repaired incisions
A transdermal system for the delivery of an anesthetic or other active therapeutic agent directly to a selected site of injured skin tissue by iontophoresis is disclosed, which utilizes a transdermal skin-worn patch including a donor electrode chamber containing a donor electrode and an amount of an active agent in a form suitable for transdermal delivery in electrical communication with the donor electrode and a return electrode. The patch also contains a source of electric current connected in a circuit with the donor and return electrode, a current regulating device is optionally provided in the circuit for controlling the electrical output of the patch and at least the donor electrode chamber includes a provision for absorbing a quantity of fluid associated with weepage from adjacent injured skin tissue. |
| US08295921B2 |
Apparatus and method for non-contact electrical impedance imaging
A method of electrical impedance imaging using multiple electrodes in which each of the multiple electrodes does not contact the object to be imaged but is electrically coupled to the object via electrically conductive fluid in which the object is at least partially immersed. |
| US08295920B2 |
System for detecting fluid changes and sensoring devices therefor
A sensor device for detecting a change fluid level within body tissue comprising a housing with bridge segments connecting at intersections arranged to circumscribe an opening. Further, antenna elements are partially seated within the housing at intersections of bridge segments, comprise a generally planar antenna mounted to a substrate material at a base of the planar antenna, and an electrical shield surrounding the substrate. Also, an outer surface of the planar antenna faces away from the substrate. The antenna elements comprise at least first and second antenna element pairs having transmitting and receiving antenna elements and a bridging segment. A high sensitivity zone is formed between the transmitting antenna and receiving antenna. The antenna element pairs are spaced to create an area of reduced sensitivity between the high sensitivity zones, and the space is set so that the sensor is insensitive to fluid changes of a predetermined volume. |
| US08295917B2 |
Fluorescence endoscope and fluorometry method
A fluorescence endoscope and a fluorometry method that allow distinguishing between normal and affected areas in a simple manner by reducing the effect of the distance from a subject. A light source that emits light for irradiation of a subject, fluorescence image-acquiring section for acquiring an image of fluorescence contained in return light originating from the subject, fluorescence-image generating section for generating fluorescence image data based on fluorescence-related data acquired by the fluorescence image-acquiring section, region-of-concern defining section for defining a region of concern with a higher fluorescence intensity than a surrounding region based on the fluorescence image data, neighboring-region defining section for defining a neighboring region near the region of concern, and image-operation section for generating corrected image data based on the ratio of a grayscale level related to fluorescence intensity in the region of concern to a grayscale level related to fluorescence intensity in the neighboring region. |
| US08295913B2 |
Method and device for planning and/or monitoring an interventional high-frequency thermoablation
In a method as well as a device for planning and/or monitoring an interventional high-frequency thermoablation, 3D image data of a region (1) of interest of a body are acquired with a tomographical imaging apparatus and are presented on an image display device. In the method, a database is provided in which, for at least one interventional instrument available for high-frequency thermoablation, a volume region for at least one high-frequency power generable with the instrument is established in which a thermoablation is achieved in a tissue with the instrument at this high-frequency power. Upon marking at least one ablation position in the image representations, a 3D object representing the volume region or a volume region derived from this is then mixed in at least semi-transparently at this ablation position. The method and the associated device enable a better planning and monitoring of an interventional high-frequency thermoablation by the user. |
| US08295912B2 |
Method and system to inhibit a function of a nerve traveling with an artery
In some embodiments, sympathetic nerves surrounding arteries or leading to organs are targeted with energy sources to correct or modulate physiologic processes. In some embodiments, different types of energy sources are utilized singly or combined with one another. In some embodiments, bioactive agents or devices activated by the energy sources are delivered to the region of interest and the energy is enhanced by such agents. |
| US08295901B2 |
Spectral analysis for a more reliable determination of physiological parameters
An apparatus for determining a spectral ratio between a first signal having a first spectrum which depends on a biological quantity, and a second signal having a second spectrum which depends on a biological quantity, the first signal and the second signal having a plurality of harmonics of a periodic signal, the apparatus including a computer for computing a first wave ratio between a spectral value of the first spectrum which has a frequency of a harmonic of the plurality of harmonics, and a spectral value of the second spectrum which has the frequency of the harmonic; and for computing a second wave ratio between a spectral value of the first spectrum which has a frequency of another harmonic of the plurality of harmonics, and a spectral value of the second spectrum which has the frequency of the other harmonic. In addition, the apparatus includes an optimizer. |
| US08295900B2 |
Terminal apparatus with built-in fault current limiter for superconducting cable system
A terminal apparatus for a superconducting cable system connects an overhead transmission cable or power appliance such as a breaker in an ambient temperature state to a superconducting cable through which power is transmitted at a cryogenic temperature. The terminal apparatus has: a refrigerant tub which is connected to the end of a superconducting cable and is filled with a refrigerant; a vacuum heat insulating container that surrounds the exterior of the refrigerant tub; a current lead having one end connected to the end portion of the superconducting cable and the other end connected to the overhead transmission cable or power appliance through the refrigerant tub and the vacuum heat insulating container; and a superconducting fault current limiter installed at a center portion of the current lead in the interior of the refrigerant tub to limit fault current. As the superconducting fault current limiter is built in the terminal apparatus, the terminal apparatus itself can play the role of a fault current limiter too. Hence, the terminal apparatus can protect a superconducting cable from a fault current directly by limiting the fault current flowed into the superconducting cable when a power transmission fault occurs. |
| US08295899B2 |
Mobile wireless device with an inductive coupler
A mobile wireless device in which a first housing and a second housing are connected together at base ends thereof via a hinge section, the first housing including a first circuit board to which a first antenna and a second antenna are connected, and the second housing including a second circuit board, includes: an electric wiring section that brings a reference potential section of the first circuit board and a reference potential section of the second circuit board into conduction; and an inductive coupler that inductively couples the reference potential section of the first circuit board and the reference potential section of the second circuit board at high frequency near the second antenna provided at the base end of the first housing, the inductive coupler including a first conductor that extends toward the second housing side at the base end of the first housing and connects to the reference potential section of the first circuit board. |
| US08295897B2 |
Multi-function slide element for a mobile communication device
The application is directed at a mobile communication device comprising a body; and a sliding element, slidable longitudinally along the body; wherein the sliding element is slidable between a first and a second position, such that when said sliding element is in one of said first or second positions, an added device functionality is revealed to the user; and wherein when the sliding element is in the first or second position, a footprint of the mobile communication device is not changed. |
| US08295896B2 |
Waterproof cover for mobile phone
A waterproof cover for a mobile phone including: a cover body having the same outward appearance as a mobile phone to accommodate the mobile phone therein, the cover body being made of polyurethane in such a way that the cover body is in a close contact with the mobile phone to be accommodated therein, the cover body having a receiving hole formed on a front face of the cover body for allowing the mobile phone to be inserted into and removed from the cover body; and an adhesive member being continuously releasably-adhered on the front face of the cover body to seal and open the receiving hole. |
| US08295889B2 |
Assembly for a sound reproduction apparatus included with a communications apparatus and a method of using the assembly
There is provided an assembly for a sound reproduction apparatus included with a communications apparatus. The assembly includes an ear bud earphone that anchors to an ear of a user; a cable of the ear bud earphone, a portion of the cable being attached to a reel axle onto which the cable is windable, the reel axle being connected to a revolution counter which tracks a number of revolutions of the reel axle in a first direction, the revolution counter being reset to zero when the cable is fully wound onto the reel axle; with a first end of the cable being functionally connected to the communications apparatus to enable sound signals to be reproduced in the ear bud earphone. The functional connection to the communications apparatus may be either via a solder joint or a detachable connector. |
| US08295888B2 |
Portable terminal device, audio output device, and audio device
A portable terminal device able to suppress a feeling of strangeness caused by audio not desired by a user is provided. A mobile phone 2 has an audio output portion 33 outputting an audio signal, and can make a speaker 23 arranged in a cradle device 3 output audio in accordance with the audio signal therefrom by outputting the audio signal from the audio processing portion 33 to the cradle device 3 when it is connected to the connectable cradle device 3. The mobile phone 2 has an external speaker output control portion 43 for restricting the output of the audio signal to the speaker 23 when the type of the audio signal output from the audio processing portion 33 is a specific type. |
| US08295884B2 |
Method and system for providing digital compensation and vector calibration for a base station in a wireless network
A method for providing digital compensation and vector calibration for a base station in a wireless network is provided. The method includes performing a single process that is operable to provide simultaneously both digital compensation and vector calibration for the base station. According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the single process is performed by receiving a transmitted signal based on a compensation/calibration (C/C) signal, processing the received signal, generating a C/C weight based on the processed signal, and using the C/C weight in a normal operational mode for the base station. |
| US08295883B2 |
Methods and systems for managing and/or tracking use of subscriber identity module components
Methods and systems for managing and/or tracking use of SIM smart cards with integrated or external SIM module systems that are utilized with information handling systems. A SIM module system may be locked with a generic locking code to lock a SIM module system of a given information handling system for use with a designated SIM smart card that is programmed with a matching generic locking code. The locked SIM module system of the information handling system may be further configured so that it may be unlocked using an unlocking code so as to allow use of the information handling system with SIM smart cards other than the designated SIM smart card. To allow tracking of the disposition of the designated SIM smart card, notification of the non-activation, de-activation and/or activation of the designated SIM smart card (e.g., to an activation tracking agent) may be required before obtaining the unlocking code, for example, from an activation tracking agent. |
| US08295880B1 |
Communication device
The communication device comprising a voice communication implementer, an auto time adjusting implementer, a calculation implementer, a word processing implementer, a stereo audio data output implementer, a digital camera implementer, a multiple language implementer, a caller's information displaying implementer, an icon software implementer, and a simultaneous implementer. |
| US08295878B2 |
Single number presentation for dual-mode phones
Providing a single number presentation to the party called by a dual-mode phone. The operation of the cellular side of a dual-mode phone is altered such that when the user attempts to place an outgoing call using the cellular phone, the call is redirected to a preprogrammed incoming phone number associated with the enterprise. When the enterprise PBX answers this call, the dual-mode phone transmits the desired number to the enterprise PBX. The enterprise PBX then places the call to the desired number, and in the process transmits the caller-id information assigned to the dual-mode phone. |
| US08295871B2 |
Method and apparatus for limiting peer-to-peer communication interference
Peer-to-peer communication between user terminals in a licensed spectrum is enabled by a method comprising the following steps: —communicating directly, peer-to-peer, between the first and the second mobile terminal, and —disconnecting the peer-to-peer communication in dependence of control signals received or not received from the base station. Thus, according to the invention, the network is enabled to control the peer-to-peer communication between two user terminals. |
| US08295870B2 |
Communication system, call control device, base station device and recording medium
A communication system for calling a plurality of terminal devices in response to a single request of call connection, assigning, for a single terminal device which answered the call, a communication band to be occupied in a communication band which can be used, and establishing the call connection in the assigned communication band, the communication system includes a deriving section that derives a communication band required for the call connection of each of the terminal devices to be called when the request of call connection is received, a securing section that secures a communication band including the maximum width in each of the derived communication bands in the communication band which can be used; and an assigning section that assigns a communication band to be occupied in the secured communication band to the terminal device which answered the call. |
| US08295868B2 |
Downlink control information format for multiple codeword transmission
Systems and methods are disclosed that relate to a wireless communication system. Theses systems and methods include providing information from a base station to a mobile device than enables the mobile device to use at least one DCI format. In some embodiments, this information is provided by receiving data over a wireless communication channel. The transmitted data comprises identification information that identifies the format of the transmitted data being transmitted. These systems and methods may also include identifying the format of the transmitted data and processing the transmitted data using the identified format of the transmitted data. |
| US08295867B2 |
Handheld electronic device including automatic mobile phone number management, and associated method
A method of updating information included in a handheld device user's contact entry included in a global address list wherein the device stores information of a first type, such as a mobile phone, SMS or MMS number or a PIN. The method includes determining whether the information of a first type has been modified from a first stored piece of information to a second stored piece of information, and generating a message including the second stored piece of information and sending the message to a computer system of the organization if it is determined that the information of a first type has been modified. The computer system stores the second stored piece of information in response to receipt of the message by the computer system for subsequent access by a requesting party. Also provided is an improved handheld electronic device having one or more routines adapted to implement the method. |
| US08295866B2 |
Mobile user terminal, mobile communication system, base station, and communication method
A mobile user terminal includes a receiver which receives a signal, and a processor which measures downlink channel quality based on the signal and does not transmit downlink channel quality information and an uplink pilot signal simultaneously at a period which the mobile user terminal is a state of transmission off in an intermittent fashion. |
| US08295865B1 |
Method and systems for short message forwarding services
Methods and systems are described for processing visual messages, such as text or multimedia messages, originated from a mobile phone. In an embodiment, a visual message from an originating wireless telephonic device is directed to an original destination address associated with a user. An indication that the visual message has been received at a first telecommunications system, wherein an original destination associated with the original destination address is not available to receive the originating wireless telephonic device visual message. The visual message is wirelessly transmitted to an alternate destination. |
| US08295862B2 |
Method and system to enable communication through SMS communication channel
The present invention provides a method and system to provide network aware applications on a mobile device that can communicate using existing SMS communication channels without resorting to other IP based communication channels that are costlier and are not available on many of the networks. |
| US08295861B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for paging a mobile station
An apparatus, and an associated methodology, for facilitating paging of a mobile station pursuant to a two-step paging procedure. A unique identifier of the mobile station that is to be paged is hashed into a first group of hashed values and at least a second group of hashed values. The first group of hashed values are used by page message generator to generate a page on a first paging channel. And, the second group of values are used by a page message generator to generate a page on a second paging channel. All of the bits of the unique identifier are sent to page the mobile station. The mobile station determines therefrom whether the mobile station has been paged. |
| US08295860B2 |
System and method for intelligent paging of an idle mobile device
An access gateway comprises a processor. The processor is operable to determine a message type of a received packet. The processor is further operable to apply a paging rule. The paging rule is related at least in part to the message type of the received packet. The processor is further operable to determine whether to send a request to transition the mobile device to an active state based on the paging rule. The processor is further operable to send a request, when appropriate, to transition the mobile device to an active state. |
| US08295856B2 |
Selective processing of location-sensitive data streams
A method for processing a first data stream specifying locations of a user at different times and a second data stream specifying values of a monitored attribute at a location of interest at different times includes: receiving a location-centric trigger specifying at least one spatial predicate condition relative to the location of interest and at least one non-spatial predicate condition relevant to the location of interest, calculating a safe region that includes locations whose probability of satisfying the spatial predicate condition falls below a first threshold, calculating a safe value container that includes values whose probability of satisfying the non-spatial predicate condition falls below a second threshold, and processing the first data stream and the second data stream against the location-centric trigger, by considering only those locations that are not contained within the safe region and only those values that are not contained within the safe value container. |
| US08295854B2 |
System for preventing text messaging while driving
A system and method are described to disable texting while driving a moving vehicle. The position and speed of a user's cell phone are compared with that of a registered master phone. If the position and speed track that of the master phone, it is assumed that the user is a passenger and not a driver, and texting is enabled for that user. Texting at speed is disabled for a master phone user who may be an ordinary citizen or may be a professional driver of a mass transit vehicle. The user of a master phone may utilize a different service provider than a passenger. Information parameter measurements such as cell phone position, velocity, and direction of travel are time stamped and then passed between service providers or alternately made available to other service providers by way of a central database. |
| US08295851B2 |
Realtime, interactive and geographically defined computerized personal matching systems and methods
A system and method of interactive and live computerized matching in which a first user is provided with a personal data device including a wireless communication system. A secure network is configured to include a server programmed with a personal characteristic database and a database searching algorithm, and a wireless communication system at a specific geographic location that is capable of communicating with the user's personal data device. The first user is allowed to log on through the wireless communication system to the secure network using his or her personal data device, and communicates to and stores in the database personal data defining his or her characteristics and those for his or her ideal match. Either the secure network automatically identifies the first users precise geographic location, or the user himself otherwise indicates and stores in the database of the network an identifying address that indicates his current specific geographic location. The user then instructs the database searching algorithm to search for and identify other users similarly logged on to the network at the same specific geographic location. The user is able to initiate a search of the database for possible matches within the pool of other users also logged on to the network at the same specific geographic location. The secure network then indicates to the first user the results of the search. |
| US08295838B2 |
Method and system for predicting service drop in a wireless network
A mobile wireless device for use in a wireless network, wherein the wireless network includes regular access points and border access points. The border access points are those access points situated at the edge of the campus or other physical facility associated with the wireless network and they define the edge of the coverage area of the wireless network. The mobile wireless device predicts a possible drop of an active service due to loss of coverage by recognizing when it has connected with a border access point. A warning is output to the user of the mobile wireless device. The mobile wireless device may further recognize if it is located on the exterior side of the border access point away from the interior of the wireless network. |
| US08295837B2 |
Scrambling code allocation and hand-in for wireless network radio access points
Techniques are provided to allow more than a fixed number of radio access point devices to be deployed within a macro cell. At a controller apparatus, a registration request is received from a radio access point device configured to operate in a wireless network to serve one or more wireless client devices in the wireless network in respective relatively small coverage areas. The registration request comprises a macro cell identifier associated with a macro cell base station configured to operate in the wireless network to serve one or more wireless client devices in a relatively large coverage area, a radio access point cell identifier associated with the radio access point device, and a particular primary scrambling code selected for use by the radio access point device. When the particular primary scrambling code is not available for use, methods are provided to allocate it in a shared manner but without degrading handover service. |
| US08295836B2 |
Mobile switching center, radio base station, and mobile communication method
A mobile exchange (300) comprising a mobile station information management unit (302) which manages mobile station information including a temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) for identifying the each mobile station uniquely in a first mobile management area and a notification unit which notifies a destination wireless base station (200) to which a mobile station (100) is connected in the first mobile management area of the temporary mobile subscriber identity (TMSI) assigned to the mobile station (100) when the mobile station (100) performing communication in a second mobile management area moves from the second mobile management area to the first mobile management area. |
| US08295835B2 |
System and method for registration for application program deployment
A communication system includes a development sector for registering a plurality of wireless devices, a business sector for controlling utilization of an application program and for receiving application data, a service sector for deploying the application program and for providing the application data to the business sector in accordance with communication with at least one wireless device of the plurality; and a mobile sector comprising the plurality of wireless devices, each device for receiving the application program deployed by the service sector, executing the application program in response to the business sector, and communicating with the service sector to support provision of the application data to the business sector. The business sector or service sector may monitor or limit utilization of the auxiliary device. Deployment of application programs may be controlled by the business sector or the development sector by rendering an application program or auxiliary device available for use only after a particular time or after receipt of a message. Distributed processing application programs having components in the business, service, and mobile sectors may thereby be updated in an orderly manner. An application program on a wireless device may assist confirmation of an order made by a buyer via a web site. The wireless device is expected to be operated by the buyer. Fraud reporting is accomplished by comparing data obtained by registration of the wireless device with data provided in the confirmation. |
| US08295829B2 |
Wireless access point management in a campus environment
A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is operated in conjunction with a wired Local Area Network (wired LAN) to service a premises, e.g., a campus setting. The wired LAN services the wired communication needs of the premises and serves as the wired backbone of the WLAN. A plurality of Wireless Access Points (WAPs) of the WLAN couple to the wired backbone and are serviced by the LAN. With this shared structure, wired network components, e.g., multi-layer switches, manage the operation of WLAN components, i.e., WAPs. Such management includes ensuring that the WAPs provide sufficient bandwidth to support wireless packetized voice communications. Additional management operations include WAP access, wireless terminal registration, and channel resource allocation, among others. |
| US08295826B2 |
System for monitoring the quality of service in a communication network
Monitoring system includes a set of peripheral monitoring agents including processing functionalities housed in SIMS. Such processing functionalities, depending at least on operating conditions of each terminal and its respective SIMS, are able to adaptively establish a distribution of measuring functionalities included in the peripheral monitoring agents between the terminal itself (for example storing them in the related memory or multimedia card) and its respective SIM. |
| US08295825B2 |
Method to facilitate late joining of a call
Methods of enabling late entry into an on-going spread spectrum call are described. A late join frame replaces, and has the same size as, a traffic frame. A late join slot in the late join frame contains sufficient information in preamble and sync subframes to permit a target to join the call. The traffic slots in the late join frame replicate data such that call quality of the call is substantially unaffected if one of the remaining traffic frames is not received. The preamble and sync subframes frequencies may be the same as, or different from, preamble and sync frames frequencies during a call establishment phase of the call. If different, the preamble and sync subframes frequencies are selected from one or more frequencies. Use of the preamble and sync subframes frequencies is compensated for when selecting the traffic slot frequencies to obtain uniform utilization of the spectrum. |
| US08295824B2 |
Management unit for facilitating inter-network hand-off for a multiservice communication device
A management unit allocates network resources multiservice communication devices capable of communicating via a plurality of networks. The management unit includes a communication device interface for facilitating a bidirectional data communication with the multiservice communication devices via a wireless control channel, the bidirectional data communication including outbound control data sent to multiservice communication devices and inbound control data received from at multiservice communication devices. The wireless control channel is separate from the communication between multiservice communication devices and the networks. A network interface receives network resource data from the networks. A management processing unit generates the outbound control data in response. The management processing unit facilities the handoff of a real-time service accessed by the multiservice communication devices via a first network to a second network. |
| US08295823B2 |
Mobile communication system and automatic mode-changing method
A mobile communication system includes: a mobile terminal; plural base stations each of which can conduct communication with the mobile terminal; and a cooperative server that can conduct communication with the base station. The base station detects entrance and exit of the mobile terminal into and from an area covered by the base station and notifies the cooperative server of a detection result. The cooperative server acquires positional information on the mobile terminal from the notification, and stores a residence history of the mobile terminal based on the positional information and a script indicating a rule of a mode setting designated in each mobile terminal in history storing means. The cooperative server activates the script to determine a mode changing command in each mobile terminal based on the residence history and transmits the mode changing command to the base station. The base station transmits the received mode changing command to the mobile terminal that exists in the area covered by the base station. The mobile terminal executes the received mode changing command to change the mode setting. |
| US08295821B2 |
System for switching over a voice call
A system and method for switching a voice call from an Instant Messaging (IM) based voice network to a cellular voice network. A telephone adapted to switch a voice call from an Instant Messaging (IM) based voice network to a cellular voice network. |
| US08295820B2 |
Advanced internet-based caller ID information/data for mobile phones and mobile networks
A method to implement CID enhancement performed by mobile phone software, running on a user/subscriber's mobile phone, in communication with a response server of a Website during an incoming call. The method includes alerting the Website by transmission of an initiation command from the mobile phone upon receipt of the incoming call, extracting the caller number from the phone ringing feature of the mobile phone, connecting the mobile phone over the Internet to the response server and responding to the initiation command, such that the caller's ID is displayed with said relevant caller information and said other caller data in real time, and is provided within the few seconds elapsed before the user/subscriber answers the phone call. |
| US08295819B1 |
Picture caller ID systems, methods and apparatus
A communication system is provided that enables automated retrieval of caller ID picture information and association with contact information, while still allowing security control over information or images that are sent to the requesting device. The communication system has a wireless device communicating with a picture server. The wireless device receives an incoming call with caller ID information, and determines if a picture is locally stored for the caller. If no picture is locally stored for the caller, then a request is made to retrieve a picture from the picture server. If the picture server has the requested picture, and the wireless device is authorized to receive the picture, then the picture is downloaded to the wireless device, where the picture is associated with contact information for the caller. The picture of the caller will then be automatically displayed when the caller places future calls. |
| US08295818B2 |
Broadcasting in wireless systems
In a radio access network, techniques for multicasting information from a radio network controller to radio nodes. The techniques further include broadcasting the information from the radio nodes to mobile access terminals. The information can include content to be delivered to the access terminals. |
| US08295812B1 |
Reducing mobile-phone fraud
Methods and products for facilitating a method of reducing mobile-phone fraud are provided. One method includes receiving a request to activate a mobile device, determining that it is identified as lost or stolen, communicating to the mobile device activation data that enables the mobile device to communicate via a wireless-telecommunications network despite the fact that the mobile device was determined to be identified as lost or stolen, and communicating to the mobile device functionality-impairment instructions that deliberately disable a set of functional aspects of the mobile device, thereby transforming it from a first state to a second state that is functionally impaired compared to the first state. |
| US08295811B1 |
System and method for mobile phone activation
A method of activating a mobile phone is provided. The method comprises scanning a code accessible from an exterior of a package by an electronic scanning device coupled to a first computer, the package containing the mobile phone and retrieving a plurality of information associated with the mobile phone from a data store based on the code, the retrieving performed by one of the first computer and a second computer. The method also comprises transmitting the plurality of information by the provisioning application to a wireless communication network to at least partly provision wireless communication service to the mobile phone, whereby the wireless communication network is triggered to activate the mobile phone, wherein the transmitting is performed by the same computer that retrieved the plurality of information. |
| US08295807B2 |
Personalising a SIM by means of a unique personalized master SIM
Method for starting up and personalising a further second non-personalised identification module (VSIM), in particular for operation of a mobile radio terminal, wherein a first identification module MasterSIM (MSIM) containing a personalised user data set is present, characterized in that an authentication and/or checking of the second identification module (VSIM) is carried out and the user data set for storage on the second identification module (VSIM) for personalising the second identification module (VSIM) is read from the MasterSIM (MSIM), transmitted to the second identification module (VSIM) and stored therein, in particular containing one or more unique definitive user identification (IMSI). |
| US08295806B2 |
Wireless network infrastructure
An access point of a network maintains information about data received at the access point from a server accessible via the network and provides to the server the information maintained at the access point. The access point then receives from the server a pavement for an account associated with an operator of the access point. |
| US08295804B2 |
System and method for monitoring message usage
A computer implemented method for monitoring message usage on a communication device. An audible message may be outputted on the communication device in replacement of a pre-determined telephone tone. A duration parameter of outputting the audible message in replacement of the pre-determined telephone tone may be determined, and provided to a billing system for determining a compensation parameter. |
| US08295796B2 |
High frequency circuit
A high frequency circuit includes an amplifier part that includes a plurality of amplifier circuits amplifying a high frequency signal and connected in parallel, that synthesizes outputs of the amplifier circuit and that supplies the outputs to an antenna; a controller that outputs a low power signal during a low power mode in which the amplifier part operates at low power; and an operation suppressing circuit that disables one of the plurality of amplifier circuits based on the low power signal. |
| US08295787B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving additional control signals
A method for transmitting/receiving an additional control signal without any loss of bandwidth and power in an original Tx signal is disclosed. If the additional control signal is transmitted via the Tx signal composed of at least one of data and control signals, at least one of the amplitude and phase of the Tx signal of the time- and frequency-resource domain is modulated according to the additional control signal to be transmitted. The modulated Tx signal is transmitted to the receiver, so that the additional control signal can be transmitted irrespective of the original Tx signal. According to a modulation status of at least one of an amplitude and a phase of the Rx signal contained in the time- and frequency-resource domain, the additional control signal can be acquired. |
| US08295786B2 |
Magnetic sheet, method for producing the magnetic sheet, antenna, and portable communication device
The present invention provides a magnetic sheet with improved resistance to folding while maintaining good magnetic characteristics and reliability; a method for producing the magnetic sheet; an antenna; and a portable communication device.A magnetic sheet of the present invention includes a flat magnetic powder, and a resin binder capable of dissolving in a solvent, wherein the magnetic sheet has a gradient of the content ratio of the magnetic powder to the resin binder in a thickness direction thereof, wherein, in use, the magnetic sheet is folded so that, of the front and back surfaces thereof, one surface whose magnetic powder content is lower than that of the other is folded inward, and wherein the difference in glossiness measured at a light-incident angle of 60° between the front and back surfaces is 9.4 or more. |
| US08295784B2 |
Semiconductor switching device
A semiconductor switching device includes, on one semiconductor substrate: a switching circuit configured to switch connection states between a plurality of terminals; a negative voltage generating circuit; and a control circuit connected to the switching circuit and the negative voltage generating circuit and configured to supply a control signal to the switching circuit, the control circuit including: a level shift circuit with a low-potential power supply terminal connected to the negative voltage generating circuit and an output node connected to the switching circuit, the level shift circuit being configured to supply a negative potential signal as a control signal at a low level to the switching circuit; a diode with its anode connected to the output node of the level shift circuit; and a transistor with its drain-source path connected between the cathode of the diode and ground, the drain-source path switching from a blocking state to a conducting state before the potential of the output node of the level shift circuit switches from a high level to the low level. |
| US08295783B2 |
Method and system for dynamic link control for a chip to chip communication system
A wireless device comprising a plurality of chips may be operable to dynamically configure wireless communication between the plurality of chips. Each of the chips may include one or more transceivers and one or more integrated directional antennas communicatively coupled to the one or more transceivers. The communications link between chips in the wireless device may be dynamically configured via control of the transceivers and/or the integrated directional antennas. The antennas may include patch antennas and/or dipole antennas. The transceivers may be configured by controlling output power of power amplifiers or by controlling gain of low noise amplifiers. The communications link may be dynamically configured by controlling a characteristic impedance of the antennas for impedance matching to transceivers. A frequency of the communication link may be controlled by configuring the antennas. A bandwidth of the communications link may be configured based on activity of processors in the wireless device. |
| US08295781B2 |
Transceiver having multistage channel filter in wireless communication system
A transceiver having a multistage channel filter for a wireless communication system is disclosed. The transceiver is composed of a transmitter unit including a multistage channel filter module to perform channel filtering on an input signal having a sampling rate corresponding to a channel bandwidth of the wireless communication system by means of sampling-rate conversion through multiple stages, and a receiver unit corresponding to the transmitter unit. |
| US08295779B2 |
Method and apparatus for wireless transmissions using multiple uplink carriers
A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may transmit via a primary uplink carrier data, pilot and control channels for uplink transmissions on multiple uplink carriers, and transmit a data channel and a pilot channel via a secondary uplink carrier. Alternatively, the WTRU may transmit via a primary uplink carrier data, pilot, and control channels for uplink transmission on the primary uplink carrier, and transmit via a secondary uplink carrier data, pilot, and control channels for uplink transmissions on the secondary uplink carrier. Each uplink carrier may be associated with at least one specific downlink carrier such that the WTRU applies control information received on a downlink carrier to uplink transmissions on an uplink carrier associated with the downlink carrier on which the WTRU receives the control information. |
| US08295777B1 |
Method and system for automated handoff testing
Methods and systems are disclosed for testing radio-frequency handoffs between two radio-frequency sources by a wireless communication device within an enclosed test chamber. The test chamber may include at least two radio-frequency antennas defining at least two radio-frequency coverage areas that are partially separated by a radio-frequency barrier wall. A wireless communication device may be moved within the test chamber while radio-frequency conditions and handoff status may be monitored by a control system. |
| US08295771B2 |
Bluetooth microphone array
The present invention discloses a wireless telephone system using microphone arrays together with additional signal processing to suppress the background noise in the surrounding environment. The signal processing resources of a wireless telephone and multi-channel transmission capabilities of the Bluetooth transmission are used to suppress the background noise. The wireless telephone system includes a Bluetooth transceiver communicating to a wireless telephone through a multi-channel Bluetooth transmission, and an array of microphones coupled to the Bluetooth transceiver. The array of microphones includes a first microphone producing a first audio signal output and a second microphone producing a second audio signal output. The first audio signal output and second audio signal output are transmitted to the wireless telephone through the first channel and second channel of multi-channel Bluetooth transmission respectively. The system and method of the present invention allows using low cost Bluetooth transceiver(s) with multiple microphone arrays to provide the background noise suppression. |
| US08295770B2 |
Electrical accessory and method of providing same
Some embodiments disclose an electrical accessory configured to transmit one or more first data signals from a first electrical device to a receiving device. The electrical accessory is also configured to transmit second data signals to the first electrical device. The first electrical device can include a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The electrical accessory can include: (a) a power acquisition unit configured to receive electrical power from an external power source; (b) a first electrical interface electrically coupled to the power acquisition unit and configured to mechanically and electrically couple to the first connector to provide the electrical power to the first electrical device; (c) a second electrical interface configured to mechanically and electrically couple to the second connector, the second electrical interface is configured to transmit the second data signals to the first electrical device and to receive the first data signals from the first electrical device; (d) a transmittal mechanism electrically coupled to the second electrical interface and configured to provide the first data signals to the receiving device; and (e) a first microphone electrically coupled to the second electrical interface and configured to receive sounds and convert the sounds into the second data signals. Other embodiments are disclosed in this application. |
| US08295768B2 |
Method and system for selective equalization enablement based on modulation type
Aspects of a method and system for selective equalization enablement based on modulation type may be found in a method for processing radio frequency (RF) signals received via a RF channel, detecting a modulation type of at least a portion of the received RF signals, and determining whether to enable or disable an equalization circuit for processing at least a subsequent portion of the received RF signals based on the detected modulation type; and selecting one of a plurality of inputs to a selector based on the detected modulation type, wherein the plurality of inputs comprise the at least a subsequent portion of the received signals and an output signal generated by the equalization circuit. |
| US08295755B2 |
Gloss application sheet for applying a uniformed gloss to a toner image on a recording medium
When a gloss application sheet is conveyed through a nip formed between a first nip formation member and a second nip formation member pressing against each other, the gloss application sheet is sandwiched between the first nip formation member and a recording medium simultaneously conveyed through the nip. The gloss application sheet includes a first contact surface contacting the first nip formation member and a second contact surface disposed opposite the first contact surface for contacting the recording medium. The first contact surface has a reduced adhesive force compared to the second contact surface. |
| US08295753B2 |
Fixing device having an endless fixing belt and two-position disjunction mechanism
A fixing device having a fixing belt which satisfies 42.2≧ER≧0.1044×D×μ−0.5174, where: D represents an inner diameter of the fixing belt; A represents a second inner diameter of the fixing belt; ER represents an elongation rate of the fixing belt and is formulated as ER=(A−D)/D×100; and μ represents a coefficient of kinetic friction between the fixing belt and the fixing roller. The fixing device is thus arranged so that the fixing belt is driven by the fixing roller to rotate in a state where the pressing roller is separated from the fixing belt. This makes it possible to lengthen a life of a fixing belt, to shorten a warm-up time, and to reduce power consumption in a fixing device using a belt fixing method. |
| US08295752B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
The fixing device includes: a fixing member including a conductive layer capable of self-heating by electromagnetic induction; a drive unit rotationally driving the fixing member; a magnetic field generating member generating an alternate-current magnetic field intersecting with the conductive layer; a fixation pressing member movable so as to come into pressure contact with an outer circumferential surface of the fixing member and to separate from the outer circumferential surface; and a temperature measurement unit that includes a temperature detector and a support portion, that measures temperature of the fixing member with the temperature detector which is pressed by the support portion to be brought into contact with an inner circumferential surface of the fixing member, and that holds a contact state between the temperature detector and the inner circumferential surface in every state where the fixing member is displaced in accordance with movement of the fixation pressing member. |
| US08295751B2 |
Thermal fixing unit having pivotally movable pressure pad and image forming device provided with the same
There is provided a thermal fixing unit that fixes a toner image on a printing medium, the fixing unit including a heat member, a pressure pad, a movable supporting assembly, and an urging member. The heat member is in contact with the printing medium, being positionally fixed and defining an axis. The pressure pad is disposed in opposition to the heat member for nipping the printing medium in cooperation with the heat member. The supporting assembly pivotably movably supports the pressure pad. The urging member biases the supporting assembly to urge the pressure pad toward the heat member for providing pressure contact between the heat member and the pressure pad. |
| US08295750B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus equipped therewith
A fixing apparatus includes a pair of fixing sections pressed against each other and including a fixing roller having a heater lamp incorporated therein and a pressure roller; an endless belt for heating the surface of the fixing roller by bringing a heating nip portion into contact with the fixing roller; and a plurality of support rollers supporting the endless belt therearound so as to give tension, and each having a heater lamp incorporated therein. The endless belt has a thickness of 0.08 mm or more and 0.14 mm or less, and the heating nip portion is formed in an angular range of 50° or more and 90° or less around a center axis of the fixing roller. |
| US08295749B2 |
Method and apparatus for printing various sheet sizes within a pitch mode in a digital printing system
A method of controlling the inverter dwell time of the first print engine in order to print any sheet size within a pitch mode without the need for a belt sync dead-cycle. The method uses a small nominal inverter dwell time based on the maximum sheet size for a given pitch mode. For any sheet size within the pitch mode that is smaller than the maximum sheet size, the inverter dwell time will increase proportionally. |
| US08295748B2 |
Belt conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus
A typical belt conveying apparatus and a typical image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes: an endless belt; a supporting member that rotatably supports the belt; a sensor that detects a predetermined breakage at one end of the belt in a belt width direction; and a detecting mechanism that detects a predetermined breakage at the other end of the belt in the belt width direction by the use of the sensor. |
| US08295745B2 |
Developer carrying member and developing assembly
A developer carrying member and a developing assembly are provided which can stably provide the toner with triboelectric charges, may prevent any problems such as image density decrease, density non-uniformity and spots around images even during running on a large number of sheets, and can enjoy a stable and good developing performance. The developer carrying member has a substrate and a resin layer, and the resin layer containing a thermosetting resin, an acrylic resin having specific units and electroconductive particles. |
| US08295743B2 |
Image forming apparatus and developing agent cartridge
An image forming apparatus is described. The image forming apparatus may include an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing agent carrier that transforms the electrostatic latent image into a visible image by supplying a developing agent to the image carrier; and a developing agent cartridge that accommodates a developing agent to be supplied to the developing agent carrier, arranged so as to be opposed to the developing agent carrier in a longitudinal direction of the developing agent carrier, and formed with an opening for horizontally passing the developing agent in a position horizontally opposed to the developing agent carrier. |
| US08295741B2 |
Developing apparatus and image forming apparatus
A developer accommodating container is structured such as to be provided with a first accommodating portion in which the first feeding member is arranged, a second accommodating portion in which the second feeding member is arranged, a first communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion in one end side, a second communication portion communicating the first accommodating portion and the second accommodating portion at the other end side, a developer replenishing portion arranged in the other end side rather than the second communication portion, in the other end side of the first accommodating portion, a developer discharge portion arranged in the other end side rather than the second communication portion, in the other end side of the second accommodating portion, and a flow rate regulating portion arranged between the second communication portion and the developer discharge portion, and regulating an amount of the passing developer. |
| US08295735B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of photosensitive bodies disposed along a moving direction of a recording medium; a drive mechanism for driving and rotating the plurality of photosensitive bodies; a plurality of exposure units, each exposure unit being associated with a respective one of the photosensitive bodies, the each exposure unit configured to expose the respective photosensitive body; a determining unit for determining an exposure-starting phase that is a rotation phase at an exposure-starting timing with respect to one photosensitive body among the plurality of photosensitive bodies; and a varying unit for varying a exposure-starting time difference between the exposure-starting timing of the one photosensitive body and an exposure-starting timing of an other photosensitive body disposed at a downstream side of the one photosensitive body in the moving direction of the recording medium, based on the exposure-starting phase. |
| US08295734B2 |
Rotational force transmitting parts
A rotating force transmitting part is provided for an electrophotographic photosensitive drum for a main assembly of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The main assembly includes a motor-driven shaft having a rotating force applier. The drum is dismountable from the main assembly in a direction substantial perpendicular with an axial direction of the shaft. The part includes a coupler engageable with the force applier to receive a rotational force for rotating the drum when mounted to the main assembly. The coupler moves between a position for transmitting the rotational force for rotating the drum to the drum and a disengaged position inclined away from the axis of the drum. When the cartridge is dismounted from the main assembly substantially perpendicular to the axis of the drum, the coupler moves from the transmitting position to the disengaging position. |
| US08295728B2 |
Phase detecting device, phase control device including the phase detecting device, and fuser control device including the phase control device
An image forming apparatus includes a fuser that fuses a paper medium and a fuser control device that controls an AC power supplied to the fuser. The fuser control device includes a phase detecting device that receives an AC voltage, detects zero-crossing points of the AC voltage, outputs a phase detecting signal when the zero-crossing points are detected, and selectively cuts off a flow of AC power into the phase detecting device in response to a mode control signal, a signal generator that generates a phase control signal to control a phase of the AC power supplied to the fuser based on the phase detecting signal, and a temperature controller that controls a temperature of the fuser by controlling the phase of the AC power supplied to the fuser according to the phase control signal. |
| US08295718B2 |
Concentration detection apparatus and image formation apparatus
A concentration detection apparatus includes: a light-emitting element that emits light; a light-emitting-element holding unit that holds the light-emitting element; a light-receiving element that receives light emitted from the light-emitting element; a light-receiving-element holding unit that holds the light-receiving element and is provided opposite to the light-emitting-element holding unit with a gap therebetween; a moving unit that can move through or at the gap between the light-emitting-element holding unit and the light-receiving-element holding unit; and a gap adjusting unit that adjusts a value of the gap as a distance between the light-emitting-element holding unit and the light-receiving-element holding unit. |
| US08295717B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a toner-image forming unit, a photosensor, an information obtaining unit, and a toner-amount calculating unit. The toner-image forming unit forms a toner image on the image carrier with toner. The photosensor detects a toner area where the toner is sticking to the image carrier. The information obtaining unit obtains particle-size-change information about how particle size distribution of the toner changes over time. The toner-amount calculating unit calculates a toner amount of the toner image based on the toner area and the particle-size-change information. |
| US08295716B2 |
Sheet processing device having user safety unit and image forming apparatus having the same
A sheet processing device including a safety unit to prevent accidental operation of the sheet processing device. The sheet processing device can include a body to receive a processing unit to process a sheet of paper and a door provided at the body to be opened from or closed to the body. The sheet processing device can further include a sensing unit to sense the presence of the sheet of paper fed into the body, and a safety unit linked with the door, the safety unit being adapted to restrict the sensing unit or release the restricted sensing unit to control operation of the sheet processing device. |
| US08295707B2 |
Electronic device with reflection structure for reflecting optical signal to receiver thereof
The electronic device includes a device housing, an emitter, a receiver, and a reflection structure. The emitter is separated from the device housing and emits an optical signal. The receiver is disposed on the device housing for receiving the optical signal. The reflection structure is formed on the device housing and neighboring to the receiver. When the emitter is disposed in front of the device housing, the optical signal transmitted from the emitter directly reaches the reflection structure and is reflected by the reflection structure, and then the optical signal travels toward the receiver. |
| US08295706B2 |
Technique for simultaneously transmitting wide and narrow optical beacon signals
A technique for simultaneously transmitting wide and narrow optical beacon signals includes generating a laser beam and splitting the laser beam into a first signal on a first path and a second signal on a second path via a wavelength-dependent beamsplitter. A wide beacon signal having a first beam divergence is generated from the first signal, and a narrow beacon signal having a second, lesser beam divergence is generated from the second signal. The wavelength of the laser beam determines an allocation of the laser energy between the wide and narrow beacon signals based on transmittance/reflectance characteristic of the beamsplitter at that wavelength. The wide and narrow beacon signals are simultaneously transmitted in a overlaid manner into free space to support acquisition and tracking in a free-space optical communication system. The beamsplitter can simultaneously transmit or reflect substantially all of a data signal at a different wavelength. |
| US08295705B2 |
Visible light communication method and system
A time-sharing Visible Light Communication (VLC) system is provided. Two or more light sources transmit data received from one or more VLC terminals located in its service area to a communication control device, and transmits data received from the communication control device to the one or more VLC terminals. The communication control device determines and groups at least one of the two or more light sources to be included in a cell according to a generated user service, maps the grouped at least one light source to the cell, allocates a time slot used to provide the user service to the cell, transmits data associated with the user service to at least one of the one or more VLC terminals through the at least one light source mapped to the cell using the allocated time slot, detects a location of the at least one VLC terminal located in a service area of the cell on a real-time basis, and remaps the cell according to the detected location. |
| US08295704B2 |
Laser transmitting at automatically varying wavelengths, network interface unit and system including the laser, and method of automatically varying the wavelength of a laser
A laser unit, usable in a network interface unit (NIU), that includes a laser adapted to generate an optical signal having a wavelength, a temperature control system for establishing a temperature of the laser and a controller functionally connected to the temperature control system for setting the temperature, the controller configured to automatically vary the temperature between a high temperature and a low temperature different than the high temperature. Also an NIU and a system of NIU's including the laser and an associated method of controlling the laser. |
| US08295700B2 |
Distributed packet switch for use in a network
A distributed packet switch to control data packet flows in a network is described. The distributed packet switch includes a means for operating over an asynchronous burst optical closed fiber medium. The distributed packet switch also includes at least one control system provided at a node to control data packet flow characteristics, such that the switch is configured to operate dependent on at least one efficiency parameter. |
| US08295698B2 |
Time-coherent global network
A network of global coverage, scalable to hundreds of petabits per second, comprises bufferless switch units each of dimension n×n, n>1, arranged in a matrix of ν columns and ν rows, ν>1, interconnecting a maximum of ν×n edge nodes. Each edge node has ν upstream channels to ν switch units in ν different columns and ν downstream channels from ν switch units in ν different rows. All upstream channels to a switch unit are time-locked to the switch unit, thus enabling coherent switching at the switch unit.The switch units are preferably fast-switching optical nodes. Alternatively, the switch units may comprise fast-switching optical nodes each of dimension m×m, arranged in a first μ×μ matrix, and latent space switches each of dimension n×n, n>1, arranged in a second ν×ν matrix, ν>1, where μ×m=ν×n. An edge node time locks to each optical node and each latent space switch to which it connects. |
| US08295697B2 |
Camera and controlling method for the same
A camera comprises: a photographing unit converting an image formed by a shooting lens into an electric signal; a subject brightness obtaining unit; an exposure computing unit computing a shutter speed and an aperture value; a shutter controlling a time period in which the photographing unit accumulates the electric signal; and an aperture control unit controlling an aperture value of an aperture unit that limits a quantity of light incident from the shooting lens, wherein the exposure computing unit calculates a deviation between a previous exposure amount and a proper exposure amount on the basis of brightness information relating to a previous exposure and output by the subject brightness obtaining unit, the aperture value of the aperture unit, and the shutter speed of the shutter, and computes an aperture value of the aperture unit for a subsequent exposure on the basis of the deviation. |
| US08295689B2 |
Contents reproducing apparatus and contents reproducing method
For providing a mechanism of contents reproducing equipment, for operating a communicating device and a decoding device, which are provided in each of equipments connected therewith through a network, in cooperation with each other, so as to enable to change from a reproducing process, which is relatively low in processing capacity required, to a reproducing process, which is relatively high, reproduction is conducted of the contents, which is low in the processing capacity required for reproduction, with using the communicating means and the decoding means, which are lower in the processing capacity. In parallel therewith, reproduction is conducted of contents, which is high in the processing capacity required for reproduction, with using the communicating means and the decoding means, which are higher in the processing capacity thereof. Also, measurement is done on a processing time necessary for receiving and decoding of encoded contents for a unit of time, or a processing volume of the receiving process and the decoding process of the encoded contents, which can be processed during the unit of time, and thereby managing it as the processing capacity. |
| US08295687B1 |
Indicating different video playback rates
The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to indicating different video playback rates. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes providing a user interface for a digital video editing system, the user interface including a graphical representation of playback time for a sequence of digital video; receiving input specifying a change in playback rate for the sequence of digital video; and showing the change in playback rate, the showing including providing marks along the graphical representation of playback time for the sequence of digital video; wherein the marks include different shapes to represent at least two different playback rates. |
| US08295684B2 |
Method and system for scaling content for playback with variable duration
Adjusting the duration of first content having a plurality of segments including: identifying at least one segment of the first content; deleting the at least one identified segment from the first content to form modified content; and inserting transition periods between segments remaining in the modified content, wherein the transition periods are inserted to adjust the duration of the modified content to a desired duration. |
| US08295681B2 |
Method and system for manipulation of audio or video signals
A method and system for manipulation of audio or video signals. |
| US08295678B2 |
Universal method of controlling the recording of audio-visual presentations by data processor controlled recording devices
Controlling the audio-visual recording by audio-visual recording devices within a facility comprising the host or owner of the facility predetermining a plurality of value levels of at least one attribute of said audio-visual content and predetermining a plurality of limitations on the recording of audio-visual content, each corresponding to each of the value levels. There is sensing the value level of said at least one attribute and limiting the recording of said audio-visual content based upon the value level of the one attribute. |
| US08295676B2 |
Video reproducing apparatus
A video reproducing apparatus performs continued reproduction of a video title in association with continued reproduction of applications. When a Power-OFF or Reproduction-Stop of the video reproducing apparatus event occurs at a time point when the video title is reproduced to a midpoint of a chapter, continued reproduction information of an HD DVD disk is identified, such as a title and a chapter being reproduced, and is stored in a memory at that point in time. When the power is turned ON without replacing the HD DVD disk, the application displays a chapter menu of the title, and a script including a command for starting reproduction of the chapter is activated by the application according to an operation of a button of the chapter menu. |
| US08295675B2 |
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. |
| US08295670B2 |
Low profile fiber drop point of entry system
A low profile telecommunications fiber drop point of entry system for an interior room of an MDU, school, hotel, hospital, MTU or other commercial or residential location. The system includes a duct having one or more optical fiber communications lines and mountable to a first wall. The system further includes an access and storage structure at least partially disposable behind the first wall. The structure includes a first base unit having a first wall mounting portion and a first low profile cover, the cover being mountable over at least a portion of the duct. The first wall mounting portion includes a main port to fit over a hole formed in the first wall, the structure having a fiber slack storage area disposed between the first wall mounting portion and the first cover. The structure further includes an extension arm mounted to the first wall mounting portion and extending behind the first wall, the extension arm supporting a carrier configured to hold an optical fiber connector coupling device. A first optical fiber from the duct is terminated in a first optical fiber connector that is mounted on the connector coupling device. |
| US08295668B2 |
Low loss optical fiber designs and methods for their manufacture
The specification describes an improved optical fiber produced by a hybrid VAD/MCVD process. The core of the fiber is produced using VAD and the inner cladding layer has a depressed index and is produced using MCVD. In preferred embodiments, the optical power envelope is essentially entirely contained in VAD produced core material and the MCVD produced depressed index cladding material. Optical loss is minimized by confining most of the optical power to the VAD core where OH presence is low, as well as by maximizing the optical power in the un-doped silica region. The MCVD substrate tube material is essentially devoid of optical power. |
| US08295666B2 |
Coated optical fibers
A coated optical fiber of the present invention comprises a glass fiber coated by at least two coating layers (a soft layer and a hard layer), wherein the glass surface of the glass fiber, where the at least two coating layers of the optical fiber are removed, has a peak intensity ratio of 0.6 or more in C3H7O+ (m/z 59) or C4H9O+ (m/z 73) with respect to Si+ (m/z 28) peak in cation analysis of TOF-SIMS. The optical fiber suppresses increase in its transmission loss even when it is exposed to a high-humidity environment or immersed in water. |
| US08295665B2 |
Downhole cables with both fiber and copper elements
Provided is a method of manufacturing a downhole cable, the method including, forming a helical shape in an outer circumferential surface of a metal tube, the metal tube having a fiber element housed therein, and stranding a copper element in a helical space formed by the metallic tube. Also provided is a downhole cable including, a metallic tube having a helical space in an outer circumferential surface thereof, wherein the metallic tube has a fiber element housed therein, and a copper element disposed in a helical space formed by the steel tube. Double-tube and multi-tube configurations of the downhole cable are also provided. |
| US08295662B2 |
Laser system
A laser system including an optical cable jumper with input and output terminals, and a laser gun, wherein the optical jumper transmits a laser beam from a bundle-type optical cable connected to an input terminal thereof to a single-type optical cable connected to an output terminal thereof. The laser gun is connected to the single-type optical cable at a rear of the optical cable jumper to illuminate the laser beam to a target object. |
| US08295657B2 |
Optical fiber sensor and fuel supply apparatus having the same
An optical fiber sensor includes: an optical fiber; a light source portion; and a light receiving portion. The optical fiber includes: a core that includes a grating that generates a clad mode upon receipt of light; a clad that covers the core; and a fiber jacket that covers the clad, wherein a part of the fiber jacket corresponding to an area where the grating is formed is removed so that the clad is contactable with the fuel. The light source portion includes a light cutting element that emits light, whose wavelength is within a wavelength band of the cladding mode toward the optical fiber. The light receiving portion that detects intensity of the light transmitted through the grating. The optical fiber, the light receiving portion and the light source portion are arranged linearly. |
| US08295656B2 |
Method and apparatus for compensating polarization-dependent frequency shifts in optical waveguides
The invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for compensating the polarization-dependent shift of the center frequency in an optical filter comprising an interferometer by way of compensating the birefringence in at least one waveguide of the interferometer, wherein at least one half-wave plate is arranged into the optical path of the interferometer and at least a section of the waveguide (16, 17) on the right and on the left of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a pre-selectable temperature, and wherein at least one section on the right of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a first temperature T1, and at least one section on the left of the half-wave plate (11) is brought to a second temperature T2. |
| US08295655B2 |
Electro-optical modulator
An optical modulator includes a ring resonator with a waveguide adjacent to and optically coupled to the micro-ring resonator. A p-i-n junction is formed about the ring resonator. An optional additional doped region may be formed opposite the waveguide from the ring resonator and when combined with the p-i-n junction forms a nearly closed p-i-n junction about the ring resonator. The ring resonator may be a silicon micro-ring resonator. Multiple different resonant frequency resonators may be coupled to the waveguide along with different detectors to multiplex light on the waveguide. The spectrum of the resonator may be controlled by an applied voltage. A prepulsing device may be used to enhance electrical transitions to enhance the speed of the modulator. |
| US08295652B1 |
Combined portable computer with adjustable display screen and associated method
An ergonomic laptop for permitting a user to adjust a viewing angle or height as needed may include a base member preferably having a keyboard displayed on a top surface thereof. A mechanism for linearly biasing the display screen along a y-axis defined above the base member, for adjusting a spatial distance between the display screen and the base member, may also be included. Further, the laptop preferably has a mechanism for pivoting the display screen about a fulcrum axis oriented along an x-axis defined subjacent to the y-axis. The base member preferably remains statically positioned at a fixed location while the display screen is linearly displaced along the y-axis. Additionally, a plurality of telescopic shafts and sleeves may be included along with a worm gear centrally disposed between the sleeves to linearly bias the display screen in a vertical direction. |
| US08295651B2 |
Coherent phrase model for efficient image near-duplicate retrieval
A coherent phrase model for near-duplicate image retrieval enforces coherency across multiple descriptors for every local region. Two types of visual phrase (FCP and SCP) are employed to represent feature and spatial coherency and can be utilized without increasing the computational complexity. The FCP utilizes the information of different features by enforcing the feature coherency across multiple types of descriptors for every local region, and the SCP utilizes spatial information by enforcing the spatial coherency across the spatial neighborhoods of different sizes around every local region. Moreover, the disclosed model improves the matching accuracy by reducing the number of false matches and preserves the matching efficiency because of the sparsity of the representation. |
| US08295644B2 |
Birds eye view virtual imaging for real time composited wide field of view
A live image and a previously acquired or generated image are superimposed or composited to represented a virtual vantage point for flying, driving or navigating a plane, vehicle or vessel. |
| US08295640B2 |
Noise reduction by image subtraction in an automatic data collection device, such as an image acquisition device
An automatic data collection device (10) and method reads images from display screen (22) of an electronic display device (24), such as a cellular telephone. The method reads a flashing image of a target machine-readable symbol (12) displayed on the display screen, by obtaining at least two images of the display screen. In the first image, the image of the target machine-readable symbol is present. In the second image, the image of the target machine-readable symbol (12) is absent. The second image of the display screen, when the image of the target machine-readable symbol is absent, comprises noise and other images that are irrelevant to the decoding process. This noise in the second image is subtracted from the first image of the display screen having the image of the target machine-readable symbol displayed thereon the symbol. A resulting image from the image subtraction is an improved image of the target machine-readable symbol. |
| US08295639B2 |
Image correction apparatus, image correction method, and image correction program
An image correction apparatus stores therein a plurality of correction curves for determining a correction amount, calculates a feature value of average brightness in an input image, determines whether the calculated feature value is equal to or greater than a first threshold, and, for the input bright image with the feature value equal to or greater than the first threshold, counts the number of pixels equal to or less than a second threshold in the input image. The image correction apparatus calculates a feature value of average brightness from pixel values of the counted pixels, on a basis of whether the calculated feature value is equal to or greater than a third threshold, or, whether the number of pixels equal to or greater than the third threshold is a fourth threshold or more, obtains a correction curve to correct the input image. |
| US08295636B2 |
Gradation converting device, gradation converting method, and computer program
A gradation converting device that converts gradation of an image includes: a dither unit that applies dither to the image by adding random noise to a pixel value forming the image; and a one-dimensional ΔΣ modulation unit that applies one-dimensional ΔΣ modulation to the image applied with the dither. |
| US08295635B2 |
Methods and apparatus for facilitating elimination of ambient light from an image
An apparatus for facilitating elimination of ambient light from an image of an object, comprising an illumination apparatus adapted to sequentially illuminate the object using multiple lighting arrangements, an image sensor. The apparatus adapted to form on the image sensor (i) a first image of the object using a first illumination arrangement, (ii) a second image of the object using a second illumination arrangement, and (iii) a dark image of the object without illumination. The image sensor is adapted to A) compare an intensity value of a first pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the second image to determine a first minimum intensity value, B) determine if the first minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the dark image by greater than a predetermined amount; and C) identify an ambient intensity value (a) as the first minimum intensity value, if the first minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image, if the first minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount. |
| US08295630B2 |
Image processing system and method
An image processing system and method for comparing two monochromic images A2 and B2 is provided. The system and method thins objects in the monochromic image B2 so as to generate a skeleton image B3, thickens the objects in the monochromic image A2 to generate a bold image A4, and overlays the skeleton image B3 with the bold image A4 so as to generate an overlaid image AB1. The system and method further thins the objects in the monochromic image A2 so as to generate a skeleton image A3, thickens the objects in the monochromic image B2 to generate a bold image B4, and overlays the skeleton image A3 with the bold image B4 so as to generate an overlaid image AB2. The system and method outputs the overlaid images AB1 and AB2 on a display screen. |
| US08295629B2 |
Method and system for processing low-illuminance image
Provided are a method and system for processing a low-illuminance image. The system includes an image acquisition unit to acquire two images having different levels of illuminance and sensitivity as first and second images; a motion vector estimation unit to extract a motion vector of the second image based on the first image; an image correction unit to correct the second image using the extracted motion vector; a synthesis coefficient calculation unit to calculate a synthesis coefficient used to synthesize the first image and the corrected second image; and an image synthesis unit to synthesize the first image and the corrected second image using the calculated synthesis coefficient. |
| US08295626B2 |
Method and system for adaptive quantization layer reduction in image processing applications
A method and a system for adaptively (dynamically) reducing quantization layer reduction for removing quantization artifacts in quantized video signals is provided. Adaptively reducing quantization layer reduction involves detecting if a selected pixel in a quantized image belongs to a ramp area in each of multiple pre-defined directions, dynamically selecting a quantization level for each of the pre-defined directions based on the corresponding detection results, and refining the pixel based on the selected quantization levels. |
| US08295625B2 |
Method and device for encoding and decoding color enhancement layer for video
Enhanced dynamic range requires more than 8 bit representation for single color components of pixels. For this purpose, normal color resolution images and high color resolution images are available. Backward compatibility can be achieved by a layered approach using a color enhancement layer, and a conventional image as color base layer. Both have same spatial and temporal resolution. Encoding of the color enhancement layer uses prediction and residual. A methods for optimized color enhancement prediction is disclosed. Color bit depth prediction is done by constructing a polynomial that approximates for all pixels of one color component of a block the color enhancement layer from the color base layer. A predicted version of the high color resolution image and a residual are generated and updated by a residual. The coefficients are compressed and added as metadata to the data stream. |
| US08295617B2 |
Systems and methods for enhanced image encoding
An encoder executing on a first computing machine can receive image data generated by applications executing on the first computing machine. This encoder can divide at least a first image into at least two overlapping image sections according to a grid size and an overlap margin. The encoder computes an index for one overlapping image section, and compares the index with indexes associated with stored image blocks. The results of the comparison can then be used by the encoder to identify at least one stored image that has an index which is substantially the same as the index computed for the at least one overlapping image section. The location of that stored image is associated with a pointer that is further associated with the overlapping image section. The resultant pointer is then transferred to a second computing machine in lieu of the overlapping image section. |
| US08295612B2 |
Change image detecting device, change image detecting method, computer program for realizing change image detecting function, and recording medium recorded with the computer program
Change image detecting devices and methods are disclosed. In one example, a determination unit partially compares a first image and a reference image and determines whether there is a change therebetween. If the determination unit determines no change between the first image and the reference image, the change image detecting unit selects a second image, which is temporally later than the first image and stored in a first storing unit, as a new image to be processed and the determination unit partially compares the second image and the reference image at a different position than previously compared and determines whether there is a change between the second image and the reference image. If the determination unit determines change between the first image and the reference image, a change image detecting unit detects the first image stored in the first storing unit as the change image, and stores the first image in the second storing unit. |
| US08295599B2 |
Image output apparatus, captured image processing system, and recording medium
An object extraction section of an image output apparatus determines as an extraction region either (a) a quadrangular region enclosed by a quadrangle in which all internal angles are less than 180° and sides are constituted by 4 edge pixel groups each in the form of a line segment, the 4 edge pixel groups being indicated by edge information, or (b) a polygonal region enclosed by a polygon in which all internal angles are less than 180° and sides are constituted by at least one edge pixel group in the form of a line segment, which edge pixel group is indicated by the edge information, and at least one line segment located on an end portion of the captured image, and then (ii) cuts out, as output target image data, image data of the extraction region from the captured image data. This makes it possible to accurately and easily extract, from a captured image, a region including a rectangular image capture object that a user desires. |
| US08295593B2 |
Method of detecting red-eye objects in digital images using color, structural, and geometric characteristics
Disclosed are methods, devices, and computer program products for red-eye detection in a digital image. In one example embodiment, a method for detecting a red-eye effect in a digital image includes several acts. First, red pixels having a predetermined degree of redness are identified in the image. Next, redness contrast is detected with respect to each of the red pixels and redness is then enhanced for those red pixels having a predetermined level of redness contrast. The pixels identified as being red are then further refined by applying another redness threshold based on one or more color characteristics associated with the red pixels. The refined set of red pixels may then be partitioned into a set of one or more candidate red-eye objects. A candidate red-eye object may be removed as a false positive based on geometric constraints associated with red-eye objects and/or proximity of the object to pixels with human skin-like color tones. |
| US08295590B2 |
Method and system for creating a form template for a form
A method and system for creating a form template for a form are disclosed. The method comprises analyzing an image of a form to detect object demarcations in the form. The method also comprises classifying the object demarcations into one of a plurality of predefined object categories and processing each object demarcation based on the object category into which it has been classified, thereby to create the form template automatically. |
| US08295587B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, image processing program and position detecting apparatus as well as mobile object having the same
There is provided an image processing apparatus capable of reducing a memory amount to be used and a processing time in processing images captured stereoscopically in wide-angle. In order to find pixel positions of an object as information for use in detecting position of the object from images captured by two cameras that are capable of imaging the object in wide-angle and are disposed on a straight line, the image processing apparatus includes an image input means for inputting the images captured by the two cameras, an image projecting means for projecting the images inputted from the respective cameras on a cylindrical plane having an axial line disposed in parallel with the straight line on which the respective cameras are disposed while correcting distortions and a pixel position detecting means for detecting the pixel positions corresponding to the object in the image projected on the cylindrical plane. |
| US08295586B2 |
Position detecting method and position detecting apparatus in consideration of non-pinhole characteristic of a camera
A position detection method and a position detection device for detecting with sufficient accuracy the position or the attitude of an object by using an image of the object captured by a single camera. The position detection method detects the position or the attitude of the object by using a measurement pixel position in images of multiple points on the object, which images are captured by the single camera and have a known positional relationship. The method has a step of acquiring, without consideration of non-pinhole camera properties of the camera and based on the positional relationship between the multiple points and on the measurement pixel position, a position matrix representing rotation and translation of the object, a step of obtaining, with consideration of the non-pinhole camera properties of the camera, a correction pixel position corresponding to the measurement pixel position, a step of adjusting the position matrix so that a difference between the correction pixel position and the measurement pixel position is within a permissible range, and a step of defining, as the estimated position of the object, the position corresponding to the adjusted position matrix. |
| US08295583B2 |
System and method for automatic recognition of undetected assets
In logistic scenarios where multiple assets are stacked to form a package of assets, it is often important to determine the number and types of assets which are stacked together. Various systems and methods of determining the content of a package of assets are known in the art, however, there are cases in which they fail to detect one or more assets and also fail to provide any indication that an asset has been overlooked or is missing. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a system and method that enable to automatically detect one or more assets in a package which are missing. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a system and method for detecting the number of missing assets and also specific characteristics of each of one or more missing assets. |
| US08295578B2 |
Multi-spectral imaging
Systems and techniques for multi-spectral imaging. Light may be received at a multi-spectral optical module, which transmits a plurality of wavelength band portions of the received light, each having a pre-selected bandwidth between about two nanometers and about forty nanometers. The pre-selected bandwidths may be between about ten nanometers and about thirty nanometers. Each of the wavelength band portions may have the same pre-selected bandwidth, or may have different pre-selected bandwidths. |
| US08295577B2 |
Method and apparatus for guiding a device in a totally occluded or partly occluded tubular organ
An apparatus and method for detecting, tracking and registering a device (218) within a tubular organ (210) of a subject. The devices include guide wire (216) tip or therapeutic devices, and the detection and tracking uses fluoroscopic images taken prior to or during a catheterization operation. The devices are fused with images or projections of models depicting tile tubular organs. Tile method and apparatus are used for treating chronic total occlusion or near total occlusion situations, by navigating a driller along the tubular organ (210) proximally to the occlusion point, in areas which are-not viewable in an angiogram, and optionally enabling the penetration of the occlusion in a preferred area. |
| US08295567B2 |
Systems and methods for ridge selection in scalograms of signals
According to embodiments, systems, devices, and methods for ridge selection in scalograms are disclosed. Ridges or ridge components are features within a scalogram which may be computed from a signal such as a physiological (e.g., photoplethysmographic) signal. Ridges may be identified from one or more scalograms of the signal. Parameters characterizing these ridges may be determined. Based at least in part on these parameters, a ridge density distribution function is determined. A ridge is selected from analyzing this ridge density distribution function. In some embodiments, the selected ridge is used to determine a physiological parameter such as respiration rate. |
| US08295564B2 |
Marking a location in a medical image
Methods and apparatus provide for marking a location in a medical image, including: providing a first marker within a first medical image, which shows an object, at a first location, determining a second location, which corresponds to the first location, within a second medical image showing the same object, marking the second location with a second marker, which is different to the first marker, and presenting the first medical image, the first marker, the second medical image and the second marker. |
| US08295560B2 |
Biometric information obtainment apparatus, biometric information obtainment method, computer-readable recording medium on or in which biometric information obtainment program is recorded, and biometric authentication apparatus
A biometric information sensing apparatus, including a width detection device that detects a width of a biometric part in a biometric information image collected by a collection device that collects the biometric information image of the biometric part; a narrowing position detection device that detects a narrowing position of the biometric part in the biometric information image on the basis of the width; an orientation information obtainment device that obtains orientation information related to the biometric part in the biometric information image; and a determination device that determines a collection status of the biometric information image on the basis of the orientation information near the narrowing position. |
| US08295558B2 |
Image previewing system capable of automatically magnifying face portion in image and magnifying method thereof
An image previewing system includes a display unit, a face portion recognition unit, a selecting unit, a comparing unit and a magnifying unit. The display unit comprises a screen configured to show an image. The face portion recognition unit is configured to recognize any human face contained in the image and determine face portions in the image if human face(s) exists in the image. The selecting unit is configured to select one of the face portions in the image. The comparing unit is configured to compare the number of image pixels of the selected face portion with the resolution of the screen of the display unit and generate a result. According to the result, the magnifying unit configured to magnify the selected face portion and display the magnified face portion on the screen. |
| US08295557B2 |
Face image processing method
A face image processing method is applied to an electronic device, such that the electronic device can perform a face detection to a digital image to obtain a face image in the digital image automatically, and perform a skin color detection to the face image to exclude non-skin features such as eyes, eyeglasses, eyebrows, a moustache, a mouth and nostrils on the face image, and form a skin mask in an area range of the face image belonging to skin color, and finally perform a filtering process to the area range of the face image corresponding to the skin mask to filter high-frequency, mid-frequency and low-frequency noises of an abnormal skin color in the area range of the face image, so as to quickly remove blemishes and dark spots existed in the area range of the face image. |
| US08295555B2 |
Systems and methods for processing of coverings such as leather hides and fabrics for furniture and other products
Methods and systems for processing coverings such as leather hides and fabrics are provided. A system can include a worktable having a surface on which a covering is placeable. An imaging device can be positionable relative to the worktable. The imaging device can be configured to obtain an image of the covering on the surface of the worktable. A projector can be positionable relative to worktable. The projector can be configured to project an image onto the surface of the worktable and the covering on the surface of the worktable. A controller can be in communication with the imaging device and projector. The controller can be configured to correct images taken by the imaging device. The controller can also be configured to correct the images projected onto the surface of the worktable and the covering thereon. The controller can be configured to permit the showing of virtual markings on the covering placed on the surface of the worktable through an image projected thereon by the projector. The covering can then be marked or cut along the virtual markings. |
| US08295554B2 |
Method of deriving digital terrain models from digital surface models
A method of deriving a digital terrain model from a digital surface model of an area of interest includes: dividing the area of interest into a plurality of area portions or patches; calculating, from the digital surface model, a set of candidate surfaces adapted to represent a ground surface in each area portion; if such set includes at least two candidate surfaces, estimating a distance from the ground surface of each candidate surface by using a function of a set of geometrical features related to the considered candidate surface, such function being derived from a known relation between a digital surface model and the height of the ground surface in a reference area; selecting, as a representation of the ground surface in each area portion, the candidate surface having the smallest distance from the ground surface, so as to obtain local digital terrain models; and merging the different digital terrain models. |
| US08295550B2 |
Architectures and methods for creating and representing time-dependent imagery
The present invention pertains to geographical image processing of time-dependent imagery. Various assets acquired at different times are stored and processing according to acquisition date in order to generate one or more image tiles for a geographical region of interest. The different image tiles are sorted based on asset acquisition date. Multiple image tiles for the same region of interest may be available. In response to a user request for imagery as of a certain date, one or more image tiles associated with assets from prior to that date are used to generate a time-based geographical image for the user. |
| US08295548B2 |
Systems and methods for remote tagging and tracking of objects using hyperspectral video sensors
Detection and tracking of an object by exploiting its unique reflectance signature. This is done by examining every image pixel and computing how closely that pixel's spectrum matches a known object spectral signature. The measured radiance spectra of the object can be used to estimate its intrinsic reflectance properties that are invariant to a wide range of illumination effects. This is achieved by incorporating radiative transfer theory to compute the mapping between the observed radiance spectra to the object's reflectance spectra. The consistency of the reflectance spectra allows for object tracking through spatial and temporal gaps in coverage. Tracking an object then uses a prediction process followed by a correction process. |
| US08295546B2 |
Pose tracking pipeline
A method of tracking a target includes receiving from a source an observed depth image of a scene including the target. Each pixel of the observed depth image is labeled as either a foreground pixel belonging to the target or a background pixel not belonging to the target. Each foreground pixel is labeled with body part information indicating a likelihood that that foreground pixel belongs to one or more body parts of the target. The target is modeled with a skeleton including a plurality of skeletal points, each skeletal point including a three dimensional position derived from body part information of one or more foreground pixels. |
| US08295544B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes an image clipping unit, a feature extracting unit, a candidate identifying unit, and a detecting unit. The image clipping unit clips a window image from a predetermined position of an original image. The feature extracting unit extracts a feature value of the window image on the basis of a predetermined criterion. The candidate identifying unit determines, on the basis of the feature value, whether the window image satisfies a predetermined condition for a candidate including a detection target. The detecting unit determines whether the window image includes the detection target if the window image satisfies the predetermined condition. |
| US08295543B2 |
Device and method for detecting targets in images based on user-defined classifiers
A device and method for detecting targets of interest in an image, such as people or objects of a certain type. Targets are detected based on an optimized strong classifier descriptor that can be based on a combination of weak classifier descriptors. The weak classifier descriptors can include a user-defined weak classifier descriptor that is defined by a user to represent a shape or appearance attribute that is characteristic of parts of the target of interest. The strong classifier descriptor can be optimized by selecting a subset of weak classifier descriptors that exhibit improved performance in detecting targets in training images. |
| US08295542B2 |
Adjusting a consumer experience based on a 3D captured image stream of a consumer response
A response system captures a three-dimensional movement of the consumer within a consumer environment, wherein the three-dimensional movement is determined using at least one image capture device aimed at the consumer. The response system identifies at least one behavior of the consumer in response to at least one stimulus within the consumer environment from a three-dimensional object properties stream of the captured movement. The response system detects whether the at least one behavior of the consumer indicates a type of response to the at least one stimulus requiring adjustment of the consumer environment. Responsive to detecting that the behavior of the consumer indicates a type of response to the at least one stimulus requiring adjustment of the consumer environment, the response system generates a control signal to trigger at least one change of the at least one stimulus within the consumer environment. |
| US08295541B2 |
System and method for detecting a change in an object scene
Method and apparatus for detecting change of an object state from an initial state where the object is displayed in a plurality of sequential images. The system involves comparing a measure over a predetermined portion of each of the images corresponding to an object's initial state with a reference value of the measure computed when the object is in the initial state to generate a comparison value for each of the images and then generating a signal indicating that the object state has changed when a predetermined number of the comparison values generated for each of the images do not meet a predetermined criterion. |
| US08295537B2 |
Loudspeaker moment and torque balancing
A loudspeaker including a moving magnet motor. The moving magnet motor includes an armature comprising a magnet carrier, and a lever arm, coupling the armature and a pivot. The lever arm further couples the armature and an acoustic diaphragm to transmit motion of the armature to the acoustic diaphragm to cause the acoustic diaphragm to move. The loudspeaker described may be torque balance and moment balanced. |
| US08295536B2 |
Moving magnet levered loudspeaker
A loudspeaker including a moving magnet motor. The moving magnet motor includes an armature comprising a magnet carrier, and a lever arm, coupling the armature and a pivot. The lever arm further couples the armature and an acoustic diaphragm to transmit motion of the armature to the acoustic diaphragm to cause the acoustic diaphragm to move. The loudspeaker described may be torque balance and moment balanced. |
| US08295529B2 |
Gaming headset with integrated microphone and adapted for olfactory stimulation
A gaming headset adapted for precise delivery of chemical substances capable of olfactory stimulation, such as odorants, fragrances, pheromones, etc. The headset includes at least one earpiece containing a speaker, a feature for securing the earpiece to the person's head while positioning the speaker over one of the person's ears when the headset is worn, an armature disposed relative to the earpiece so as to extend toward the person's mouth, a microphone located on the armature so as to be located in front of the person's mouth, and a feature supported by and extending along the armature for delivering at least one chemical substance to the person's nostril's when the headset is worn. |
| US08295523B2 |
Energy delivery and microphone placement methods for improved comfort in an open canal hearing aid
A hearing aid device for placement in an ear of a user includes an elongate support and a transducer. The elongate support has a proximal portion and a distal end, and the transducer is attached to the elongate support near the distal end. The support is adapted to position the transducer near an eardrum while the proximal portion is placed at the location near an ear canal opening. The elongate support is sized to minimize contact with the ear between the proximal portion and distal end. The elongate support permits sound waves to travel along the ear canal. In some embodiments, a microphone is positioned in the ear canal along the support, for example inside the support, to provide directionally dependent sound localization cues, and the transducer on the distal end of the elongate support comprises a coil assembly coupled to a magnet positioned on the tympanic membrane. |
| US08295520B2 |
Method for determining a maximum gain in a hearing device as well as a hearing device
A method for determining a maximum gain is disclosed that is applicable in a forward signal path starting at a microphone (1) and ending at a receiver (11) of a hearing device, the maximum gain being a gain value at which just no feedback occurs. The method comprising the steps of estimating a estimated feedback transfer function (F′) characterizing a feedback signal path (15) starting at a receiver (11) and ending at a microphone (1) of the hearing device, while the hearing device is inserted into an ear of a hearing device user, and adapting the estimated feedback transfer function (F′) as a result of a changing feedback signal path (15) by applying an adaptive algorithm. The invention is characterized by determining the maximum gain from the estimated feedback transfer function (F′), in particular by coefficients of the estimated feedback transfer function. |
| US08295517B2 |
Hearing apparatus with a common connection for shielding and identification of a receiver
A hearing apparatus with an external receiver is to be made even smaller. Provision is accordingly made for a hearing apparatus with a housing and a receiver device that is removably electrically coupled to the housing, said receiver device having an electronic identification element and having a receiver that is connected to an electrical cable with a sheath cable, with the sheath cable and the electronic identification element being conducted into the housing via a common single-pole connection. As a result of the multiple usage of the single-pole connection for shielding and identification, the female connector of the hearing device and the plug of the receiver device can be made smaller. |
| US08295514B2 |
MEMS microphone package having sound hole in PCB
Provided is a MEMS microphone package having a sound hole in a PCB, which can ground-connect a metal case to a main board using an assembly process including bending and clamping an end of the case. The MEMS microphone package includes a tetragonal container-shaped metal case having an open-side to insert components into an inner space, and a chamfered end on the open-side to easily perform a curling operation, a printed circuit board (PCB) substrate to which a MEMS microphone chip and an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip are mounted, the PCB substrate being inserted into the metal case and having a sound hole for introducing an external sound, and a support configured to support the PCB substrate in the curling operation and define a space between the metal case and the PCB substrate. |
| US08295511B2 |
Audio system
An audio system 10 has a plurality of audio sources 12a-12c for outputting audio signals different from each other. A coefficient device 15d adjusts the gain of the audio signal output from one of the audio sources. A nonvolatile memory 15i stores, as internal gains, gains to be set to the coefficient device in correspondence with the audio sources. When a switch changeover section 17 selects one of the audio sources, the CPU 15h reads from the nonvolatile memory the internal gain corresponding to the audio source selected, and sets the internal gain to the coefficient device. |
| US08295510B2 |
Power-saving amplifying device
An power-saving amplifying device is disclosed, the power-saving amplifying device uses a micro controller unit (MCU) to receive a control signal transmitted by a volume controller and to generate a decision signal based on the control signal; the MCU transmits the decision signal to the volume controlling circuit for obtaining a drive signal, then the volume controlling circuit transmits the drive signal to a power amplifier for driving a speaker to output a sound with a required volume; the MCU also calculates an output value of a PWM signal and transmits the PWM signal to a DC integrating circuit for rectifying and integrating the PWM signal into a DC voltage; the DC voltage is coupled with a voltage control terminal of the power supply to increase or decrease the DC voltage outputted by the power supply to the power amplifier, thereby reducing power consumption by using the volume to control the output voltage of the power supply. |
| US08295497B2 |
Method for operating a binaural hearing system as well as a binaural hearing system
A hearing system and a method for operating a binaural hearing system include at least two hearing devices to be at least partly inserted into or to be worn behind the left and right ear of a user. Each hearing device includes at least one microphone to generate an electrical signal corresponding to an acoustic signal. The method includes determining contra-lateral information based on an acoustic signal recorded by a microphone of the contra-lateral hearing device, and determining ipsi-lateral information based on an acoustic signal recorded by a microphone of the ipsi-lateral hearing device. The method includes providing a coordination level, the coordination level being indicative of a degree of synchronization of the two hearing devices, and adjusting processes in the ipsi-lateral hearing device in accordance with the coordination level. The coordination level can be determined from the contra-lateral information and/or from the ipsi-lateral information, or be obtained from an external device. |
| US08295492B2 |
Automated key management system
A system for automated cryptographic key management comprises a key control system, a key management agent system, and a key system application program interface. A method for automated cryptographic key management is also disclosed. The method comprises the automatic generation of cryptographic keys by the key control system and distribution of such keys by the key control system to the key management agent system. |
| US08295491B2 |
Method for aggregating data in a network
A method for aggregating data in a network, particularly in a wireless sensor network, wherein the network (1) includes a plurality of sensor nodes (Ni) to measure data and at least one sink node (S) at which the data measured by the sensor nodes (Ni) are aggregated, and wherein each sensor node (Ni) encrypts its measured data with a key k and forwards the result towards the sink node (S), is characterized in that, in the context of a key distribution within the network (1), a master key K is chosen, and that the master key K is autonomously split up by the network (1) into individual keys ki to be used by the sensor nodes (Ni) for encrypting measured data, with the sum of all individual keys ki being equal to the master key K. |
| US08295490B1 |
Method and system for storing and providing an encryption key for data storage
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for providing an encryption key to a user are provided. The system may include a key storage module, an interface module, and an authentication module. The key storage module may be configured to store an encryption key for a user on an encryption key server, wherein the encryption key is used with user data on a data storage server. The interface module may be configured to receive a request for the encryption key from a client machine associated with the user. The authentication module may be configured to authenticate the user, wherein the interface module may further be configured to transmit the encryption key to the client machine in response to authenticating the user. |
| US08295489B2 |
Method for sharing a link key in a ZigBee network and a communication system therefor
A communication system and method for securely and efficiently sharing a link key for security and authentication in a ZigBee network. Upon receipt of an access request from an end device, a trust center sends a public key to the end device, and upon receipt of the public key, the end device encrypts an arbitrary key using the public key, and sends the encrypted arbitrary key to the trust center. The trust center generates a link key using the arbitrary key, and sends the link key to the end device. |
| US08295487B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing a cryptographic relationship in a mobile communications network
A method and apparatus for establishing a cryptographic relationship between a first node and a second node in a communications network. The first node receives at least part of a cryptographic attribute of the second node, uses the received at least part of the cryptographic attribute to generate an identifier for the first node. The cryptographic attribute may a public key belonging to the second node, and the identifier may be a Cryptographically Generated IP address. The cryptographic relationship allows the second node to establish with a third node that it is entitled to act on behalf of the first node. |
| US08295485B2 |
Quantum communication system
A measuring unit for determining information from an input signal, the unit comprising a decoder configured to perform a measurement on said input signal using two operators, a first operator configured to distinguish between two orthogonal states of said input signal and a second operator selected from an inverting operator configured to invert the result of the measurement by the first operator and a null operator configured to have a null effect on the result of the measurement by the first operator. |
| US08295483B2 |
Mobile terminal device, wireless communication unit, wireless communication system, and wireless communication method
A mobile terminal device, a wireless communication unit, a wireless communication system, and a wireless communication method by which 1:N communication can be realized at low power consumption and a CH occupation time can be shortened. After each terminal transmits an authorization request, it performs a carrier sense with the pattern corresponding to the transmission timing and waits for authorization response from a key unit (200). The key unit (200) transmits the authorization response at the timing when the carrier sense timings of a plurality of terminals which are authenticated in response to the authorization request from the terminal are coincident with each other. Accordingly, the key unit (200) performs transmission only to the authenticated terminals at one time, and 1:N communication can be realized at low power consumption. |
| US08295482B2 |
Image scanning system, and image scanner and computer readable medium therefor
An image scanning system includes an image scanner and a terminal device connected with the image scanner. The terminal device accepts a password, stores an image encryption key, encrypts the image encryption key with the password, sends the encrypted image encryption key to the image scanner, receives image data encrypted from the image scanner, and decrypts the image data encrypted using one of the image encryption key and an image decryption key corresponding to the image encryption key. The image scanner receives the encrypted image encryption key from the terminal device, accepts a password, decrypts the encrypted image encryption key with the password, performs document scanning to create image data, encrypts the image data using the image encryption key decrypted, and sends the image data encrypted to the terminal device. |
| US08295479B2 |
Data conversion function processor
In a MISTY1 FI function, an exclusive OR to which a round key KIij2 is inputted is arranged between an exclusive OR arranged on a 9-bit critical path in a first MISTY structure and a zero-extend conversion connected to the branching point of a 7-bit right system data path. Then, a 9-bit round key KIij1 is truncate-converted to seven bits, the exclusive OR of the seven bits and the round key KIij1 is calculated by an exclusive OR and the calculation result is inputted to an exclusive OR arranged on the right system data path in the second stage MISTY structure. |
| US08295476B2 |
Echo canceller and echo cancellation method
An echo canceller and an echo cancellation method are provided. In the echo cancellation method, a transmitting data sequence is received, and M taps are provided accordingly. In addition, the M taps are received, and N taps are output according to an echo distribution information, in which the M and N are natural numbers, and M>N. Besides, the N taps are multiplied by N tap coefficients respectively to generate N products. Further, the N products are summed up to generate an echo cancellation signal. Thereby, the cost of the echo cancellation is decreased. |
| US08295469B2 |
System and method of determining call treatment of repeat calls
A method and system of handling a call received at a call center is disclosed. The method includes determining that the call is a repeat call. The method also includes determining whether the repeat call is to receive a first treatment type. The method further includes servicing the repeat call with the first treatment type when the repeat call is determined to receive the first treatment type. The method includes servicing the repeat call with a second treatment type when the repeat call is determined to not receive the first treatment type. The second treatment type includes providing access to a self-service automated system. |
| US08295466B2 |
Technique for continually assisting a user during an information assistance call
A user may want to search for relevant information and/or conduct a transaction through an information assistance service. During an information assistance call, the user may return to an information assistance provider multiple times to accomplish the task at hand. To continually serve the user effectively, certain search results by previous information assistance providers are retained for the benefit of a future information assistance provider interacting with the user during the same call. |
| US08295464B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for implementing ringback tone service
A method for implementing the ringback tone (RBT) service based on the next generation network (NGN) includes: an application server (AS) receives from a softswitch (SX) a call request initiated by a ring-to-me subscriber, which carries a ring-to-me access code; the AS obtains the ring-to-me tone ID from the RBT platform according to the ring-to-me access code and instructs a media resource server (MRS) to play the tone indicated by the ring-to-me tone ID to the calling party. Various embodiments disclose a system, an AS and an MRS for implementing RBT based on NGN. The present disclosure enables a calling party to listen to a ring-to-me tone while the called party is alerted and further, it enables the calling party to choose to listen to a ring-to-me tone or a ring-to-you tone according to the calling party's precedence setting. |
| US08295462B2 |
Alerting a participant when a topic of interest is being discussed and/or a speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call
A method, system and computer program product for alerting a participant when a topic of interest is being discussed and/or a speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call. A participant to a conference call identifies the topics and/or speakers of interest which is stored for future use along with the participant's contact information. When a participant's identified topic of interest is being discussed and/or a participant's identified speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call, the participant will be alerted to that fact, such as via the means specified in the participant's contact information. |
| US08295461B1 |
Method and apparatus for re-originating calls
A method and apparatus for enabling a subscriber who is originating a call to a called party endpoint to specify call handling treatments when a busy or a no answer network condition is encountered when calling the called party endpoint with no subscribed network based voice mail service are disclosed. The subscriber, for example, can re-originate the call that is originally directed to a home phone number of the called party to a cellular phone number of the called party instead upon encountering a busy or no answer network condition. |
| US08295458B2 |
Systems and methods for monitoring “pay-as-you-go” telecommunication services
Telecommunication services systems and methods are disclosed. The telecommunication services systems and methods preferably enable the user and/or the responsible party to make payments as the user uses the telecommunication services. The systems and methods may also be employed to provide the user and/or the responsible party with specialized pricing options and other customized services. |
| US08295457B2 |
System and method for controlling free phone calls through an institutional phone system
A method of controlling free phone calls placed from within a secured premises through an institutional phone system generally includes assigning a unique access identifier to an individual caller upon entry into the secured premises; receiving a destination number from the individual caller within the secured premises, the destination number being associated with a telephone located outside the secured premises; determining if the destination number is a per se free number, and, if the destination number is not determined to be a per se free number: receiving the unique access identifier from the individual caller; validating the unique access identifier; and, if the unique access identifier is valid, processing a telephone call to the destination number. |
| US08295454B2 |
Digital photo frame with dial-a-tag functionality
A digital photo frame, including a memory for storing a plurality of digital photos, and tags associated with the digital photos, where a tag for a digital photo corresponds to an object appearing in the digital photo, a screen for displaying the digital photos, an interface for making connection with a communicator, wherein the communicator includes a storage for storing a contact list of phone numbers for objects, and a controller, coupled with the memory and the interface, for rendering one of the plurality of digital photos on the screen, and for instructing the communicator via the interface (i) to identify the phone number of a selected object, and (ii) to dial the identified phone number, in response to user activation of a tag associated with the rendered digital photo and corresponding to the selected object. |
| US08295450B2 |
Wireless messaging system
A messaging system for selectively performing an action on information, for remote retrieval of messages, for performing action on information at different times, for selective paging, for providing a user interface for message access and having integrated audio visual messaging. |
| US08295448B2 |
Communication system and method
According to one embodiment of the present invention there is provided a communication method comprising the steps of making a determination in respect of at least initiating a first call between first and second communication devices having first and second contact numbers respectively; said making the determination comprising identifying at least one of the first and second contact numbers associated with said initiating, accessing a database comprising at least a first monitored contact number and at least one associated third party number corresponding to a third communication device, determining whether or not at least one of a first contact number and the second contact number match the first monitored contact number; and establishing, in response to the determination, a third party call to the third communication device. |
| US08295446B1 |
Telephony system and method with enhanced call monitoring, recording and retrieval
Inmate communications systems provide a feature-rich platform with a high degree of flexibility and security employing call control facilities located off institutional premises. Authentication processes for calling and called party verification include biometric techniques in some embodiments. Distributed processing of call control and billing provide flexible interactive call payment processes. Preferred embodiments feature voice over IP transmission and control featuring controlled access to avoid addition of unauthorized third-party call participants. Monitoring, recording and selective forwarding of calls is provided under control of system administrators. |
| US08295443B2 |
X-ray system with superconducting anode
The x-ray system with a superconducting anode includes an anode of x-ray machine made from a material capable of superconductivity, which is then cooled to be in superconducting state while being bombarded by an electron beam to generate x-rays. If a non-superconducting heat island is formed, then a magnetic field is used to penetrate this region and spread the heat in the form of hot electrons over the target material. |
| US08295441B2 |
Multicathode X-ray tube
An improved x-ray tube that includes a plurality of cathodes in a region under vacuum is provided. Several wirelessly activatable elements, which are each assigned to a cathode or a group of cathodes, are arranged in the region under vacuum and make an electrically conducting connection of the cathode or the group of cathodes to a cathode control voltage line when receiving a control signal from outside of the region under vacuum. A system that includes the improved x-ray tube and several transmitter elements for the wireless activation of the wirelessly activatable elements is also provided. |
| US08295439B2 |
Radiation image capturing system
Provided is a radiation image capturing system wherein image capturing conditions can be appropriately set up for a radiation generating apparatus associated with a bucky device in an environment ready for capturing images by inserting either a CR cassette or an FPD cassette into the bucky device which can accept both a CR cassette and an FPD cassette. The radiation image capturing system is equipped with a radiation generating apparatus, a bucky device a portable FPD cassette, a CR cassette, and a console having a display section for displaying icons corresponding to the usable bucky device and the portable FPD cassette. |
| US08295438B2 |
Radiation image capturing system
A radiation image capturing system includes a plurality of image capturing apparatus for acquiring radiation image information of a subject by controlling radiation sources according to predetermined image capturing conditions, a controller for controlling the image capturing apparatus according to the image capturing conditions set therein, and a plurality of display devices associated respectively with the image capturing apparatus, for displaying radiation image information acquired from the image capturing apparatus. |
| US08295437B2 |
Orthovoltage radiotherapy
A radiosurgery system is described that is configured to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, the target tissues are placed in a global coordinate system based on ocular imaging. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized in which beam energy and direction and duration of time for treatment is determined for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial marker is used to identify the location of the target tissues. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments. |
| US08295434B2 |
X-ray imaging method and x-ray imaging system
A method for recording an x-ray image with an x-ray imaging system having an x-ray source and an x-ray detector is provided. The x-ray source has a plurality of x-ray emitters arranged alongside one another. Each x-ray emitter is assigned to a part area of the x-ray detector. The x-ray beam generated by the x-ray emitter is collimated onto the assigned part area. A first x-ray emitter is activated for emitting a first x-ray beam onto a first part area and image data of the first part area is read out. Subsequently a further x-ray emitter for emitting a further x-ray beam onto a further part area of is activated and image data of the further part area is read out. The steps are repeated until image data for all part areas of the x-ray detector is read out. The read out image data is combined into an x-ray image. |
| US08295433B2 |
Cargo and vehicle inspection system
An apparatus for X-ray scanning of vehicles includes a pulsed X-ray source generating X-rays. A collimator forms a fan-shaped beam from the X-rays. A detector detects the fan-shaped beam after it passes through a vehicle. A speed sensor measures a speed of the vehicle passing through the apparatus and providing an electrical output corresponding to the speed. An image formation module converts an output of the detector into an image of the vehicle, based on the measured speed of the vehicle. A cross-section of the fan-shaped beam is substantially similar to a width of the detector. The X-rays comprise primarily photons with energy between 2.5 and 9 MeV. A filter is adjacent to the collimator for filtering out low energy X-ray photons. A vehicle presence sensor can be used, whose output is used to turn the X-ray source on and off. An alignment platform can be used for aligning the fan-shaped beam with the detector. A frequency of the pulses is adjusted based on the speed of the vehicle. The X-ray source is turned off if the speed of the vehicle is below a predetermined threshold. |
| US08295432B2 |
Radiation imaging device with irregular rectangular shape and extraoral dental imaging system therefrom
A radiation imaging device includes plural individual detectors defining an irregular rectangular active area responsive to x-rays and with different widths along a length of the active area. The individual detectors may be of different rectangular shapes and mounted on a motherboard. The motherboard may be formed of a first module mounting a first of two individual detectors and a second module detachable connected to the first module and mounting a second of two individual detectors. |
| US08295426B1 |
Method of reducing corrosion of nuclear reactor structural material
In a method of reducing corrosion of a material constituting a nuclear reactor structure, an electrochemical corrosion potential is controlled by injecting a solution or a suspension containing a substance generating an excitation current by an action of at least one of radiation, light, and heat existing in a nuclear reactor, or a metal or a metallic compound forming the substance generating the excitation current under the condition in the nuclear reactor to allow the substance generating the excitation current to adhere to the surface of the nuclear reactor structural material, and by injecting hydrogen in cooling water of the nuclear reactor while controlling the hydrogen concentration in a feed water. |
| US08295424B2 |
Data receiving apparatus and method
A data receiving apparatus and method includes a current-voltage conversion block, which receives a current-type transmit signal including data and a clock signal inserted into the data at a different level from the data, and then converts the received signal into at least one first voltage and at least one second voltage having a different level from the first voltage, and a comparison block, which makes a comparison between the first and second voltages, and then outputs the received signal as one of the data and the clock signal based on a result of the comparison. The data receiving apparatus can easily recover a clock signal while exhibiting better characteristics during the recovery of the clock signal because it is insensitive to a variation in reference voltage and a variation in current at the transmitting state of the timing controller, which are caused by a process variation. |
| US08295419B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating synchronization signals for synchronizing multiple chips in a system
A clock generator circuit for generating synchronization signals for a multiple chip system. The clock generator circuit comprises generation of a synchronization signal from a reference clock and chip global clock with edge detection logic. In high performance server system design with multiple chips, a common practice for server systems is to use feedback clock and delayed reference clock to generate the synchronization signal. The generated synchronization signal is transferred to latches clocked by the global clock to be used for chip synchronization functions. As the system clock frequency is pushed higher, the phase difference between generated synchronization signal clocked by feedback clock and receiving latch clocked by global clock is becoming such a large portion of cycle time that this signal cannot be transferred deterministically. This invention resolves the uncertainty problem and allows the synchronization signals to be generated deterministically independent of the chip global clock cycle time. |
| US08295412B1 |
Compact filter design
An apparatus and method for signal detection in which a digital sample stream is fed round robin into a plurality of buffers, which are sequentially compared with a reference signal to determine a match. A processor determines the chronological order of the samples in each bit of each buffer, and directs a bitwise comparison between the signal in each buffer with the reference to determine a match, e.g., by correlation. The apparatus and method are preferably implemented with a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This scheme permits real time correlation of a data stream with a reference without use of shift registers, or a significant number of dedicated logic blocks. |
| US08295409B1 |
Signal modulation classification device using distributed sensors
A multi-sensor signal fusion apparatus is provided for automatic modulation classification of weak unknown signals in non-cooperative communication environment with a more accurate description of the signal. The multi-sensor non-cooperative demodulation device combines a group of sensors, a signal fusion sensor, a means for signal demodulation, and a means for automatic modulation classification. An output of the signal fusion sensor is sent to a means for modulation scheme classification to select the appropriate demodulation technique for demodulating the unknown signal and provide the necessary intelligence about the monitored signals to the user and allow the user to simulate the unknown non-cooperative signal. The present invention also contemplates a multi-sensor signal fusion article of manufacture with a storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for more accurate descriptions of monitored signals and methods for achieving higher accuracy descriptions of monitored signals in a non-cooperative environment with multi-sensor non-cooperative demodulation. |
| US08295405B2 |
Apparatus and method for I/Q mismatch calibration
There is provided an apparatus and method for In-phase/Quadrature-phase (I/Q) mismatch calibration. The apparatus includes: a symmetrical point extracting part receiving continuous wave signals and extracting an I/Q channel average locus of the continuous wave signals; an error extracting part extracting a degree of distortion of the continuous wave signals from the extracted I/Q channel average locus; and a calibrating part calibrating a mismatch between I-channel signals and Q-channel signals of the continuous wave signals using the degree of distortion of the continuous wave signals. |
| US08295403B2 |
Method and apparatus for precise open loop tuning of reference frequency within a wireless device
A communications subsystem for a wireless device for correcting errors in a reference frequency signal. The communications subsystem comprises a frequency generator for generating the reference frequency signal and a closed loop reference frequency correction module that generates a reference frequency adjustment signal for correcting the reference frequency signal when the communications subsystem operates in closed loop mode. The subsystem further includes an open loop frequency correction means that that samples values of the reference frequency adjustment signal during the closed loop mode and generates a frequency correction signal for correcting the reference frequency signal when the communications subsystem operates in a mode other than closed loop mode. |
| US08295402B2 |
Optimal blind channel estimation for DQPSK demodulation
An apparatus and method are described that provide an optimal blind channel estimation approach for a differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) modulation communication receiving system. The described blind channel estimation technique takes advantage of the characteristics of DQPSK constellations and the fact that estimates of relative channel phase distortion, and not absolute channel phase distortion, are sufficient for a DQPSK demodulation scheme. The described channel estimation approach provides low complexity, offers improved demodulation performance, and is theoretically optimal. It is particularly useful in existing DQPSK-based communications protocols that do not provide sufficient reference symbols for channel estimation. |
| US08295400B2 |
Receiving method and apparatus, and communication system using the same
A radio unit receives burst signals in a target system or those in a MIMO system. A judgment unit determines if a MIMO signal having a form of channel corresponding to the target system is assigned posterior to a target LTS and a target signal. If a constellation of signal points in a position posterior to the target LTS and target signal corresponds to a constellation of signal points in a MIMO signal, the judgment unit judges that the MIMO signal is assigned in the received burst signal. If it is judged by the judgment unit that the MIMO signal was assigned, an instruction unit stops the operation of a baseband processing unit for MIMO-STS and the like assigned posterior to the MIMO signal. |
| US08295390B2 |
Communications device and communications method
A communications device 100, which performs data communication, includes an AC cycle sensor 30 which is connected to a power line 106 supplied with an a.c. voltage and generates a synchronous signal SS at timing of an a.c. voltage waveform AC of the power line 106; a data communicator 10 for performing data communication; and a communications controller 20 which performs communication of a control signal including information showing at least one of a communications device and a communications standard and controls the data communicator 101. When the a.c. voltage supplied to the power line 106 is an N-phase and when the cycle of the a.c. voltage waveform is T, data communication to be performed in a communication period subsequent to the period is controlled on the basis of the control signal included in the period of T/2M on condition that M is a natural multiple of N. |
| US08295389B2 |
Sequence generating method for efficient detection and method for transmitting and receiving signals using the same
A method for allowing a reception end to effectively detect a sequence used for a specific channel of an OFDM communication system, and apparatus for the same are provided. During the sequence transmission, a specific part of a Zadoff-Chu sequence corresponding to the frequency “0” is omitted from a transmitted signal. In addition, first 31 constituent components of the sequence are continuously mapped to frequency resource elements of “−31” to “−1”, and the last 31 constituent components of the sequence are continuously mapped to frequency resource elements of “1” to “31”. |
| US08295387B2 |
Method of codification and decodification with at least two pairs of orthogonal sequences
The invention relates to an improved encoding and decoding method with at least two pairs of orthogonal sequences for improving the time necessary for calculating the coefficients of the filter for the purpose of reducing the data overload in communication systems by half by means of the emission of both sequences simultaneously and the emission of the result by means of quadrature modulation to a transmission medium. |
| US08295371B2 |
Multi-carrier receiver for wireless communication
A multi-carrier receiver capable of receiving one or multiple frequency channels simultaneously is described. In one design, the multi-carrier receiver includes a single radio frequency (RF) receive chain, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and at least one processor. The RF receive chain processes a received RF signal and provides an analog baseband signal comprising multiple signals on multiple frequency channels. The ADC digitizes the analog baseband signal. The processor(s) digitally processes the samples from the ADC to obtain an input sample stream. This digital processing may include digital filtering, DC offset cancellation, I/Q mismatch compensation, coarse scaling, etc. The processor(s) digitally downconverts the input sample stream for each frequency channel to obtain a downconverted sample stream for that frequency channel. The processor(s) then digitally processes each downconverted sample stream to obtain a corresponding output sample stream. This digital processing may include digital filtering, downsampling, equalization filtering, upsampling, sample rate conversion, fine scaling, etc. |
| US08295369B2 |
Far-end crosstalk canceling method and device, and signal processing system
A method for remote crosstalk cancellation, includes: filtering, at a first transmitting end which is connected to a first receiving end over a first line, crosstalk source signals according to values of filtering parameters; synthesizing, at the first transmitting end, a first signal to be transmitted over the first line and the filtered crosstalk source signals; transmitting the synthesized signal from the first transmitting end to the first receiving end over the first line; receiving, at the first transmitting end, a noise statistic related value fed back from the first receiving end; and adjusting, at the transmitting end, the values of the filtering parameters according to the noise statistic related value. A corresponding device and a signal processing system for remote crosstalk cancellation are provided. |
| US08295368B1 |
Method and apparatus for improved interfacing of connections between a multiplicity of handheld devices
A system and method for the provision of communication across multiple devices in a multiplicity of communication environments, whether in a serial interface environment, or whether used in Bluetooth protocol-based devices, as well as in other communication devices, (ZigBee/WiFi/Wimax, etc.) that normally cannot readily establish such data exchange. The invention accomplishes this through inventive techniques and a circuit that uses multi-state voltage levels to multiplex RS232 communication between at least two, but normally three or more RS232 devices. To this end, the present invention enables a device having RS232 connection between at least two sub-systems, while each sub-system communicates with other external RS232 devices using same RS232 connection between at least two sub-systems. |
| US08295367B2 |
Method and apparatus for video signal processing
Systems and methods of processing a video signal are provided. A potential block boundary can be detected between a first block and a second block of a frame of the video signal, wherein the frame, the first block, and the second block each include a plurality of pixels. An offset parameter can be determined for at least one pixel of at least one of the first block and the second block. Based on the offset parameter, a boundary verification value of at least one of the first block and the second block can also be determined. Based on the boundary verification value, it can further be determined if the potential block boundary includes a block boundary. |
| US08295362B2 |
Method and system for redundancy-based decoding of video content
Aspects of a method and system for redundancy-based decoding of video content are provided. A bit sequence comprising video content may be decoded in a multilayer process based on a decoding algorithm and at least one physical constraint. The decoding algorithm may be based on the Viterbi algorithm. Whether the bit sequence comprises video content may be determined based on information provided by a portion of a packet header or by packet priority information necessary for enabling quality of service applications. The physical constraint may be based on border, DC component, and/or low frequency continuity between neighboring discrete cosine transform (DCT) blocks. The physical constraint may also be based on the consistency of video data coded by a variable length coding (VLC) operation. At least one physical constraint test may be performed on selected estimated video bit sequences to select a decoded output video bit sequence. |
| US08295360B1 |
Method of efficiently implementing a MPEG-4 AVC deblocking filter on an array of parallel processors
A method for implementing a deblocking filter comprising the steps of (A) providing an input buffer storing an unfiltered video frame, (B) providing an output buffer configured to store a filtered video frame, (C) reading pixel values for a plurality of macroblocks from the input buffer into a working buffer, (D) sequentially processing the pixel values in the working buffer through a plurality of filter stages using an array of parallel processors, where each of the plurality of filter stages operates on a different set of pixel values in the working buffer and (E) writing pixel values from a final output region of the working buffer to a respective filter output region of the output buffer. |
| US08295359B2 |
Reducing differentials in visual media
Provided herein are processes, systems and devices for reducing differentials in visual media. Undesired differentials include undesired contrasts in brightness and/or color. Also described herein are signals, video frames and video streams that have been limited to produce a desired differential. Further described are methods for reducing triggers that can lead to migraines, nausea and neuronal paroxysms in viewers of visual media. |
| US08295358B1 |
Encoding digital video
A video encoder encodes the video stream frame by frame. An encoding process generally includes receiving a video frame, subdividing the video frame into uniform pixel blocks, comparing a selected pixel block with the corresponding pixel block in a previous decoded video frame to determine which blocks have changed, copying changed pixel blocks into a contiguous memory block, and adding a preamble block, compressing the blocks. This process may be repeated for each frame using a different size pixel block to determine and select a pixel block size that results in the smallest encoded frame. |
| US08295354B2 |
Adaptive weighting of reference pictures in video encoding
A video decoder, encoder, and corresponding methods for processing video signal data for an image block and a pariticular reference picture index to predict the image block are disclosed that utilize adaptive weighting of reference pictures to enhance video compression, where a decoder includes a reference picture weighting factor unit for determining a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; an encoder includes a reference picture weighting factor assignor for assigning a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; and a method for decoding includes receiving a reference picture index with the data that corresponds to the image block, determining a weighting factor for each received reference picture index, retrieving a reference picture for each index, motion compensating the retrieved reference picture, and multiplying the motion compensated reference picture by the corresponding weighting factor to form a weighted motion compensated reference picture. |
| US08295351B2 |
Moving picture coding method, moving picture decoding method, and apparatuses of the same
A moving picture coding method includes partitioning a picture into blocks each of which includes pixels, selecting a scanning scheme from among plural scanning schemes, scanning the blocks according to the selected scanning scheme, and coding the blocks in an order in which the blocks are scanned. In the partitioning, the picture is partitioned into rows and columns of macroblocks each of which is partitioned into the blocks. The plural scanning schemes include a first scanning scheme for scanning the blocks in the macroblock per row of blocks. |
| US08295349B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for video compression intra prediction mode determination
A method and system for video compression prediction mode determination is disclosed. For one embodiment of the invention, the frequency domain characteristics (FDCs) of an image block are determined. The FDCs of the image block are compared to the FDCs of each of a number of prediction modes. The prediction mode having FDCs most similar to those of the image block is then determined and selected for encoding the block. For one embodiment of the invention the FDCs of the nine 4×4 prediction modes of the H.264 standard and the FDCs of a 4×4 image block are defined using a frequency domain transform. For one embodiment of the invention, one or more additional prediction modes are evaluated, and of these, the prediction mode resulting in RD optimization is selected for encoding the block. |
| US08295346B2 |
Small detail reservation in content-adaptive quantization
Video processing systems and methods for preservation of small details in video undergoing quantization is discussed. Small details are preserved by identifying an area of interest within a video frame, determining whether small details are present within the selected portion of the video frame, and further determining whether those small details may be lost during quantization. In the event that small details are present in the selected portion of the video frame and may be lost during quantization, a color-shifting operation may be performed on one or more color components of the selected portion of the video frame, such as luminance, prior to quantization to preserve the small detail. During the color-shifting operation, the values of at least one color component of pixels representing the video frame are shifted such that the pixels extend between at least two quantization levels when quantized. In this manner, small detail is preserved, while also allowing for a reduction in the total bits of information contained in the video frame. |
| US08295344B2 |
Adaptive rate control for encoding of variable frame rate video sources
Methods, systems, and apparatuses for performing rate control for encoding of video frames are provided. A first timestamp is received that indicates a capture time for a prior video frame. A second timestamp is received that indicates a capture time for a current video frame. A time difference between the second timestamp and the first timestamp is determined. An average video data bit encoding rate is multiplied by the determined time difference to calculate a bit budget. An indication of a number of video data bits that have been encoded is received. The number includes a number of encoded video data bits of the prior video frame and of any further video frames encoded subsequent to the prior video frame and prior to the current video frame. A virtual buffer fill level is adjusted based on a difference between the indicated number of video bits that have been encoded and the calculated bit budget. A quantizer parameter is adjusted based on the adjusted virtual buffer fill level. The current video frame is encoded according to the adjusted quantizer parameter. |
| US08295342B2 |
Method and system for efficient video compression with low-complexity encoder
Disclosed are a method and system for video compression, wherein the video encoder has low computational complexity and high compression efficiency. The disclosed system comprises a video encoder and a video decoder, wherein the method for encoding includes the steps of converting a source frame into a space-frequency representation; estimating conditional statistics of at least one vector of space-frequency coefficients; estimating encoding rates based on the said conditional statistics; and applying Slepian-Wolf codes with the said computed encoding rates. The preferred method for decoding includes the steps of; generating a side-information vector of frequency coefficients based on previously decoded source data, encoder statistics, and previous reconstructions of the source frequency vector; and performing Slepian-Wolf decoding of at least one source frequency vector based on the generated side-information, the Slepian-Wolf code bits and the encoder statistics. |
| US08295341B2 |
Cognitive radio device
An example Cognitive Radio (CR) described herein may include equalization and Automatic Modulation Classification (AMC). The equalization may employ digital filter techniques with an adjustable length or order. The output of the equalization may be provided to the AMC, where the AMC may be adapted to identify various characteristics about the RF environment and also to identify probabilities of classification associated with the performance of the AMC itself. The CR device may be configured to adjust the equalization using feedback from the AMC to enhance performance of each other. |
| US08295338B2 |
Generated set top calibration patterns in manufacturing
Included are systems and methods for performing an internal operations test to a set top terminal (STT). At least one embodiment of a method includes creating a test pattern for testing video functionality of the STT, sending the created test pattern to a digital encoder, and converting the test pattern to an analog signal. |
| US08295336B2 |
High bandwidth programmable transmission line pre-emphasis method and circuit
A transmission line pre-emphasis circuit includes a primary signal path receiving a digital data stream and generating a primary output current indicative of the digital data stream, one or more secondary signal paths each incorporating a network implementing a specific transient response where the one or more secondary signal paths receive the digital data stream and generate secondary output currents representing one or more overshoot signals indicative of the transient response of the respective network. The one or more secondary signal paths have variable gain being programmed through respective DC programming signals. The secondary output currents are summed with the primary output current. The transmission line pre-emphasis circuit further includes an output loading stage coupled to generate from the summed current a pre-emphasized digital output signal indicative of the one or more overshoot signals added to the digital data stream. |
| US08295325B2 |
Signature sequences and methods for time-frequency selective channel
A signature sequence employed in a wireless transmission over a channel is detected and utilized. The signature sequence is selected from a set of sequences formed by delay-Doppler shifts of a base sequence. Preferably but not exclusively, the set of sequences is formed by circular delay-Doppler shifts of the base sequence. The base sequence can be, for example, an m-sequence. A received signal is obtained from a received wireless transmission. A candidate sequence selector (90) selects a candidate sequence from among a set of sequences for evaluation as the signature sequence, the set of sequences having been formed by sequence set generator (88) as delay-Doppler shifts of a base sequence. An image former (82) uses the base sequence and the received signal to form a delay-Doppler image with respect to an image area pertinent to the candidate sequence. A metric analyzer (84) computes a metric over the image area pertinent to the candidate sequence and uses the metric to determine if the signature sequence is the candidate sequence. A sequence utilization device (76) can use the signature sequence to identify another transceiver unit which sent the wireless transmission, and/or use the signature sequence for synchronization with another transceiver unit which sent the wireless transmission. |
| US08295320B2 |
Achieving low phase noise in external cavity laser implemented using planar lightwave circuit technology
The present invention relates to external cavity laser (ECL) apparatuses and manufacturing processes, and more particularly to implementing low noise narrow bandwidth ECLs on planar lightwave circuit (PLC) platforms for harnessing high-performance, high-stability operation from a compact-footprint, low-power packaged device. An ECL device with narrow linewidth and low noise is disclosed, the device comprising a PLC device and a gain chip butt-coupled to each other. The PLC device has a planar Bragg grating (PBG) integrated onto a rectangular waveguide. The PLC device has anti-reflection coatings (ARC) on its input facet and output facet. The waveguide is designed to be selective of a single polarization. The gain chip has high-reflection coating (HRC) on a back facet and an ARC on a front facet. An operating wavelength of the ECL is aligned to a longer wavelength red slope of a reflectivity spectrum of the PBG. The operating wavelength may be tuned thermally, electrically, or thermo-electrically. |
| US08295312B2 |
Method and system for compensated time stamping for time-sensitive network communications
Aspects of a method and system for compensated time stamping for time-sensitive network communications are provided. In this regard, one or more timestamps generated in an OSI layer above the physical layer may be adjusted based on parameters associated with an amount of time in which data traverses a PHY of the network device. Communications of the network device may be managed based on the adjusted one or more timestamps. The parameters may comprise one or more of: average ingress PHY traversal time, average egress PHY traversal time, variance of ingress PHY traversal time, and variance of egress PHY traversal time. One or more network links coupled to the network device may be characterized based on the one or more adjusted timestamps. The parameters may be stored in one or more registers within a PHY of the network device. |
| US08295303B2 |
System and method for transmission of frame relay communications over a digital subscriber line equipped with asynchronous transfer mode components
A system and method for transmitting Frame Relay based communication over an ATM based network that includes a DSL link are disclosed. The Frame Relay based communication is mapped into ATM cells at a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM). The mapping of the Frame Relay frames into ATM cells is carried in accordance with transparent mode or translation mode functionality provided in the DSLAM. The Frame Relay data may be mapped into the ATM cells pursuant to FRF.5, FRF.8, FRF.8.1, or other similar standards. The system and method may enable transparent propagation of the Frame Relay data across the DSL/ATM network, for receipt on the other end of the network by a Frame Relay compatible switch, or an ATM compatible switch. |
| US08295301B2 |
Managing coexistence among signaling protocols on a shared medium
Communication systems that use different physical layer (PHY) protocols can coexist on a communication medium (e.g., a powerline medium) by using an Inter-PHY Protocol (IPP). The different protocols may use different signal modulation schemes but still may have some features in common. The IPP includes a resource sharing mechanism that regulates access to the communication medium by devices functioning as communication devices (for example, devices communicating over a power line). A subset of devices that communicate among each other form a logical network that shares the medium with other logical networks that use either the same PHY protocol or a different PHY protocol. |
| US08295297B2 |
Transmitting system and transmitting device
Protocol conversion based on a communication protocol and data modulation based on a communication method are performed, in advance, on desired transmission data by a host device, which is an external device. Then, the converted data will be written to a memory in a transmitting device. According to a transmission command from an input section, a logical device reads out the converted data stored in the memory, and then outputs the read data from a transmitting section. |
| US08295296B2 |
Programmable high-speed cable with printed circuit board and boost device
An HDMI cable carries high speed encoded data which are transmitted differentially over data channels, along with a clock. High-frequency loss and differential skew within a differential signal may be compensated by analog circuits embedded in the cable. These embedded circuits are tuned at production for best performance by observing the quality of the recovered analog signal. The embedded circuits are powered by a combination of power sources, both carried within the cable, and harvested from the high-speed signals themselves. |
| US08295295B2 |
System and method for automatically segmenting and merging routing domains within networks
A system and a method for automatically segmenting and merging routing domains within a network. The system includes one or more gateway devices and a plurality of nodes segmented into one or more routing domains. Each of said plurality of nodes maintains a single gateway device from among said plurality of gateway devices as the node's primary gateway at any time. Each of said gateway devices possesses a gateway color attribute. Each of said plurality of nodes maintains a node color attribute value whose value is derived from the value of said gateway color attribute of then node's primary gateway. Each node's routing domain is determined by the node's color attribute value. |
| US08295293B1 |
Predictive flow control for a packet switch
A packet switch issues credits to a link partner based on credit values and updates the credit values to indicate credits consumed by the link partner based on packets received from the link partner by the ingress port. Additionally, the packet switch selects credit threshold values corresponding to a transmission period of imminent credit starvation of the link partner and compares the updated credit values with the credit threshold values. The packet switch issues additional credits to the link partner when at least one of the updated credit values has reached a corresponding credit threshold value. In some embodiments, the packet switch also issues additional credits to the link partner during idle transmission periods. |
| US08295291B1 |
Computation of next hops within layer two networks
A device includes one or more network interfaces to receive layer two (L2) communications from an L2 network having a plurality of L2 devices; and a control unit to forward the L2 communications in accordance with forwarding information defining a plurality of flooding next hops. Each of the flooding next hops stored by the control unit specifies a set of the L2 devices within the L2 network to which to forward L2 communications in accordance with a plurality of trees, where each of the trees has a different one of the plurality of L2 devices as a root node. The control unit of the device computes a corresponding one of flooding next hops for each of the trees using only a subset of the trees without computing all of the trees having all of the different L2 network devices as root nodes. |
| US08295289B2 |
Method and system for simultaneous local and EPC connectivity
A system for providing simultaneous local and global connectivity for a 3rd generation partnership project user equipment (3GPP-UE) includes a connectivity service function (CSF) module communicating with a 3GPP-UE, a residential gateway (RGw) connected to the CSF and to consumer premises equipment (CPE) and a mobile access gateway (MAG) connected to the CSF via a level 2 (L2) tunnel, to the RGw via a broadband remote access server (BRAS) and to a packet data network gateway (PDN-GW) via a proxy mobile internet protocol (PMIP) tunnel. |
| US08295287B2 |
Network traffic shaping for reducing bus jitter on a real time controller
System and method for controlling access to a bus. A Network Interface (NI) is coupled to a memory via the bus, and receives a schedule to a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller on the NI. The schedule indicates one or more timeslots reserved for transmission of deterministic data, and further indicates one or more available timeslots which are not reserved for transmission of deterministic data. The NI receives first data for transmission onto the bus, during a first timeslot of the available timeslots, where the first data are received in a non-deterministic manner, and determines that the first timeslot is a reserved timeslots based on the schedule. The first data are buffered in a buffer memory during the first timeslot, and transferred to the first memory via the bus during a second timeslot after the buffering, where the second timeslot is one of the one or more available timeslots. |
| US08295282B2 |
Method and apparatus for MAC address learning
The invention includes a method and apparatus for synchronizing line card forwarding databases. A method includes receiving a data packet at a line card, generating a control packet for each of at least one other line card to enable an address update operation thereat, and propagating the at least one control packet toward the at least one other line card. The control packet, or packets, is generated in response to a determination to perform an address update operation for the received data packet. The address update process may be implemented as an ingress address update process or an egress address update process. This address update process performed in conjunction with an address aging process. |
| US08295273B2 |
Standard telephone equipment (STE) based deployable secure communication system
Sensitive, Standard Telephone Equipment (STE) data is encapsulated into IP packets in a remotely deployed, secure communication system. The IP packets are addressed to a matching IP encapsulator/decapsulator device over the public Internet or other IP protocol network, that then passes it to a similar STE device over an ISDN link for decryption. The present invention is embodied in a system that provides secure Voice-Over-IP (VOIP), video and data network functionality in a single, small size deployable case, to a remote user. Most importantly, the embodiment allows for the routing of bulk encrypted (i.e., secure) data over a public network, e.g., the Internet. |
| US08295267B2 |
Clock synchronization system, method, and apparatus for communication
When the synchronization information, transmitted from a synchronization information output unit of a clock master side device, is detected by a synchronization information detection unit, the clock slave side device associates the synchronization information with the timestamp information at the time of detection of the synchronization information. Based on the timestamp information associated with the currently received synchronization information, the timestamp information associated with at least one synchronization information up to the synchronization information received last time and transmission period information of the synchronization information, a calculation/decision unit decides whether or not a predetermined condition is met. When the condition is met, the calculation/decision unit supplies the currently received synchronization information to a clock synchronization technique function unit. The clock synchronization technique function unit performs clock correction using the synchronization information. When the condition is not met, the calculation/decision unit discards the synchronization information currently received. The clock synchronization technique function unit performs clock correction based on the previously received synchronization information (FIG. 1). |
| US08295264B2 |
MBMS soft combining
A method of conducting soft combining of at least two received MBMS signals in a user equipment (112) of a radio telecommunications network (100), the method including: demodulating (202) at least a subset of the received MBMS signals; converting (208-1-208-m) a floating point slot data vector to a fixed point slot data vector for each demodulated received MBMS signal; and soft combining (214) the fixed-point slot data vectors derived from at least two of said received MBMS signals. |
| US08295262B2 |
Uplink reference signal for time and frequency scheduling of transmissions
A method for multiplexing reference signal (RS) transmissions from user equipments (UEs), with the RS having a bandwidth larger than the data signal bandwidth (distributed RS) is provided. A transmission time interval (TTI) comprises of one or more sub-frames and each sub-frame comprises of at least two RS transmission periods and a plurality of data signal transmission periods. A distributed RS is transmitted during at least one of the at least two RS transmission periods in at least one of the sub-frames comprising the TTI. During the remaining RS transmission periods, for a UE having a data signal transmission, the RS bandwidth is substantially the same as the data signal bandwidth (localized RS). The total system bandwidth is divided into contiguous, non-overlapping sub-bandwidths, called reference signal multiplexing blocks (RSMBs). Transmission of distributed RS occurs within an RSMB and does not cross over different RSMBs. The size and number of RSMBs can be re-configurable in time and a re-configuration period is much larger than the TTI duration. |
| US08295258B2 |
Enhancing WLAN performance in the presence of interference
A wireless access point coherently receives signals transmitted from client devices and from interfering devices, measures noise and interference capture samples from the received signals, and computes a characterization of noise plus interference. Receive gains and threshold levels are adjusted based on the computed noise plus interference characterization. A set of weights for an interference suppression spatial filter are calculated from the measured noise and interference capture samples and used to produce a filtered signal by spatially filtering the received signals such that interference is spatially nulled in the filtered signal. The method may also include setting PHY parameters at the wireless access point based on the computed noise plus interference characterization. In some embodiments, a protection transmission is transmitted from the wireless access point, requesting connected client devices to suspend transmissions during a specified time period. |
| US08295257B2 |
Scalable disruptive-resistant communication method
A method for transmitting data in vehicular network comprising determining a communication window between at least two nodes, grouping a plurality of fragments of content together into an aggregate fragment block, forwarding the aggregate fragment block to a target node and assembling the plurality of fragments into the content. The content is divided into the plurality of fragments. A fragment signature is generated for the fragments that contain fragment index information regarding each fragment. Each fragment is unambiguously identified by its signature. A number of fragments grouped into the aggregate fragment block is dependent on the communication window. |
| US08295255B2 |
Wireless LAN system, access point, and method for preventing connection to a rogue access point
A wireless local area network system includes one or more access points connected to a wired network which is part of the system. To prevent wireless terminals from communicating with a rogue access point that is not connected to the wired network, a legitimate access point detects the rogue access point, determines its beacon signal period, and sets a timer to generate timings at which the rogue access point is expected to transmit the beacon signals. At each of these timings, the legitimate access point creates and transmits interfering data that interfere with the rogue access point's beacon signals. |
| US08295254B2 |
Method and apparatus for grouping mobile nodes in extended wireless LAN
A method and apparatus for grouping wireless access points and re-grouping access points separated from a group in order to construct a clear and efficient transmission connection channel in an extended wireless LAN architecture are provided. Accordingly, a grouped mobile node determines disconnection of a connection channel to the group, and if the connection channel is disconnected, the mobile node searches for a connection channel to the existing group or a new group to re-subscribe thereto, so that all the mobile nodes can always be in a grouped state. As a result, it is possible to prevent broadcast storm in which broadcasted frames are repetitively transmitted along a loop in an extended wireless LAN architecture. |
| US08295252B2 |
Interlace-based control channel balancing in a wireless communication network
Systems and methodologies are described that provide interlace-based scheduling for control channels in a wireless communication system. One or more control channels for communication between a base station and a mobile terminal in the wireless communication system may be scheduled on one or more frame interlaces in the system based on one or more conditions of each frame interlace in the system. These conditions may include overhead balance between the frame interlaces, processing timeline optimization for the frame interlaces at the scheduling base station, and the desirability of discontinuous transmission (DTX) at a mobile terminal. |
| US08295248B2 |
Scheduling remote units in wireless communication systems
A method for scheduling a wireless communication entity based on channel quality information provided by the wireless entity, wherein scheduling is discontinued if channel quality information is not received from the wireless communication entity over a specified number of frames or if the channel quality information provided is insufficient to support a control channel. The wireless communication entity may discontinue reporting channel quality information if the channel quality measured over a specified number of frames is below a threshold. Scheduling may be discontinued by blocking, removing or preempting the scheduling of the wireless entity. |
| US08295246B2 |
Method and system for supporting an evolved UTRAN
A method and system for supporting an evolved universal mobile telecommunication systems (UMTS) terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) are disclosed. The system includes a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a UTRAN and an E-UTRAN. The UTRAN sends to the WTRU a list of available radio access technologies in a coverage area of the UTRAN. The list includes information related to the E-UTRAN. The WTRU receives the list and may initiate a handoff based on the list. The WTRU then sends its multi-mode/multi-RAT capability information including the E-UTRAN capability to the UTRAN. The UTRAN then sends a measurement capability message to the WTRU. The measurement capability message includes parameters necessary for performing measurements on an E-UTRAN channel. The WTRU performs measurements based on the measurement capability message and reports measurement results to the UTRAN. The UTRAN may initiate a handoff to the E-UTRAN based on the measurement results. |
| US08295245B2 |
Inter-radio access technology measurement system and method
A network access device is provided with one or more processors configured for macrotechnology-based transmission to a multi-mode user equipment of a signal including a plurality of data portions and a plurality of gaps between one or more of the plurality of data portions, wherein at least one of the gaps is used by the multi-mode user equipment for measurement of a first signal strength of a microtechnology-based network. |
| US08295244B2 |
Method for building neighboring cells lists in cellular radiocommunications networks
A method for defining lists of neighboring cells of a cellular radiocommunications network, includes: obtaining a description of mobility paths followed by users of mobile communications terminals in a geographic area of interest; and including a first cell in the list of neighboring cells of a second cell in case, based on the mobility paths' description, to ascertain that there is a mobility path joining the first and the second cells. |
| US08295242B2 |
System and method for exchanging policy information in a roaming communications environment
An apparatus for optimizing roaming in a network environment is provided that includes a bearer manager operable to receive a registration request from a user. An identity of a visited network and access network information is included with the request, a bearer manager consulting the policy server for a policy decision as part of an IP-address assignment or mobile IP registration process. The policy server providing the assigned IP-address, a visited network provider identity and access network information to a home policy server via policy peering. The policy server authorizing the registration and remembering the identity of the visited network provider and the access network information, whereby when the user performs registration, an application manager can request authorization from the policy sever, which checks the identity of the visited network and possible the access network and determines whether to authorize the registration. |
| US08295235B2 |
Load balancing multiple among multiple carriers in a sector
A method of operating a communication system is disclosed. A first set of wireless devices is communicated with using a first frequency range. A second set of wireless devices is communicated with using a second frequency range. A first air-interface utilization associated with the first frequency range is determined. The first air-interface utilization is determined to satisfy a criteria. A second air-interface utilization associated with the second frequency range is determined. A subset of the first set of wireless devices is selected. The subset is selected to have a total air interface utilization that exceeds one-half of the difference between the first air-interface utilization and the second air-interface utilization. The subset of wireless devices is controlled to use the second frequency range. |
| US08295234B2 |
Apparatus and method for fairly allocating resources in band AMC mode of wideband wireless access system
A method and an apparatus for allocating resources in a band adaptive modulation and coding (band AMC) mode of a wideband wireless access system are provided. The method includes, when two or more mobile stations transmit channel quality information (CQI) through an overlapping band, examining whether the mobile stations transmit information indicating that the overlapping band is the highest band thereof, comparing tag values of the mobile stations transmitting the information indicating that the overlapping band is the highest band thereof and selecting one of the tag values having the highest priority, allocating a subchannel corresponding to the highest band to the mobile station having the selected tag value, and changing the tag values of the mobile stations transmitting the information indicating that the overlapping band is the highest band thereof on the basis of the result of the comparison to reset the tag values. |
| US08295233B2 |
System and method for semi-persistent resource scheduling
A component in a telecommunications system is provided. The component includes one or more processors configured to promote semi-persistent scheduling of a resource and to send a release message. The release message informing the user equipment to cease attempting to process data from the downlink portion. Also provided is user equipment comprising one or more processors configured to promote providing an indication that a request for an uplink resource is related to a voice over Internet Protocol call. |
| US08295230B2 |
Method for operating a mobile wireless network
Operating a mobile wireless network to ensure proper function of protocol entities during the transmission of data units between two wireless stations of the mobile wireless network. User data is assembled by a first convergence protocol layer of the first wireless station into at least one first data unit, particularly a packet data unit, before transmission to a second convergence protocol layer of a second wireless station, particularly on the same protocol level, with the user data being supplied to the first convergence protocol layer by at least one user in a network layer. At least one protocol entity of the first convergence protocol layer is configured as a function of a configuration request received by the second wireless station and transmits the at least one first data unit through a carrier to a link control layer. |
| US08295229B2 |
High speed access system and method in a mobile communications network
A method of selecting signatures for a random access in a wireless communication system is presented. The method includes receiving information comprising at least one root sequence index, a cyclic shift parameter, and a configuration parameter that corresponds to different power metric threshold values, providing at least one root sequence table for random access transmission according to the configuration parameter, and accessing the at least one root sequence table is accessed to generate a predetermined number of signatures for accessing the base station, the at least one root sequence table accessed according to the at least one root sequence index and the cyclic shift parameters, wherein the root sequence table comprises a plurality of root sequences arranged in first and second root sequence groups. |
| US08295223B2 |
Wireless connection method and device
A wireless connection method is applicable to establishing a wireless connection device between an uplink device and a downlink device, and includes obtaining uplink wireless configuration information, and configuring a downlink with the obtained uplink wireless configuration information. A wireless connection is established with the uplink device based on the uplink wireless configuration information and, after successful connection establishment, a wireless connection is established with the downlink device based on the uplink wireless configuration information. |
| US08295222B2 |
Wireless connection method and device
A wireless connection method is applicable to establishing a wireless connection device between an uplink device and a downlink device, and includes obtaining uplink wireless configuration information, and configuring a downlink with the obtained uplink wireless configuration information. A wireless connection is established with the uplink device based on the uplink wireless configuration information and, after successful connection establishment, a wireless connection is established with the downlink device based on the uplink wireless configuration information. |
| US08295218B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, terminal, system, program
Provided is a compact and low power consumption wireless communication system, including a base station and communication terminals, in which power consumption of the communication terminal is reduced. The base station alternately sets an active interval during which predetermined data communication is performed, and an inactive interval during which the predetermined data communication is not performed. During the active interval, a beacon including information indicating a start timing of a subsequent active interval is transmitted and received. During the inactive interval, a sub-beacon including information providing notice of a transmission timing of a subsequent beacon is transmitted and received. When receiving the sub-beacon, the communication terminal obtains the transmission timing of the subsequent beacon and stops a supply of power to an unit related to a wireless communication function until the transmission timing. |
| US08295217B2 |
Method and apparatus for a device power savings class
A method is provided for a device in a wireless communication network including a base station. The method includes sending a sleep mode request to the base station; and receiving a sleep mode response including negotiating parameters from the base station. The method also includes entering a sleep mode determined by a single power saving class applicable to all traffic conditions between the device and the base station; and communicating with the base station based on the sleep mode. Further, the single power saving class is used to define a frame structure for configuring frames to form alternating listening windows and sleep windows, to define an initial sleep window, and to define a default listening window. |
| US08295215B2 |
Universal femto cell
A universal femto cell, method, and computer usable program product for using the universal femto cell are provided such that the femto cell is configurable according to the user's choice of wireless carriers. A user configurable component of the universal femto cell enables a user to configure the universal femto cell to operate on at least one wireless communication network. The universal femto cell further includes a storage unit for storing information used in configuring the universal femto cell, a network communication component used in communicating with a network, and a user interface component to receive a user input. The universal femto cell receives a second input from a data processing system, and uses the user input and the second input to configure the universal femto cell to operate on one or more wireless communication network. |
| US08295211B2 |
Method for concurrently transmitting and receiving data through heterogeneous communication networks and apparatus using the same
A method for transmitting/receiving data in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access-time division duplex (OFDMA-TDD) scheme. A first uplink signal and a first downlink signal of a specific band are periodically transmitted/received within a time-divided section. A second uplink signal and a second downlink signal are periodically transmitted/received, and the second signal is of a band other than the specific band, within the time-divided section, wherein, during a time section in which the first downlink signal is transmitted, the second uplink signal is received. |
| US08295209B2 |
Frame structures with flexible partition boundary for wireless networks
Various example embodiments are disclosed herein. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a wireless interface, and a controller, the apparatus being configured to: transmit a downlink subframe of a frequency division duplex (FDD) frame to one or more mobile stations in a wireless network, each wireless station being assigned to one of a plurality of groups, such as, for example, one of group 1 or group 2, the downlink subframe including at least: a group 1 portion and a group 2 portion, wherein a group boundary between the group 1 portion and the group 2 portion of the downlink subframe is variable, at least one of the group 1 portion and the group 2 portion including a group boundary information identifying a location of the group boundary or a location of the group 2 portion in the downlink subframe. |
| US08295208B2 |
Method and system for providing communication control functionality at a remotely located site using a distributed feature architecture
A method for providing communication control functionality at a remotely located site using a distributed feature architecture which provides communication features and data records to an Enhanced Network User (ENU). The ENU connects to a Distributed Feature Network (DFN) in order to gain access to communications features contained in the DFN. Based on the type of communication requested, one or more feature boxes are created in order to implement the requested communication. |
| US08295205B2 |
Contact matching of changing content across platforms
A method includes matching at least one device-associated contact from a list of contacts on a mobile device with at least one web-associated contact from another list of contacts associated with a web-based application and downloading media content associated with the at least one web-associated contact to the mobile device with an indication of the device-associated contact with which it is to be associated. The mobile device launches media content associated with a contact on the occasion of call related activity with the contact. |
| US08295203B2 |
Methods and systems to store state used to forward multicast traffic
Methods and systems are described to store state used to forward multicast traffic. The system includes a receiving module to receive request to add a first node to a membership tree. The membership tree includes a first plurality of nodes associated with a multicast group. The system further includes a processing module to identify a second node in the first plurality of nodes and to communicate a node identifier that identifies the first node over a network to the second node. The node identifier is to be stored at the second node to add the first node to the membership tree. The node identifier is further to be stored in the membership tree exclusively at the second node to enable the second node to forward the multicast traffic to the first node. |
| US08295202B2 |
Dynamic connectivity determination
Methods and network device apparatus for discovering interconnections between a plurality of network devices are disclosed. An example network device apparatus includes a first stack port configured to couple the network device with a next network device and a second stack port configured to couple the network device with a previous network device. The example network device is configured to send, to the next network device through the first stack port, a first probe packet and a routing packet. The example network device is further configured to receive, from the previous network device through the second stack port, a second probe packet and the routing packet. The example network device is still further configured to confirm that the previous network device and the next network device have received configuration information included in the routing packet. |
| US08295201B2 |
System and method for providing lower-layer path validation for higher-layer autonomous systems
An approach is provided for validating lower layer paths for higher layer networks. A request for path cost information is generated relating to a path traversing a first autonomous system and a second autonomous system, wherein each of the autonomous systems utilizes different cost metrics. The path cost information is received associated with reservation of capacity for the path. The path cost information is evaluated. The reservation is selectively accepted based on the evaluation. |
| US08295200B2 |
Discovering multicast routing capability of an access network
Whether an access network supports multicast-based IPTV services from an IPTV service provider is determined. A tone signal encoded with information for the IPTV service provider is used by a terminal to determine whether an access network supports multicast-based IPTV services. The tone signal is also used to determine whether collisions with other IPTV service providers on the access network is probable. Alternatively, a registration request including information for the access network is sent from the terminal to the IPTV service provider. The IPTV service provider uses information in the registration request to determine whether the access network supports multicast-based IPTV services. |
| US08295199B2 |
Methods and systems for maintaining diversity for telecommunication services
Diversity among telecommunications circuits is maintained by analyzing factors including whether synchronization leads are shared by diverse circuits, whether violations of diversity are brought about by new orders that have been placed, and whether improper personnel have been assigned to monitor diverse circuits. Diversity is further maintained by reporting within a graphical user interface those circuits that are subject to diversity and reporting violations of diversity that exist for those circuits. The graphical user interface may provide various controls for dictating which violations are displayed for which circuits. Additionally, diversity is maintained by providing search options that allow the circuits subject to diversity to be narrowed depending upon user-specified criteria. |
| US08295198B2 |
Method for configuring ACLs on network device based on flow information
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for using network flows records exported from network routers to provide information about the traffic entering/exiting the device. Network routers or hubs can be configured to authorize or deny various types of network traffic between two network devices whose traffic transits via the router. The method presented describes the creation and application of access control lists on the router from information derived from the network flow information exported by the network router. |
| US08295195B2 |
Apparatus and method for discriminating frame format in wireless communication system
A frame format discrimination method in a wireless communication system is provided. The frame format discrimination method includes: calculating a power of an in-phase signal and a power of a quadrature signal in a predetermined section of a frame; comparing the power of the in-phase signal with the power of the quadrature signal; and determining the format of the frame in accordance with the comparison result. |
| US08295191B2 |
Endpoint report aggregation in unified communication systems
User quality of experience in a real time communication system is determined by analyzing endpoint performance metric reports correlated with performance factors of each endpoint in an endpoint profile for a more complete view of an audio/video quality of experience. Reports may include endpoint profile reports, which may be sent once at the beginning and then again only if an endpoint attribute changes; session reports, which include measured metric information and are sent at the conclusion of each session; and session interval reports, which also include metric information, but are sent during the session based on a period or a predefined threshold. |
| US08295188B2 |
VoIP security
A network switch automatically detects Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) traffic and mirrors the VoIP traffic to a security management device. The security management device measures a rate of call setup packets in the VoIP traffic. The security management device detects an attack based on a comparison of the measured rate of call setup packets to a threshold rate. Detected attacks are mitigated. |
| US08295187B1 |
Port-centric configuration methods for converged voice applications
A system for determining a requirement in a converged communication system is provided. The system includes a network analyzer 108 that is operable to: (a) determine a packet-switched port usage for at least one of (i) a set of packet-switched stations, (ii) a set of packet-switched trunks, and (iii) a set of packet-switched communications, and a circuit-switched port usage for at least one of (iv) a set of circuit-switched stations, (v) a set of circuit-switched trunks, and (vi) a set of circuit-switched communications in at least a portion of an enterprise network; and (b) based on the determined packet-switched and circuit-switched port usages, determine a functional component requirement to comply with a selected communication specification. |
| US08295186B2 |
Individual end-to-end D/DV/L measurement in IP multicast
Performance measurements are taken in a data network where information from a source is sent to a set of receivers via a plurality of routers using multicast addressing by generating a performance measurement packet having indicia indicating that the packet is a performance measurement packet at the source. The performance measurement packet is forwarded from the source to a subset of one or more identified receivers over the same respective paths as non-measurement packets. The performance measurement packets are received at the subset of identified receivers, but not at receivers in the set that are not part of the subset. |
| US08295178B2 |
Manual configuration for sites that cannot give read/write credentials to a voice over internet protocol (VOIP) monitor
Read-only VoIP node configuration includes monitoring the VoIP network to determine the performance of the various nodes, and data from nodes is collected and stored. Where the nodes are not currently operating or cannot be monitored, no data is assigned in the non-operating nodes. The monitoring results are presented to a user, and misconfigured or faulty nodes are identified based upon predefined criteria. Information is then provided to a user to guide the user through the process of configuring the identified faulty/misconfigured node. The configuration commands for an appropriate network device may be presented to user so that user (with write authority) may implement and carry out the configurations commands. |
| US08295177B1 |
Flow classes
Flows are grouped into flow classes, each of which is assigned flow class treatment rules, which might combine application of both firewall and QoS treatments. When a flow is identified as a member of a flow class, traffic for that flow can be treated according to treatment rules collectively with other flows assigned to that flow class. New flows not already members of an already-defined flow class are examined according to a set of flow class assignment rules, which have the effect of either identifying the proper flow class for that flow, or creating a new flow class for that new flow. For each flow, a first packet determines flow assignment, after which succeeding packets are treated according that flow. For each flow class, a first flow determines flow class assignment, after which succeeding flows are collectively treated according to that flow class. |
| US08295167B2 |
Mitigating network impairments
An edge device for controlling provisioning of data streams to a network includes a primary channel for receiving a primary stream and a secondary channel for receiving a secondary stream. A scheduler selects between the primary stream and the secondary stream. Timers quantify an elapsed time between a triggering event and a previous switch by the scheduler from the secondary stream to the primary stream and quantify a wait time. When the primary stream does not meet the predetermined criteria and the secondary stream does meet the predetermined criteria, the scheduler switches to the secondary stream. The scheduler and switches back to the primary stream after an exponentially increasing wait time has elapsed and the primary stream meets the predetermined criteria. |
| US08295165B2 |
Apparatus and method for handling radio link failure in wireless communication system
A method and apparatus of handling a radio link failure in a wireless communication system is provided. Upon detecting a radio link failure in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state, a user equipment starts a radio link failure timer of which timer value is selected among at least one timer value for at least one RB. The user equipment attempts a RRC connection re-establishment while the radio link failure timer is running, and transitions to a RRC idle state when the radio link failure timer is expired. |
| US08295163B1 |
Reassigning signals to cable channels
Devices, systems, methods, and other embodiments associated assigning signals to cable channels are described. One example device includes a networking device that includes a transceiver to connect to a cable and communicate signal over the cable to a remote terminal. The cable can include two or more cable channels to carry signals. If a cable channel fails to operate, a switching logic reassigns signals initially carried on the failed cable channel to another cable channel. |
| US08295162B2 |
System and method to achieve sub-second routing performance
A system and method for routing data, the system having a processor, an interface in communication with the processor and capable of being in communication with a second system for routing data, a memory unit in communication with the processor, the memory unit having a network routing table having a plurality of routes, the plurality of routes having a first route; and a network failure route selection logic including instructions adapted to configure the processor to determine when the first route is inoperative, transmit a first data packet to the second system for routing data when the first route is inoperative and utilize a second route selected from one of the plurality of routes, the second route being different from the first route. |
| US08295160B2 |
Data communication system, device and method of detecting a failure on an access line in a network
When the provider edge PE1 detects the occurrence of a failure at the access line AL1, it sends the label withdraw message to the virtual circuit VC1, and when the provider edge PE2 receives the label withdraw message sent via the virtual circuit VC1, the access line AL2 is put to a link down state, and when the customer edge CE2 detects the link down state of the access line AL2, it switches from the normal path to the redundant path. |
| US08295158B2 |
Method of session processing in an IMS and interrogating-call state control function
A method of session processing in the Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) comprises: Interrogating-Call State Control Function (I-CSCF) accessing the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) to query the registration location of the called user, the I-CSCF sending the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) request to the Serving-Call State Control Function (S-CSCF) based on the response of the HSS; when the response time of the S-CSCF to the SIP request sent from the I-CSCF has expired, the I-CSCF re-selecting the S-CSCF, and sending the SIP request to the S-CSCF. And an Interrogating-Call State Control Function is provided. According to the present invention, if the S-CSCF returned by the HSS to process the unregistered service of the IMS user does not responded because of the device failure or communication interruption or the like, the I-CSCF can re-select other S-CSCF to process the unregistered service of the IMS user, so as to improve the quality of service and to increase the satisfaction of user. |
| US08295154B2 |
Signaling method in an OFDM multiple access system
A method for reducing the peak-to-average ratio in an OFDM communication signal is provided. The method includes defining a constellation having a plurality of symbols, defining a symbol duration for the OFDM communication signal, and defining a plurality of time instants in the symbol duration. A plurality of tones are allocated to a particular communication device, and a discrete signal is constructed in the time domain by mapping symbols from the constellation to the time instants. A continuous signal is generated by applying an interpolation function to the discrete signal such that the continuous signal only includes sinusoids having frequencies which are equal to the allocated tones. |
| US08295153B2 |
Radio resource sharing
An apparatus includes a controller configured to be coupled with a radio interface of a first wireless network node. The controller is further configured to respond to a spectrum emission mask that includes indications of both desirable emissions and undesirable emissions over a plurality of radio resource allocation units and to estimate a signal to noise ratio in individual ones of radio resource allocation units at at least one second node, to select an appropriate modulation-and-coding scheme per radio resource allocation unit and to schedule transmissions for the radio interface on the radio resource allocation units using the selected modulation-and-coding scheme. The controller is further configured to receive via the radio interface a beacon transmission from a second node, where the beacon transmission indicates a receiver sensitivity of the second node. The controller estimates a path loss to the second node that transmitted the beacon in accordance with knowledge of a transmission power with which the beacon was transmitted and considers distortion characteristics associated with the radio interface, the estimated path loss and the estimated signal to noise ratio so as to allocate transmit signal energy such that a sum of the desirable emissions and the undesirable emissions is less than limits imposed by the spectrum emission mask. |
| US08295152B2 |
Method for signal transmission in wireless systems
Provided is a method of forming a signal in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of terminals commonly use time and frequency resources for efficient code hopping. The method includes allocating the same frequency-axis sequence and different time-axis sequences to a plurality of terminals by using a resource index according to a first slot in the first slot; and allocating different frequency-axis sequences and different time-axis sequences to the plurality of terminals by using a resource index according to a second slot in the second slot. |
| US08295151B2 |
Method central unit, and modem in a digital subscriber line network
A method, central unit, and modem for reducing crosstalk in a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) system. A virtual line referred to as a ghost line is introduced in the system as a substitution for all of the lines except a first line to induce crosstalk to the first line. The Power Spectral Density (PSD) on the first line is allocated to optimize against the ghost line. A modem on the first line reports to a central Spectrum Management Center (SMC), a measure indicating crosstalk impact from the ghost line. This process is repeated for each line. The SMC calculates updated ghost line parameters for each line, which reflect current crosstalk characteristics between each modem and the remaining modems, and sends the updated parameters to the modems. The modems then reallocate PSDs with respect to the updated ghost line parameters to either maximize the rate or minimize the power on their respective lines. |
| US08295150B2 |
Optical information medium measurement method, optical information method, optical information medium, recording apparatus, and reproducing apparatus
Described is an optical information medium measurement method of measuring a degree of modulation in an optical information medium of a multilayered structure having a plurality of information layers. The method includes measuring the modulation degree of each layer of the optical information medium, by use of a measurement optical system, obtaining a thickness between layers of the optical information medium, obtaining a reflectance of each layer of the optical information medium, and converting the measured modulation degree of each layer into a modulation degree at a reference optical system differing from the measurement optical system, based on a value indicative of the obtained thickness between layers and a value indicative of the obtained reflectance of each layer. |
| US08295144B2 |
Optical pickup device and optical disc apparatus
An optical pickup device includes a semiconductor laser for emitting laser light, an objective lens for irradiating luminous flux emitted from the semiconductor laser to an optical disc, a branching element having a plurality of regions for branching luminous flux reflected from the optical disc to a plurality of fluxes, and a photodetector having a plurality of light receiving parts which receive luminous flux branched by said branching element. Luminous flux which enters at least two regions arrayed along a direction which is made substantially coincident with a tangential direction of the optical disc in regard to substantially a center of the branching element is arranged along a direction which is made substantially coincident with a radial direction of the optical disc on the photodetector. |
| US08295143B2 |
Aberration correcting device, optical device, and optical head device
The present invention relates to an aberration correcting device comprising: an aberration correcting element which modulates the phase of incident light; and a position adjusting section which can move the aberration correcting element in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the incident light, wherein the aberration correcting element includes first and second aberration correction plates, each of which is disposed such that the phase of transmitted light beam differs with transmission position of the incident light beam with the same phase, and the aberration correcting element has a reference arrangement which is an arrangement of the first and second aberration correction plates in which the light beams transmitted through the aberration correcting element have the same phase, and assuming that a point on the first aberration correction plate crossing the optical axis is a point Oa and a point on the second aberration correction plate crossing the optical axis is a point Ob in the reference arrangement, the position adjusting section includes a mechanism which can move the first and second aberration correction plates in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and the points Oa and Ob in opposite directions from the reference arrangement and/or a mechanism which can rotate and move the first and second aberration correction plates by the same angle in different directions from the reference arrangement with the points Oa and Ob as the center. |
| US08295137B2 |
Information medium evaluating method
An information medium evaluating method includes, in the following order: a recording process that records data onto a recordable information medium to be evaluated; a rubbing process that rubs a processing member against a data recording surface of the information medium; a reading process that reads the data from the information medium; and an evaluating process that evaluates the information medium based on a result of the reading process and evaluation standard data. During the rubbing process, the processing member is rubbed onto only part of a region in a circumferential direction of the information medium. |
| US08295133B2 |
Optic disc writer device
An optic disc writer device is an embedded type independent system. It has a host controller, a disc writer assembly, and a printer assembly. The disc writer assembly is electrically connected to the host controller and has a robotic arm, at least one disc writer, and an optic disc deposition zone. The robotic arm is operated to move to the optic disc deposition zone for picking and/or depositing an optic disc and to move the optic disc to the disc writer by which a writing operation is performed on the disc to provide a writing-completed disc. The printer assembly is electrically connected to the host controller. The printer assembly includes a disc tray that is controlled by the host controller for extension and withdrawal for receiving the writing-completed disc therein. The printer assembly is operated to form printing of patterns on a surface of the writing-completed disc. |
| US08295132B2 |
Plasmon shield to shape and reduce optical spot
A TAMR head is disclosed with a triangular shaped plasmon antenna covered on two sides with a plasmon layer that generates an edge plasmon mode along a vertex of the two plasmon sides formed opposite a main pole layer. A plasmon shield (PS) is formed along the ABS and opposite the vertex to confine an electric field from the edge plasmon mode within a small radius of the edge plasmon tip thereby reducing the optical spot size on the magnetic medium and enhancing writability. An end of a waveguide used to direct input electromagnetic radiation to the plasmon antenna adjoins a PS side opposite the ABS. In one embodiment, a magnetic shield may be formed along the ABS and adjoins the PS so that a first PS section terminates at the ABS and faces the vertex while a second PS section is formed between the magnetic shield and waveguide end. |
| US08295131B2 |
Chronograph timepiece
In a chronograph timepiece in which the chronograph hands are electrically rotated by a motor drive pulse and are mechanically zero-restoring-controlled, a basic drive control unit controls a motor so as to drive the chronograph hands when it is detected by a contact portion and a setting releasing detection portion that the setting of the chronograph hands by a setting mechanism has been released. |
| US08295124B2 |
Method for separating independent simultaneous sources
This is a method of separating simultaneous sources that uses an inversion-type approach. Each source will preferably activated at a random time with respect to the others. These random delays tend to make the interference between sources incoherent while the reflections create coherent events within a series of shots. The shot separation is performed via a numerical inversion process that utilizes the sweeps for each shot, the start times of each shot, and the coherence of reflection events between nearby shots. This method will allow seismic surveys to be acquired faster and cheaper. |
| US08295122B2 |
Input buffer circuit, semiconductor memory device and memory system
An input buffer circuit includes a logic unit, a clock enable buffer, and a clock buffer. The logic unit is configured to receive a clock signal and a clock enable signal, and to output a decision signal indicative of whether the clock signal is normally input, where the decision signal is activated when the clock signal is normally input. The clock enable buffer is configured to buffer the clock enable signal and to activate an internal clock enable signal, in response to an activation of the decision signal. The clock buffer is configured to buffer the clock signal and to output an internal clock signal, in response to an activation of the internal clock enable signal. |
| US08295119B2 |
Latency counter, semiconductor memory device including the same, and data processing system
A latency counter includes a counter circuit and a point-shift FIFO circuit. Latch circuits included in the point-shift FIFO circuit are divided into n groups having wired-OR outputs, and an output of a latch circuit that belongs to a group different from a current group is selected each time a count value is updated. |
| US08295113B2 |
Semiconductor device
Disclosed is a semiconductor device including: a first switch controlling connection between a first data line pair a second data line pair; a first amplifier connected to the first data line pair; a second switch controlling the connection between the second data line pair and a third data line pair; a second amplifier amplifying data on the second data line pair and delivering the amplified data to the third data line pair; a third amplifier connected to the third data line pair; and a switch control circuit controlling the second switch. Based upon a first control signal that controls precharging and equalization of the first data line pair, the switch control circuit renders the second switch conductive when precharging and equalization of the first data line pair is not carried out, and renders the second switch non-conductive when precharging and equalization of the first data line pair is carried out. |
| US08295112B2 |
Sense amplifiers and exemplary applications
Embodiments of the invention are related to sense amplifiers. In an embodiment involving a sense amplifier used with a memory cell, signals BL, ZBL, SN and SP are pre-charged and equalized to a voltage reference, e.g., Vref, using an equalizing signal. A compensation signal, e.g., SAC, is applied to compensate for the mismatch between transistors in the sense amplifier. The word line WL is activated to connect the memory cell to a bit line, e.g., bit line ZBL. Because the memory cell shares the charge with the connected bit line ZBL, it causes a differential signal to be developed between bit lines BL and ZBL. When enough split between bit lines BL and ZBL is developed, signals SP and SAE are raised to VDD (while signal SN has been lowered to VSS) to turn on the sense amplifier and allow it to function as desire. Other embodiments and exemplary applications are also disclosed. |
| US08295110B2 |
Processor instruction cache with dual-read modes
A processor including a cache memory, a decoder, a precharge circuit, a control module, and an amplifier module. The decoder generates a first word line signal to access first instructions stored in a first word line, and (ii) generates a second word line signal to access second instructions stored in the first word line or a second word line. The precharge circuit (i) precharges first bit lines connected to the first word line prior to accessing each of the first and second instructions. The control module adjusts a rate of a clock signal from a first rate to a second rate. The amplifier module accesses the first instructions based on (i) the first word line signal and (ii) the clock signal at the first rate, and accesses the second instructions based on (i) the second word line signal and (ii) the clock signal at the second rate. |
| US08295107B2 |
Asynchronous pipelined memory access
A plurality of control signals are asserted within an asynchronous integrated circuit memory device in response to each transition of a memory access initiation signal to effect pipelined memory access operations. |
| US08295106B2 |
Delay locked loop and method and electronic device including the same
A delay locked loop and method and electronic device including the delay locked loop are provided. In one embodiment, the delay locked loop includes a first delay locked loop and a second delay locked loop. The first delay locked loop receives a data signal and a plurality of first clock signals, generates a plurality of second clock signals based on interpolation on the plurality of first clock signals, selects and outputs one of the second clock signals from among the plurality of second clock signals based on a locking operation on the plurality of second clock signals and the data signal, and generates a plurality of phase resolution control signals. The second delay locked loop receives the data signal, the selected second clock signal, and the plurality of phase resolution control signals, generates a plurality of third clock signals having variable phase resolution based on the selected second clock signal and at least one of the plurality of phase resolution control signals, and performs a locking operation on the plurality of third clock signals and the data signal. |
| US08295098B2 |
Local sensing in a memory device
Methods for sensing, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such memory device, a local sense circuit provides sensing of an upper group of memory cells while a global sense circuit provides sensing of a lower group of memory cells. Data sensed by the local sense circuit is transferred to the global sense circuit over local data lines or a global transfer line that is multiplexed to the local data lines. An alternate embodiment uses the local sense circuit to sense both upper and lower groups of memory cells. |
| US08295096B2 |
Method of programming flash memory of the differential cell structures for better endurance
A method of programming a differential flash memory cell having a first and a second memory cell is disclosed. The first memory cell includes a first transistor associated with a first threshold voltage and the second memory cell includes a second transistor associated with a second threshold voltage. The method includes reading the first and second memory cells to determine a current associated with the first and second threshold voltages. The first threshold voltage is equal to a first value and the second threshold voltage is equal to a second value. The method further includes determining if the first current corresponds to a predetermined logic state. If the current does not correspond to the predetermined logic state, the first and second memory cells are programmed. The programming includes changing the first threshold voltage from the first value to a third value and the second threshold voltage from the second value to a fourth value. |
| US08295094B2 |
Method of operating non-volatile memory cell
A method of operating a memory cell for 3D array of this invention is described as follows. Carriers of a first type are injected into a charge storage layer of the memory cell by applying a double-side biased (DSB) voltage to double sides of the memory cell. Carriers of a second type are injected into the charge storage layer by applying FN voltages. |
| US08295093B2 |
Multi-dot flash memory
A multi-dot flash memory set potentials of bit lines being disposed at a left side of a selected floating gate to V2(1)>V2(2)>V2(3)> . . . and set potentials of bit lines being disposed at a right side of the selected floating gate to V1(1) |
| US08295091B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
According to one embodiment, in the case of performing an operation for increasing a threshold voltage of a first transistor or a third transistor, a control circuit is configured to apply a first voltage to a bit line, and apply a second voltage greater than the first voltage to a gate of a second transistor, thereby rendering the second transistor in a conductive state to transfer the first voltage to a second semiconductor layer, and then apply a program voltage to a gate of the first transistor or the third transistor to store a charge in a second charge storage layer. |
| US08295083B2 |
Method and apparatus for increasing the reliability of an access transitor coupled to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ)
A method of writing to a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) of a magnetic memory array includes an access transistor coupled to the MTJ for reading of and writing to the MTJ, where when the MTJ is written to, at times, by switching its magnetic orientation from an anti-parallel to a parallel magnetic orientation, a bit line that is coupled to one end of the MTJ is raised to Vcc and a voltage that is the sum of Vcc and Vx is applied to the gate of the access transistor, with Vx being approximately the voltage at an opposite end of the MTJ. Further, the voltage of a Source Line (SL), which is coupled to the MTJ using a first transistor of a write driver that is also coupled to the SL, is regulated such that SL remains sufficiently above 0 volts to avoid violation of Vgs exceeding Vcc where Vgs is the gate to source voltage of the access transistor. |
| US08295082B2 |
Gate level reconfigurable magnetic logic
A re-programmable gate logic includes a plurality of non-volatile re-configurable resistance state-based memory circuits in parallel, wherein the circuits are re-configurable to implement or change a selected gate logic, and the plurality of non-volatile re-configurable resistance state-based memory circuits are each adapted to receive a logical input signal. An evaluation switch in series with the plurality of parallel non-volatile re-configurable resistance state-based memory circuits is configured to provide an output signal based on the programmed states of the memory circuits. A sensor is configured to receive the output signal and provide a logical output signal on the basis of the output signal and a reference signal provided to the sensor. The reconfigurable logic may be implemented based on using spin torque transfer (STT) magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) magnetoresistance random access memory (MRAM) as the re-programmable memory elements. The logic configuration is retained without power. |
| US08295078B2 |
Semiconductor memory cell and array using punch-through to program and read same
An integrated circuit device (for example, logic or discrete memory device) comprising a memory cell including a punch-through mode transistor, wherein the transistor includes a source region, a drain region, a gate, a gate insulator, and a body region having a storage node which is located, at least in part, immediately beneath the gate insulator. The memory cell includes at least two data states which are representative of an amount of charge in the storage node in the body region. First circuitry is coupled to the punch-through mode transistor of the memory cell to: (1) generate first and second sets of write control signals, and (2a) apply the first set of write control signals to the transistor to write a first data state in the memory cell and (2b) apply the second set of write control signals to the transistor to write a second data state in the memory cell. In response to the first set of write control signals, the punch-through mode transistor provides at least the first charge in the body region via impact ionization. The transistor may be disposed on a bulk-type substrate or SOI-type substrate. |
| US08295075B2 |
Resistive memory and method for controlling operations of the same
A resistive memory and a method for controlling operations of the resistive memory are provided. The resistive memory has a first memory layer, a second memory layer and a medium layer. Each of the first memory layer and the second memory layer is used to store data. The medium layer is formed between the first memory layer and the second memory layer. The method comprises at least a step of measuring a resistance between the first memory layer and the second memory layer, and determining which one of a first state, a second state and a third state is a state of the resistive memory according to the measured resistance. |
| US08295073B2 |
Non-volatile dual port third dimensional memory
Non-volatile dual port memory with third dimension memory is described, including a non-volatile third dimensional memory array comprising a memory element, the memory element is configured to change from a first resistive state to a second resistive state in response to a voltage, a transceiver gate configured to gate the voltage to the memory element, the voltage being configured to change the memory element from the first resistive state to the second resistive state, the transceiver gate is configured to receive another voltage from a bit line and a bit bar line, the bit line and the bit bar line being coupled to the memory element and configured to provide the another voltage, and a plurality of word lines coupled to the memory element, the plurality of word lines are configured to provide substantially simultaneous access to the non-volatile third dimensional memory array using two or more ports. |
| US08295067B2 |
Power converter using a rectifier with normally on transistors
The invention relates to a power converter comprising, in particular, a rectifier comprising at least one switching leg provided with two transistors (T1-T6) connected in series. The transistors (T1-T6) are of the normally ON field-effect type, for example JFETs, and are each controlled by a gate control device (CT1-CT6). Each gate control device comprises, in particular: an output (OUT1) connected to the gate (G) of the controlled transistor, a voltage rectifier element connected between the output of the control device and an input (in1, in3) of the converter, a capacitor (C11) connected between the source (S) of the transistor and a point situated between the output of the control device and the voltage rectifier element. |
| US08295063B2 |
System and method for damping LC circuits in power conversion systems
A power conversion system comprises a power converter comprising a plurality of semiconductor power switches, an LC filter coupled between an output of the power converter and an electric grid, and a power conversion control system. The LC filter comprises an inductor coupled in series to the electric grid, and a capacitor. The LC filter and the grid result in an equivalent LC circuit comprising an impedance of the LC filter and an impedance of the electric grid. The power conversion control system comprises a damper and a converter controller. The damper receives an LC filter signal and an equivalent LC circuit impedance signal and generates a damping signal. The converter controller receives a current or voltage reference signal, a current or voltage command signal, and the damping signal to generate control signals for driving switching operations of the semiconductor power switches. |
| US08295061B2 |
Board connecting bracket and electronic instrument having the same
A board connection bracket and an electronic instrument having the same are provided. The electronic instrument includes an electronic instrument body which includes a plurality of board fixing parts on a surface; a printed circuit board which is mounted on the surface of the electronic instrument body; and a board connection bracket which connects the printed circuit board to one of the board fixing parts to fix the printed circuit board to the electronic instrument body. |
| US08295059B1 |
Traffic control expansion and testing systems
A system relating to improved traffic-control hardware expansion and component testing. More particularly, this invention relates to providing systems for efficient expansion and portable testing of NEMA-standard TS-1 and TS-2 traffic-control devices used in traffic-control applications. The system is especially useful in extending the service life of “aging” fixed-size traffic-control cabinets, within existing traffic-control networks. |
| US08295056B2 |
Silicon carrier structure and method of forming same
A silicon carrier structure for electronic packaging includes a base substrate, a silicon carrier substrate disposed on the base substrate, a memory chip disposed on the silicon carrier substrate, a microprocessor chip disposed on the silicon carrier substrate, an input/output chip disposed on the silicon carrier substrate, and a clocking chip disposed on the silicon carrier substrate. |
| US08295052B2 |
Flat panel display apparatus
A flat panel display apparatus includes a display panel, a chassis configured to support a backside of the display panel, and a flexible circuit board on which a driving circuit for driving the display panel is mounted. The chassis includes a first flat plate bonded to the display panel on a surface side, and a second flat plate bonded to a front cover arranged on the surface side of the display panel. The flexible circuit board has one end connected to the display panel, and another end arranged between the first and second flat plates. The second flat plate includes a plurality of flange portions formed to be bonded to the front cover. |
| US08295046B2 |
Non-circular radial heat sink
A heat sink includes a blower located in the heat sink and a plurality of fins extending from a periphery of the blower toward a perimeter of the heat sink. The plurality of fins define a plurality of channels each having a channel inlet located at the blower and a channel exit located at the perimeter of the heat sink. The plurality of channels vary in length around the perimeter of the heat sink A velocity of an air flow from the blower at each channel inlet is substantially equal for each channel of the plurality of channels, and a total pressure drop from the channel inlet to the channel exit is substantially equal for each channel of the plurality of channels. |
| US08295043B2 |
Protective sleeve for portable electronic devices
The present invention relates to a protective sleeve for portable electronic devices. The protective sleeve for portable electronic device includes a sleeve frame, a cover, and a turning structure. The sleeve frame includes a plurality of connecting sidewalls cooperatively defining a space for receiving the portable electronic device. The cover is covering the space of sleeve frame. The cover is connected to the sleeve frame and can be opened via the turning structure. The protective sleeve for portable electronic device is convenient for use, and can fully protect the portable electronic device. |
| US08295040B2 |
Cooling arrangement for small form factor desktop computer
A small form factor desktop computing device having a suitable internal cooling arrangement is disclosed. The device can be formed of a single piece seamless housing machined from a single billet of aluminum. The single piece seamless housing includes an aesthetically pleasing foot support having at least a portion formed of RF transparent material that provides easy user access to selected internal components as well as offers electromagnetic shielding. The device can also include a removable foot, a heat producing element, a fan, an air processing manifold having a plurality of angled fins, and a heat exchanger. |
| US08295037B1 |
Hinged electronic device having multiple panels
An electronic device, such as an electronic book (“eBook”) reader device, is configured with two panels connected via a hinge. A first panel includes components such as a battery, a main logic board, a wireless networking interface, and so forth while a second panel includes a display component such as an electrophoretic display. The panels may be opened for use wherein the display is visible to a user, or closed such that the first panel protects and/or obscures the second panel and the display located therein. |
| US08295035B2 |
Modular multilevel raised floor electro-mechanical distribution system
The subject invention is directed to an improved modular multilevel raised floor electro-mechanical distribution system for installation in building structures including, but not limited to, data centers and similar rooms having high heat loads requiring usually dedicated cooling systems and usually having extensive data cabling and wiring. In addition to a walking and equipment support surface, the invention provides dedicated levels, isolated from one another and positioned under the walking surface, for distribution of electrical services, including data, on the one hand, and conditioned air, on the other. |
| US08295029B1 |
Multi-segment capacitor
A multi-segment capacitor fabricated on a semiconductor substrate includes MxN capacitor segments arranged in a matrix of M rows and N columns. Each capacitor segment includes two groups of conductive fingers preferably made of metal wires. The metal wire fingers are distributed within multiple metal layers in such a manner that two neighboring parallel metal wire fingers within a particular metal layer are electrically insulated and connected to different terminals of the capacitor. Further, at least the longitudinal axes of the parallel metal wire fingers within two different metal layers are not parallel to each other within the same capacitor segment. |
| US08295026B2 |
Electrostatic chuck and substrate processing apparatus having same
In an electrostatic chuck provided inside a processing chamber of a substrate processing apparatus and including a high voltage electrode plate for electrostatically attracting a target substrate, a heater includes a plate-shaped resistor and two electrode plates respectively brought into surface-contact with a front surface and a rear surface of the resistor, and one of the two electrode plates of the heater serves as the high voltage electrode plate for electrostatically attracting the target substrate. |
| US08295014B1 |
Disk drive head gimbal assembly having a flexure tail with transverse flying leads
A head gimbal assembly for a disk drive includes a read head, a load beam, and a laminate flexure. The laminate flexure includes a structural layer, a dielectric layer, and a conductive layer that includes a plurality of electrical traces. The laminate flexure includes a tongue portion that connects to the read head, and a flexure tail that extends away from the tongue portion and includes a plurality of flexure bond pads that may facilitate ultrasonic or ACF bonding. Each of the plurality of flexure bond pads consists of a widened region of a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical traces in the conductive layer, and a gold coating upon the widened region. The widened region of each of the plurality of electrical traces extends transverse to the flexure tail's longitudinal axis at least 2.5 times more than it extends parallel to the flexure tail's longitudinal axis. |
| US08295011B2 |
Slider, head gimbal assembly and disk drive unit with the same
A slider for a head gimbal assembly includes a trailing surface, a plurality of connection pads arranged on the trailing surface adapted for both bonding the slider to a suspension of the head gimbal assembly and testing the performance of the slider. At least a part of the connection pads each comprises a bonding portion and a testing portion electrically connected to the bonding portion and larger than the bonding portion, all the bonding portions and the rest part of the connection pads are arranged in a first row and the testing portions are arranged outside the first row. The slider of the present invention has a new pad layout to facilitate bonding of the connection pads and permit to provide additional pads thereon to connect the additional sensors therein for precise reading and writing, thereby improving the performance of the slider. The invention also discloses a head gimbal assembly and a disk drive unit including the same. |
| US08295004B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring disk runout in a disk drive
According to one embodiment, a disk drive includes an actuator, a servo controller, a calculation module and an adjustment module. The actuator is configured to move the head over a disk, in the radial direction of the disk. The servo controller is configured to make the head move along a target orbit on the disk, in accordance with the distance the actuator has been moved. The calculation module is configured to calculate, as disk runout, a virtual target orbit value supplied to the servo controller to suppress the disturbance at the target orbit. The adjustment module is configured to multiply the virtual target orbit value by a gain that has been preset. |
| US08295002B1 |
Null servo demodulation for short servo wedge in disk storage systems
In a disk storage system, the disk may include a full null servo position error signal (“PES”) wedge, followed by a data wedge, and then a short null servo PES wedge. To improve the accuracy with which information read from the short null servo PES wedge can be used to help keep the read head centered over the information track being read, the short null servo PES wedge may include a calibration field. Information read from the calibration field can be used to compensate the subsequently read PES information in the short wedge for possible sampling phase error that may have accumulated since the full null servo PES wedge was read. This type of short null servo PES wedge also has other possible uses. |
| US08294997B2 |
Optical imaging lens assembly
This invention provides an optical imaging lens assembly, in order from an object side toward an image side including: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, a third lens element with positive refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, a fourth lens element with negative refractive power having a concave image-side surface, and the two surfaces being aspheric; wherein the optical imaging lens assembly further comprises an aperture stop disposed between an imaged object and the first lens element, and there are four lens elements with refractive power. |
| US08294992B2 |
Projection-receiving surface
This invention presents a projection-receiving surface that has a surface having an undulating contour. The undulating contour comprises a plurality of alternating convex cylindrical surface segments and concave cylindrical surface segments. The convex cylindrical surface segments and concave cylindrical surface segments of the undulating contour of the surface arranged with cylindrical axes in a direction. The surface can further have an additional surface feature comprising striations, cusps, and/or nanoflaked reflector leaves. The striations are arranged crosswise to the undulating contour. The surface can be a reflection surface of a front projection-receiving surface. |
| US08294990B2 |
Method and apparatus for optical filtering with two passbands
An apparatus includes an optical filter having first and second passbands that are different, the optical filter including selectively operable first passband adjusting structure that varies a characteristic of the first passband without influencing the second passband. According to a different aspect, a method includes filtering radiation with an optical filter having first and second passbands that are different, and selectively varying a characteristic of the first passband without influencing the second passband. |
| US08294987B1 |
Image transforming device
An image transforming device enables 3-D auto-stereoscopic display of a two-dimensional projected image. Optical waveguides in the form of ribbons are used. A stack of ribbons at a receiving end receives the projected image. A horizontal and vertical ribbon arrangement at the other end of the ribbon forms a screen for display of a transformed 3D image. A spacer material at the output end separates the vertical positioning of each ribbon. A screen may be assembled from the output ends of multiple devices forms. The two-dimensional image may be projected in changing colors. When changing colors are projected, the device may further include two lens arrays: a static micro-lens array and a dynamic array of micro-lenses, which is capable of motion synchronized with the changing colors. |
| US08294980B2 |
Delay line interferometer with liquid crystal tuning element
A delay line interferometer is configured with a liquid-crystal (LC) tuning element as a phase modulator for demodulating a phase-modulated input signal. The LC tuning element allows for quickly tuning the phase difference between two optical signals separated from the phase-modulated input signal, so that the two optical signals can be coherently recombined to interfere with each other and produce one or more intensity-modulated optical signals. In some embodiments, the LC tuning element is configured to reduce polarization-dependent frequency shift without the use of additional high-precision optical elements and/or coatings. |
| US08294976B1 |
Method for reducing substrate charging
An electrostatically actuatable micro electromechanical device is provided with enhanced reliability and lifetime. The electrostatically actuatable micro electromechanical device comprises: a substrate, a first conductor fixed to the top layer of the substrate, forming a fixed electrode, a second conductor fixed to the top layer of the substrate, and a substrate area. The second conductor is electrically isolated from the first conductor and comprises a moveable portion, suspended at a predetermined distance above the first conductor, the moveable portion forming a moveable electrode which approaches the fixed electrode upon applying an actuation voltage between the first and second conductors. The selected substrate surface area is defined as the orthogonal projection of the moveable portion on the substrate between the first and second conductors. In the substrate surface area at least one recess is provided in at least the top layer of the substrate. |
| US08294975B2 |
Automotive rearview mirror assembly
An automotive rearview mirror assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element having a transparent electrical conductor disposed at a second surface of a first substrate and a mirror reflector disposed at a third surface of a second substrate. The mirror assembly includes electrochromic mirror dimming circuitry for controlling dimming of the electrochromic medium. The mirror assembly may include one or more features and at least one of the features may share a component with the electrochromic mirror dimming circuitry and/or share circuitry with the electrochromic mirror dimming circuitry. The mirror assembly may include a video camera and/or an on-demand display viewable through the mirror reflector by the driver of the equipped vehicle when displaying information and substantially non-viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when not displaying information. |
| US08294974B2 |
Electrochromic material and electrochromic device including the same
Disclosed is an electrochromic material including a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 and an electrochromic device including the electrochromic material. In Chemical Formula 1, R1, R2, L1, and L2 are as defined in the detailed description. |
| US08294973B2 |
Electrochromic display substrate
A metal-plated copperless substrate for an electrochromic display. The display includes the substrate in the form of a backplane whereon circuitry of less than about 1 micron in thickness is patterned from the copperless metal. A transparent frontplane is coupled to the substrate with an electro-active ink material therebetween through which pixels may be activated to form an image for the display. |
| US08294971B2 |
Apparatus comprising an optical path delay scanner
An optical path delay scanner, comprising a rotatable mount, a first prism and a second prism disposed on the mount, and a radiation source aligned to project light through the first prism and the second prism. The radiation source may be arranged to project the light on a surface of the first prism at an incidence angle corresponding to the prism's minimum deviation angle. The scanner may be disposed in a reference arm of a Michaelson interferometer. |
| US08294969B2 |
Scan element for use in scanning light and method of making the same
A scan element includes a bobbin having a central axis about which is wound an electromagnetic wire coil and having a flange oriented generally transverse to the central axis. At least one elastomeric support has a first end coupled to the flange. A permanent magnet has first and second surfaces, a central axis, and a magnetization direction oriented generally transverse to the central axis of the permanent magnet. The magnet is supported by a second end of the elastomeric support. A mirror has a central axis and is mounted on the second surface of the magnet. The central axes of the mirror and magnet are coaxial with the central axis of the bobbin. The elastomeric support provides a return force when the magnet and the mirror are rotated at an angle from the central axis during energization of the electromagnetic wire coil. |
| US08294968B2 |
Optical scanning element, driving method for same, and optical scanning probe employing optical scanning element
An optical scanning element is provided and includes: a substrate; a first movable section supported on the substrate so as to be capable of rocking displacement about a first axis parallel to a surface of the substrate; a second movable section arranged integrally on the first movable section and supported so as to be capable of rocking displacement about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, the second movable section having a micro mirror on an upper surface thereof; and a driving section that applies a physical action force on the first movable section and the second movable section so as to cause the micro mirror to perform rocking displacement in two axial directions about the first axis and the second axis. |
| US08294960B2 |
Image processing device and system, and computer readable medium therefor
An image processing device determines whether a total number of ancillary images based on input data is equal to a total number of document images extracted from acquired image data. When determining that the total number of the ancillary images is different from the total number of the document images, the image processing device makes an adjustment such that the total number of the ancillary images is equal to the total number of the document images. Based on the document images and the ancillary images after the adjustment, the image processing device generates set data each piece of which has a set of a document image and an ancillary image based on ancillary data identified as being associated with the document image. The image processing device outputs the set data generated. |
| US08294957B2 |
Data processing apparatus and method of using the same
In a data processing apparatus of the present invention, a disk unit storing a disk is mounted on the apparatus such that the surface of the disk is parallel to the direction of a shock or an impact. This protects the disk unit and therefore the disk from the influence of shocks and impacts as far as possible. |
| US08294955B2 |
Image reading apparatus, multifunction printer apparatus, and image processing method
This invention is directed to provide a method capable of performing filter processing suitable for each of different image reading methods. This method includes the steps of causing a light emitting unit to sequentially irradiate an image original with light components of three primary colors and read the image original, and causing the light emitting unit to simultaneously irradiate the image original with one of three different color combinations, which includes two of the light components of three primary colors, and read the image original. The method further includes the step of processing image data obtained based on the reflected light received by the light receiving unit after changing a filter to be used for image processing depending on whether reading of the image original is primary color reading or complementary color reading. |
| US08294954B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method for reducing the difference of image qualities between the image data read by a plurality of reading units
An image processing controlling unit calculates an image processing parameter to reduce an image quality difference between image data read by a first reading unit and a second reading unit depending on a reading characteristic of a reading unit indicated by attached information (reading-unit information) received together with the calculating request and a writing characteristic of a printer. The calculated image processing parameter is stored in a memory. Next, when printing the image data, a middleware unit causes a printer to print the image data based on the image processing parameter held in the memory. |
| US08294951B2 |
Method of reducing the amount of black in an image
A method of reducing the amount of black in an image is disclosed. The method is using a computer to reduce the amount of or eliminate the black in an original digital image. The major procedure is to increase the pixels of the original digital image (by four or nine times) and then change the color information of the pixels. |
| US08294950B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes; a chart data forming unit that forms density correcting chart data to be printed, in which reference density patterns and adjusting density patterns are arranged so that a connection angle, and the adjusting density patterns have different densities in the respective patterns; a printing unit that prints a density correcting chart in which the reference density patterns and the adjusting density patterns are arranged adjacent to each other in respective patterns; a receiving unit that receives an input of a density adjusting value of a desired pattern, on the basis of comparison of density between the reference density patterns and the adjusting density patterns which has been obtained from visual observation of a user on the printed density correcting chart; and a tone correcting unit that conducts tone correction of the desired pattern. |
| US08294945B2 |
Defacement degree determination apparatus and defacement degree determination method
A defacement degree determination apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention includes an alignment unit which aligns positions of an input image from one printed material printed using a plurality of printing plates with registered images registered in advance, a plate separation processing unit which separates the input image into a plurality of printed components corresponding to the plurality of printing plates, and extracts defacement features from the respective printed components, and a defacement degree determination unit which determines a defacement degree of the printed material based on the defacement features extracted from the respective printed components. |
| US08294944B2 |
Printer and method for printing an image on a medium comprising a plurality of holes
The present invention relates to a printer and method for printing an image on a medium comprising a plurality of holes, said image enveloping at least one of said holes. According to an embodiment, the printer comprises a means for identifying the respective locations of the holes in at least a first part of the medium, a processor for adjusting at least a part of the image by removing image regions corresponding with the defined locations and at least one printer head responsive to the processor for printing the adjusted at least part of the image on the at least the first part of the medium. |
| US08294942B2 |
Data processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, and computer program
An apparatus includes a content data acquisition unit configured to acquire content data to be inserted into an insertion area which is set in an image formation area for forming an image, and a content data transmission unit configured to transmit the acquired content data to an image forming apparatus that is capable of forming an image. The apparatus further includes an identification information acquisition unit configured to acquire identification information of the transmitted content data from the image forming apparatus; an image formation data generation unit configured to generate image formation data for forming the image, using the identification information; and an image formation data transmission unit configured to transmit the generated image formation data to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08294940B1 |
Updating data in a one-time programmable data storage device
A system and method are disclosed for updating data stored in a one-time programmable (non-rewritable) non-volatile storage device (“OTP”). The OTP is segmented so that updated data may be written to unused areas. Valid data may be differentiated from stale data using a data recognition technique such as tallying or indexing. According to a tallying technique, an updated event count may be obtained by counting the number of blown bits in the OTP. Each time the event occurs, the next bit is blown. According to an indexing technique, each bit in an index corresponds to a data block in the OTP. When updated data is written to the next (empty) data block in order in the OTP, the corresponding (next) index bit is blown. A valid data set may be located by counting the number of blown bits in the index. |
| US08294938B2 |
Image forming apparatus, management system, and method thereof
An image forming apparatus holds a job to be executed, scan processing performed by an operator in job execution, sheet registration, work content of sheet supply, working hours, information about a worker and the like, in association with a database. Further, the image forming apparatus transmits information about man-hours concerning registration work of sheet information held in the database, to a server. |
| US08294937B2 |
Print system for conferencing and print method thereof
A print system for conferencing includes a plurality of print apparatuses that are provided in a plurality of conference locations and interconnected via a network; a storage that registers in itself, data of conference material and information of prospective attendees from the respective conference locations; and a detector that detects the start of a conference. Each of the print apparatuses obtains and records the registered data of conference material and information of prospective attendees from the conference location where the print apparatus is provided, then prints as many copies of conference material as the number of the prospective attendees, if the start of a conference is detected. |
| US08294935B2 |
Device to edit documents for printout and method thereof
A device and method of editing documents created in different application programs and stored in a storage unit of a printer to create a new document according to a minimum unit. |
| US08294933B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and storage medium for registering attributes for printing
An image processing apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive information indicating capability of each image forming apparatus from a plurality of image forming apparatuses via a network, a capability determination unit configured to determine, by using the information received by the receiving unit, whether a number of predetermined capabilities of an image processing apparatus that have been implemented, is equal to or higher than a predetermined ratio to the number of a plurality of image processing apparatuses, and a transmission unit configured to transmit, to an image processing apparatus serving as a distribution destination, a combination of information including the predetermined capabilities of the image processing apparatus as a setting, if the capability determination unit determines that the number of the predetermined capabilities of the image processing apparatus that have been implemented, is less than the predetermined ratio. |
| US08294930B2 |
Printing system, portable unit terminal, server, portable embedded program and server program
A printing system includes a portable unit terminal, a server connected through a network to the portable unit terminal, and a printer capable of printing print data, which are received from the portable unit terminal. The portable unit terminal includes an image-acquiring device; an input device; a text-data-transmitting device that transmits text data to the server; a layout-data-receiving device that receives layout data sent from the server; a print-data-producing device that places image data acquired by the image-acquiring device in accordance with layout data received by the layout-data-receiving device; and a print-data-transmitting device that sends print data to the printer. The server includes a template-storage device that stores a template used for printing image data and text data by the printer; a text-data-receiving device; a layout-data-producing device that inserts the text data received by the text-data-receiving device into a stored template to produce layout data; and a layout-data-transmitting device. |
| US08294929B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming system, method of printing sample print, and computer program product
An image forming apparatus is able to select a paper-delivery destination for a print output. The image forming apparatus includes a print-process managing unit that divides a print job into print processes and controls a print output; and a sample-print-output controlling unit that controls execution of a sample print output by causing, in response to a sample-print-output request, an interrupt of a duplicate of a predetermined print process of the print job, with the paper-delivery destination being changed, to be handled by the print-process managing unit. |
| US08294928B2 |
Data management system to extract text data
A data management system includes a client apparatus, an image processing server, and a database. The client apparatus sets whether to extract text data from a print rendering command. According to the data management system, an appropriate text extraction method can be set according to an application. When a setting for extracting text data from a print rendering command has been performed, text data is extracted from a print rendering command output during print processing by the application. The extracted text data is sent to the image processing server together with printed image data. On the other hand, when a setting for extracting text data from a print rendering command has not been performed, the printed image data is sent to the image processing server. If no text data is received from the client apparatus, the image processing server performs optical character recognition processing on the printed image data to extract text data. |
| US08294921B2 |
Image outputting apparatus, and archive system including that image outputting apparatus and its control method
When data is output from an archive-function incompatible driver to an archive-function incompatible device, that data is omitted from those to be archived. To this end, an image outputting apparatus of this invention determines whether or not received data has already been archived. When it is determined that the received data has already been archived, an image is outputted based on that received data. When it is determined that the received data has not been archived yet, image outputting of the received data is inhibited. Furthermore, the image outputting apparatus instructs a PC that transmitted the data to install an archive-function compatible driver. |
| US08294919B2 |
Endorsement printing by building characters
A document processor receives a document to be processed and captures data from the document. The document processor includes a plurality of processing devices and conveys documents past the plurality of processing devices to allow the processing devices to perform operations on the documents. A programmable endorser prints an endorsement on a document as the document is processed. The programmable endorser includes a plurality of character segments in the form of various shapes such that the endorsement is printed by building characters from the character segments. |
| US08294918B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating a simulated image including an identified image abnormality
An image forming apparatus includes a failure prediction unit, an image identification unit, a simulated-image generating unit, and an output unit. The failure prediction unit prepares an index value indicating a condition of the image forming apparatus based on multidimensional signal, obtained by monitoring the image forming apparatus, and compares the index value with a first threshold value to predict a failure mode of the image forming apparatus. The image identification unit identifies types of abnormal images based on the failure mode predicted by the failure prediction unit. An identified abnormal image is predicted to be appear a given time later. The simulated-image generating unit generates a simulated image of the identified abnormal image. The output unit outputs the identified abnormal image as the simulated image. |
| US08294917B2 |
Image forming apparatus for determining the authenticity of an exchange part
An image forming apparatus is supplied capable of lowering cost of exchange part. In the image forming apparatus, the exchange part is furnished being attachable and removable, an identification information obtaining process section to obtain identification information of the exchange part from the exchange part, and an operation allowing process section to allow image formation in the case that the identification information obtaining process section can not obtain the identification information, are comprised, so that it is unnecessary to provide an identification information storing portion for storing the identification information to the exchange part of shipment stage. |
| US08294915B2 |
Interface circuit for utilizing a facsimile machine coupled to a PC as a scanner or printer
Printing and scanning methods using a facsimile machine communicating with a computer over a bi-directional direct passive link connected between digital communication ports of the computer and facsimile machine Upon receipt of an instruction at the facsimile machine, the printing method includes receiving digital image data from the computer via the bi-directional direct passive link. The digital image data is processed substantially as it is received at the facsimile machine and printed onto media. Upon receipt of an instruction at the facsimile machine, the scanning method includes scanning content from media provided within the facsimile machine to create digital image data digital image data representative of the content, and providing the digital image data substantially as it is created to the computer via the bi-directional direct passive link. The instructions and digital image data are transmitted in a standard facsimile machine format using standard facsimile machine protocols. |
| US08294912B2 |
Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
Conventionally, pixel data are converted into the tile sequence. According to this invention, span information or run-length information during conversion into pixel data from vector data such as a display list converted from a page description language is converted into the tile sequence before rendering into pixel data. This can greatly reduce the amount of data temporarily stored for conversion into the tile sequence. |
| US08294911B2 |
Print control method for a printer and a printer configured with a normal print mode and an inverted print mode
A printer prints all print data when an inverted print mode is selected for printing even if an insufficient memory state occurs in the image conversion buffer. If the roll paper printer 1 is set to the inverted print mode and an insufficient memory monitoring unit 23 detects an insufficient memory state in the image conversion buffer 13 before the inverted image data generating unit 22 converts and writes all of the received print data to a print data break to the image conversion buffer 13, the print mode switching unit 25 changes the print mode from the inverted print mode to the normal print mode, and the normal printing unit 26 prints the print data from the beginning. Because the print data is printed from the beginning when the inverted image data cannot be correctly generated because of insufficient memory, there is no loss of information contained in the print data. |
| US08294905B2 |
Optical measurement device
This invention provides an optical measurement device enabling a highly accurate measurement with respect to a measuring target object in which an inclined surface or a curved surface exists at one part of the surface or a tilted measuring target object. The light shielding portion is configured to define an incident angle range with respect to a light receiving center axis of a diffuse reflected light. In other words, a maximum angle formed by the advancing direction of the diffuse reflected light and the light receiving center axis when the diffuse reflected light passes through the opening of the light shielding portion is defined by the diameter of the opening. The light projecting portion projects a light projection beam so that a converging position on the light receiving center axis is included within a range of the light shielding portion on the light receiving center axis for the component converged by the lens portion of the light projection beam (i.e., reflected light beam) specular reflected at the surface of the measuring target object. |
| US08294903B2 |
Surface shape measurement apparatus and method
The measurement accuracy of an apparatus for measuring the surface shape of an object utilizing a two-wavelength phase-shift interferometry is improved. A low-coherence light source, a plurality of wavelength filters with different transmission wavelengths, an angle control unit and an analysis unit are provided. When performing a two-wavelength phase shift method, the analysis unit detects the wavelength difference between two wavelengths, and corrects a calculated wavelength value and a calculated phase value of one of the wavelengths for preventing a fringe-order calculation error. Next, the angle of the wavelength filters is controlled for making the actual wavelength difference coincident with a designed value. Thus, the wavelength difference between the two wavelengths is continuously controlled to be constant, which enables measurements of surface shapes with high accuracy, even when there are wavelength fluctuations due to the temperature change or the time elapse. |
| US08294896B2 |
Determining in-band optical signal-to-noise ratios in optical signals with time-varying polarization states using polarization extinction
A method and apparatus for improving the accuracy of in-band OSNR measurements using a conventional polarization extinction or polarization-nulling method. In particular, the severe degradations of the polarization extinction that result from slow and fast polarization fluctuations in the optical signal components during the in-band OSNR measurement are substantially mitigated by rapidly and/or randomly changing the state of polarization prior to conventional polarization control and filtering. |
| US08294894B2 |
Particle counter
The present invention provides a particle counter capable of accurately discriminating the signal of scattered light by real particles from the background light noise, and furthermore, capable of detecting smaller particles than conventional particle counters. The particle counter according to the present invention includes: a light irradiator for emitting light to the measurement area 40 in a vacuum state or in a near vacuum state; a scattered light detector 32 for detecting scattered light generated when the light is delivered to the measurement area 40; a discriminator 18 for determining whether or not a particle exists in the measurement area 40 by comparing the detection signal of the scattered light detector 32 and a predetermined discrimination threshold; a vacuum gauge 12 for measuring the pressure of the measurement area 40; and the threshold setting unit 16 for setting a discrimination threshold in accordance with the pressure of the measurement area 40. |
| US08294891B2 |
Non-invasive optical analysis using surface enhanced raman spectroscopy
In one aspect, a system for use in product packaging is disclosed that includes a polymeric sensing substrate coupled to a package such that a front sensing surface thereof is in contact with a portion of a product, e.g., a fungible product, stored in the package and a back surface thereof is accessible via an environment external to the package. The system further includes a radiation source adapted to direct radiation to the substrate's back surface such that the radiation would interact with one or more molecular species of the product that are in contact with the substrate's sensing surface. The system also includes a detector that is adapted to detect radiation returning from the substrate in response to its illumination by the radiation source. The front surface of the sensing substrate can comprise a plurality of micron-sized or submicron-sized ridges having a discontinuous or continuous metal coating, e.g., a metallic layer with a thickness in a range of about 10 nm to about 1000 nm (and preferably in a range of about 50 nm to about 120 nm), disposed thereon. |
| US08294889B2 |
Method for inspecting nano-imprint template
A method for inspecting a nano-imprint template, includes irradiating light onto a template for nano-imprinting from a back surface side of the template, the template having a front surface where a pattern is formed, detecting near-field light which is generated near the front surface of the template by the irradiation of the light, and performing an inspection of the template on the basis of the detected near-field light. |
| US08294886B1 |
Alignment method for solar collector arrays
The present invention is directed to an improved method for establishing camera fixture location for aligning mirrors on a solar collector array (SCA) comprising multiple mirror modules. The method aligns the mirrors on a module by comparing the location of the receiver image in photographs with the predicted theoretical receiver image location. To accurately align an entire SCA, a common reference is used for all of the individual module images within the SCA. The improved method can use relative pixel location information in digital photographs along with alignment fixture inclinometer data to calculate relative locations of the fixture between modules. The absolute locations are determined by minimizing alignment asymmetry for the SCA. The method inherently aligns all of the mirrors in an SCA to the receiver, even with receiver position and module-to-module alignment errors. |
| US08294885B2 |
Auxiliary device for helping to measure coaxiality of lenses
An auxiliary device for measuring the coaxiality of a lens. The auxiliary device includes a cylindrical main body having a first surface and a flat second surface facing away the first surface, and a protrusion formed on the first surface and defining a reference convex surface. The second surface of the main body defines a position part. The position part is coaxial with the reference convex surface and configured to engage with the lens to measure the coaxiality of the lens. |
| US08294880B2 |
Distance measuring sensor including double transfer gate and three dimensional color image sensor including the distance measuring sensor
Provided are a distance measuring sensor including a double transfer gate, and a three dimensional color image sensor including the distance measuring sensor. The distance measuring sensor may include first and second charge storage regions which are spaced apart from each other on a substrate doped with a first impurity, the first and second charge storage regions being doped with a second impurity; a photoelectric conversion region between the first and second charge storage regions on the substrate, being doped with the second impurity, and generating photo-charges by receiving light; and first and second transfer gates which are formed between the photoelectric conversion region and the first and second charge storage regions above the substrate to selectively transfer the photo-charges in the photoelectric conversion region to the first and second charge storage regions. |
| US08294879B2 |
Multi-directional active sensor
A multi-directional sensor system includes a light source configured to generate a beam of electromagnetic radiation; and a transmitter configured to transmit the beam of electromagnetic radiation to a target. The transmitter may include (i) a plurality of optical fibers, wherein one or more of the optical fibers are configured to receive the beam of electromagnetic radiation, and (ii) a surface on which one end of each of the plurality of optical fibers terminate in a different direction and/or orientation thereof to emit electromagnetic radiation. A detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation responsive to electromagnetic radiation transmitted to the target. A method of sensing is also disclosed. |
| US08294876B2 |
Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus illuminates a pattern with an energy beam and transfers the pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system. The exposure apparatus includes a substrate stage on which the substrate is mounted that moves within a two-dimensional plane holding the substrate. The apparatus also includes a supply mechanism that supplies liquid to a predetermined spatial area which includes a space between the projection optical system and the substrate on the substrate stage, and an adjustment unit that adjusts exposure conditions based on temperature information on the liquid between the projection optical system and the substrate. |
| US08294873B2 |
Exposure method, device manufacturing method, and substrate
An exposure method for exposing a substrate with exposure light that irradiates the substrate via a liquid, wherein the concentration of an eluted substance in the liquid on the substrate is set so as to satisfy the condition RW−RP≦1.0×10−3 when RP is the transmittance of the liquid containing an eluted substance eluted from the substrate per 1 mm in the optical path direction of the exposure light, and RW is the transmittance of the liquid that does not contain the eluted substance per 1 mm in the optical path direction of the exposure light. |
| US08294871B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus forming assembly, liquid crystal cell, and liquid crystal display apparatus, and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal cell manufacturing method includes preparing a pair of glass substrates each including an area configured to form a plurality of finished liquid crystal display apparatuses thereon, while a plurality of seal members and a plurality of pillars each including ends that respectively abut against the pair of glass substrates are interposed between the pair of glass substrates, adhering the pair of glass substrates to form a liquid crystal display apparatus forming assembly, and while the liquid crystal display apparatus forming assembly is formed, forming a plurality of scribe lines that intersect each other on surfaces of the pair of glass substrates that are opposite to surfaces of the pair of glass substrates that oppose each other. At least a part of each of the pillars is arranged to overlap at least one of regions, between the pair of glass substrates, corresponding to the plurality of scribe lines. |
| US08294870B2 |
Display panel comprising an active device array substrate having a groove wherein the groove is extended to the transparent substrate
A substrate module suitable for being filled with a display medium to form a display panel is provided. The substrate module includes an active device array substrate, an opposite substrate, and a sealant. The active device array substrate has a groove. The opposite substrate is disposed opposite to the active device array substrate. The active device array substrate and the opposite substrate are assembled through the sealant, wherein the display medium is substantially filled in a region surrounded by the sealant to form the display panel and the groove is located between the sealant and a border of the active device array substrate. |
| US08294867B2 |
Liquid crystal display having a terminal portion and a sealing member wherein neither a first or a second substrate extends beyond an outer periphery of the sealing member along a side of the display
At least one side of a sealing member is formed on an outer edge of a first substrate, and a common transfer terminal portion is formed along at least a part of the sealing member formed on the outer edge of the first substrate. |
| US08294866B2 |
Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
Disclosed are a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display device includes a first insulating substrate, a gate line and a data line formed on the first insulating substrate and crossing each other, a first pixel electrode formed on the first insulating substrate and including a first part and a second part which are physically separated, a second pixel electrode formed on the first insulating substrate and forming an electric field with the first pixel electrode, a connection bridge including at least one conductive layer and electrically connecting the first part with the second part through a contact hole, and at least one insulating layer positioned between the first pixel electrode and the connection bridge, wherein the contact hole is formed in the at least one insulating layer. |
| US08294864B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising a common electrode with a plurality of slits having first and second stretching directions that differ
To solve lowering of transmittance due to a pixel end domain, provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a liquid crystal layer; and a substrate including pixel electrodes and, a common electrode disposed between the pixel electrodes and the liquid crystal layer and having a slit which stretches over adjacent pixel electrodes, in which: the slit has a first stretching direction at a center of one pixel electrode, and a second stretching direction in a gap between two adjacent pixel electrodes, different from the first stretching direction; in the slit, a portion where the first stretching direction is switched to the second stretching direction is located on one pixel electrode; and, with respect to an alignment direction, a first azimuth toward the first stretching direction and a second azimuth toward the second stretching direction have the same rotation direction, and the second azimuth is larger than the first azimuth. |
| US08294858B2 |
Integrated photovoltaic cell for display device
Embodiments of the present invention describe a photovoltaic cell integrated into a display device. The photovoltaic cell is designed with an absorption spectrum that does not include a range of wavelengths corresponding to a particular color of visible light. Besides having the capability to harvest light, the photovoltaic cell can also function as a color filter and a photodetector. |